El Dorado County, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

70. Both small family day care homes (up to 8 children) and large family day care homes (up to 14 children) are allowed by right, meaning no discretionary planning permit is required to open one in a qualifying residential zone. That said, Subsection E imposes specific operating standards. 67. Large family day care homes carry additional site standards: the property must provide at least two off-street parking spaces, none of which may sit in a garage or carport (though these can double as required residential parking); the home cannot sit within 500 feet of another large family day care home, measured property line to property line; any pool or spa on-site must meet current fencing, gate-latch, and alarm requirements; no more than one family day care home may operate per lot; and the permit itself is non-transferable if the property or provider changes.

Vehicle loading and unloading for drop-off and pick-up is restricted to the driveway, an approved parking area, or the site's road frontage, and it cannot block traffic flow; facilities on higher-speed roads (35 mph design speed or more) or roads shown on the General Plan's Figure TC-1 must provide a dedicated drop-off/pick-up area engineered so vehicles do not back into the roadway. Where an Administrative Permit is required for a related facility type, the Director must act within 45 days of a complete application, and neighboring residentially zoned property owners within 100 feet get at least 10 days' written notice before a decision, with the right to request a hearing before the Zoning Administrator.