Imperial County, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone
- R-1, low-density residential
- County permit needed
- none: permitted by right
- Small family daycare
- governed by CA H&S Code § 1597.44-.45
- Large family daycare
- governed by CA H&S Code § 1597.46
Summary
Both large and small family daycare homes are listed as permitted uses in Imperial County's low-density residential zone, following the state law categories that control how many children they can serve.
i) Large Family Daycare Home as defined by CA Health and Safety Code Section 1597.46. ... s) Small Family Daycare as defined by CA Health and Safety Code Section 1597.44 and 1597.45.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 62 - 9-25).
Full Breakdown
In the R-1 (low-density residential) zone, the county's permitted-use list names Large Family Daycare Home, defined by California Health and Safety Code Section 1597.46, and Small Family Daycare, defined by Sections 1597.44 and 1597.45, right alongside single-family homes and ADUs. No conditional use permit or special zoning approval is needed for either category: the county simply recognizes the use as of right, consistent with the state licensing scheme that actually sets the child-count caps and operating rules.
Violations & Fines
Operating a facility beyond a licensed family daycare home's state-set capacity, or without the required state license, falls outside Section 90502.01's permitted-use listing and can be treated as an unpermitted use under the R-1 zone's prohibited-uses section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit to run a home daycare in unincorporated Imperial County?
Does this apply inside the City of Imperial too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Imperial County
California rules heatmap·Compare Imperial County to another location·View the California home business overview
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