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Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY AND USE

Section 455 — LARGE FAMILY DAY-CARE HOMES [SFM]

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

455.1 Large family day-care homes.

455.2. For purposes of clarification, Health and Safety Code Sections 1597.45 and 1597.46 are repeated.

1597.45.

(a) The use of a home as a small or large family day-care home shall be considered a residential use of property and a use by right for the purposes of all local ordinances, including, but not limited to, zoning ordinances. (b) A local jurisdiction shall not impose a business license, fee or tax for the privilege of operating a small or large family day-care home.

(c) Use of a home as a small or large family day-care home shall not constitute a change of occupancy for purposes of Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 17910) of Division 13 (State Housing Law) or for purposes of local building codes. (d) A small or large family day-care home shall not be subject to the provisions of Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

(e) The provisions of this chapter do not preclude a city, county or other local public entity from placing restrictions on building heights, setback or lot dimensions of a family day-care home, as long as those restrictions are identical to those applied to all other residences with the same zoning designation as the family day-care home. This chapter does not preclude a local ordi- nance that deals with health and safety, building standards, environmental impact standards or any other matter within the

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SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY AND USE

jurisdiction of a local public entity, as long as the local ordinance is identical to those applied to all other residences with the same zoning designation as the family day-care home. This chapter also does not prohibit or restrict the abatement of nuisances by a city, county, or city and county. However, the ordinance or nuisance abatement shall not distinguish family day- care homes from other homes with the same zoning designation, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (f) For purposes of this chapter, “small family day-care home or large family day-care home” includes a detached single-family dwelling, a townhouse, a dwelling unit within a dwelling or a dwelling unit within a covered multifamily dwelling in which the underlying zoning allows for residential uses. A small family day-care home or large family day-care home is where the family day-care provider resides and includes a dwelling or dwelling unit that is rented, leased or owned.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 244, Sec. 9. (SB 234) Effective January 1, 2020.)

1597.46.

(a) A large family day-care home shall abide by all standards, in addition to the requirements of the State Uniform Building Standards Code, that are specifically designed to promote fire and life safety in large family day-care homes. The State Fire Marshal shall adopt separate building standards specifically relating to the subject of fire and life safety in family day-care homes, which shall be published in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. These standards shall apply uniformly throughout the state and shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (1) The requirement that a large family day-care home contain a fire extinguisher or smoke detector device, or both, that meets child-care standards established by the State Fire Marshal. (2) Specification as to the number of required exits from the home. (3) Specification as to the floor or floors on which child care may be provided and the number of required exits on each floor.

(b) A large family day-care home for children shall have one or more carbon monoxide detectors in the facility that meet the standards established in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 13260) of Part 2 of Division 12. The department shall account for the presence of these detectors during inspections. (c) Enforcement of this section shall be in accordance with Sections 13145 and 13146. A city, county, city and county, or district shall not adopt or enforce a building ordinance or local rule or regulation relating to the subject of fire and life safety in large family day-care homes that is inconsistent with those standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal, except to the extent the building ordinance or local rule or regulation applies to all residences with the same zoning designation in which child care is provided.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 244, Sec. 12. (SB 234) Effective January 1, 2020.)

455.3 Smoke alarms.

Large family day-care homes shall be equipped with State Fire Marshal approved and listed single station resi- dential type smoke alarms. The number and placement of smoke alarms shall be determined by the enforcement authority.

455.4 Fire extinguishers.

Large and small family day-care homes shall be equipped with a portable fire extinguisher having a minimum 2A10BC rating.

455.5 Fire alarm devices. See Section 907.2.6.4.

455.6 Compliance.

Every large-family day-care home shall comply with the provisions for Group R-3 occupancies. For the purposes of Section 436.1, the first story shall be designated as the floor used for residential occupancy nearest to the street level which provides primary access to the building.

455.7 Special hazards.

Every unenclosed gas-fired water heater or furnace which is within the area used for child care in a large family day-care home shall be protected in such a way as to prevent children from making contact with those appliances.

Exception: This does not apply to kitchen stoves or ovens.

455.8 Exiting. See Section 1006.2.2.7.

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CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE – MATRIX ADOPTION TABLE

CHAPTER 5 – GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS

(Matrix Adoption Tables are nonregulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user. See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)

Adopting Agency BSC BSC-
CG		 SFM HCD DSA OSHPD BSCC DPH AGR DWR CEC CA SL SLC
Adopting Agency BSC BSC-
CG		 SFM 1 2 1/AC AC SS SS/CC 1 1R 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Adopt entire chapter X X X X X X X X X X
Adopt entire chapter as
amended (amended sections
listed below)		 X X X
Adopt only those sections
that are listed below
Chapter / Section
503.1 X X
Figure 5-1 X
Table 504.3 X
Table 504.4 X
Table 506.2 X
506.2.1 X
506.2.2 X
508.2.4 X
508.3.3 X
Table 508.4 X
508.5 X X
508.5, Item 2 † †
508.5.3,Exception X X
508.5.7 X
508.5.8,Exception X X
508.5.9 X X
508.5.10 X X
508.5.11 X
Table 509.1 X
509.3 X

The state agency does not adopt sections identified with the following symbol: The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.

