Jackson County, GA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

UDC Sec. 3-024(c) is the county's zoning hook for in-home childcare. A family day care home, defined as caring for three to six children, is permitted as a home occupation, meaning it can operate in a residential dwelling without the special use approval that group day care homes or child care learning centers require. The condition is compliance with the State of Georgia's Rules and Regulations for Family Day Care Homes, Chapter 290-2-3 of the Department of Early Care and Learning, updated March 26, 2014 and amended from time to time, which covers the state licensing, staffing and safety side of the operation.

The county carves out one favorable rule for the six-child count: children related by blood, marriage or adoption to the care provider are excluded from that calculation, so a caregiver's own kids don't use up slots that would otherwise trigger group day care home status (seven to 18 children) under Sec. 3-024(b), which does require special use approval and additional site standards. Operating above six unrelated children without moving up to group day care home approval, or operating without the required state license under Chapter 290-2-3, puts the home outside both the zoning permission and state licensing framework.