East Honolulu, HI Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Home daycare in East Honolulu is regulated as a distinct accessory use in the City and County of Honolulu Land Use Ordinance. Under Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (ROH) Section 21-5.50(c)(2), enacted by Ordinance 25-2, a 'Family Child Care Home' is defined as 'an accessory use in a private residence at which care is provided for up to 6 children at any given time who are unrelated to the caregiver by blood, adoption, guardianship, marriage, or other duly authorized custodial relationship.' The standards provide that no more than 6 children may be cared for at once; that no internal or external alterations inconsistent with the residential use and character of the building are permitted; and that employees are limited to household members plus, in an emergency that renders the principal caregiver unavailable, one non-household substitute caregiver (not to exceed five days per calendar month plus a single instance of up to 14 days annually). The predecessor home occupation rule (Section 21-5.350(b)) similarly allowed a single substitute caregiver during emergencies. Separately, family child care homes in Hawaii must be registered or licensed by the State Department of Human Services under HRS Chapter 346 and its administrative rules.