Redwood City, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning status
- permitted outright, any zoning district
- Small Family Child Care Home
- 8 or fewer children (incl. provider's own under 10)
- Large Family Child Care Home
- 7 to 14 children
- State license required
- CA Dept. of Social Services
- Home Occupation permit
- not required (exempt)
- Playground equipment
- must meet accessory-structure setback
Summary
Redwood City treats a licensed Small or Large Family Child Care Home as a residential use, not a home occupation, and permits it outright in any zoning district as long as the provider lives there, holds a state license, and keeps the operation clearly secondary to residential use.
39.4 - Family Child Care Homes. Small and Large Family Child Care Homes shall be considered a residential use of property for the purposes of this Article and shall be permitted outright in a legal dwelling unit in any Zoning District. Family Child Care Homes are not subject to the requirements of Home Occupations and shall be subject to the following:1.The Facility provider shall possess a current and valid Large Family Child Care Home license from the State of California, Department of Social Services.2.The Facility is the residence of the provider and the use is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the property for residential purposes.3.The Large Family Child Care Home operation shall not result in cars blocking neighbors' driveways or the public right-of-way.4.Any permanently installed playground apparatus (swings, jungle gym, etc.) shall conform to setback requirements for accessory structures in the underlying residential zoning district.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
4 permits Small and Large Family Child Care Homes outright in a legal dwelling unit in any zoning district, and specifically exempts them from the City's Home Occupation permit requirements. Four conditions still apply: the provider must hold a current, valid Family Child Care Home license from the California Department of Social Services; the facility must remain the provider's residence with the childcare use clearly incidental and secondary to residential use; the operation cannot result in cars blocking neighbors' driveways or the public right-of-way; and any permanently installed playground equipment such as swings or a jungle gym must meet the setback required for accessory structures in the underlying residential district. 465. 3.
Violations & Fines
A family child care home that operates without the required Department of Social Services license, or that grows beyond a residential accessory use, loses its Section 39.4 by-right status and becomes a zoning violation and public nuisance under Section 50.2, punishable as an infraction under Section 50.5 with fines up to $100, $200 and $500 for successive violations of the same rule within a year, each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Use Permit to run a home daycare in Redwood City?
How many children can a Large Family Child Care Home serve?
Does a home daycare count as a home occupation in Redwood City?
Can daycare drop-off traffic block my driveway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
California rules heatmap·Compare Redwood City to another location·View the California home business overview
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Home Daycare in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Mateo County handle home daycare.