Guilford County, NC Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

UDO Subsec. 5.7.C, 'Daycare Centers (In Residence),' is allowed in every zoning district in unincorporated Guilford County and sets the standard for a child or adult day care run out of a residence. A Child Day Care Home may serve up to 12 attendees, a cap the county ties directly to G.S. 110-86's definition, and that limit includes any children in after-school care as well as regular daytime attendees. An Adult Day Care operating in a residence tops out at 16 attendees, and crossing that threshold shifts the use into commercial review under the state's Adult Day Care and Day Services Standards for Certification rather than the in-residence standard.

The section requires that the operator of the day care actually reside in the facility, tying the licensed use to owner-occupancy rather than allowing an absentee operator to run the program from a rented house. Outdoor play and open space must meet the standards of the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Child Development Division, and any security fencing or barrier around an outdoor activity area must comply with both DHHS rules and the UDO's general fencing standards in Subsec. 6, and must sit outside the required street setback. Only one program, counting after-school care as part of that limit, may operate at the same address during a 24-hour period. The UDO's commentary directs applicants to coordinate with NC DHHS along with the county's Planning and Development, Fire Marshal, Health, Plan Review and Inspections, and Social Services departments before opening.