San Ramon, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Small family day care home
- 6 or fewer children, Permitted (P) all residential zones
- Large family day care home
- 7-14 children, also Permitted (P), no discretionary permit
- 15+ children
- classified day care center, Use Permit (UP) required
- Zones covered
- RC, HR, RE, RS, RM, RMH, RH, RVH
- Definition source
- Health & Safety Code § 1596.78, per Muni Code § D8-2
Summary
San Ramon lets small family day care homes (six or fewer children) and large family day care homes (seven to fourteen children) operate as a permitted use by right in every residential zone. Table 2-1 marks the use "P" in all eight residential districts, so no discretionary zoning permit is required beyond the state license.
Family Day Care Home. As defined by Health and Safety Code Section 1596.78, a home 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 day care home or a small family day care home. Large Family Day Care Home. As defined by Health and Safety Code Section 1596.78, a day care facility in a single-family dwelling where an occupant of the residence provides family day care for seven to 14 children, inclusive, including children under the age of 10 years who reside in the home. Small Family Day Care Home. As defined by Health and Safety Code Section 1596.78, a day care facility in a single-family residence where an occupant of the residence provides family day care for six or fewer children, including children under the age of 10 years who reside in the home.
Full Breakdown
Section D2-8 (Residential Zone Land Uses and Permit Requirements) governs which home-based uses are allowed in San Ramon's eight residential zones: Ranch/Country (RC), Hillside Residential (HR), Rural Estate (RE), Single-Family Residential (RS), Multi-Family Residential (RM), Mobile Home (RMH), High-Density Residential (RH) and Very-High-Density Residential (RVH). Table 2-1 lists "Child day care - Small or large family day care home" with a "P" (Permitted Use) code in every one of those eight columns, meaning the city cannot require a Minor Use Permit, Use Permit or discretionary review to open a qualifying home daycare; a Zoning Clearance may still apply before operation starts.
The permitted-use status tracks the state-defined size thresholds codified in the city's own glossary at Section D8-2: a Family Day Care Home serves 14 or fewer children in the provider's own home while parents are away; within that category, a Large Family Day Care Home serves seven to 14 children (including children under 10 who live in the home) and a Small Family Day Care Home serves six or fewer. 78. If a home-based operation grows past the 14-child ceiling, it no longer qualifies as a family day care home under San Ramon's table and instead falls under "Day care center - Child or adult," which Table 2-1 marks "UP" (Use Permit required) in every residential zone, meaning a discretionary public hearing before the zoning administrator or planning commission.
Applicability of Table 2-1 is set out in Section D2-8(A), which ties the table back to the general permit-type rules of Section D2-3, and Section D2-8(B) notes that architectural review or preliminary plan review can still attach to the use even when no zoning entitlement is required.
Violations & Fines
Operating within the small (six or fewer) or large (seven to fourteen) family day care home thresholds requires no zoning entitlement under Table 2-1, only compliance with any applicable Zoning Clearance and the operator's state child-care license. Exceeding 14 children reclassifies the operation as a "day care center," which Table 2-1 marks Use Permit required (UP) in every residential zone (RC through RVH); running a center-scale operation without that discretionary Use Permit is a zoning violation enforceable as a code violation under the city's general zoning enforcement provisions in Section D2-8 and Section D2-3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a use permit to run a small home daycare in San Ramon?
How many children can a large family day care home serve in San Ramon?
What happens if a home daycare in San Ramon grows past 14 children?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Ramon
California rules heatmap·Compare San Ramon to another location·View the California home business overview
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How other cities in Contra Costa County handle home daycare.