Maryland daycare licensing: the complete guide for 2025

Last updated 2026-07-09

Who needs a Maryland daycare license?

Anyone who cares for children for pay, more than 20 hours a week on a regular basis, needs a license from Maryland's Office of Child Care (OCC). That covers family child care homes, large family child care homes, and centers, whether you run it for profit or as a nonprofit.

There are a few narrow exemptions. Maryland Family Law §5-550 excludes care given only by a relative (grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling), care in the child's own home, care for fewer than 4 children from no more than 2 families at a time, and certain religious nursery schools that meet specific conditions ^[9]. Unsure whether your setup qualifies? Call OCC before you take a single paying family. Getting this wrong is a misdemeanor under Maryland law.

Registration is a separate, lighter track for providers who care for 1 to 3 children from one unrelated family. Plenty of family providers start there. It still requires a criminal background check and a home safety inspection, and it does not qualify you for Child Care Scholarship (subsidy) payments from the state.

What are the different license types in Maryland?

Maryland OCC issues three main license categories ^[1]:

License Type	Max Children	Notes
Family Child Care Home	Up to 8 total	Max 2 under age 2; provider must live in the home
Large Family Child Care Home	9 to 12 total	Requires 1 additional qualified staff member on-site
Child Care Center	13+ (no statewide cap)	Commercial or institutional space; more complex build-out rules

Family child care homes count the provider's own young children in the total. If two of your own kids are present, you can serve only 6 unrelated children, and no more than 2 of everyone can be infants under 24 months unless you add a qualified caregiver.

Centers run under a separate ruleset, COMAR 13A.16. The license attaches to the facility, not to you, so you need both a facility license and individually cleared staff. Planning a center? Budget for an architect or a licensing consultant who knows OCC's building rules. The square-footage-per-child math and egress requirements trip up a lot of first-time operators.

For how center licensing compares across the country, see our guide on Daycare center: what it is, what it costs, how it's licensed.

What are Maryland's child-to-staff ratios?

Ratios in Maryland change by age group and setting. These are the minimums under COMAR 13A.15 (family child care) and COMAR 13A.16 (centers) ^[2].

Family Child Care (home-based) The provider alone can care for up to 8 children, but only if no more than 2 are under 24 months and no more than 6 are under school age. Add a second adult and the cap rises to 12.

Child Care Centers

Age Group	Max Ratio (children:staff)
Infants (under 12 months)	3:1
Young Toddlers (12 to 24 months)	3:1
Older Toddlers (25 to 35 months)	4:1
Preschool (3 to 5 years)	10:1
Kindergarten age	15:1
School-age (6 and up)	15:1

These ratios hold at all times children are present: rest time, outdoor play, field trips. Maryland doesn't set a separate formal group-size cap for most age groups, though maximum group sizes are baked into room-capacity math tied to square footage ^[2].

Here's what new providers miss. Substitutes and volunteers don't count toward ratio until they've cleared background checks and finished orientation. Plan your staffing before you open, not after your first inspection.

How do you apply for a Maryland family child care license?

The family child care application goes through OCC directly. Maryland EXCELS handles professional development and quality ratings, but you submit the licensing application to your regional OCC office ^[1]. Here's the sequence.

1. Attend a pre-licensing orientation. OCC requires it before you submit anything. Sessions run in person regionally and online. Your application won't move until OCC has your orientation completion on record.

2. Complete the application packet. This includes the application form, an emergency plan, written policies, and a floor plan of your home showing the rooms used for childcare.

3. Pay the application fee. The family child care home license fee is $50 ^[3]. It's not refundable if your application is denied.

4. Pass the background clearances. Every person 18 or older living in the home needs a Maryland criminal history check through the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, an FBI fingerprint check, and a Child Protective Services clearance ^[8]. These run at the same time but can take 4 to 8 weeks.

5. Complete first-aid and CPR training. At least one person with pediatric first aid and infant/child CPR must be present at all times. Training must come from an OCC-approved provider and renew every two years.

6. Pass the home inspection. A licensing specialist checks fire extinguisher placement, working smoke and CO detectors, safe outdoor space, water temperature (max 120°F), secured hazardous materials, and enough indoor space (35 sq. ft. per child in activity areas).

