Last updated 2026-07-09
TL;DR
To open a licensed daycare in California, apply through the Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD). There are two license types: Family Day Care Home (small or large) and Child Care Center. Expect background checks, a facility inspection, first-aid training, and fees from $31 to over $1,000 depending on type and capacity. Most approvals take 60 to 120 days.
What types of daycare licenses does California issue?
California issues two license categories under Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, administered by the Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). [1]
The first is the Family Day Care Home license. It splits into two tiers. A Small Family Day Care Home serves up to 8 children, and that count includes the licensee's own children under age 10. A Large Family Day Care Home serves 9 to 14 children and requires at least one additional permitted adult on-site. Both run inside the provider's own residence. [1]
The second is the Child Care Center license. It covers any group setting outside a private home. Centers break down further by the ages they serve: Infant Centers (under 2 years), Toddler Centers (18 months to 3 years), Preschool Centers (2 to kindergarten age), School-Age Centers, and combinations of these. [1]
Pick the right license before you do anything else. The fee schedule, ratio rules, physical plant requirements, and director qualifications differ a lot between a large family day care home and a licensed center. You cannot run more than 14 children out of your home under any residential license tier in California. Past 14, you need a center license at a separate facility. [1]
What are the basic requirements for a daycare license in California?
Requirements depend on the license type, but every applicant shares a core set of obligations.
Criminal background clearances. Every person 18 or older who lives in a family day care home, plus every employee or volunteer with child contact in any licensed setting, must clear a Criminal Record Exemption through the CDSS Child Care Background Check Bureau. That means live-scan fingerprinting and a check against the California Department of Justice and FBI databases. [2] The legal authority is Health and Safety Code Section 1596.871. A prior conviction does not automatically disqualify you. CDSS reviews each case, but some offenses are absolute bars.
Health and safety training. Family day care applicants must finish Pediatric First Aid and CPR training before a license is issued. The certificate has to cover infants and children and be current (typically a 2-year renewal). Center directors meet added education requirements under Title 22. [1]
Completed application package. The CDSS LIC 279A (Application for Family Day Care Home License) or LIC 200 (Application for Child Care Center License) is your starting document. Both download from the CDSS Community Care Licensing website. [1]
TB clearance. All employees, and for family day care all adults living in the home, need a current TB risk assessment or test result. [1]
Facility inspection. Your home or center has to pass a pre-licensing inspection covering room sizes, outdoor space, fire safety, sanitation, and safe sleep for infants. The exact standards are below.
Family day care homes also notify the local zoning authority. California law (Health and Safety Code Section 1597.46) stops most local agencies from banning family day care homes outright in residential zones, but you may still need a permit or a local clearance letter. [3]
What are the exact steps to get a California daycare license?
Here is the sequence CCLD expects. Skipping steps or doing them out of order is the top reason applications stall.
Step 1: Attend a pre-licensing orientation. CCLD regional offices want applicants to finish an orientation before they accept a formal application. These run in person or online depending on the region. They cover regulations, the inspection process, and the full application packet. Check your local CCLD regional office to register. [1]
Step 2: Prepare your facility. Before you submit paperwork, walk your space against Title 22 standards. Infant care areas need specific crib and safe-sleep setups. Outdoor play space for centers is 75 square feet per child. Family day care homes must have accessible outdoor play space, but the square-footage standard is looser at the home tier. [1]
Step 3: Collect your documents. You need the completed application form (LIC 279A or LIC 200), proof of TB clearance for all adults in the home or all staff, Pediatric First Aid and CPR certificates, a fire clearance (family day care) or fire inspection report (centers), a copy of your local zoning approval or exemption letter, and proof of liability insurance. Centers also need proof of the director's educational qualifications. [1]
Step 4: Submit live-scan fingerprints. All adults requiring clearance complete live-scan before or at the time of application. Use a CDSS-approved live-scan site. Budget 2 to 4 weeks for DOJ and FBI results to come back. [2]
Step 5: Submit your application and fee. Mail or hand-deliver the packet to your CCLD regional office with the correct fee (see the fee table below). CCLD will not process incomplete packets. [4]
Step 6: Pass the pre-licensing inspection. A licensing analyst schedules an on-site visit. They check physical plant compliance, review your policies (admission agreements, parent notifications, disaster plan, safe sleep policy), and confirm all adults have clearances. [1]
Step 7: Respond to any deficiencies. If the analyst finds items out of compliance, you get a written deficiency notice. You usually have 30 days to correct and document each item. Speed here moves your approval date directly.
