Get the space right first
The facility is both the biggest cost for a center and the most inspected part of any program. Getting space and approvals right early prevents expensive surprises later.
Four approvals before licensing
Before the licensing inspection, a center typically clears four layers: zoning or land-use approval (for a home, whether home-based care is a permitted use); a building permit and certificate of occupancy for the right occupancy class; a fire-marshal inspection; and a health or sanitation inspection, especially if food is prepared. Only then does the state's pre-opening licensing inspection happen.
Square footage per child
The most widely used minimum is 35 square feet of usable indoor space and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child, a figure that appears in Head Start's own rule and in many state codes. The national health-and-safety standards (Caring for Our Children) recommend more, 42 to 50 square feet indoors, as best practice. Treat 35/75 as the common legal floor and the higher figure as a quality target. Your state code is what governs, so verify it.
What the rooms need
Beyond square footage, expect requirements for: a separate infant sleep area with safe-sleep-compliant cribs; diapering stations next to handwashing sinks and kept separate from food prep; enough child-sized and adult toilets and sinks; an approved kitchen if cooking on site; playground surfacing and fall zones; and environmental safety, lead paint in pre-1978 buildings, lead in drinking water, asbestos in older buildings, and radon. A home faces a smaller version of the same list.
Enrollment, contracts and tuition
Build a parent handbook and enrollment agreement covering tuition and due dates, deposits and registration fees, absence and vacation policy, late-pickup fees, withdrawal notice, illness exclusion, a discipline policy (most states bar corporal punishment), and the authorized-pickup list. Required records usually include the immunization record, a health assessment, emergency contacts, and allergy and medication authorizations. Nonprofits often run a sliding scale; if you accept subsidy, the state sets the family copayment.
Related resources
Next: Funding & accreditation. See also Background checks & safety.
Frequently asked questions
- How much space does a child care program need per child? The common legal minimum is about 35 square feet of usable indoor space and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (the figure in Head Start's rule and many state codes). National best-practice standards recommend 42–50 square feet indoors. Verify your state's rule.
- What approvals does a child care facility need before licensing? Typically four: zoning or land-use approval, a building permit and certificate of occupancy, a fire-marshal inspection, and a health or sanitation inspection, before the state's pre-opening licensing inspection.
- What are the rules for infant sleep in child care? A separate infant sleep area with safe-sleep-compliant cribs is standard, and safe sleep is a mandatory federal health-and-safety topic. Specific crib and sleep-position rules are set by your state.
- What paperwork do families complete to enroll? A handbook acknowledgment and enrollment agreement (tuition, deposits, absence, late-pickup and withdrawal terms), plus records: immunization, a health assessment, emergency contacts, and allergy and medication authorizations.
- Can I run a child care program in an older building? Yes, but older buildings bring environmental requirements, lead paint (pre-1978), lead in drinking water, asbestos, and radon, on top of zoning, occupancy and fire approvals. Budget for testing and any remediation.