The 16-Hour Training Requirement for California Home Daycares

Before you can apply for a California home daycare license, you must complete a 16-hour orientation class. There is no way around this step — the state requires it, and you cannot submit your application without it.

The good news: the class is free. The important news: spots fill up fast, and the wait list at some offices runs 2 to 4 months. If you wait until everything else is ready before you sign up, you will sit idle for months.

This article explains what the class covers, where to sign up, and how to use the wait time productively.

Quick answer

California requires a free 16-hour orientation class before you can apply for a home daycare license. It is run by your local CDSS Regional Office. Sign up immediately — wait lists can be 2 to 4 months long. The class covers regulations, safety, nutrition, and what to expect at your home inspection.

What the Class Covers

The 16-hour class is designed to give first-time providers a solid foundation before they open. It is not a test you can fail — it is an orientation. Show up, participate, and you complete it.

Topics typically covered:

California Regulations The rules that govern family daycare homes are in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. The class walks you through the most important ones: capacity limits, supervision requirements, record-keeping obligations, and what your Regional Office expects of you.

Child Safety First aid basics, safe sleep practices for infants, supervision requirements, how to handle emergencies, and what to do if a child is injured in your care.

Nutrition The basics of age-appropriate meals and snacks, California's nutrition requirements for licensed daycares, and an introduction to CACFP — the federal meal reimbursement program. For more on CACFP, see CACFP for California Home Daycares.

Business Basics Parent contracts, tuition policies, record-keeping for your license, and what documentation CDSS expects you to maintain.

The Home Inspection What the state analyst looks for when they visit your home. Completing this class before you do your home walk-through is useful — you will know exactly what to fix. See also California Home Daycare Inspection Checklist.

Q&A with Regional Office Staff One of the most valuable parts of the class is the direct access to your Regional Office staff. They know the local context, know what the inspector in your area looks for, and can answer questions specific to your situation.

How to Sign Up

Your class is run by your local CDSS Regional Office. California has 21 Regional Offices. Your home address determines which office is yours.

To find your Regional Office:

  1. Go to cdss.ca.gov
  2. Search for "Family Child Care Home Licensing" and find your county's office contact

To sign up: Call your Regional Office directly. Ask to be put on the wait list for the next available 16-hour orientation class. Give them your name and contact information.

Do this today — not after you gather your forms, not after you fix your home. Today.

How Long Is the Wait?

This varies by region and time of year, but expect anywhere from 4 weeks to 4 months.

Some Regional Offices hold classes monthly. Others run them quarterly. In high-demand areas (Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Diego), the wait is typically longer.

Why this matters for your timeline: If you sign up for the class on day one, the wait time runs in the background while you handle everything else — gathering your documents, getting fingerprinted, fixing your home. When your class date finally arrives, you may be nearly ready to submit your application.

If you wait to sign up until you feel ready, you add that entire wait to your total timeline for no reason.

For more on the full timeline, see How Long Does It Take to Get a Home Daycare License in California.

How the Class Is Delivered

Most Regional Offices offer the class in person. Some have moved to a hybrid or online format. Ask your office when you call what their current format is and whether you need to complete it in a single session or over multiple days.

The 16 hours is typically spread across two or three days (for example, two 8-hour days, or four 4-hour sessions). Some offices do it as a single weekend. Ask about the format when you sign up.

Bring to class:

  • A way to take notes (notebook, phone, or tablet)
  • Any specific questions you already have about your home, your situation, or the application process

The class is bilingual at some offices. If you need the class in Spanish, ask when you sign up whether a Spanish session is available.

What You Get at the End

After completing the class, you receive a certificate of completion. This certificate goes into your application packet — it is proof to CDSS that you fulfilled this requirement.

Keep the original and make a copy. If you apply for a large license in the future, the certificate from your initial class is part of your licensing history.

Ongoing Training After You Are Licensed

The 16-hour class is a one-time requirement for your initial license. But training does not stop there. California requires ongoing continuing education as a condition of annual license renewal.

What is required for renewal: 15 hours of approved continuing education every two years. Your Regional Office confirms the specific requirement for your renewal period.

First aid and CPR: You must maintain a current pediatric first aid and CPR certification throughout your licensure. This is separate from the 15 training hours.

Where to find continuing education:

  • Your CDSS Regional Office (many offer free courses)
  • Local Resource and Referral (R&R) agencies
  • Approved online providers
  • Community colleges offering child development courses
  • First aid and CPR courses through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association

Many of these are free or low-cost. Your Regional Office can point you to what is available in your county.

Track your training hours every year

The Monthly Plan includes a training log so you always know where you stand heading into renewal.

See the Monthly Plan →

What to Do While You Wait for Your Class Date

The wait list is not wasted time. Here is how to use it:

Week 1–2:

  • Get every adult in your home fingerprinted at a LiveScan location. This takes time to process. Start now.
  • Gather your personal documents: birth certificate or government ID, proof of address.
  • Download the application forms from cdss.ca.gov and read through them.

Week 2–4:

  • Walk through your home with the California Home Daycare Inspection Checklist. Make a fix list.
  • Start buying and installing safety items: fire extinguisher, outlet covers, cabinet latches, water heater straps.
  • Research local daycare rates. Call three to five providers in your area.
  • Draft your parent contract and enrollment policies.

Ongoing:

  • Read the Title 22 regulations for family daycare homes. Your Regional Office can send them to you, or you can find them at cdss.ca.gov. Reading them before class makes the class more useful.
  • Look into CACFP. Find a sponsoring agency in your county and ask about their enrollment process.

By the time your class date arrives, your home should be nearly inspection-ready, your forms should be mostly complete, and you should have a clear sense of what you will charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take the 16-hour class before I decide to apply? Yes. You can attend the class to learn what is involved before you commit. The class is informational — attending does not obligate you to apply.

Does the certificate expire? Ask your Regional Office. Some offices have a rule that the class must be taken within a certain time period before application. Others do not. If you take the class and then wait two years to apply, confirm with your office whether it is still valid.

Can my assistant take the class instead of me? No. The class is required for the applicant — you. If you are applying for a large license and your assistant needs to go through any orientation requirements, ask your Regional Office what applies to them separately.

Is the class the same everywhere in California? The core content is standardized statewide. But each Regional Office has its own format, scheduling, and some local specifics. Your class will reflect your office's approach.

What if I need to reschedule? Call your Regional Office as early as possible. Wait lists exist, so rescheduling may push you back several weeks. Treat your class date as a firm commitment.

What to Do Right Now

  1. Call your Regional Office today. Get on the class wait list. This is the most time-sensitive step in the entire licensing process.
  2. Get fingerprinted while you wait. Every adult in your home needs to go through LiveScan. Start this in week one.
  3. Use the wait time. Walk your home, gather your documents, research local rates.

The Monthly Plan supports you after you open with training hour tracking, renewal reminders, and more. See the Monthly Plan →

This article is for general information only. Class schedules, formats, and ongoing training requirements can change. Contact your local CDSS Regional Office or visit cdss.ca.gov for current information. Daycare License California is not part of the California state government.