The Illinois Child Care Act establishes uniform licensing for home daycare operations, preempting local rules that would prohibit licensed family child care homes in residential zones.
Under the Child Care Act of 1969 (225 ILCS 10/) administered by DCFS, family day care homes serving up to 8 children and group day care homes serving up to 12 must be licensed. State rule 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406 sets capacity, training, background check, and safety standards. Illinois law treats licensed family day care homes as a permitted residential use, and zoning ordinances cannot exclude them from areas where single-family homes are allowed, though reasonable safety and capacity rules may apply.
Operating an unlicensed home daycare with non-relatives, exceeding licensed capacity, or municipal zoning that excludes licensed family day care homes from residential districts.
See how Urbana's home daycare rules stack up against other locations.
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