Sampson County, NC Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Sampson County's Zoning Ordinance names Childcare as one of the specific occupations allowed to operate as a Home Occupation, appearing on the permitted-use list for Residential and Mixed Residential zoning districts at § 2-26-04.A, for Residential Agricultural or Commercial lots under two acres at § 2-26-05.A, and for RA or Commercial lots of two acres or more at § 2-26-06.A. Because § 2-26-01 limits Home Occupations to only the uses specifically listed, a family child care business operating from a Sampson County home must obtain a Home Occupation permit under §§ 2-26-01 and 2-26-02, submitting a site plan and a floor plan showing the heated square footage used for the business, before it can legally operate.

Once permitted, a home daycare must follow the general standards in § 2-26-03 that apply to every home occupation: employee vehicles parked on-site, customer (pick-up and drop-off) traffic confined to 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Sunday, deliveries limited to the same daytime hours, and work kept out of view of the right-of-way and adjacent properties. On Residential lots, § 2-26-04.B caps indoor home-occupation floor area at 40% of the home's heated square footage or 1,000 square feet, limits the operator to one non-resident employee, and, if the daycare uses a detached accessory building instead, caps that structure's dedicated floor area at 60% of the principal home's gross floor area or 2,000 square feet, whichever is less. Larger allowances for employees, signage and accessory-building space apply on Residential Agricultural and Commercial parcels under §§ 2-26-05 and 2-26-06.