Lynchburg, VA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

5 defines a small family day home as day care provided to fewer than six children or adults, not counting people who already live there, as long as the operator meets Virginia's own family day home licensure requirements; no separate zoning permit is required for that scale. 2-1733, up to 12 adults, exclusive of the provider's own family. Getting that permit requires a written application identifying the property, every occupant, the maximum number served, any staff, available facilities, parking, proposed hours, and insurance coverage. The Zoning Administrator must then mail notice to the last known address of every adjacent owner and every property owner within 200 feet, and must weigh any written objections those neighbors file before deciding.

The Administrator can approve the permit with conditions meant to mitigate effects on the surrounding area, or deny it, in which case the applicant can ask for reconsideration by City Council through a public hearing, or pursue conditional-use approval instead. Anyone aggrieved by an administrative approval can appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals within 30 days of issuance. A permit already granted can be revoked if the provider violates the ordinance or state childcare law, or if the operation becomes a nuisance, after the Zoning Administrator gives notice and an opportunity to be heard.