New and Existing Family Home Daycare Inspection Checklist

  1. If the occupant load of the residence is more than 9, including those who are residents, during the time of operation of the day care, are 2 exits provided from the ground-level story? 2 exits are required from a home day care operated in a manufactured home, regardless of the occupant load. 2021 IRC AM103.1
  2. Does exit access from areas of day care operation not pass through bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, garages, fenced rear yards, or similar areas? 2021 IRC AM103.1.1
    • Exception: An exit may discharge into a fenced yard if the gate or gates remain unlocked during day care hours. The gates may be locked if there is an area of refuge located within the fenced yard and more than 50 feet from the dwelling. The area of refuge shall be large enough to allow 5 square feet per occupant.
    • If the basement of a dwelling is to be used in the day care operation, 2 exits are required from the basement regardless of the occupant load. 1of the exits may pass through the dwelling and the other shall lead directly to the exterior of the dwelling.
    • An emergency and escape window used as the second means of egress from a basement shall comply with Sections R310 and AM103.1.1.
  3. If the yard is to be used as part of the day care operation, is it fenced? 2021 IRC AM103.1.3
  4. Is the fence of durable materials and not less than 6 feet tall, completely enclosing the area used for the day care operations? Each opening shall be a gate or door equipped with a self-closing and self-latching device to be installed at not less than 5 feet above the ground. 2021 IRC AM103.1.3.1
  5. Do openings in the fence, wall, or enclosure have intermediate rails or an ornamental pattern that does not allow a sphere 4 inches in diameter to pass through? IRC AM103.1.3.2
    • In addition, the following criteria must be met:
    1. The maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of the fence, wall, or enclosure shall be 2 inches.
    2. Solid walls or enclosures that do not have openings, such as masonry or stone walls, shall not contain indentations or protrusions, except for tooled masonry joints.
    3. Maximum mesh size for chain link fences shall be 1 ¼ inches square, unless the fence has slats at the top or bottom that reduce the opening to not more than 1 ¾   inches. The wire shall be not less than 9 gage [0.148 inch].
  6. Do decks that are more than 12 inches above grade have a guard in compliance with the International Residential Code? 2021 IRC AM103.1.3.3
  7. Are egress doors side-hinged and provide a clear width of not less than 32 inches? The clear height of the door opening shall be not less than 78 inches. Other doors shall not be required to comply with these minimum dimensions. Egress doors shall be readily openable from inside the dwelling without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort. 2021 IRC AM 103.1 and R311.2
  8. Is the minimum width of required exits at least 36 inches with a net clear width of 32 inches? The minimum height of a required exit is 6 feet 8 inches. 2021 IRC AM103.2
  9. Are exit doors openable from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort? Where the occupant load is 10 or less, a night latch, dead bolt, or security chain may be used, provided that such devices are openable from the inside without the use of a key or tool, and are mounted at a height not to exceed 48 inches above the finished floor. 2021 IRC AM103.3
  10. Are landings for stairways and doors compliant with Section R311? Landings shall be required for the exterior side of a sliding door where a home day care is being operated in a Group R-3 occupancy. 2021 IRC AM103.4
  11. Is the width of each landing not less than the door served? Landings shall have a dimension of not less than 36 inches measured in the direction of travel. The slope at exterior landings shall not exceed 1/4 unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2 percent). 2021 IRC AM103.1 and R311.3
    • Exception: Exterior balconies less than 60 square feet and only accessed from a door are permitted to have a landing that is less than 36 inches measured in the direction of travel.
  12. Are landings or finished floors at required egress doors not more than 1 ½  inches lower than the top of the threshold? 2021 IRC AM103.1 and R311.3.1
    • Exception: The landing or floor on the exterior side shall be not more than 7 ¾   inches (196 mm) below the top of the threshold provided that the door does not swing over the landing or floor.
    • Where exterior landings or floors serving the required egress door are not at grade, they shall be provided with access to grade by means of a ramp in accordance with Section R311.8 or a stairway in accordance with Section R311.7.
  13. Is the width of hallways not less than 3 feet? 2021 IRC AM103.1 and R311.6
  14. Are handrails provided on not less than 1 side of each flight of stairs with 4 or more risers? 2021 IRC AM103.1 and R311.7.8
  15. Is handrail height measured vertically from the sloped plane adjoining the tread nosing, or finish surface of ramp slope, not less than 34 inches and not more than 38 inches? 2021 IRC AM103.1 and R311.7.8.1
    Exceptions:
    1. The use of a volute, turnout, or starting easing shall be allowed over the lowest tread.
    2. Where handrail fittings or bendings are used to provide continuous transition between flights, transitions at winder treads, the transition from handrail to guard, or used at the start of a flight, the handrail height at the fittings or bendings shall be permitted to exceed 38 inches.
  16. Are handrails continuous for the full length of the flight, from a point directly above the top riser of the flight to a point directly above the lowest riser of the flight? A handrail end shall be returned continuous to itself or toward a wall, guard, or walking surface, or shall terminate to a post. 2021 IRC AM103.1 and R311.7.8.4
    • Exceptions:
      1. Handrail continuity shall be permitted to be interrupted by a newel post at a turn in a flight with winders, at a landing, or over the lowest tread.
      2. A volute, turnout, or starting easing shall be allowed to terminate over the lowest tread and over the top landing.
  17. Are guards provided for open-sided walking surfaces, including floors, stairs, ramps, and landings that are located more than 30 inches measured vertically to the floor or grade below at any point within 36 inches horizontally to the edge of the open side? 2021 IRC AM103.1 and R312.1.1
  18. Do exit ramps comply with 2021 IRC R311.8? 2021 IRC AM103.1
  19. If the basement is to be used in the day care operation, are 2 exits provided from the basement regardless of the occupant load? 1of the exits may pass through the dwelling and the other shall lead directly to the exterior of the dwelling. An emergency and escape window used as the second means of egress from a basement shall comply with Sections R310 and AM103.1.1. 2021 IRC AM103.1.2
  20. Are smoke detectors installed in dwelling units used for home day care operations? Detectors shall be installed in accordance with the approved manufacturer’s instructions. If the current smoke detection system in the dwelling is not in compliance with the currently adopted code for smoke detection, it shall be upgraded to meet the currently adopted code requirements and Section AM103 before day care operations commence. 2021 IRC AM104.1
  21. Do required smoke detectors receive their primary power from the building and are equipped with a battery backup? The detector shall emit a signal when the batteries are low. Wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than those required for overcurrent protection. Required smoke detectors shall be interconnected such that if one detector is activated, all detectors are activated. 2021 IRC AM104.2
  22. Are smoke detectors located in each bedroom and any room that is to be used as a sleeping room, centrally located in corridors, hallways, or areas giving access to each separate sleeping area? Where the dwelling unit has more than 1story, and in dwellings with basements, a detector shall be installed on each story and in the basement. In dwelling units where a story or basement is split into 2or more levels, the smoke detector shall be installed on the upper level, except that where the lower level contains a sleeping area, a detector shall be installed on each level. Where sleeping rooms are on the upper level, the detector shall be placed at the ceiling of the upper level in close proximity to the stairway. In dwelling units where the ceiling height of a room open to the hallway serving the bedrooms or sleeping areas exceeds that of the hallway by 24 inches (610 mm) or more, smoke detectors shall be installed in the hallway and the adjacent room. Detectors shall sound an alarm audible in all sleeping areas of the dwelling unit in which they are located. 2021 IRC AM104.3
  23. Are carbon monoxide detectors located in all rooms where care is provided to children? Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-120-122