Ridgecrest, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Small family day care
- 8 or fewer children, by right
- Large family day care
- 7 to 14 children, state-regulated
- Zoning
- Allowed in any residential zone
- Governing statute
- Health & Safety Code § 1597.30
Summary
Ridgecrest allows small family day care homes (eight or fewer children) and large family day care homes (seven to 14 children) in any residential zone under Kern County, California, following state Health and Safety Code standards.
(a)A family daycare home means a facility that regularly provides care, protection, and supervision for 14 or fewer children, in the provider's own home, for periods of less than 24 hours per day, while the parents or guardians are away, and is either a large family daycare home or a small family daycare home, as defined in Health and Safety Code § 1596.78, A family daycare home may be established in any residential zone, upon the conditions stated in this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Under Ridgecrest City Code § 106-35, a family day care home may operate in any residential zone without a conditional use permit. A small family day care home serves eight or fewer children, including the provider's own under age ten, and is treated as a residential use. A large family day care home serves seven to 14 children and must meet California Health and Safety Code § 1597.30 standards. Providers must comply with the residential zone's other regulations and satisfy state fire marshal and local fire department health and safety requirements before operating.
Violations & Fines
Family day care homes that don't meet the state licensing or fire/safety requirements incorporated by § 106-35 are subject to the same zoning enforcement Ridgecrest applies citywide under City Code § 106-63, including correction orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a home daycare in a Ridgecrest residential neighborhood?
Does a large family day care home need a special permit in Ridgecrest?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgecrest
California rules heatmap·Compare Ridgecrest to another location·View the California home business overview
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Home Daycare in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle home daycare.