7. Complete the initial 30 hours of training. New family providers must document 30 clock hours of approved training before initial licensure ^[2].

Total timeline from orientation to license in hand: two to four months if your background checks come back clean and your home passes on the first visit. Add a month if you need repairs.

How do you apply for a Maryland child care center license?

Center licensing is heavier and usually takes four to six months, longer if you're building or renovating ^[1].

Start with a pre-application meeting at your regional OCC office. Bring your proposed floor plan, zoning approval from the local jurisdiction, and a description of your program. OCC will tell you what's missing before you spend money on build-out.

After that meeting, the core steps are:

• Submit the center application with all required policies, emergency plans, and staff rosters.
• Pay the center license fee. Fees scale by capacity: $125 for up to 20 children, $185 for 21 to 50, $250 for 51 to 100, and $385 for 101 or more ^[3].
• Pass fire marshal and health department inspections on top of OCC's own inspection.
• Clear background checks for all staff before they have unsupervised contact with children.
• Confirm your program director meets the qualifications: at minimum an OCC-approved 45-hour Director Credential or a related degree with supervised experience ^[2].

The director credential is where a lot of new operators hit a wall. Without a related degree, the 45-hour training takes time to schedule and finish. Start it while you work on the facility, not after. The CDA credential is nationally recognized and can count toward Maryland's director qualification pathway in some cases.

What background checks does Maryland require for daycare providers?

Maryland stacks several checks together. Under COMAR 13A.15.03 and 13A.16.03 ^[2], background checks apply to:

• The licensee (you)
• Any person 18 or older living in the home (family child care)
• All paid staff in centers
• Regular volunteers with unsupervised access to children
• Any substitute caregiver

Each of those people needs all three checks: Maryland criminal history (run by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services), an FBI fingerprint-based federal check, and a CPS clearance ^[8]. Fingerprinting happens at authorized Live Scan sites. The fee is currently around $18 to $20 for the state check plus $13.25 for the FBI check, though prices shift a little ^[3].

Some results disqualify an applicant outright: convictions for crimes against a child, sexual assault, murder, and a range of other violent offenses. A few prior offenses allow a waiver process, but waivers aren't guaranteed and add months. Don't assume you'll get one. Talk to OCC before investing in build-out if anyone in your household or staffing plan has a record.

Background checks renew every five years for existing staff.

What training and education requirements apply in Maryland?

Maryland runs one of the more structured training systems among the states. Requirements depend on your role ^[2].

Family child care providers: 30 clock hours before initial licensure, then 18 hours a year after that. Topics must cover child development, health and safety, and business practices.

Center staff: All direct-care staff need at minimum a high school diploma or GED plus documented child development training before they work unsupervised. Lead teachers in infant and toddler rooms must hold at least a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or equivalent within six months of hire.

Program directors: Must meet one of several tracks: a degree in early childhood education, a degree in a related field with supervised experience in child care, or a Maryland-approved 45-hour Director Credential program.

Training gets tracked through Maryland EXCELS, the state's tiered quality rating system. EXCELS isn't mandatory for every licensed provider. But if you want Child Care Scholarship payments at the higher reimbursement rates, you'll need to enroll and hold a quality rating ^[4].

Building out a curriculum to strengthen your rating? Resources like a solid preschool curriculum or the creative curriculum for preschool can back up your EXCELS documentation directly.

How much does a Maryland daycare license cost, and what other startup costs should you expect?

State fees are the smallest line in your startup budget. Here's a realistic picture ^[3].

Cost Item	Estimated Range
OCC application fee (family home)	$50
OCC application fee (center, by capacity)	$125 to $385
Background check fees (per person)	$30 to $35
First-aid/CPR training	$50 to $120 per person
Pre-licensing orientation	Free (OCC-provided)
Fire extinguisher + safety equipment	$100 to $400
Liability insurance (annual, home)	$500 to $1,500
Liability insurance (annual, center)	$2,000 to $8,000+
Renovation/build-out (center)	$10,000 to $100,000+

Space is the biggest variable. A family child care home in an already-safe house might cost $500 total to license. A center converting retail space can easily spend $50,000 before OCC issues the license.

