Kitsap County, WA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

197 governs family day care providers throughout unincorporated Kitsap County; it does not reach Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island or the Suquamish and Port Gamble S'Klallam reservations, which run their own child-care rules. Where the zoning district's use table already allows the use, the county layers on six conditions rather than a separate conditional-use permit. First, the provider must satisfy the county's ordinary building, fire, safety, health and business-licensing permitting before opening. Second, the home and any addition must still meet the underlying zone's lot size, building size, setback and lot-coverage standards, so a daycare cannot excuse a structure from the dimensional table that applies to every house in the district.

Third, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families must certify a safe passenger loading area before drop-off and pickup begin. 28, Noise, so early or late outdoor play is restricted even though the daycare itself may run longer hours indoors. Fifth, the operator must give adjoining property owners written notice, including the community development department's contact information, before the state license issues. Sixth, the underlying state license under the family day care statutes remains mandatory; county approval does not substitute for DCYF licensing.

The ordinance carves out one flat prohibition: family day care is barred outright in the portion of the Gorst urban growth area lying between the Sinclair Inlet shoreline and State Highways 3 and 16. 570.