Moorpark, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Small home status
- Permitted by right, all 9 zones (Table 17.20.050 Item 2)
- Large home status
- Zoning clearance required, all 9 zones (Item 3)
- Small home capacity
- Up to 8 children, § 17.08.010
- Large home capacity
- 7 to 14 children, § 17.08.010
- Appeal window
- 10 calendar days to planning commission, § 17.44.090
- Enforcing agency
- Moorpark Community Development Department
Summary
Moorpark treats small family day care homes, caring for up to eight children, as an outright permitted use in every residential and agricultural zone under Table 17.20.050. Large family day care homes, serving seven to fourteen children, need only a ministerial zoning clearance from the community development director, not a discretionary hearing, in the same nine zones, per Moorpark Municipal Code § 17.20.050.
"Family day care home (small)" means a home which generally provides care, protection, and supervision of up to eight children, including children under the age of 10 years in the provider's own home, for periods of less than 12 hours per day, while the parents or guardians are away. "Family day care home (large)" means a home which generally provides care, protection, and supervision of up to 14 but no less than seven children, including children under the age of 10 years in the provider's own home, for periods of less than 12 hours per day, while the parents or guardians are away. ... Zones O-S A-E R-A R-E R-L R-1 R-2 R-3 TPD ... 2. Family day care homes (small) P P P P P P P P P 3. Family day care homes (large) ZC ZC ZC ZC ZC ZC ZC ZC ZC
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4978490; v10 updated 2026-07-01).
Full Breakdown
050 governs uses in Moorpark's nine open space, agricultural, residential and special-purpose zones (O-S, A-E, R-A, R-E, R-L, R-1, R-2, R-3 and TPD). Item 2, 'Family day care homes (small),' carries a 'P' designation, meaning permitted by right, in all nine zones: no permit application, hearing or fee is required beyond the standard zoning clearance verifying compliance with the code. 010, provides care, protection and supervision of up to eight children (including children under 10) in the provider's own home for less than 12 hours a day.
Item 3, 'Family day care homes (large),' is marked 'ZC' (Permitted by Zoning Clearance) in the same nine zones. A large home serves seven to fourteen children under the same age and hour limits. 030 is a ministerial certification issued by the community development director without a public hearing; it confirms the use meets title requirements and any conditions of a prior permit, and it must be obtained before the large home begins operating. , the Family Day Care Homes Act, which limits how much local review a city may impose on these uses. 090, but the written appeal and fee must be filed within 10 calendar days of the decision.
Violations & Fines
Operating a large family day care home in Moorpark without the required zoning clearance is a zoning code violation subject to the city's standard enforcement and revocation procedures under § 17.44.100: the community development director may suspend or revoke authorization after 10 business days' mailed notice if the home was not exercised in compliance with its zoning clearance conditions or created a nuisance. Small homes, permitted by right, face no such exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Moorpark require a permit for a home daycare?
What's the difference between a small and large family day care home in Moorpark?
Can Moorpark deny a large family day care home zoning clearance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moorpark
California rules heatmap·Compare Moorpark to another location·View the California home business overview
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Home Daycare in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle home daycare.