Child Care Aware of America's 2023 Price of Care report puts the average annual cost of center-based infant care in Maryland at $18,202 ^[5]. That number tells you the market you're entering and the revenue that justifies the startup spend.

One expense new providers forget: business insurance built for child care. A standard homeowner's policy does not cover commercial daycare activity. Get a rider or a standalone child care liability policy before your first child walks in the door.

How do Maryland daycare inspections work?

OCC does at least one announced pre-licensing inspection before your first license. After that, licensed programs get unannounced inspections at least once a year ^[1]. Centers with violations or substantiated complaints get visited more often.

Inspectors work off a standard checklist: ratios, staff documentation, physical environment (space, lighting, temperature), emergency plans, medication records, attendance logs, and food safety. They can arrive any time during operating hours, including first thing in the morning and during nap time.

Violations are graded by severity. Minor paperwork issues get a compliance letter with a correction deadline. Serious ones (ratio violations, missing background checks, unsafe conditions) can bring a civil monetary penalty, a provisional license, or in bad cases a suspension. OCC posts licensing histories publicly, and parents read them. A string of violations hurts enrollment.

Fail your initial pre-licensing inspection and OCC lets you correct the deficiencies and reschedule, but there's no set number of re-inspection attempts before they deny the application. Get it right the first time. Walk the checklist yourself, ideally with someone who has never seen your space, a week before the scheduled visit.

For tracking your compliance documents between inspections, ChildCareComp's compliance toolkit includes state-specific checklists built around OCC's current inspection criteria.

Can Maryland daycare providers accept the child care subsidy?

Yes. Licensed providers can apply to become approved vendors through Maryland's Child Care Scholarship Program, the state's version of the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) ^[6]. The money is real: as of 2022, Maryland drew roughly $256 million in federal CCDF funds to help low-income families afford care ^[6].

To take subsidy payments, you must be licensed first (registration alone doesn't qualify), then complete a vendor agreement with your local Child Care Resource Center (CCRC). Reimbursement rates are set by the state and vary by age group, setting, and whether you participate in EXCELS. Higher EXCELS ratings earn higher rates, which is the real reason to engage with the quality system.

Payments come from the state directly to the provider on a biweekly or monthly schedule. Families usually pay a co-pay set by the program. Know the tradeoffs: subsidy families sometimes leave with little notice, and you can't charge above the approved rate for subsidy slots.

If you serve families who qualify, help them through the childcare subsidy application. The paperwork lands on families, and a provider who helps them through it tends to keep those families longer. Families may also qualify for the federal childcare tax credit, which is separate from the subsidy.

For how Maryland's subsidy rules stack up against a neighboring state, our michigan daycare licensing guide covers the CCDF differences.

What health and safety rules apply to Maryland daycare programs?

Maryland's health and safety rules for daycare live in COMAR 13A.15 (family child care) and COMAR 13A.16 (centers) ^[2]. The main ones:

Immunizations: Children must be current on all Maryland-required vaccines or have an approved medical or religious exemption on file. Providers review and document immunization records within 30 days of enrollment and update them at each required interval.

Medication administration: Written parental authorization is required for every medication, including over-the-counter products. Staff must be trained in medication procedures, and centers must name a medication administrator.

Sick child exclusion: Maryland follows the communicable disease exclusion criteria from the Maryland Department of Health. Children with fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or certain diagnosed illnesses stay out until they meet return criteria. You need a written policy stating these rules and must hand it to every family at enrollment.

Safe sleep (infants): Every infant goes on their back on a firm, flat surface, no soft bedding, in a crib that meets current federal safety standards. This is non-negotiable and inspected closely.

Nutrition and meals: Programs running more than 4 hours a day must serve meals and snacks that meet USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) guidelines ^[7]. Enrolling in CACFP also reimburses you for meals served to income-eligible children, which offsets food costs for a lot of providers.

Water and food safety: Water at child-accessible sinks can't exceed 120°F. Food storage and refrigeration must meet health department standards.

Fire drills run monthly, and evacuation routes stay posted. Shelter-in-place drills are required twice a year.

