Salt Lake City, UT Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Group size cap
- 16 children at any one time
- Zoning
- Allowed except M-1, M-2 districts
- License
- City home-occupation business license required
- Outdoor play
- Rear or side yard only
- Residence rule
- Must be provider's primary residence
Summary
Salt Lake City allows home daycares as a home occupation in any dwelling except M-1 and M-2 industrial zones, capping group size at 16 children and confining outdoor play to rear or side yards.
A home daycare as defined in Chapter 21A.62 of this title may be allowed as a home occupation within a legally established residential dwelling, except in the M-1 and M-2 Districts. Home daycares shall comply with the following standards: 1. Group size shall not exceed 16 children at any one time, supervised by the number of caregivers required according to state licensing requirements; 2. Outdoor play areas provided for the home daycare shall be located only in the rear or side yards of the dwelling;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Home daycares can operate out of a residential dwelling anywhere in Salt Lake City except the M-1 and M-2 manufacturing districts, provided the operator holds a state daycare license and a city home-occupation business license from the Business Licensing Division. The dwelling must be the provider's primary residence and the daycare must stay accessory to the home's residential use. Outdoor play areas are limited to the rear or side yard. A provider in good standing can add a second home daycare in a separate dwelling under state rules, but each location needs its own business license.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a home-occupation business license, exceeding the 16-child group size cap, or locating outdoor play areas outside the rear or side yard violates the code; the zoning administrator can suspend or revoke the license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a home daycare anywhere in Salt Lake City?
How many kids can a Salt Lake City home daycare serve?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
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Home Daycare in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle home daycare.