Ventura County · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Ventura County?
In Ventura County, a child care center is needs a permit in 12 (RA, RE, R1, R2, RPD and 7 more) and not allowed in 10 (Ventura County use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: RA, RE, R1, R2, RPD, CO, C1, CPD and 4 more
- Not allowed: OS-REC, OS, AE, RO, RHD, TP, TRU, M2 and 2 more
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Ventura 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
Ventura County's code calls this use “Day Care Centers (19)”. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| RA | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| RE | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| R1 | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| R2 | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| RPD | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| CO | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| C1 | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| CPD | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| M1 | Needs a conditional use permit | Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone |
| TC | Needs a conditional use permit | § 8119-1.2 |
| R/MU | Needs a planned development permit | § 8119-1.2 |
| RES | Needs a conditional use permit | § 8119-1.2 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Family Day Care Home is a separate row (E in OS-RHD). The row name does not say child; check the definition if the page names 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: Coastal Zone (Chapter 1.1 Zoning (Coastal), S20; zones COS, CA, CR, CRE, CR1, CR2, RB, RBH, CRPD, CC, CM) is excluded from Chapter 1 (8101-2.1) and has its own matrix with different permit types (PDP); not given as cells; Zone names are not stated in the packet; Numbers in parentheses in S4 row names are amendment-history references, not notes; Article 7 and 9 specific regulations are not in the packet. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Ventura County
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the RA zone in Ventura County?
Only with a conditional use permit. Ventura County's use table lists it that way in RA (Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone).
Can I have a child care center in the OS-REC zone in Ventura County?
No. Ventura County's use table does not allow it in OS-REC (Article 5 — Uses and Structures by Zone).
General information, not legal advice.
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