How long does it take to renew a Maryland daycare license?

Maryland licenses run for two years. OCC sends a renewal notice about 90 days before expiration ^[1]. Don't wait for the notice to start gathering documents. Build your renewal packet throughout the license period.

Renewal requires:

• A completed renewal application (home or center version)
• Current training transcripts showing you met the annual continuing education requirement
• An updated staff roster confirming all background checks are current
• Payment of the renewal fee (same schedule as initial fees)
• Confirmation that your emergency plan, policies, and physical space still meet current standards

If OCC gets your renewal application before the expiration date, your license stays valid while they process it, even if processing runs a few weeks past. Miss the deadline and your license lapses. You must stop operating until a new one is issued. That gap costs real revenue and can lose you families for good.

Set a calendar reminder for 120 days out. That buffer gives you room to gather everything, sort out any training-record hiccups, and still submit on time.

What's the fastest way to find and contact Maryland OCC?

The Office of Child Care sits inside the Maryland Department of Human Services, Family Investment Administration. OCC works through six regional offices covering the state ^[1]. The best entry point for new applicants is the DHS Office of Child Care web section, where you can find your regional office contact, download current application forms, and read the full Maryland Child Care Licensing Regulations.

Regional offices matter because your assigned licensing specialist runs your orientation, your inspection, and your renewals. A respectful working relationship with that person is worth more than any consultant you'd hire. They know what inspectors in your county actually look for and can often answer questions faster than any written guide.

Phone response times at regional offices vary. Email tends to be faster for documentation questions. For urgent compliance questions, call.

The Maryland Child Care Resource Network, run through local CCRCs, offers free technical assistance to providers working through licensing. CCRCs aren't licensing offices and can't issue licenses, but they help you read the regulations, find approved training, and connect with the subsidy vendor process. Use them.

Want to see how Maryland's requirements compare structurally to other states? Your regional CCRC can point you to national benchmarking data from Child Care Aware of America.

Frequently asked questions

Can I watch a neighbor's child for pay without a Maryland daycare license?

Possibly, but only under narrow conditions. Maryland exempts care for fewer than 4 children from no more than 2 unrelated families at the same time. If you regularly care for 4 or more unrelated children for pay, you need at minimum a registration, and often a full license. "Regular basis" means more than 20 hours per week in aggregate. When in doubt, call OCC before accepting payment.

How many children can a Maryland family child care provider watch alone?

A licensed family child care provider working alone can care for up to 8 children total, but no more than 2 can be under 24 months old, and no more than 6 can be under school age. The provider's own children under 6 count toward those limits. Exceeding these numbers, even briefly, is a ratio violation that can put your license at risk.

Does Maryland require a college degree to open a daycare center?

A degree isn't strictly required, but your program director must meet one of OCC's qualification tracks. The accessible path without a degree is a Maryland-approved 45-hour Director Credential program. Lead teachers in infant/toddler rooms must have at minimum a CDA credential or equivalent within six months of hire. Degree holders in early childhood education or related fields may qualify with fewer added steps.

What does a Maryland daycare inspection look for?

Inspectors check ratios, staff background check documentation, attendance records, emergency and evacuation plans, immunization files for all enrolled children, physical space requirements (35 sq. ft. per child in activity areas), safe sleep setups for infants, medication administration records, fire extinguisher and detector compliance, and food storage. Inspections are unannounced after initial licensing and happen at least once per year.

How much does a Maryland daycare license cost?

The state application fee for a family child care home license is $50. Center fees range from $125 (up to 20 children) to $385 (101 or more children). Background check fees add roughly $30 to $35 per person requiring clearance. First-aid and CPR training, liability insurance, and physical plant upgrades are separate costs that typically dwarf the state fee.

How long does it take to get a Maryland daycare license?

Most applicants finish the family child care process in two to four months, assuming background checks clear without issues and the home passes inspection the first time. Center licenses typically take four to six months, and longer if construction or renovation is involved. The pre-licensing orientation must happen before you submit the application, so start there immediately.

Do I need a separate license for before and after school care in Maryland?