Step 8: Receive your license. Once everything clears, CCLD issues your license certificate. For family day care, the license ties to the specific address and the named licensee. Post it where families can see it. [1]
Step 9: Maintain ongoing compliance. Your license stays valid as long as you renew annually, pass periodic inspections, and keep staff records current. Family day care homes get inspected at least once a year. Centers get inspected more often. [1]
How much does a California daycare license cost?
CCLD publishes an official fee schedule. Fees are set by statute and updated periodically. The amounts below come from the CDSS fee schedule current as of the 2025 fiscal year update. [4]
| License Type | Initial Application Fee | Annual License Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Small Family Day Care Home (up to 8 children) | $31 | $31 |
| Large Family Day Care Home (9-14 children) | $47 | $47 |
| Child Care Center, capacity 1-30 | $313 | $313 |
| Child Care Center, capacity 31-60 | $626 | $626 |
| Child Care Center, capacity 61-90 | $939 | $939 |
| Child Care Center, capacity 91+ | $1,252 | $1,252 |
Those state fees are the cheapest part of getting licensed. The real money goes to live-scan fees (roughly $25 to $75 per person depending on the provider), first aid and CPR courses ($50 to $150 per person), facility changes to meet Title 22, and liability insurance. See home daycare insurance and daycare liability insurance for what coverage actually costs.
A 2024 Child Care Aware of America report put the average cost of regulated family child care in California at about $1,416 per month per infant. [5] That is the price parents pay, not what you pay to get licensed, but it frames the revenue side.
For the full business picture, including projected revenue and break-even timelines, see our guide to daycare cost.
How long does it take to get a California daycare license?
CCLD does not publish a guaranteed processing timeline, and the honest answer is that it varies a lot by region and by how complete your application is.
Based on what CCLD regional offices tell applicants and what child care resource and referral agencies report, a clean, complete family day care home application usually clears in 60 to 90 days from the date of a complete submission. Center applications routinely run 90 to 120 days or longer, especially when construction or tenant improvements are in play. [1]
Two things cause most delays. The first is DOJ and FBI background check processing, which you cannot control. The second is deficiency corrections after the pre-licensing inspection, which you absolutely can control by doing a thorough self-inspection first. Live-scan submitted in the first week usually returns before the inspector visits. Wait too long, and background check delays push everything out.
Some regions run more backlogged than others. Los Angeles and the Bay Area have historically had the longest waits. In a high-demand region, budget 4 to 5 months and set your opening date around that.
What are California's child-to-staff ratios for licensed daycare?
California sets ratios in Title 22, with extra standards layered on for state-subsidized programs. These are the regulatory minimums. [1]
| Setting and Age Group | Max Children Per Staff |
|---|---|
| Infant Center (0-18 months) | 3:1 |
| Toddler Center (18 months to 3 years) | 4:1 |
| Preschool Center (3 to 5 years) | 8:1 |
| School-Age Center (5 and up) | 14:1 |
| Small Family Day Care Home (all ages) | 1 adult for up to 8 children |
| Large Family Day Care Home (all ages) | 2 adults for 9-14 children |
For family day care homes, the ratio reads less granular in the regulations, but the age mix still matters in practice. If you care for infants, your total enrollment cap may drop depending on how many infants are in the group. Title 22 Section 102352 spells out the infant-to-total-capacity rules for family day care homes. [1]
These ratios are hard floors, not suggestions. An unannounced inspection that finds you over ratio is a serious violation. It can bring a citation, a reduced capacity, or license action.
What physical space requirements does your facility need to meet?
The physical plant rules in Title 22 catch most applicants off guard. Here is what CCLD inspectors actually look for.
