East Brunswick, NJ Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

East Brunswick Township Code § 228-6.3, the permitted-use section for the RP Single-Family Rural Preservation District, lists "Family day care home" as item F among the principal uses and buildings permitted. The item was added by Ord. 15-16 on 09-21-15. Because it appears in the permitted-use list, not the conditional-use list in § 228-6.4, it does not need the Planning Board conditional use permit that places of assembly and academic schools need in the same district.

The definition at § 228-3 explains what qualifies. A FAMILY DAY-CARE HOME is the private residence of a family day-care provider which is registered as a family day-care home pursuant to the Family Day Care Provider Registration Act, P.L. 1987, c. 27 (N.J.S.A. 30:5B-16 et seq.). The Township ties the zoning status to that state registration, so a household that is not registered falls outside the definition.

The use is listed across the Township's residential districts, not only the RP district. Section 228-6.13 (RP-2) lists Family day care home as item B, § 228-8 (R-1) lists Family Day Care Home as item M, and the permitted-use sections at §§ 228-17, 228-26, 228-35 and 228-48.2 each list Family Day Care Home as well. A resident in East Brunswick Township should read the district article for the lot in question.

The Township handles larger operations separately. The Zoning Ordinance defines NURSERY SCHOOL as an establishment providing for the care, supervision, and protection of children, also referred to as day care or pre-school, and lists Nursery schools as a separate permitted use in the R-1 district. For a home occupation, subsection C of the definition at § 228-3 refers to a nursery school or baby-sitting service permitted as a home occupation under state law.