Yes. School-age child care programs in Maryland require a child care center license under COMAR 13A.16, even when they operate in a school building. Some school-operated programs may fall under different oversight, but an independently operated before/after school program run by a private operator needs a standard center license and must meet all applicable ratio and staffing requirements.

Can a Maryland daycare provider be fined for violations?

Yes. OCC can issue civil monetary penalties for serious violations, including ratio violations, operating without a license, and having unchecked staff with unsupervised child access. Penalties vary by violation type and history. Repeated or serious violations can bring license suspension or revocation. Maryland also makes licensing inspection histories publicly searchable, so violations carry reputational consequences beyond any fine.

Do I need liability insurance to get a Maryland daycare license?

Maryland does not require liability insurance as a condition of licensure for family child care homes, but operating without it is a serious financial risk. Your homeowner's policy almost certainly excludes commercial childcare activity. Child care liability insurance for a home program typically runs $500 to $1,500 per year. Centers will need commercial general liability coverage, often with minimums set by their lease.

What is Maryland's EXCELS system and do I have to participate?

EXCELS is Maryland's tiered quality rating and improvement system. Participation is voluntary for most licensed providers, but it has a direct financial impact: providers at higher EXCELS ratings receive enhanced reimbursement rates when serving Child Care Scholarship (subsidy) families. If you plan to accept subsidy payments and want competitive rates, EXCELS enrollment is effectively necessary. It involves quality assessments, professional development tracking, and program improvement support.

Can a Maryland daycare provider lose their license over a single complaint?

A single complaint doesn't automatically end a license, but every complaint triggers an OCC investigation. Substantiated findings of child abuse, neglect, or serious regulatory violations can bring immediate suspension pending a hearing. Minor substantiated violations usually generate a correction order. Patterns of complaints or repeated violations over time can lead to non-renewal or revocation even without a single catastrophic incident.

What are the outdoor space requirements for Maryland daycare providers?

Family child care homes must have access to outdoor play space, but Maryland doesn't set a minimum square footage per child for home-based outdoor areas the way some states do. The space must be safe, fenced if near a road, and inspected. Centers must provide at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child using the space at any one time, under COMAR 13A.16. The area must be inspected for hazards and maintained.

Does a religious organization's daycare in Maryland need to be licensed?

Generally yes, with a narrow exemption. Maryland Family Law §5-550 exempts a "nursery school or child care center that is operated by a religious organization" under specific conditions, but that exemption has limits and has been read narrowly by OCC. If the program runs full-day or year-round care, or gets public funding, it almost certainly needs a license. Religious organizations should contact OCC directly rather than assume they're exempt.

Sources

1. Maryland Department of Human Services, Office of Child Care: Who must be licensed in Maryland, exemptions, license types, application process, and inspection frequency
2. Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Title 13A – State Board of Education, Subtitles 15 and 16: Staff-to-child ratios by age group, training requirements, background check scope, health and safety rules for family child care and centers
3. Maryland Office of Child Care, Licensing Fee Schedule (COMAR 13A.15 and 13A.16): Application fees: $50 for family home, $125–$385 for centers by capacity; background check fee range $30–$35 per person
4. Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood (Maryland EXCELS): EXCELS participation linked to enhanced subsidy reimbursement rates and professional development tracking
5. Child Care Aware of America, 'Price of Care: State-Level Estimates of Child Care Prices,' 2023: Average annual cost of center-based infant care in Maryland is $18,202
6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care – CCDF Allocations: Maryland received approximately $256 million in federal CCDF funds as of 2022 to support child care access
7. USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP): Programs operating more than 4 hours per day must serve meals and snacks meeting USDA CACFP guidelines; CACFP provides reimbursement for income-eligible children
8. Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services – Background Checks: Maryland criminal history records check process and Live Scan fingerprinting for child care background clearances
9. Maryland Family Law Article §5-550 (Annotated Code of Maryland): Statutory exemptions from child care licensing including relative care, care in child's own home, and care for fewer than 4 children from no more than 2 families
10. Maryland Family Network (Child Care Resource Centers): Local CCRCs provide free technical assistance to providers navigating licensing, EXCELS, and subsidy vendor processes