Open a Home Daycare

Licensing scares people off, yet childcare demand outstrips supply in most towns and waitlists are common.

1. 1

   Read your state's licensing rules

   Search your state plus 'family child care home license' and note the ratios, square footage, and training hours required. Every later step hangs off this document.

2. 2

   Complete training and background checks

   CPR and first aid certification, required pre-licensing orientation, and background checks for every adult in the household. Start these early because processing takes weeks.

3. 3

   Prepare your home for inspection

   Outlet covers, safety gates, a fenced outdoor area, fire extinguishers, and dedicated nap and diapering spaces. Fix what the inspector checks before they arrive.

4. 4

   File the license application

   Submit while you finish home prep and schedule your inspection. Ask the licensor about the CACFP food program, which reimburses meal costs per child.

5. 5

   Set tuition and write your handbook

   Call three local daycares to price your market, then write a parent handbook covering hours, sick policy, late pickup fees, and a signed weekly tuition contract with a deposit.

6. 6

   Get daycare liability insurance

   Standard homeowners policies exclude childcare. Get a family child care liability policy and register with your state's child care subsidy program to accept more families.

7. 7

   Fill your first spots

   List on Winnie and Care.com, post in local parent Facebook groups, and tell nearby elementary schools. Waitlists are common, so a licensed opening often fills itself.