Lakewood, OH Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- ORC Chapter 5104 (Child Day-Care)
- Type B home
- 1-7 children, max 3 under age 2 - licensed
- Type A home
- 8-14 children - licensed
- License authority
- Director of Children and Youth (ORC 5104.03)
- Local zoning
- Home occupation - Lakewood Chapter 1145
Summary
No Lakewood-specific ordinance sets in-home daycare capacity; the state Child Day-Care Law (ORC Chapter 5104) controls. A Type B family child care home (1-7 children) and a Type A home (8-14 children) each require a state license, and the home occupation must also satisfy Lakewood's zoning Chapter 1145.
"Type B family child care home" and "type B home" mean a permanent residence of the administrator in which child care or publicly funded child care is provided for one to seven children at one time and in which no more than three children at one time are under two years of age. ... No person, firm, organization, institution, or agency shall operate, establish, manage, conduct, or maintain a child care center or type A family child care home, or hold itself out as being able to do so, without a license issued under section 5104.03 of the Revised Code.
Full Breakdown
Lakewood does not impose its own family-daycare capacity limits; in-home child care is licensed by the State of Ohio under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5104 (Child Day-Care), administered by the Department of Children and Youth. 01 defines a 'type B family child care home' as a permanent residence in which child care is provided for one to seven children at one time (no more than three under two years of age at one time), and a 'type A family child care home' as a permanent residence in which child care is provided for a larger group (generally eight to fourteen children, or four or more if four or more are under two).
03; operating without the required license is prohibited. 03(f). Note that the Chapter 1145 'Type A / Type B' home-occupation labels are separate from the ORC 5104 'Type A / Type B' child-care-home licensing categories.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed family child care home violates ORC Chapter 5104 and is enforced by the state (penalties under ORC 5104.99). Independently, running the daycare as a home occupation beyond the incidental Type A limits of Lakewood Chapter 1145 without a Conditional Use Permit is a local zoning violation enforceable by the Planning and Development Department and Division of Housing and Building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a daycare out of my Lakewood home?
How many children can I care for in a home daycare in Ohio?
Do I need a city permit for an in-home daycare in Lakewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
Compare Lakewood to another location·View the Ohio home business overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.