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▸ Contents — 2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  4. ▸ Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
    Overview
    1. Section 401 — SCOPE
    2. Section 402 — COVERED MALL AND OPEN MALL BUILDINGS
    3. Section 403 — HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS AND GROUP I-2 OCCUPANCIES HA…
    4. Section 404 — ATRIUMS
    5. Section 405 — UNDERGROUND BUILDINGS
    6. Section 406 — MOTOR-VEHICLE-RELATED OCCUPANCIES
    7. Section 407 — GROUP I-2
    8. Section 408 — GROUP I-3
    9. Section 409 — MOTION PICTURE PROJECTION ROOMS
    10. Section 410 — STAGES, PLATFORMS AND TECHNICAL PRODUCTION AREAS
    11. Section 411 — SPECIAL AMUSEMENT AREAS
    12. Section 412 — AIRCRAFT-RELATED OCCUPANCIES
    13. Section 413 — COMBUSTIBLE STORAGE
    14. Section 414 — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
    15. Section 415 — GROUPS H-1, H-2, H-3, H-4 AND H-5
    16. Section 416 — SPRAY APPLICATION OF FLAMMABLE FINISHES
    17. Section 417 — DRYING ROOMS
    18. Section 418 — ORGANIC COATINGS
    19. Section 419 — ARTIFICIAL DECORATIVE VEGETATION
    20. Section 420 — GROUPS R-1, R-2, R-2.1, R-2.2, R-3, R-3.1 AND R-4
    21. Section 421 — HYDROGEN FUEL GAS ROOMS
    22. Section 422 — AMBULATORY CARE FACILITIES
    23. Section 423 — STORM SHELTERS
    24. Section 424 — PLAY STRUCTURES
    25. Section 425 — HYPERBARIC FACILITIES
    26. Section 427 — MEDICAL GAS SYSTEMS
    27. Section 435 — SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR LICENSED 24-HOUR CARE FAC…
    28. Section 436 — GROUP I-4 [SFM]
    29. Section 437 — RESERVED
    30. Section 438 — RESERVED
    31. Section 439 — ROAD TUNNELS, BRIDGES AND OTHER LIMITED-ACCESS H…
    32. Section 440 — HORSE RACING STABLES [SFM]
    33. Section 441 — PET KENNELS AND PET BOARDING FACILITIES [SFM]
    34. Section 442 — COMBUSTION ENGINES AND GAS TURBINES [SFM]
    35. Section 443 — FIXED GUIDEWAY TRANSIT AND PASSENGER RAIL SYSTEM…
    36. Section 444 — EXPLOSIVES [SFM]
    37. Section 445 — RESERVED
    38. Section 446 — WINERY CAVES [SFM]
    39. Section 447 — RESERVED
    40. Section 448 — RESERVED
    41. Section 449 — PUBLIC LIBRARIES [SL AND SFM]
    42. Section 450 — GROUP C [SFM]
    43. Section 451 — RESERVED
    44. Section 452 — SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH …
    45. Section 453 — GROUP L [SFM]
    46. Section 454 — RESERVED
    47. Section 455 — LARGE FAMILY DAY-CARE HOMES [SFM]
  5. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  6. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  7. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  8. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR EXTERIOR W…
  9. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  10. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  11. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  12. Chapter 11 — RESERVED
  13. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  14. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  15. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  16. Chapter 13 — ENERGY EFFICIENCY
  17. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  18. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  19. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  20. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  22. Chapter 17A — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 18A — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  25. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  26. Chapter 19A — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 21A — MASONRY
  30. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  31. Chapter 22A — STEEL
  32. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  33. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  34. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  35. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  36. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  37. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  38. Chapter 29 — PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  39. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  40. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  41. Chapter 31A — SYSTEMS FOR WINDOW CLEANING OR EXTERIOR BUILDING…
  42. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  43. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  44. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  45. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  46. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  47. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  48. Chapter 34 — RESERVED
  49. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  50. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  51. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  52. Appendix C — GROUP U—AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  54. Appendix E — RESERVED
  55. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  56. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
  57. Appendix H — SIGNS
  58. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  59. Appendix J — GRADING
  60. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES PROTECTED B…
  61. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING INSTRUMENTATION
  62. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED FLOOD HAZARDS
  63. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  64. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED APPLICATION
  65. Appendix P — SLEEPING LOFTS
  66. Appendix Q — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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