Multnomah County, OR Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit status
- Allowed use, no CU permit
- Child cap
- 12 or fewer, incl. provider's kids
- Provider requirement
- Adult resides in the home
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated county only
- Governing section
- MCC § 39.4310(G), § 39.2000
Summary
Family Day Care for 12 or fewer children run out of a residence is an allowed use, by right, in Multnomah County's rural and rural-center base zones: no conditional-use permit required.
§ 39.4310 ALLOWED USES. The following uses and their accessory uses are allowed, subject to all applicable supplementary regulations contained in MCC Chapter 39. ... (G) Family Day Care. || § 39.2000 DEFINITIONS. Family Day Care – A residence where 12 or fewer children are provided care during a portion of a 24-hour day by an adult residing within said residence.
Full Breakdown
County Code § 39.2000 defines Family Day Care as a residence where 12 or fewer children (including the provider's own, if also cared for there) receive care during part of a 24-hour day from an adult living in that home. § 39.4310(G) and matching allowed-use lists in MUA-20, Rural Residential, and the Rural Center zones (Burlington, Pleasant Home, Springdale, Orient) list Family Day Care outright, alongside single-family homes and Type A home occupations, meaning it clears zoning without a Review Use hearing. Caring for more than 12 children reclassifies the operation as a Day Nursery, a different, more closely reviewed use. This chapter governs only unincorporated county land; Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview and Wood Village apply their own municipal codes, not this one.
Violations & Fines
Operating outside the allowed-use terms, e.g., exceeding the 12-child cap without Day Nursery approval, is a zoning violation. The Code Compliance Specialist can issue a Notice of Violation, require abatement or a voluntary compliance agreement, and impose fines under MCC § 39.1510 and § 39.1530.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a home daycare in unincorporated Multnomah County?
Does this cover Portland?
What if I care for more than 12 children?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
Compare Multnomah County to another location·View the Oregon home business overview
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