Where is a child care center allowed in West Covina?

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

West Covina's code calls this use “Childcare facility, day care centers / Day care centers”. 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
R-A Residential Agricultural Zone	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
R-1 Single-Family Residential Zone (map symbols R-1-6,000, R-1-7,500, R-1-9,450, R-1-14,400, R-1-20,000, R-1-40,000)	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
MF-8 Multi-Family Residential Zone	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
MF-15 Multi-Family Residential Zone	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
MF-20 Multi-Family Residential Zone	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
MF-45 Multi-Family Residential Zone	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
OPMU Office-professional mixed-use	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
NMU Neighborhood-commercial mixed-use	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
RMU Regional-commercial mixed-use	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
SMU Service-commercial mixed-use	Needs a conditional use permit	Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Zones where it is not allowed

M-1.

What else applies

Small and Large family day care are separate rows (X). "Adult Day Care Centers" / "Adult care centers" are adult care.
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: S-P (Specific Plan) zone: uses come from each adopted specific plan; Overlay zones (hillside, planned community, auto plaza, animal keeping) are not base zones; Special regulations sections (26-111, 26-130, 26-118 etc.) are not in the packet. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.

Other uses in West Covina

Who this affects

HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a child care center in the R-A zone in West Covina?

Only with a conditional use permit. West Covina's use table lists it that way in R-A (Residential Agricultural Zone) (Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS).

Can I have a child care center in the M-1 zone in West Covina?

No. West Covina's use table does not allow it in M-1 (Manufacturing) (Article II — ZONES, ALLOWABLE USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS).

General information, not legal advice.