Tennessee Department of Human Services licenses family child care homes statewide, and local zoning cannot prohibit small home daycares serving up to seven children when state licensing standards are met.
Tenn. Code Ann. Section 71-3-501 et seq. defines family child care homes (4-7 children) and group child care homes (8-12 children) and vests licensing authority with the Department of Human Services. Tenn. Code 14-3-102 limits municipal zoning interference with licensed family child care operations in single-family residential zones, treating them as residential uses. Operators must meet background check, training, and safety inspection requirements set by the state. Local governments may regulate signage, parking, and structural alterations but cannot ban a properly licensed family child care home from a residential district.
Operating without DHS licensure is a Class A misdemeanor; municipal interference with licensed homes may be challenged under state preemption.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Chattanooga, TN
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Chattanooga, TN
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Chattanooga, TN
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Chattanooga, TN
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Chattanooga, TN
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Chattanooga, TN
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See how Chattanooga's home daycare rules stack up against other locations.
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