Knoxville, TN Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Max capacity
- 7 unrelated individuals
- License
- TDHS license, displayed publicly
- Location
- Within the residential dwelling
- Zoning provision
- Art. 9.3.E
Summary
Knoxville zoning limits a home-based day care to seven unrelated children or adults from outside the household, on top of standard state Department of Human Services licensing.
1.Each day care center or day care home must comply with all applicable Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) regulations, including required indoor and outdoor space.2.The day care center's or day care home's operator's license must be displayed publicly.3.A day care center must provide a pickup/drop off area. The pickup/drop off area must not interfere with vehicle circulation in the right-of-way or a parking lot, and cannot block any drive aisle.4.A day care home is limited to the care of seven unrelated individuals who do not reside in the home.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Article 9.3.E sets the zoning limit for a day care home: care for no more than seven unrelated individuals who don't reside in the home. Both day care centers and day care homes must meet all applicable Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) regulations for indoor and outdoor space, and the operator's license must be displayed publicly. Day care centers, but not homes, under this provision, must also provide a pickup/drop-off area that doesn't block a drive aisle or interfere with right-of-way or parking-lot circulation.
Violations & Fines
Caring for more than seven unrelated children or adults in a home day care, or operating without displaying the TDHS operator's license publicly, is a zoning code violation subject to enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kids can I watch in a home day care in Knoxville?
Do I still need a state license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knoxville
Compare Knoxville to another location·View the Tennessee home business overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.