Port Townsend, WA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning
- Permitted in all zoning districts
- City license
- Business license required
- State license
- DEL license required
- Neighbor notice
- Written notice to adjoining neighbors
- Registration
- Registration form filed with city
Summary
Family home child care is permitted in every zoning district in Port Townsend, but providers must register with the city and give adjoining neighbors written notice before state licensing.
Family home child care shall provide to the planning and community development department written proof of notification to immediately adjoining neighbors informing them of the intent to locate and maintain such a facility. This proof must be provided prior to state licensing. If a dispute arises between the neighbors and the family home child care provider over licensing requirements, under state law the state licensor may provide a forum to resolve the dispute. (RCW 35.63.185).
2. In-home preschools shall provide to the planning and community development department written notice to immediately adjoining neighbors informing them of the intent to locate and maintain an in-home preschool. Enforcement shall be in accordance with the procedures detailed in Chapter 1.20 PTMC. (Ord. 3287 § 5, 2022; Ord. 2977 § 1, 2008).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
PTMC 17.52.020 permits family home child care in all Commercial, Mixed Use, Residential, and Manufacturing districts, subject to the Chapter 17.52 standards. Operators need a city business license plus the required Washington Department of Early Learning license, must file a child care registration form with the planning and community development department, and must give written notice of the facility to immediately adjoining neighbors before state licensing is complete. Play structures cannot sit in the front setback, and any off-street passenger loading area must meet DEL adequacy standards.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the city business license, DEL license, or city registration, or skipping the required adjoining-neighbor notice, is enforced under Chapter 1.20 PTMC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a conditional use permit for home daycare in Port Townsend?
Must I notify neighbors before opening a home daycare?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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