Indoor space. Child care centers provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child. Bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and storage do not count. [1]
Outdoor space. Centers need at least 75 square feet of outdoor activity space per child. Family day care homes need outdoor space accessible to children, but the square-footage standard is more flexible and the inspector evaluates it case by case. [1]
Safe sleep. For infants under 12 months, every child needs their own crib or play yard that meets current CPSC standards. No soft bedding, no positioning devices, no inclined sleepers. California updated its safe sleep regulations to line up with the AAP 2022 safe sleep guidelines. [6]
Fire safety. Family day care homes need at least one smoke detector per level, carbon monoxide detectors, and a fire extinguisher. Centers need a fire clearance from the local fire authority before CCLD will issue a license. [1]
Sanitation. Diapering surfaces must be non-porous and cleaned between each use. Handwashing sinks must be reachable by children in the care area. Write your cleaning protocols down. See our guide on daycare cleaning for the product and procedure standards that hold up at inspection.
Fencing. Any outdoor play area used by children under 6 must be enclosed by a fence at least 4 feet high. [1]
Do you need special qualifications or education to run a California daycare?
For family day care homes, the education bar is low. You need current Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification and you must be 18 or older. There is no degree requirement for a family day care license. [1]
Child care centers set stricter rules for directors and teachers. Under Title 22, a center director must hold a valid Child Development Permit at the Site Supervisor level or higher, issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. That takes at least 12 college units in child development, plus 3 units in administration, plus supervised teaching experience. [7]
Teachers in licensed centers hold at least a Teacher-level Child Development Permit, which takes 12 ECE or child development units. Aides have no formal education requirement but must be supervised. [7]
The Child Development Permit matrix from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing lays out each tier. Planning to open a center without the right permit? Factor in 1 to 2 semesters of coursework before you can legally act as director.
Programs that accept subsidized families through the California Department of Education's contracts face added quality requirements under the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) and Title 5 regulations, which sit on top of Title 22. [8]
What ongoing compliance requirements come with a California daycare license?
Getting the license is the start, not the finish. Here is what keeps it.
License renewal. Family day care licenses renew annually. Centers renew annually too. CCLD sends a renewal notice, but submitting on time and paying the fee is on you. A lapsed license means you cannot legally operate. [1]
Inspections. CCLD runs at least one unannounced inspection a year for family day care homes. Centers get inspected more often. Any complaint from a parent or mandated reporter triggers an inspection of its own. [1]
Staff records. Keep current TB clearances, background check clearances, and CPR and first aid certifications on file for every staff member, and for family day care, every adult in the home. CCLD will ask to see these at any inspection.
Mandated reporter training. Every licensed child care provider in California is a mandated reporter under Penal Code Section 11165.7. You have to know how to spot and report suspected child abuse to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) hotline. Many CCLD regions require documented mandated reporter training at initial license and at renewal. [9]
Updating your license. Any change to your capacity, the ages you serve, your facility address, or the adults living in a family day care home means notifying CCLD. Operating outside your licensed parameters is a violation even if everything else checks out.
Tools like the ChildCareComp compliance toolkit track expiration dates for staff certifications, TB tests, and license renewals in one place, which saves real headaches at inspection time.
Programs that accept Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers through California's Alternative Payment programs pick up a separate layer of federal health and safety rules, including annual training hours and enhanced background check standards. [10]
What happens if you operate a daycare without a license in California?
Running an unlicensed child care facility in California is a misdemeanor under Health and Safety Code Section 1596.85. [3] Penalties include fines up to $1,000 per day of unlicensed operation and possible criminal prosecution.
CCLD keeps an active complaint investigation unit. Parents, neighbors, and other providers report suspected unlicensed facilities, and CCLD investigates. If CCLD confirms unlicensed operation, it can issue a Cease and Desist order on the spot.
A narrow exemption covers care of four or fewer children in certain situations (a relative's children only, for example), but the rules are specific and do not cover a business that accepts non-relative families. Do not lean on informal interpretations. If you are getting paid to watch other people's children regularly, you almost certainly need a license.
The legal risk is only part of it. Unlicensed providers cannot accept California subsidized care vouchers, cannot join the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and carry unlimited personal liability because no professional insurer will cover unlicensed operations.
How do California's CCDF and subsidy programs connect to your license?
