Clearwater, FL Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Authority
- F.S. 402.313
- Training
- 30-hour course required
- Screening
- Level 2 background
- Local zoning
- CDC Section 3-920
- Substitute plan
- Mandatory
Summary
Family day care homes in Clearwater follow Florida Statute 402.313, which sets registration, training, screening, and inspection rules, while the Community Development Code allows them as accessory home uses.
402.313  Family day care homes. — (1)  Family day care homes shall be licensed under this act if they are presently being licensed under an existing county licensing ordinance or if the board of county commissioners passes a resolution that family day care homes be licensed. (a)  If not subject to license, family day care homes shall register annually with the department, providing the following information: 1.  The name and address of the home. 2.  The name of the operator. 3.  The number of children served. 4.  Proof of a written plan to provide at least one other competent adult to be available to substitute for the operator in an emergency. This plan shall include the name, address, and telephone number of the designated substitute. 5.  Proof of screening and background checks. 6.  Proof of successful completion of the 30-hour training course, as evidenced by passage of a competency examination, which shall include: a.  State and local rules and regulations that govern child care. b.  Health, safety, and nutrition. c.  Identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect. d.  Child development, including typical and atypical language development; and cognitive, motor, social, and self-help skills development. e.  Observation of developmental behaviors, including using a checklist or other similar observation tools and techniques to determine a child’s developmental level. f.  Specialized areas, including early literacy and language development of children from birth to 5 years of age, as determined by the department, for owner-operators of family day care homes. 7.  Proof that immunization records are kept current. 8.  Proof of completion of the required continuing education units or clock hours. (b)  A family day care home may volunteer to be licensed under this act. (c)  The department may provide technical assistance to counties and family day care home providers to enable counties and family day care providers to achieve compliance with family day care homes standards.
Full Breakdown
Florida Statute 402.313 governs family day care homes statewide, including operators in Clearwater. The law requires a 30-hour introductory child care course, a written emergency substitute plan, annual self-inspection checklists, and Level 2 background screening for the operator and adult household members. Home-based child care can also qualify as a home occupation under Section 3-920 of Clearwater's Community Development Code, provided the activity remains incidental to residential use. Pinellas County administers registration and licensing functions for family day care homes within Clearwater, while the Florida Department of Children and Families maintains state-level oversight and rule enforcement.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unregistered family day care home, exceeding allowed child counts, or failing background screening can result in DCF administrative fines, county registration revocation, and Clearwater code compliance citations with daily civil penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children can I care for in a Clearwater home day care?
Do I need to notify Clearwater that I run a home day care?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clearwater
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Clearwater to another location·View the Florida home business overview
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Home Daycare in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Pinellas County handle home daycare.