York County, PA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing agency
- PA Dept. of Human Services, not county
- Regulation
- 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290
- Family home size
- Four to six unrelated children
- Credential
- DHS Certificate of Compliance
- Also check
- Municipal zoning ordinance
Summary
Home daycare is licensed by the PA Department of Human Services, not York County. A family child care home caring for four to six unrelated children needs a DHS Certificate of Compliance under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290, plus municipal zoning approval.
This chapter applies to facilities in which out-of-home care is provided, at any one time, for part of a 24-hour day to four, five or six children who are not related to the operator and who are 15 years of age or younger.
Full Breakdown
York County does not license childcare; the PA Department of Human Services (DHS) does. Under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290, a "family child care home" provides care for four, five, or six unrelated children age 15 or younger and must hold a DHS Certificate of Compliance, renewed annually with unannounced inspections. Caring for seven or more children makes it a "group" or "child care center" under stricter chapters. Caring for three or fewer unrelated children is generally unregulated by DHS. Separately, your borough or township zoning ordinance may treat a home daycare as a home occupation needing a zoning permit.
Violations & Fines
Operating a family child care home without a DHS certificate is a violation subject to DHS enforcement, closure orders, and penalties; zoning noncompliance is separately enforced by the municipality.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kids can I watch at home without a license?
Does York County license home daycare?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the Pennsylvania home business overview
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