Upper Darby, PA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Child cap
- 5 non-resident children under 16
- Operating hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Mon-Fri
- Outdoor play hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Required registration
- Certificate of occupancy + business license
- Dwelling type required
- Single-family dwelling only
Summary
Upper Darby caps in-home child care at five non-resident children under 16, restricts operating hours to 7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, and requires the operator to hold a certificate of occupancy and business license.
An in-home child-care facility is a residence in which for-profit child care is provided for a maximum of five children under the age of 16 who do not reside in the residence and shall be permitted, provided that the in-home child-care facility satisfies all of the following requirements... An in-home child-care facility shall be permitted to operate only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Full Breakdown
Section 550-42 of the Upper Darby Zoning Code creates a distinct category for home-based child care, separate from the general home-occupation rules in § 550-41. " The facility must be located in a single-family dwelling and operated by the permanent resident of that unit (§ 550-42B(1)). , Monday through Friday," with no weekend operation contemplated by the text. , a narrower window than the overall operating hours, presumably to limit noise exposure to neighbors during early morning and evening. Subsection B(4) bars commercial signs or displays identifying the facility, keeping its outward residential appearance intact.
Registration is mandatory: § 550-42C requires every operator of an in-home child-care facility to secure both a certificate of occupancy and a business license from the Township before opening, layering municipal registration on top of any state Department of Human Services child-care licensing that may separately apply.
Violations & Fines
Operating an in-home child-care facility without the certificate of occupancy and business license required by § 550-42C, exceeding the five-child cap, running outside the 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekday window, or posting a commercial sign are zoning violations enforced by the Zoning Officer under the Township's standard zoning penalty and cease-and-desist procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kids can I watch at an in-home daycare in Upper Darby?
What hours can an Upper Darby home daycare operate?
Do I need a license to run a daycare from my house in Upper Darby?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upper Darby
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