Norfolk, VA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing agency
- Norfolk Department of Human Services
- Covered capacity
- 1-4 children triggers city license, § 15.1-4
- Application lead time
- File 2 months before opening, § 15.1-6
- Unlicensed operation
- Class 1 misdemeanor, § 15.1-1
- Regular license term
- 1 yr initial, 2 yr on renewal, § 15.1-9(b)
- Revocation reapply wait
- 6 months, § 15.1-15(c)
Summary
Norfolk requires a city license, issued by the Department of Human Services, to run a family day home caring for one to four children in a residence. Operating without a valid license is a Class 1 misdemeanor under Code § 15.1-1, with each day of unlicensed operation a separate offense.
Sec. 15.1-1. - Violations. It shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who is required to be licensed pursuant to section 15.1-4 to operate a family day home in which one through four (4) children are received without a valid license issued pursuant to this chapter. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense. ... Sec. 15.1-5. - License required, posting of license. It shall be unlawful to operate a family day home as defined herein which is required to be regulated pursuant to section 15.1-4 without a valid license issued pursuant to this chapter. Such license shall be posted in a visible location within the licensed premises where it can be easily seen by parents and other visitors of the home.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 166).
Full Breakdown
1, Family Day Homes, regulates home-based childcare in Norfolk. 1-2 as a child day program in a residence serving one through twelve children under age 13, not counting the provider's own children. 1-4 subjects every family day home serving one to four children to city licensing unless it is licensed by the state department of education, licensed by a family day home system, serves only military dependents on base, serves only children related to the provider, or is run by a religious institution exempt under Va.
031. 1-5 makes it unlawful to operate a covered family day home without a valid license, and the license must be posted where parents and visitors can see it. 1-8). 1-9 sets four license types: a conditional license lasting up to six months for a new home still meeting requirements, a regular license good for one year initially and two years on renewal, a provisional license for an operating home temporarily out of compliance, and a voluntary license for an otherwise-exempt home that chooses to be licensed. 1-12).
Violations & Fines
Operating a covered family day home without a valid license is a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 15.1-1, with each day of unlicensed operation prosecuted as a separate offense. Short of criminal charges, the Department of Human Services can deny, suspend, or revoke a license for violations of the chapter, the city code, or state law, or for imminent danger to a child's health or safety (§§ 15.1-13 through 15.1-15), and a revoked applicant cannot reapply for six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every home daycare in Norfolk need a city license?
How far ahead must I apply to open a family day home in Norfolk?
What happens if I run a family day home without a Norfolk license?
Can Norfolk revoke a family day home license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Norfolk
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