Costa Mesa · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Costa Mesa?
In Costa Mesa, a child care center is allowed in 2 base zones (I&R-S and I&R-MLT, all with a condition), needs a conditional use permit in 19 (R1, R2-MD, R2-HD, R3, AP and 14 more, 9 with a condition) and not allowed in 1 (Costa Mesa use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Allowed: I&R-S and I&R-MLT
- Needs a permit: R1, R2-MD, R2-HD, R3, AP, CL, C1, C2 and 11 more
- Not allowed: P
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Costa Mesa Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a child care center can go
Costa Mesa's code calls this use “16. Day care facilities (15 children or more) (see also Nursery schools)”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| I&R-S | Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| I&R-MLT | Allowed — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| R1 | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| R2-MD | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| R2-HD | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| R3 | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| AP | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| CL | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| C1 | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| C2 | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| C1-S | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| TC | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| MG | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| MP Industrial Park | Needs a conditional use permit | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| PDR-LD | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| PDR-MD | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| PDR-HD | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| PDR-NCM | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| PDC | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| PDI | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
| I&R Institutional and Recreational | Needs a conditional use permit — see note Note 1 (zone heading): Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if the proposed use is determined to be compatible with the adopted master plan. Residential uses shall not be permitted on any site or parcel of land on which residential uses are expressly prohibited by the general plan. | Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX |
Zones where it is not allowed
P.
What else applies
- Only the 15-or-more-children row is a center row; family day care is rows 17 (7 to 14 children, home) and 18 (up to 8, home). Row 33 'Nursery schools' is C in nearly every zone and is a different row.
- State law: A licensed family child care home in a house is a residential use under state law (Health and Safety Code § 1597.45); this page covers child care centers only.
- Not covered here: Zones in specific plan areas: 13-30(f) sends readers to the specific plan text.; Mixed-use overlay in an urban plan area: 13-30(g) sends readers to the urban plan text (overlay, not a base zone).; Unlisted uses: 13-30(d) says an unlisted use is reviewed by the development services director; with no substantial similarity it needs a conditional use permit. So a missing row is not 'prohibited'; the '•' cells are.; Unlisted uses: 13-30(d) says an unlisted use is reviewed by the development services director; with no substantial similarity it needs a conditional use permit. So a missing row is not 'prohibited'; the '•' cells are.. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Costa Mesa
Who this affects
HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the R1 zone in Costa Mesa?
Only with a conditional use permit. Costa Mesa's use table lists it that way in R1 (Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX).
Can I have a child care center in the P zone in Costa Mesa?
No. Costa Mesa's use table does not allow it in P (Parking) (Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX).
Can I have a child care center in the I&R-S zone in Costa Mesa?
Yes, with a condition. Costa Mesa's use table lists it as allowed in I&R-S (Chapter IV — CITYWIDE LAND USE MATRIX). The code adds a condition: “Uses proposed in this zone are subject to verification of consistency with the adopted master plan. Uses not specified in the master plan, could be allowed, subject to the review process indicated in this matrix, if…”
General information, not legal advice.
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