Fontana · Land use · Child care center
Where is a child care center allowed in Fontana?
In Fontana, a child care center is needs a permit in 14 (Station Area, Downtown Gateway, Transitional, Sierra Gateway, Route 66 Gateway and 9 more) and not allowed in 11 (Fontana use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: Station Area, Downtown Gateway, Transitional, Sierra Gateway, Route 66 Gateway, Valley Gateway, Village, Mixed-Use Core and 6 more
- Not allowed: Civic, Neighborhood, Multi-Family, Civic Core, Sierra Core, Gateway Core, Multi-Family Core, Neighborhood Core and 3 more
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Fontana 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
Fontana's code calls this use “Licensed nurseries, pre-schools and day care facilities for children”. 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.
The code defines “Day Care”: “a state licensed commercial facility that provides care and supervision of children, whose ages range from six weeks to 13 years. Child care is the action or skill of looking after children by a day-care center, teachers, or other providers. Child ca” (§ 30-12)
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Station Area | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| Downtown Gateway | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| Transitional | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| Sierra Gateway | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| Route 66 Gateway | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| Valley Gateway | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| Village | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| Mixed-Use Core | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-359 |
| R-4 | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-453 |
| R-5 | Needs a minor use permit | § 30-453 |
| C-1 | Needs a minor use permit | Division 3 — USE REGULATIONS |
| C-2 | Needs a minor use permit | Division 3 — USE REGULATIONS |
| RMU | Needs a minor use permit | Division 3 — USE REGULATIONS |
| P-PF | Needs a conditional use permit | Division 3 — USE REGULATIONS |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- 24-hour variants: S7 'Day care/child care 24-hour' C C; S8 'Day care—Commercial (24-hour)' — C C. Adult day care is a separate FBC 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: Overlay districts (S11-S19: medical center, utility corridor, hillside, auto center, warehousing/logistics, fire hazard, business park, R-4 overlay, entertainment center) are not base zones; Specific plans / planned community areas outside the tables; Form-Based Code districts (Civic, Station Area, ... and the '... Core' districts) are listed as zoning districts of Article III; the page may want to show them apart from the conventional zones. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Fontana
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a child care center in the Station Area zone in Fontana?
Only with a minor use permit. Fontana's use table lists it that way in Station Area (§ 30-359).
Can I have a child care center in the Civic zone in Fontana?
No. Fontana's use table does not allow it in Civic (§ 30-359).
General information, not legal advice.
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