How to Get a Home Daycare License in California — Complete 2026 Guide

Getting a home daycare license in California takes paperwork, a class, a home check, and about 90 days. This guide walks you through every step, in plain English, with the real fees and forms.

What Kind of License Do You Need?

California has two types of home daycare licenses. You need to pick one before you apply.

Small Home Daycare. You can care for up to 6 children at a time. Under certain conditions, you can go up to 8. Your own children under age 10 count toward that number. This is the right choice for most first-time providers.

Large Home Daycare. You can care for up to 12 children at a time. You must have a licensed assistant present when you have more than 6 children. No more than 4 of those children can be infants. Under special rules in California law, you can go up to 14 children total.

Most people start with a Small license and upgrade later. The application process is the same. The fee is different.

What this costs

Item	Small License	Large License
Application fee	$73	$140
Fingerprints (per person)	~$70–$100	~$70–$100
Annual renewal	$73	$140

Every adult who lives in your home needs fingerprints. That includes a spouse, a roommate, or a grown child. Plan on $70 to $100 per person. The application fee is not refundable if you withdraw your application.

The 7 Forms You Need to Fill Out

California asks for 7 forms. They are all from the state and they are all free to download at cdss.ca.gov.

Form 1 — LIC 279. This is the main application. It covers your name, address, type of license, and the ages of children you plan to care for. Section 4 is where most people get stuck. Read it slowly.

Form 2 — LIC 279B. This form lists the children who already live in your home. These are your own kids — not the daycare children you will enroll. If no children live with you, write "none."

Form 3 — LIC 508. This is a criminal record statement. Every adult in your home fills out a separate one. It is a legal declaration. Sign it in front of a notary or as directed on the form.

Form 4 — LIC 610A. This is your emergency and disaster plan. You write down what you will do in a fire, an earthquake, or another emergency. This plan must be posted inside your home.

Form 5 — LIC 9108. This is a short form where you sign to say you understand you are a mandated reporter of child abuse under California law. Read it. Sign it.

Form 6 — LIC 999A. This is a hand-drawn floor plan of your home and yard. Use graph paper or a ruler. Show every room, every exit, and your outdoor space. It does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be clear.

Form 7 — LIC 9217. This is a readiness checklist. When you sign and mail this form, it tells the state your home is ready for the safety visit. Do not send it until you are actually ready.

Common mistake: Small errors get your papers sent back. That costs you 4 to 8 weeks. Take a photo of every page before you mail anything.

How long this takes

Phase	Time
Paperwork (7 forms + class)	4–8 weeks
State review after you send papers	30–90 days
Home safety check	Scheduled after review
Total (papers to license)	~90 days

The biggest delays: sending in forms with mistakes, waiting too long to sign up for the 16-hour class, and not being ready for the home check. This guide helps you avoid all three.

Step 1: Sign Up for the 16-Hour Class Right Now

California requires every new home daycare provider to take a free 16-hour class before they apply. The state runs these classes through your local Regional Office. There are 21 Regional Offices in California — your home address tells you which one is yours.

The class is free. But spots fill up fast. Some offices have a wait list of 2 to 4 months. If you wait to sign up, you wait to get your license.

Sign up this week — even if your forms are not ready. The class spot is yours when it is yours.

How to sign up: Look up your Regional Office at cdss.ca.gov. Call the office and ask when the next class is. Get on the list.

Step 2: Get Fingerprints for Every Adult in Your Home

Every adult who lives in your home — you, your spouse, a partner, a roommate, an adult child — needs to get fingerprinted. This is for a background check.

You go to a fingerprint location in person. Cost: about $70 to $100 per person. The state does not refund this fee if your application is withdrawn or denied.

Make a list of every adult in your home before you start. Bring them all in at the same time if you can. Missing one person's fingerprints will delay your application.

Step 3: Prepare Your Home for the Safety Check

After you send your papers, the state schedules a home safety check. A state worker comes to your home for about 90 minutes. They open cabinets. They measure the fence. They test the smoke alarms.

