Murrieta, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 16.44.050(A)
- Small family day-care
- Up to 8 children, no city permit
- Large family day-care
- 9 to 14 children, no city permit
- Zoning allowed
- Residential zones, single- or multi-family
- State licensing agency
- Cal. Dept. of Social Services
Summary
Murrieta allows both small (up to eight children) and large (nine to fourteen children) family day-care homes in single-family and multi-family residences in residential zones by right, with no city land use permit or clearance required, under Municipal Code Section 16.44.050(A).
1. Small Family Day-Care Homes (Eight or fewer Children). Allowed within a single-family or a multi-family residence located in a residential zoning district, with no city land use permits or clearances required;
2. Large Family Day-Care Homes (Nine to fourteen (14) Children). Allowed within a single-family or multi-family residence located in a residential zoning district with no city land use permits or clearances required; and
3. Child Day-Care Centers. Allowed in the zoning districts determined by Article II (Zoning Districts and Allowable Land Uses), subject to conditional use permit approval, in compliance with Chapter 16.52, and the standards in subsection B.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
050(A) of the Murrieta Municipal Code sets up two by-right home day-care categories. ' Large Family Day-Care Homes, serving nine to fourteen children, get the identical treatment: allowed within a single-family or multi-family residence in a residential zoning district with no city land use permits or clearances required. That by-right status tracks state law, since the section says its standards are written 'in conformance with state law' while recognizing the needs of day-care operators and minimizing effects on surrounding properties. Both home-based categories are licensed instead by the California Department of Social Services rather than through a separate city permit process.
34, a 300-foot separation from other day-care facilities, and a six-foot decorative fence or wall, none of which apply to a small or large family day-care home operating in a residence.
Violations & Fines
Because small and large family day-care homes are allowed by right under Section 16.44.050(A)(1)-(2), the city cannot require a zoning permit or clearance to operate one in a residential zone; enforcement instead runs through the California Department of Social Services licensing process. A facility that exceeds fourteen children without qualifying as a licensed Child Day-Care Center, or that operates as a center without the required conditional use permit under Chapter 16.52, is enforceable under Murrieta Municipal Code Section 1.32.010 as an infraction or misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a city permit to run a home day-care in Murrieta?
How many children can a large family day-care home in Murrieta serve?
Who licenses a home day-care in Murrieta if the city doesn't require a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
California rules heatmap·Compare Murrieta to another location·View the California home business overview
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How other cities in Riverside County handle home daycare.