How to Start a Daycare in Alaska (2026)

The 8 Steps to Open a Daycare in Alaska

Follow these in order. Each step is grounded in Alaska's childcare licensing rules.

1. 1

   Research your state's rules

   Confirm whether your program needs a license in Alaska. A person may care for up to four (4) children who are not relatives of the caregiver, outside the child's own home, without a child care license; caring for more than a total of 4 children unrelated to the caregiver (outside the child's own home) that does not otherwise meet an exempt status requires licensure (7 AAC 57.015(a)(7); State of Alaska Child Care Licensing brochure: "Anyone providing care to more than a total of 4 children unrelated to the caregiver, outside of the child's own home that does not meet exempt status").

   Read the rule that defines license-exempt care before you do anything else — it determines whether you operate as a family child care home, a center, or an exempt arrangement.

2. 2

   Complete pre-service training & CPR

   Finish the required pre-service training and certifications. Contact your Alaska licensing office to confirm.

   Plan for ongoing training too: A full-time administrator or caregiver must receive at least 24 hours of annual training relevant to child care and development (at least one hour of which must address a health and safety training topic), while a part-time caregiver working 15 hours or fewer per week must complete at least 12 hours of annual training (at least one hour on a health and safety topic) (7 AAC 57.350(f) full-time; 7 AAC 57.350(i) part-time).

3. 3

   Pass background checks

   Submit fingerprint-based background checks for yourself and every staff member, volunteer, and (where applicable) household member before anyone has unsupervised access to children.

   Background-check clearance often takes the longest of any single step — start it early so it doesn't gate your opening date.

4. 4

   Prepare your facility

   Set up a space that meets Alaska's facility standards. A child care center and child care group home must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, exclusive of hallways, bathrooms, storage areas, office space, furnace and laundry rooms, crib space, and any area children are prevented from using, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor recreation space per child for the maximum number of children playing outside at any one time (7 AAC 57.620).

   Match your enrollment plan to capacity limits: A child care HOME has at least one caregiver and may serve no more than a total of 8 children younger than 13 (including the caregiver's own children under 13), of whom no more than 3 may be younger than 30 months and no more than 2 may be nonambulatory; a child care GROUP HOME has at least two caregivers and may serve no more than a total of 12 children younger than 13, of whom no more than 5 may be younger than 30 months and no more than 4 may be nonambulatory (7 AAC 57.505(a), (b); State of Alaska Child Care Licensing brochure).

5. 5

   Submit your license application & fee

   File your application with the Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance, Child Care Program Office (CCPO) — Child Care Licensing Program and pay the licensing fee. Contact your Alaska licensing office to confirm.

   Include your parent handbook, staff policies, enrollment forms, and operations manual — inspectors ask for these at the initial visit.

6. 6

   Pass the licensing inspection

   Schedule and pass your pre-licensing inspection. No fixed numeric inspection interval is set in 7 AAC 57. The department's monitoring/inspection authority is in 7 AAC 57.040 (Inspections and evaluations by an individual or agency) and 7 AAC 57.900 (Compliance and enforcement) under AS 47.32; the department monitors and investigates facilities for compliance and conducts complaint-driven investigations, and may conduct announced and unannounced on-site monitoring. Licenses are issued/renewed on a biennial (2-year) basis under 7 AAC 57.030 (Application for license; biennial renewal).

   The inspector checks ratios, square footage, sanitation, emergency preparedness, and your written policies against the regulations.

7. 7

   Open your doors

   Once your license is issued, you can legally begin caring for children under Alaska rules. Maintain the staff-to-child ratios at all times: Infants — through 18 months 10 children : 2 caregivers (1:5) in a child care center (7 AAC 57.505), Toddlers — 19 through 36 months 12 children : 2 caregivers (1:6) (7 AAC 57.505), Preschool — 3 and 4 years 20 children : 2 caregivers (1:10) (7 AAC 57.505), Kindergarten — 5 and 6 years 28 children : 2 caregivers (1:14) (7 AAC 57.505), School age — 7 through 12 years 36 children : 2 caregivers (1:18) (7 AAC 57.505), Family child care home One caregiver may care for not more than 8 children younger than 13 (incl. caregiver's own under 13); of the total, not more than 3 younger than 30 months and not more than 2 nonambulatory (7 AAC 57.505), Group child care home At least 2 caregivers for not more than 12 children younger than 13; of the total, not more than 5 younger than 30 months and not more than 4 nonambulatory (one caregiver permitted if 8 or fewer children with the same under-30-months/nonambulatory limits) (7 AAC 57.505)

   Keep certifications current and your handbook updated — these are the items most often cited at renewal.

8. 8

   Enroll families

   Use your compliant enrollment paperwork to bring in families. A complete, Alaska-specific parent handbook signals professionalism and keeps you inspection-ready from day one.

   Required enrollment and admission forms must be signed before a child's first day — have them ready before you advertise open spots.

Keep researching Alaska

Licensing rules change. The figures above are compiled from Alaska statutes and agency materials and are provided for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance, Child Care Program Office (CCPO) — Child Care Licensing Program before applying. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal advice.