Lancaster County does not license daycares. Under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290, a family child care home caring for four to six unrelated children must hold a certificate of compliance from the PA Department of Human Services.
Home daycare is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), not the county. Under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290, a 'family child care home' is a home, other than the child's own, where care is provided to four, five, or six unrelated children at one time. Section 3290.11 requires the operator to obtain a valid certificate of compliance from DHS before operating, which involves an application, home inspection, background clearances, and health and safety standards. Caring for three or fewer unrelated children is unregulated; caring for seven or more moves the home into the group or child care center rules (Chapters 3280/3270). Zoning for the daycare at your address is still set by your municipality under the PA
Operating a family child care home for four to six children without a DHS certificate of compliance violates the Human Services Code and 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290; DHS can issue cease-operation orders and pursue penalties, and unlicensed operation is
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Lancaster County has no backyard-composting ordinance. Home composting is allowed statewide and encouraged by PA DEP; nuisance limits (odor, rodents, setback...
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Lancaster County does not regulate artificial turf. Whether you may install synthetic lawn, and any impervious-coverage or stormwater limits, is set by your ...
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Lancaster County does not require or restrict native-plant landscaping. Whether a meadow or native garden is allowed depends on your municipality's grass/wee...
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Rainwater collection is legal statewide in Pennsylvania; neither Lancaster County nor the state restricts it, and PA DEP encourages rain barrels for stormwat...
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Lancaster County sets no watering schedule. Water-use restrictions in Pennsylvania come from the state Drought Task Force and PA DEP. Watering limits are vol...
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Lancaster County sets no weed ordinance; your municipality does (e.g., Lancaster City's six-inch limit). Statewide, Pennsylvania's Controlled Plants and Noxi...
See how Lancaster County's home daycare rules stack up against other locations.
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