California Home Daycare License Renewal — What You Need to Do Each Year

Your California home daycare license does not last forever. It renews every year. Miss the deadline or skip the required training hours, and your license can lapse — which means you cannot legally operate until it is reinstated.

The renewal process is straightforward once you know what is required. This article covers every step: fees, training hours, what to submit, and what to do if you are running late.

When Your License Expires

Your license expires on the same date each year. The date is printed on your license.

Do not wait for a notice to start the process. CDSS sends renewal notices, but mail gets lost. Many providers have let their license lapse because they assumed the notice would arrive and it did not.

Add your renewal date to your calendar now. Set a reminder 60 days before it is due. That gives you time to complete training, assemble your paperwork, and mail everything without rushing.

The Renewal Fee

The renewal fee is the same as the initial application fee:

• Small Family Day Care Home: $73 per year
• Large Family Day Care Home: $140 per year

Make the check payable to California Department of Social Services.

Late renewal fee: If you miss your renewal deadline, there is a late fee:

• Small license: $36 (in addition to the $73)
• Large license: $70 (in addition to the $140)

A lapsed license means you cannot legally operate. Do not let this happen.

Training Hours — What Is Required

California requires licensed home daycare providers to complete ongoing training hours as a condition of renewal. These are called continuing education or professional development hours.

What is required: 15 hours of training every two years. Some Regional Offices may have specific requirements — confirm with your office what they expect for your renewal period.

What counts as training:

• Courses offered by your CDSS Regional Office
• Classes through local Resource and Referral (R&R) agencies
• Approved online courses (several are approved through the California Early Childhood Mentor Program and similar organizations)
• First aid and CPR training
• Approved community college courses in child development

First aid and CPR: California requires licensed family daycare providers to maintain a current pediatric first aid and CPR certification. This is separate from the general training hours — make sure both are current at renewal.

For more on training options and how to find approved courses, see The 16-Hour Training Requirement for California Home Daycares.

What You Submit at Renewal

Renewal submissions vary slightly by Regional Office, but generally include:

1. Renewal application form — CDSS will include this in your renewal notice, or you can get it from your Regional Office or cdss.ca.gov
2. Renewal fee — check payable to California Department of Social Services
3. Proof of training hours — certificates from completed courses
4. Current first aid and CPR certification — if it has been updated since your last renewal
5. Updated LIC 508 — if any adults have moved into or out of your home since your last renewal, their criminal record statements must be current

When in doubt, call your Regional Office. Renewal requirements are consistent statewide, but Regional Offices sometimes have specific instructions for how to submit and what to include. A quick call saves you from a rejected submission.

What Happens If Your License Lapses

If your renewal is not processed before your expiration date, your license lapses. This is not automatic suspension — but it does mean your license is expired.

While your license is lapsed:

• You cannot legally operate a licensed family daycare home
• You cannot enroll new children
• You cannot claim CACFP reimbursements

To reinstate a lapsed license:

• Pay the renewal fee plus the late fee
• Submit any missing documentation (training hours, updated forms)
• Contact your Regional Office immediately — do not just mail a check and hope for the best

CDSS may conduct an inquiry into why the renewal was missed, particularly if there were any complaints or issues during the lapsed period. A single inadvertent late renewal, paid promptly, is generally resolved without major consequences. Repeated lapses or operating while lapsed are more serious.

Changes That Must Be Reported Between Renewals

You do not have to wait until renewal to report certain changes. Some must be reported to CDSS immediately or within a short timeframe:

Adults moving into your home: Any adult 18 or older who moves into your home must complete a LIC 508 and be fingerprinted before they are cleared. Contact your Regional Office immediately when this happens. Operating with an uncleared adult in the home is a violation.

Adults moving out: Notify your Regional Office. This affects the LIC 508 records on file.

Changes to your capacity: If you want to change from a small to a large license (or vice versa), that requires a new application — not just a renewal update.

Changes to your address: If you move, your license does not transfer. You must apply for a new license at your new address. Contact your Regional Office as soon as possible.

Serious incidents: Accidents, injuries, complaints — your Regional Office and your liability insurer both need to know. Do not try to manage a serious incident alone.

Keeping Your Records Organized Between Renewals

The providers who stress the least at renewal time are the ones who keep their records organized throughout the year.

What to keep in a dedicated folder:

• Your current license (the physical document from CDSS)
• Training certificates as you complete them
• Copies of your current LIC 508 forms for each adult in your home
• Your first aid and CPR certification
• Records of any changes reported to your Regional Office during the year

When renewal time comes, you open the folder, assemble the documents, write the check, and mail everything. Done.

Renewal and CACFP

Your CACFP enrollment is separate from your license. But your CACFP sponsoring agency will typically ask to see your current license when you renew. Make sure your license renewal is processed before your CACFP monitoring visit if the timing overlaps.

If your license lapses, you cannot continue to submit CACFP claims. Reinstate your license promptly.

Large License Renewal — Additional Notes

For large license providers, the annual renewal also means confirming that:

• Your licensed or approved assistant is still current (their background clearance does not lapse with your renewal, but their status should be confirmed)
• Your workers' compensation insurance is current and covers your assistant
• Your assistant has completed any required training hours on their own side

If your assistant's situation changes — they leave, move away, or their clearance lapses — contact your Regional Office immediately. You cannot operate above small license limits without a qualified assistant present.

What to Do Right Now

Even if your renewal is not coming up soon, do these things today:

1. Find your license and note the expiration date.
2. Add it to your calendar with a 60-day reminder.
3. Check your training hours. How many have you completed this renewal period? How many do you need?
4. Confirm your first aid and CPR certification is current or note when it expires.

The Monthly Plan tracks your renewal date and training hours so nothing slips through. See the Monthly Plan →

This article is for general information only. Renewal requirements can change. Contact your local CDSS Regional Office or check cdss.ca.gov for current renewal procedures and deadlines. Daycare License California is not part of the California state government.