California takes federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) money. It flows through the California Department of Social Services and the California Department of Education into local Alternative Payment (AP) agencies and direct-contract programs. [10]
To accept voucher families (often CalWORKs Stage 1, Stage 2, or Stage 3 vouchers), you must be CCLD-licensed and meet the health and safety training CCDF imposes on every state. The federal CCDF regulations require all providers serving subsidized children to complete health and safety pre-service training in safe sleep, first aid and CPR, recognizing and reporting child abuse, medication administration, prevention and control of infectious diseases, and emergency preparedness. [10]
The 2016 CCDF final rule, published at 45 CFR Part 98, states that "States must ensure that all child care providers serving children who receive CCDF assistance meet certain health and safety requirements." [10] That language binds California.
Licensing is the baseline. If you want subsidy families, confirm with your local Resource and Referral agency (R&R) which added trainings you need documented before the AP agency puts you on their approved provider list.
Where do you actually apply, and who do you contact if you get stuck?
CCLD runs regional offices across the state. You submit your application to the office that covers your county. [1]
The CDSS website (cdss.ca.gov) has a facility search and a provider map to find your regional office. All application forms (LIC 279A for family day care, LIC 200 for centers) download from the CDSS Community Care Licensing page. [1]
Stuck? Call your local Child Care Resource and Referral (R&R) agency first. California has a statewide R&R network, coordinated through the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network. They give free pre-licensing consultation, walk you through the application, and often run orientation sessions. Find your local R&R at rrnetwork.org. [11]
For legal questions about zoning, business structure, or whether a specific prior conviction will bar you, talk to a California attorney who works in administrative or family law. CCLD licensing analysts cannot give you legal advice, even when their answer would help.
Start on insurance before your license is in hand. Getting home daycare insurance or daycare liability insurance often takes 2 to 4 weeks, and some insurers want a copy of your license application before they bind coverage. Start the insurance process at Step 3, not after Step 8.
The full daycare overview guide covers how licensing connects to daily operations, costs, and staffing if you want the broader picture.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a daycare license in California?
A complete, clean family day care home application usually processes in 60 to 90 days from submission. Child care center applications typically take 90 to 120 days or more, especially if facility modifications are needed. The biggest delays are background check processing and fixing deficiencies found during the pre-licensing inspection. Submit your live-scan fingerprints as early as you can to avoid holding up the rest of the process.
How much does a California daycare license cost?
The CCLD application fee for a small family day care home is $31 per year. A large family day care home is $47 per year. Child care center fees run from $313 to $1,252 annually depending on capacity. Those are only the state fees. Add live-scan costs ($25 to $75 per person), first aid and CPR training ($50 to $150 per person), facility modifications, and insurance to reach your real startup cost.
Can I run a daycare out of my home in California without a license?
No, not if you accept non-relative children for pay on a regular basis. Unlicensed operation is a misdemeanor under California Health and Safety Code Section 1596.85, with fines up to $1,000 per day. A very narrow exemption covers care of only a relative's children, but it does not apply to a typical home daycare business. If you accept payment from unrelated families, you need a CCLD license.
What is the difference between a small and large family day care home in California?
A small family day care home is licensed for up to 8 children total, counting the provider's own children under age 10. A large family day care home is licensed for 9 to 14 children and requires at least one additional permitted adult caregiver on-site. Both run out of the licensee's personal residence. The application fee and inspection standards are similar, but the large home license has stricter ratio and space requirements.
Do I need a degree or college credits to open a family day care home in California?
No. A family day care home license requires no college degree or formal early childhood education units. You need to be at least 18 years old, clear a background check, and hold a current Pediatric First Aid and CPR certificate. Child care center directors face much stricter requirements, including a Child Development Permit at the Site Supervisor level from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which does require college coursework.
What background check does California require for daycare providers?
Every person 18 or older who lives in a family day care home, plus any employee or volunteer with child contact in any licensed setting, must complete live-scan fingerprinting for a California Department of Justice and FBI criminal background check. The CDSS Child Care Background Check Bureau reviews results. A prior conviction is not an automatic bar for all offenses, but some convictions are absolute disqualifiers. Processing usually takes 2 to 4 weeks.
What child-to-staff ratios does California require in licensed daycare centers?
California Title 22 sets these minimums: 3:1 for infants (under 18 months), 4:1 for toddlers (18 months to 3 years), 8:1 for preschoolers (3 to 5 years), and 14:1 for school-age children. Family day care homes run at one adult for up to 8 children (small) or two adults for 9 to 14 children (large). These are hard regulatory floors, and going over ratio is a citable violation.
Can local zoning rules block me from opening a family day care home in California?
