Where is a child care center allowed in El Dorado County?

Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the El Dorado County 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

El Dorado County's code calls this use “Child Day Care Center”. 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
CRU Commercial, Rural	Allowed	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
MAP-1 (Center)	Allowed Code row: “Child Day Care Facilities and Preschools”	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
CPO Commercial, Professional Office	Needs an administrative permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
CL Commercial, Limited	Needs an administrative permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
CM Commercial, Main Street	Needs an administrative permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
CC Commercial, Community	Needs an administrative permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
CR Commercial, Regional	Needs an administrative permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
CG Commercial, General	Needs a conditional use permit	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
MAP-2 (Ind)	Needs a conditional use permit Code row: “Child Day Care Facilities and Preschools”	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
MAP-3 (Res/T)	Needs a conditional use permit Code row: “Child Day Care Facilities and Preschools”	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS
MAP-4 (Rec)	Needs a conditional use permit Code row: “Child Day Care Facilities and Preschools”	Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS

Zones where it is not allowed

RM, R1, R20K, R1A, R2A, R3A, RE, MAP-5 (River).

What else applies

Standards for this use: § 130.40.110 Child Day Care Facilities.
'Employer-sponsored Child Day Care Center' (commercial and industrial tables) is a separate row, not used. Ag zones list only child day care homes. Family day care homes are by right in residential zones.
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: Cell tables for uses not listed in a zone's table are absent by design (unlisted = not allowed). Home occupation, wineries, ranch marketing, WECS and mineral tables are cross-references, not read.. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.

Other uses in El Dorado County

Who this affects

HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a child care center in the CPO zone in El Dorado County?

Only with an administrative permit. El Dorado County's use table lists it that way in CPO (Commercial, Professional Office) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS).

Can I have a child care center in the RM zone in El Dorado County?

No. El Dorado County's use table does not allow it in RM (Multi-unit Residential) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS).

Can I have a child care center in the CRU zone in El Dorado County?

Yes. El Dorado County's use table lists it as allowed in CRU (Commercial, Rural) (Article 2 — ZONES, ALLOWED USES, AND ZONING STANDARDS).

General information, not legal advice.