Evansville, IN Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Approval required
- Board of Zoning Appeals special use
- Capacity limit
- Up to 12 persons daily
- Care type excluded
- 24-hour care not permitted
- Applicant
- Must be resident owner-operator
- Administered by
- Evansville-Vanderburgh Area Plan Commission
Summary
Running a home preschool or adult day care in Evansville for up to 12 people requires special use approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals: it is not a permitted use by right in any residential zoning district.
Resident-occupied and resident-operated preschools, adult day care facilities or similar operations which keep up to 12 persons on a daily basis, but not including 24-hour care
SU 28
Massage parlors
SU 29
Colleges and universities
SU 30
Business/farm living quarters for a business/farm associated resident, clearly complementary to main use and not for rental purposes
SU 31
Home occupations not specifically listed in EMC 18.125.050 (subject to the additional requirements listed in EMC 18.145.030(E))
SU 32
Owner-occupied/owner-operated bed and breakfast facility or boardinghouse limited to five rental rooms
SU 33
Owner-occupied/owner-operated bed and breakfast facility or boardinghouse limited to 10 rental rooms
SU 34
Repealed by Ord. G-2008-13
SU 35 – SU 42
One-operator catering service in the residence, resident-occupied and resident-operated (subject to the additional restrictions listed in EMC 18.145.030(E))
SU 43
Arts District-Haynie’s Corner: Resident-occupied/resident-operated art gallery for the display and sale of art produced on site and located within the arts district as defined by resolution adopted by the Common Council
SU 44
Overlay Zones: Any artistic, live/work or other mixed uses involving spray painting of large items or excessive noise (as defined under Table I in EMC 9.30.050(B)) located within an overlay zone.
SU 45
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-2026-12, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Evansville's zoning code lists 'resident-occupied and resident-operated preschools, adult day care facilities or similar operations which keep up to 12 persons on a daily basis, but not including 24-hour care' as Special Use 28 under EMC 18.145.050. To operate one, the resident must apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals through the Evansville-Vanderburgh Area Plan Commission office, submit a site plan, and give abutting property owners and registered neighborhood associations 12 days' certified-mail notice before a public hearing. The Board can attach conditions such as larger required yards or added parking, and the operator must be the resident of the home: this is not a use available to a non-resident business operator.
Violations & Fines
Operating a home preschool or adult day care without an approved SU 28 special use classification is a zoning violation the Area Plan Commission can enforce, including legal action or a hold on future improvement location permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a home daycare in Evansville without a permit?
How many children can a home daycare in Evansville serve?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Evansville
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