Most homes need 5 to 10 small fixes before they pass. The common ones:

• Smoke alarms that do not work in every room
• No carbon monoxide alarm on every floor
• Water heater not strapped to the wall with two metal straps
• Outlets without safety covers near child height
• Cleaning supplies and medicines not locked up
• Yard fence less than 4 feet tall or with gaps
• Pool fence less than 5 feet tall without a self-latching gate
• No fire extinguisher rated 2A:10BC

If there are children under 5 in your daycare, you also need stair gates at the top and bottom of every staircase. Baby walkers are not allowed at all.

Walk through your home with this list before you send Form LIC 9217. Fix everything first. Sending LIC 9217 is what triggers the state to schedule your visit — only do it when you are ready.

Step 4: Send Your Papers to Your Regional Office

Mail your completed 7 forms and your application fee check to your Regional Office. Include:

• All 7 signed and dated forms
• A check made out to California Department of Social Services ($73 for Small, $140 for Large)
• A copy of your 16-hour class certificate

Take photos of everything before you seal the envelope. Keep the copies.

After you send your papers: The state will review them. If anything is missing or wrong, they will send your papers back. You fix the problem and resubmit. This is why it is worth taking extra time to check everything before you mail it.

Step 5: Pass the Home Check and Get Your License

When the state is done reviewing your papers, they schedule your home check. The visit takes about 90 minutes. The state worker walks through every room with a checklist.

If you pass — you get your license.

If you do not pass — the worker tells you what needs to be fixed. You make the fixes and schedule a second visit. Most things that fail are minor and cost little to fix.

When your license arrives, it will show your name, your address, your license type (Small or Large), and the maximum number of children you can care for.

The Free Food Money Program — CACFP

Once you have your license, sign up for CACFP. This is the Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federal program that pays you back for healthy meals you serve to children.

Most small home daycares earn $700 to $900 per month from CACFP — that is $8,000 to $11,000 per year. You get paid for meals you were probably already making.

Current Tier 1 rates (July 2025 – June 2026):

• Breakfast: $1.70 per child
• Lunch or dinner: $3.22 per child
• Snack: $0.96 per child

CACFP enrollment is free. You sign up through a sponsor organization in your area. Search "CACFP sponsor California" at cde.ca.gov to find the one nearest you.

How We Can Help

The free Quickstart Guide covers the 5 biggest mistakes that slow people down. Download it here.

The License Kit — $399. All 7 forms with step-by-step fill instructions and sample answers. The full home check list. Safety plan templates. Parent contract. A chapter on CACFP. In English and Spanish. Yours forever. Use code QUICKGUIDE for 15% off.

Full Service — $1,299. We fill out all 7 forms for you. We send them in. We set up your fingerprint visit. We give you a 1-hour call before the home check. Six months of help included.

Visit DaycareLicenseCalifornia.com or email hello@daycarelicensecalifornia.com.

FAQ

How much does a California home daycare license cost? The application fee is $73 for a Small license and $140 for a Large license. Add $70 to $100 per adult in your home for fingerprints. The annual renewal fee is the same as the application fee — $73 or $140 depending on your license type.

How long does it take to get a home daycare license in California? About 90 days from when you send your papers to when you get your license. That does not count the time you spend getting ready — filling out forms and finishing the 16-hour class can take another 4 to 8 weeks.

Do I need a license to watch kids in my home in California? Yes, if you are paid to care for children who are not related to you, you need a state license. There is no grace period. Operating without a license can result in fines and forced closure.

How many kids can I have with a home daycare license? A Small license allows up to 6 children (up to 8 under certain conditions). A Large license allows up to 12 with a licensed assistant present, or up to 14 under specific rules. Your own children under age 10 count toward the limit.

Can I run a home daycare if I rent? Yes. But you need your landlord's written permission first. California law protects home daycares in many cases — landlords generally cannot ban daycares with 6 or fewer children — but you still need to tell your landlord and get it in writing before you apply.

This article is for general information only. It is not legal advice. Rules can change. Always check cdss.ca.gov for the current forms and requirements. Daycare License California is not part of the California state government.