Durham County, NC Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Max tutoring students
- Five at one time
- Child-care recreation areas
- Allowed outdoors
- Swim-class pools
- Allowed outdoor facility
- Permit
- Home Occupation Permit required
- State licensing
- NC DHHS applies separately
Summary
Durham's UDO permits child-care and instructional home occupations, but tutoring or instructional services may have no more than five students at one time. Outdoor recreation areas for in-home child-care centers are specifically allowed.
Tutoring or instructional services shall have no more than five students at one time.
Full Breakdown
Under Durham UDO Section 5.4.4, in-home instructional services are treated as home occupations with size limits: tutoring or instructional services may have no more than five students at one time. The ordinance's outside-activity restriction expressly permits required recreation areas for child-care centers in residences and outdoor facilities for instruction such as a swimming pool used for swim classes. A Home Occupation Permit still applies, and the general standards, one nonresident employee, no off-site display, and traffic that does not burden the neighborhood, continue to govern. State child-care licensing through NC DHHS applies separately to family child-care homes.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the student limit or home-occupation standards is a zoning violation subject to fines and permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many students can I tutor at home in Durham?
Can a home daycare use the backyard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Durham County
Compare Durham County to another location·View the North Carolina home business overview
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