DeKalb County, GA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Max children
- Six non-resident children
- Permit type
- Type I or Type II SLUP
- Space limit
- 25% of unit or 500 sq ft
- Scope
- Unincorporated DeKalb County only
- State registration
- Required by State of Georgia
Summary
In unincorporated DeKalb County, a family day care home serving up to six children can operate as a home occupation, but it must meet the county's home-occupation standards under the zoning ordinance.
Family day care home: A private residence in which a business, registered by the State of Georgia, is operated by any person who receives pay for supervision and care for fewer than twenty-four (24) hours per day, not more than six (6) persons who are not residents in the same private residence. For purposes of this zoning ordinance, a family day care home may be operated as a home occupation, subject to the requirements of this zoning ordinance.
Family-oriented entertainment venues: Places of entertainment intended to serve families.
Farm equipment and supplies sales establishment: Establishments selling, renting, or repairing agricultural machinery, equipment, and supplies for use in soil preparation and maintenance, the planting and harvesting of crops, and other operations and processes pertaining to farming and ranching.
Farmer's market: A market, usually held out-of-doors, in public spaces, where farmers and other vendors can sell produce or value added products.
Farming, active: The growing of crops, plants, and trees. The term also includes the maintaining of horses, livestock, or poultry for the residents' needs or use, and the sale of agricultural products grown on the premises.
Fascia: A type of roof trim mounted on exposed rafter ends or top of exterior walls to create a layer between the edge of the roof and the outside.
Full Breakdown
DeKalb County's zoning ordinance defines a family day care home as a state-registered private residence caring for up to six non-resident children for pay, and it can operate only as a home occupation under Sec. 4.2.31. That section caps the operation to 25 percent of the dwelling or 500 square feet, whichever is less, bars exterior evidence of the business, limits employees to residents, and allows only one business vehicle. A version with no customer contact gets administrative Type I approval; any customer contact requires a Type II special land use permit. This applies only in unincorporated DeKalb. Decatur, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker and Stonecrest enforce their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Violating the zoning ordinance is a misdemeanor under Sec. 7.7.17; each day of continued violation is a separate offense, and the county can revoke the operator's business license for up to five years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a home daycare in unincorporated DeKalb County?
Do I need a special permit for family day care?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DeKalb County
Compare DeKalb County to another location·View the Georgia home business overview
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