Concord · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Concord?
In Concord, a child care center is needs a permit in 19 (RR, RS, RL, RM, RH and 14 more, 2 with a condition) and not allowed in 5 (Concord use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: RR, RS, RL, RM, RH, NTS, CO, CMX and 11 more
- Not allowed: HI, OS, RLC, WRC and CRP-GF
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Concord 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
Concord's code calls this use “Nursery, Preschool, Childcare”. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| RR | Needs an use permit | § 18.30.020 |
| RS | Needs an use permit | § 18.30.020 |
| RL | Needs an use permit | § 18.30.020 |
| RM | Needs an use permit | § 18.30.020 |
| RH | Needs an use permit | § 18.30.020 |
| NTS North Todos Santos district | Needs an use permit | § 18.35.020 |
| CO | Needs an use permit | § 18.40.020 |
| CMX | Needs an use permit | § 18.40.020 |
| NC | Needs an use permit | § 18.40.020 |
| SC | Needs an administrative permit | § 18.40.020 |
| RC | Needs an administrative permit | § 18.40.020 |
| DP Downtown Pleasant | Needs an use permit — see note Note 1: Not allowed on ground floor. | § 18.45.020 |
| DMX Downtown Mixed Use | Needs a minor use permit | § 18.45.020 |
| WMX Waterfront Mixed Use | Needs an administrative permit | § 18.45.020 |
| OBP | Needs an administrative permit | § 18.50.020 |
| IBP | Needs an administrative permit | § 18.50.020 |
| IMX | Needs a minor use permit — see note Note 5: Allowed with residential use only. Note 7: Notwithstanding anything in this table to the contrary (including ZC, AP, or MP notations), outdoor facilities, storage, or activities may only be allowed in the IMX district if a use permit (UP) is reviewed and approved pursuant to Chapter 18.435 CDC (Minor Use Permits and Use Permits). | § 18.50.020 |
| PQP Public/Quasi-Public district | Needs an administrative permit | § 18.55.020 |
| PR | Needs an use permit | § 18.60.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Standards for this use: CDC 18.200.050 (Child day care facilities).
- The row names nursery, preschool and childcare together, no size split. 'Adult Day Care Center' and 'Family Day Care Home (14 or fewer children)' are separate rows.
- 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: Zone names for RR, RS, RL, RM, RH, CO, CMX, NC, SC, RC, DP, DMX, WMX, OBP, IBP, IMX, HI, OS, PR, RLC, WRC, CRP-GF (chapter intros not in the packet); Use definitions (CDC 18.20.020) for Group Housing, Residential Care Facility Large, Elementary Middle Secondary; AFFH overlay (Chapter 18.120, S12) is an overlay, not a base zone, and changes SFH, duplex and multifamily rules on listed parcels; Airport overlay (A), other overlays. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Concord
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the RR zone in Concord?
Only with an use permit. Concord's use table lists it that way in RR (§ 18.30.020).
Can I have a child care center in the HI zone in Concord?
No. Concord's use table does not allow it in HI (§ 18.50.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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