Lee's Summit, MO Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Day care home
- 1-4 kids, accessory use
- Day care group
- 5-10 kids, special use permit
- City code
- UDO Sec. 6.1350.B
- State license
- Above 6 children
- State law
- RSMo 210.211
Summary
A Lee's Summit "day care home" for one to four unrelated children is a permitted accessory use in any residential district under UDO Sec. 6.1350. A "day care, group" of five to ten children needs a special use permit, and Missouri licenses larger providers.
"Day care home" is a permitted accessory use to a principal residential use. "Day care home" is defined as a family home in which a day care provider resides and provides family-like care for one to four persons not related to the day care provider, for any part of the 24-hour day, without overnight stays.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55 | Unified Development Ordinance: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
Home child care runs on two tracks in Lee's Summit. Under UDO Sec. 6.1350.B, a day care home, a family home where the provider lives and cares for one to four unrelated persons without overnight stays, is a permitted accessory use of a residence. A day care group serving five to ten persons is not an accessory use; it requires a special use permit in certain residential districts and is permitted in certain commercial districts. State law adds a licensing layer: RSMo 210.211 exempts a provider caring for six or fewer children, no more than three under age two, from state child-care licensing and requires a license above that. A small home provider needs no city permit or state license.
Violations & Fines
Running a group day care for five or more children without a special use permit violates the UDO, exposing the operator to a cease order and municipal court penalties. Exceeding the state licensing threshold without a license violates RSMo 210.211.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a daycare from my Lee's Summit home?
Do I need a Missouri child-care license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee's Summit
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How other cities in Jackson County handle home daycare.