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Fargo, ND Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Home daycare size
1-7 children or adults
Nonresident employees allowed
1 maximum, accessory to residential
AG/SR districts
Accessory use only, not principal
Signage
Must meet city sign ordinance
Governing code
Land Development Code § 20-0402(D)

Summary

Fargo allows small home daycares for 1-7 children as an accessory residential use, but caps it to one outside employee and bars it outright as a principal use in AG and SR districts.

D.Day Care 2.Employees With respect to Day Cares that are accessory to a Residential Use, no more than one nonresident employee is allowed (at any one time) in association with an allowed Day Care. 3.AG and SR Districts Within all AG and SR zoning districts, day care uses shall be allowed only as an accessory use to an allowed principal use in such zoning district. Day Care is not allowed as a principal use in any AG or SR district.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Fargo's Land Development Code treats a small in-home operation caring for 1-7 children or adults as a "Day Care" accessory use. In AG and SR (agricultural and single-residential) zoning districts, day care is only allowed as an accessory to an existing allowed use on the property, never as a standalone principal use. Home-based day cares accessory to a residential use may have no more than one nonresident employee on site at a time, and any signage still has to comply with the city's separate sign ordinance. Larger operations move into a different use category (Community Service) with added conditions like the 300-foot spacing rule from other such uses.

Violations & Fines

Running a home daycare as a principal (non-accessory) use in an AG or SR district, or staffing it with more than one nonresident employee, puts the property out of compliance with its zoning use approval and can trigger code enforcement action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run a home daycare as my main business in a Fargo AG or SR district?
No. Fargo's code allows Day Care only as an accessory use in AG and SR districts, never as the principal use of the property.
How many outside employees can a Fargo home daycare have?
One nonresident employee at a time when the day care is accessory to a residential use, per Land Development Code § 20-0402(D)(2).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Fargo

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsZoning & Home Occupation PermitsSome RestrictionsCustomer Traffic RestrictionsSome RestrictionsSignage RulesSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Cat RulesSome Restrictions

All Fargo rules

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