New Castle County, DE Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Family day care home
- state license + zoning bulk standards
- Large family day care home
- 10,000 sq ft minimum lot
- Play area setback
- 10 feet from property line, fenced
- Signage
- one nameplate sign, max 1 sq ft
- Extra parking (large)
- 2 additional off-street spaces
Summary
New Castle County permits family day care homes and large family day care homes as accessory residential uses if state licensing and zoning bulk standards are met.
B.Family day care home. A family day care home shall be permitted subject to the following:1.State licensing requirements shall be met, including those pertaining to building, fire, safety and health codes.2.Lot dimensional and bulk standards shall conform to the applicable zoning district.3.One (1) nameplate sign not to exceed one (1) square foot may be permitted.4.No structural or decorative modifications that will alter the exterior residential characteristics of the dwelling shall be permitted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
As an accessory residential home use, a family day care home is permitted if it holds the required state license (building, fire, safety and health codes), the lot meets the applicable zoning district's dimensional and bulk standards, only one nameplate sign up to 1 square foot is posted, and the dwelling's exterior residential character isn't altered. A large family day care home faces stiffer standards: same state licensing, a minimum 10,000-square-foot lot, a fenced outdoor play area kept at least 10 feet from the property line, and two extra off-street parking spaces. This governs unincorporated New Castle County; Wilmington and Newark license and zone day cares under their own separate municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required state day care license, or exceeding a large family day care home's site standards (undersized lot, unfenced play area, missing parking), is a zoning code violation subject to Code Enforcement action under Chapter 40.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does New Castle County require a separate zoning permit for a home day care?
What's different for a large family day care home?
Does this rule apply inside Wilmington or Newark?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
Compare New Castle County to another location·View the Delaware home business overview
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