Durham allows small home daycares for up to 5 full-time and 3 after-school children. Larger facilities (6-12 children) may need a minor use permit. NC DHHS licensing required.
Durham classifies home-based child care into three tiers. A small home facility may care for up to 5 full-time children and 3 after-school children. The operator must reside on-site and meet NC Residential State Building Code standards. A large home facility serves 6 to 12 children and also requires the operator to live in the home. A minor use permit from the Board of Adjustment may be required before a building permit can be issued for larger facilities. All child care facilities except small home facilities may need an approved site plan submitted to the Planning Department. State licensing is administered by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education under N.C.G.S. 110-91. Operators must verify that their location meets local zoning requirements and obtain written zoning approval before applying for a state license. Contact Durham Planning and Development at 919-560-4137 to confirm whether a minor use permit is needed for your address.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Durham, NC
Durham caps daytime sound at 60 dBA (8 AM to 11 PM) and nighttime sound at 50 dBA (11 PM to 8 AM) under Ch. 26, Sec. 26-23. Measured at property line using A...
Durham, NC
Durham UDO Section 9.9 limits residential fences to 4 feet in front yards and 8 feet in side and rear yards. Corner lots face additional restrictions along s...
Durham, NC
Durham does not require a permit for most residential fences or walls. Permits are required for retaining walls, pool barriers on single-family parcels, prop...
Durham, NC
Durham UDO Section 9.9 sets general fence standards including setbacks, orientation, and vision-clearance rules. Fences between structures and streets within...
Durham, NC
Durham requires a building permit for all retaining walls. Retaining walls over 4 feet at street frontage must be terraced in Design Districts. Walls over 8 ...
Durham, NC
Durham UDO 9.9 prohibits razor wire, concertina wire, and barbed wire in residential districts. Uncoated chain link is banned in CI and Design Districts.
See how Durham's home daycare rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.