Dane County, WI Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Wisconsin divides home childcare into three tiers under Wis. Admin. Code DCF 250 (Certification), DCF 251 (Family Child Care for 4-8 children), and DCF 251/252 (Group up to 15). The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families issues licenses; Dane County is covered by the Madison DCF Regional Office. Madison General Ordinance §28.151 treats a state-licensed family daycare (up to 8 children) as a permitted home occupation in all residential districts. Group daycare homes (9-15 children) require a conditional use permit from the Plan Commission under MGO §28.183. Fitchburg, Middleton, Verona, Sun Prairie, and Stoughton mirror this pattern. Dane County Ch. 10 Zoning permits licensed family daycare in residential and agricultural districts by right. Requirements include: state background checks under Wis. Stat. §48.685 for providers and household members, CPR and pediatric first-aid, 35 sq ft indoor and 75 sq ft outdoor per child, fire-department inspection, annual DCF inspection, liability insurance typically $300,000 minimum, and a drop-off plan that does not create traffic nuisance. Madison also requires a Home Occupation Permit with an annual fee (~$95).