Nashua, NH Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Nashua's Land Use Code Sec. 190-20 specifically singles out child day-care facilities: while a Major Home Occupation is generally capped at 300 sq ft (or 30 percent of dwelling floor area), child day care may use up to 420 sq ft of the dwelling. The Major Home Occupation requires a Special Exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment under Sec. 190-180. State licensing under RSA 170-E (Child Day Care, Residential Care, and Child-Placing Agencies) and the implementing N.H. Admin. Code He-C 4002 (adopted 8/26/2025) governs capacity. A Family Child Care Home means an occupied residence in which child day care is provided for less than 24 hours per day for up to 6 children from one or more unrelated families. The 6 children include any foster children residing in the home and all children related to the caregiver except children 10 years of age or older. In addition to the 6, up to 3 children attending a full-day school program may be cared for up to 5 hours per day on school days and all day during school holidays. Family Group Child Care Homes serve 7-12 children and require additional staff and space. A NH DHHS Child Care Licensing license is required for caring for 4 or more children unrelated to the operator, including the operator's own children under age 5. Licensing requires criminal background checks for the operator and household members 17+; child abuse and neglect registry checks; medical statements; first aid and CPR certification (within 60 days of license issuance); 18+ hours of annual training; child-to-staff ratios per He-C 4002; and an initial inspection plus periodic inspections of the home for health, safety, and fire code compliance. The Nashua Major Home Occupation Special Exception is separate from and additional to the NH DHHS license.