Napa · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Napa?
In Napa, a child care center is needs a permit in 15 (RS, RI, RT, RM, CL and 10 more) and not allowed in 5 (Napa use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: RS, RI, RT, RM, CL, CT, CC, RO and 7 more
- Not allowed: IP-A, IP-B, PQ-P, DP and DPOS
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Napa 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
Napa's code calls this use “Day care center (15 or more children or 9 or more adults)”. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| RS | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.020 |
| RI | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.020 |
| RT | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.020 |
| RM Multifamily | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.08.020 |
| CL | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.10.020 |
| CT | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.10.020 |
| CC | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.10.020 |
| RO Residential Office District | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| OC | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| OM Medical Office | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| IL Light Industrial | Needs a conditional use permit or administrative permit | § 17.14.020 |
| IP-C Industrial Park-Area C | Needs a conditional use permit or administrative permit | § 17.14.020 |
| PQ Public, Quasi-Public Schools and Health Facilities | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.16.020 |
| POS Parks and Open Space | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.16.020 |
| AR Agricultural Resource | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.16.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Day care facility, child or adult (up to 14 children or 8 adults): P in residential units only (RO, OC, CL, CT, CC, AR). Industrial row says 14 or more children.
- 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: Downtown Specific Plan districts DCC, DMU, DN, OBC (Table B in S3): separate ground-level and upper-level columns; MU-T and MU-G mixed use districts (S7, S8) with sub-areas; Master plan districts (S9-S18); Cells marked X (allowed as part of mixed use only) are left out. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Napa
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the RS zone in Napa?
Only with a conditional use permit. Napa's use table lists it that way in RS (§ 17.08.020).
Can I have a child care center in the IP-A zone in Napa?
No. Napa's use table does not allow it in IP-A (Industrial Park-Area A) (§ 17.14.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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