Start a Group Child Care Home or Child Care Center

Young Children Outdoors

A Group Child Care Home is a licensed facility where care is provided for no more than 20 children for any part of the 24-hour day in a location other than the provider’s permanent residence or separate from the provider’s living quarters. A group child care home provider cannot operate more than one group home at a time, unless owned by a legal entity.

A Child Care Center is a licensed facility where care is provided for any number of children for any part of the 24-hour day in a location other than the provider’s permanent residence or separate from the provider’s living quarters. 

Licensing Orientation

If you are interested in opening a Licensed Group Home or a Licensed Child Care Center, the first step is to take the free Child Care Licensing Orientation. The purpose of this orientation is to provide potential child care providers an overview of the licensing process so that you can decide if becoming a licensed child care provider is the right choice for you.

  • The Licensing Orientation is available in-person at all Child Care Compliance (CCC) offices. Attending in-person allows you the opportunity to meet CCC staff, receive answers to questions, and network with other potential providers. Contact your nearest CCC office for available dates and times.
  • The Licensing Orientation is also available online and can be taken at any time. The orientation will take approximately one hour to complete and records your contact information at the end of the orientation for tracking purposes. Click this link to take the Licensing Orientation today. 

Review Initial Licensing Checklist

Once you have completed the Licensing Orientation, carefully read through the Steps to Becoming Licensed for Group Child Care Homes & Child Care Centers. This is an interactive document, with hyperlinks to resources, forms, and templates, as well as text boxes and check boxes for completion, that outlines each step along your journey to becoming licensed. It will help you stay organized and ensure you complete all of the requirements for licensure.