Palm Bay, FL Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Small home daycare
- Up to 10 children, by right
- Large home daycare
- Up to 12 children, conditional use
- Large FDCH by-right districts
- RM-15, RM-20 only
- Large FDCH conditional-use districts
- RS-2, RS-3, RT-10
- Not permitted district
- GU (General Use)
Summary
Small family day care homes (up to 10 children) are permitted by right in nearly every Palm Bay residential zoning district; large homes need conditional use approval in most districts.
Tables 173-1, 173-2 and 173-3 list the uses that are permitted in the various zoning districts. Uses not expressly listed in the tables as Permitted (P) or Conditional (C) are prohibited and shall not be established in that district. If a question arises as to the interpretation of any permitted uses, such interpretation shall be made by the City Manager or designee. A mix of uses on a single site is allowed in all districts, except the single-family districts, provided the proposed uses are allowed in the applicable district. If any use in a proposed mixed-use development requires conditional use approval, the entire mixed-use site must be reviewed under the conditional use process. TABLE 173-1. USES IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS USE See Section GU RR RE SRE RS-1 RS-2 RS-3 RT-10 RMH RM-15 RM-20
AGRICULTURE USES Agriculture P P Agricultural 174.032 C C products sales Keeping or raising for sale of horses, ponies, cows and other livestock provided that P P the total of all such animals shall not exceed one (1) for each one-half (0.5) acre of lot
area.
Keeping or raising for sale of small P P domestic animals, birds
or fish.
Keeping or raising for sale of small farm animals, such as goats, chickens, pigs, and other small animals typically P found on a farm, provided the total of all such animals shall not exceed five (5) for each one-half (0.5) acre of lot area.(4) RESIDENTIAL USES
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-41: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 2026-13, passed 5-21-26).
Full Breakdown
Palm Bay's Land Development Code splits home-based child care into two zoning categories under Table 173-1. A small family day care home, capped at 10 children under the code's capacity formula, is a permitted (P) use in every residential district except GU. A large family day care home, capped at 12 children with two full-time staff on site, needs City Council conditional use (C) approval in the RS-2, RS-3, and RT-10 districts, and is permitted by right only in the RM-15 and RM-20 multi-family districts; it is not allowed at all in GU, RR, RE, SRE, RS-1, or RMH.
Violations & Fines
Operating a large family day care home without the required conditional use approval is an illegal land use; the City Manager or designee can issue a written violation notice and order the use discontinued under § 170.006.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a zoning permit for a small home daycare in Palm Bay?
Can I run a large family day care home in a single-family district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Bay
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Palm Bay to another location·View the Florida home business overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Home Daycare in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brevard County handle home daycare.