Generally no. California Health and Safety Code Section 1597.46 limits local agencies from prohibiting family day care homes in residential zones. Cities and counties cannot ban them outright, though they may require a local permit or clearance letter. You should still contact your local planning department early to confirm any local notification or permit steps your jurisdiction requires before you apply to CCLD.
What training is required before I can get a California daycare license?
At minimum, family day care applicants need current Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification covering infants and children. For programs accepting CCDF-subsidized families, added health and safety pre-service training is required in areas including safe sleep, child abuse reporting, medication administration, and emergency preparedness. Center directors need a Child Development Permit, which requires early childhood education college coursework and supervised teaching hours.
What inspections should I expect after getting licensed in California?
CCLD conducts at least one unannounced annual inspection of family day care homes. Centers are inspected more often. Any complaint filed by a parent, neighbor, or mandated reporter triggers a separate investigation visit. During any inspection, CCLD reviews staff records, background check clearances, TB tests, CPR certifications, your disaster plan, safe sleep policies, and the physical condition of your facility. There is no advance notice for routine inspections.
Can I accept childcare subsidy vouchers (CalWORKs or CCDF) as a licensed provider?
Yes. Once you are CCLD-licensed, you can apply to your local Alternative Payment agency to become an approved subsidy provider. Federal CCDF rules require added documented health and safety training beyond the basic CCLD requirements. Contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency to find out which trainings your county's AP agency requires before they place subsidized children with you.
How often does a California daycare license need to be renewed?
Both family day care home and child care center licenses in California renew annually. CCLD sends a renewal notice, but the responsibility to file and pay on time rests with the licensee. Operating on an expired license carries the same penalties as operating without a license. Keep staff certifications, TB clearances, and insurance current too, since CCLD reviews all of these during renewal-period inspections.
What are the safe sleep requirements for infant care in California?
Any licensed setting caring for infants under 12 months must provide an individual crib or play yard meeting current CPSC standards for each infant. Soft bedding, bumpers, positioning devices, and inclined sleepers are prohibited. California updated its safe sleep regulations to align with the American Academy of Pediatrics 2022 guidelines. Your written safe sleep policy must be on file, and CCLD reviews actual sleep setups during inspection.
Sources
- California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division: Title 22 licensing requirements, application forms, facility standards, ratios, and inspection frequency for family day care homes and child care centers
- California Department of Social Services, Child Care Background Check Bureau: Background check and live-scan fingerprinting requirements for adults in family day care homes and employees or volunteers with child contact, under Health and Safety Code Section 1596.871
- California Legislative Information, Health and Safety Code Sections 1596.85 and 1597.46: Unlicensed operation is a misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000 per day (1596.85); local agencies may not prohibit family day care homes in residential zones (1597.46)
- California Department of Social Services, CCLD Fee Schedule: Official CCLD fee schedule: small family day care home $31, large $47, child care centers $313 to $1,252 based on capacity
- Child Care Aware of America, Demanding Change: Repairing Our Child Care System (2024): Average annual cost of regulated family child care in California was approximately $1,416 per month per infant as of 2024 data
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Safe Sleep Guidelines 2022: AAP 2022 safe sleep guidelines prohibit soft bedding, bumpers, and inclined sleepers; California updated its daycare safe sleep regulations to align with these standards
- California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Child Development Permit Matrix: Child care center directors must hold a Site Supervisor-level Child Development Permit requiring at least 12 ECE units, 3 administration units, and supervised teaching experience
- California Department of Education, Early Education Division: California State Preschool Program (CSPP) and Title 5 regulations add quality requirements on top of Title 22 for programs serving subsidized families
- California Department of Justice, Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), Penal Code Section 11165.7: All licensed child care providers in California are mandated reporters under Penal Code Section 11165.7
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care, CCDF Final Rule 45 CFR Part 98 (2016): Federal CCDF rule requires states to ensure all providers serving subsidized children meet health and safety requirements including safe sleep, first aid, CPR, child abuse reporting, medication administration, and emergency preparedness training; rule states 'States must ensure that all child care providers serving children who receive CCDF assistance meet certain health and safety requirements'
- California Child Care Resource and Referral Network: Statewide R&R network offers free pre-licensing consultation and orientation sessions for prospective providers