Licensure Rules for Childcare Centers

When you place your child in day care, you want to make sure that the provider takes care of your child in the same way that you would do so. To insure that day care providers offer a safe, healthy and desirable environment for your child, each state follows licensing requirements that each provider must comply with to receive a license to operate a day care. When choosing a day care provider, especially a home day care provider, it is important to ask to see the license.

  1. Background Checks

    • Each state has specific guidelines on the type of background checks required of day care providers. Each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, except Nebraska, requires a criminal background check of the provider for a license. A check of the Child Abuse Registry is required in all states, except Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio and Oklahoma. Additionally, in Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia, no check of the Sex Offender registry is required for a license.

    Training

    • The training and education that each state requires of day care providers also varies from state to state. A total of 26 states (Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia) do not require that day care providers have a high school diploma or GED to care for children. Other states require a course on Early Childhood Education or certification as a child development Associate.

    Inspections

    • Depending on your state, the childcare licensing department will inspect the day care center at least once every two years, if not more frequently. The types of inspections are those for licensing, fire, and health and sanitation. The type and frequency of the inspection vary depending on the state.

    Other Requirements

    • The Child Care and Development Block Grant, a federal grant on which states base the requirements of child care licensing, requires that each day care setting meets basic health and safety requirements, including health and safety training, the prevention of infectious disease and the certification that the facility is structurally sound. Additionally, each state sets certain limits on the number of children each day care provider can care for depending on the type of facility -- home day care, small center and large center.

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