Rhode Island licenses family child care homes under RIGL §42-12.5 and DCYF regulations. Providence County municipalities must allow licensed family home daycare as a permitted use in residential zones per RIGL §45-24-37(b).
Rhode Island's family child care home licensing is administered by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) under RIGL §42-12.5 (Licensing of Family Day-Care Homes). A family day-care home may care for up to 6 non-related children (or 8 including the provider's own). DCYF regulations (214-RICR-40-00) require background checks (including BCI and DCYF child protection registry), CPR/first aid certification, minimum 35 sq ft per child indoor space, safe outdoor play area, fire safety inspection, and liability insurance. Critically, RIGL §45-24-37(b) REQUIRES all Rhode Island municipalities to permit licensed family day-care homes as a permitted use in any residential zone — cities CANNOT zone them out or require special permits for standard capacity. Group family day-care homes (up to 12 children) may require additional local approvals. Child care centers (13+ children) require conditional use permits and separate DCYF licensure. Providence Code Chapter 27 (Zoning) and Cranston Zoning Code comply with this state preemption. Pickup and drop-off traffic must not create nuisance per local codes. Pre-1978 buildings require lead paint compliance under RIGL §23-24.6.
Operating without DCYF license: fines up to $500 per day under RIGL §42-12.5-8, closure order. Exceeding licensed capacity: immediate correction. Lead paint non-compliance: RI Dept. of Health enforcement under RIGL §23-24.6.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Providence County, RI
Rhode Island does not set statewide barking dog standards. Providence County has no county government. Barking dog complaints are handled by individual munic...
Providence County, RI
RIGL 31-42 governs abandoned motor vehicles statewide. Vehicles left 10 or more days in commercial garages after notice are deemed abandoned. Individual muni...
Providence County, RI
Providence County cities prohibit sidewalk blocking and unpaved front-yard parking. Providence Code §23-21 and Cranston Code require paved driveway surfaces....
Providence County, RI
RIGL 34-10-9 requires partition fences to run on the dividing line with each owner maintaining one-half and costs shared equally unless otherwise agreed. RIG...
Providence County, RI
RI State Building Code (SBC-1) exempts fences under 6 feet from building permits, but Providence County cities require zoning permits for most new fences. Hi...
Providence County, RI
Urban Providence County cities (Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket) restrict or prohibit backyard chickens. Smithfield, Lincoln, Cumberland, and Johnston a...
See how Providence County's home daycare rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.