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Dade City, FL Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Definition
Dwelling caring for up to 6 persons
Use Category
Day Care, LDR § 4.2.3(B)
Parking required
3 spaces, Table 6.1-1
Zoning table
Table 4.1-2, permitted or conditional by district

Summary

A 'day care home' in Dade City is a dwelling where a resident cares for up to six children or adults who are not related to the occupant. It is classified as a Day Care use under LDR § 4.2.3(B) and must provide 3 off-street parking spaces under Table 6.1-1.

(B)Day Care.(1)Characteristics. The Day Care Use Category is characterized by Use Types that provide care, protection, and supervision for more than six (6) children or adults on a regular basis away from their primary residence for less than 24 hours per day. Accessory uses include offices, recreation areas, and parking.(2)Examples. Example Use Types include care centers, day care homes (up to and including 6 people), and preschools. ... Day Care Home (up to and including 6 persons) 3 spaces ... A dwelling in which a permanent occupant provides for the care of up to six (6) children or adults. Those receiving care are not all related to the occupant or to each other by blood or marriage and are not the legal wards or foster children of the attendant adults. Those receiving care and who are not dependents of the occupant do not reside on the site.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 18 | Land Development Regulations: Supplement 1).

Full Breakdown

Dade City, Pasco County, Florida, classifies a home-based child or adult care business as a 'Day Care Home (up to and including 6 persons)' in Article 9 of the Land Development Regulations, defined as 'a dwelling in which a permanent occupant provides for the care of up to six (6) children or adults' who are not related to the occupant by blood or marriage, are not the occupant's legal wards or foster children, and do not themselves reside on-site. 3(B), Day Care is its own Use Category, characterized by uses that provide care, protection and supervision away from a person's primary residence for less than 24 hours a day, with day care homes listed among the category's example use types alongside larger care centers and preschools.

4. 1-1, Minimum Off-Street Parking Standards, in addition to the space normally required for the dwelling itself. The Use Table lists no separate use-specific standards section for day care homes beyond this permitted-use classification and parking requirement, so an operator otherwise complies with the same accessory-use, appearance and nuisance limits that apply to any residential accessory activity in the underlying zoning district.

Violations & Fines

Operating a day care home in a district where the Use Table does not list it as permitted or approved as a conditional use is a zoning violation enforced by the Community Development Director, who can require the operator to obtain the correct approval, cease the use, or both; failing to provide the three required parking spaces under Table 6.1-1 is enforced the same way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a home day care in Dade City?
The LDRs define a 'Day Care Home (up to and including 6 persons)' as a dwelling where a permanent occupant cares for up to six children or adults who are not related to the occupant and do not live on-site themselves. It falls under the LDR's Day Care use category.
How many parking spaces does a home day care need?
Three off-street parking spaces, per Table 6.1-1, Minimum Off-Street Parking Standards, in addition to whatever parking the dwelling itself already requires. The requirement applies regardless of which zoning district the day care home operates in, since Table 6.1-1 sets it as a flat standard tied to the use type itself.
Is a home day care allowed in every zoning district?
No. Table 4.1-2, the LDR's Table of Allowed Uses, lists day care homes as permitted by right in most residential districts but as a conditional use needing Development Review Committee approval in others, so confirm your specific district's listing before opening.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Dade City

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