Delaware Launch Guide

How to Start a Daycare in Delaware (2026)

Last updated: June 2026

Researched by the TotReady Research Team

Opening a licensed daycare in Delaware means applying to the Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL), clearing fingerprint-based background checks, meeting facility and staff-to-child ratio rules, and passing a licensing inspection. This guide walks the process end to end, grounded in Delaware's licensing statutes.

Delaware Daycare Licensing: Fees & Key Numbers

The statute-cited figures that shape your Delaware launch budget and timeline.

Application fee
Contact your Delaware licensing office to confirm.
Annual renewal fee
No renewal fee is specified in Delaware's DELACARE regulations; licenses are renewed annually with the renewal application due at least 60 days before the license expires and no fee charged (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 8 License Renewal; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 8 License Renewal).
Pre-service training
Family/large family applicants who will work with children must complete documented pre-service training before licensure including 6 hours of quality-assured child development and 3 hours of quality-assured positive behavior management/social-emotional development plus health and safety topics; in centers all staff, substitutes, and volunteers (working more than five days or 40 hours a year) must complete OCCL orientation training before working with children, which counts as 3 clock hours toward annual training (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 6.N; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 32 Orientation).
Annual training
Family child care home licensees must complete at least 12 clock hours of annual training, and large family providers/assistants/aides (and any licensee present 7+ hours/week) at least 15 clock hours; in centers, staff working 25 or more hours/week must complete 18 clock hours annually (including at least 2 hours health/safety) and those working less than 25 hours/week 9 clock hours (including at least 1 hour health/safety), as accepted by OCCL (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 48.B and Sec. 60.B; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 33.B-C).
License-exempt threshold
Delaware sets no "small number" license-free tier: any paid care of unrelated children in a private home is regulated family child care requiring a license, while care provided only to one's own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and stepchildren is exempt; a facility serving 13 or more children is an "early care and education and school-age center" requiring a center license (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 3.A and 3.B; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 4.A; 31 Del. C. ss341-345; 14 Del. C. ss3001A-3005A).
Family child care capacity
A Level I family home may care for up to 4 children preschool-age-or-younger plus 2 school-age (6 max present, max 2 under 12 months) or alternatively up to 5 preschool-age-or-younger (max 2 under 12 months, max 3 under 24 months); a Level II family home up to 6 preschool-age-or-younger plus 3 school-age (9 max, max 2 under 12 months, max 4 under 24 months); a large family home with one staff member may serve up to 9 (6 preschool-or-younger plus 3 school-age, max 2 under 12 months, max 4 under 24 months) and with two staff up to 12 (max 4 under 12 months, max 6 under 24 months) (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 49 and Sec. 62).
Indoor square footage
Centers must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor floor space per child (measured wall-to-wall, excluding toilet rooms, kitchen, isolation areas, offices, storage, hallways, furnace rooms, and gymnasiums) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (50 square feet for centers licensed before January 1, 2007); family homes require 25 square feet of indoor space per child and large family homes 35 square feet of indoor space per child (DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 49.E.2 and Sec. 53.D-F; DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 50 and Sec. 55).
Inspection schedule
OCCL has authority to inspect centers, grounds, and files (14 DE Admin. Code 933 §5, Authority to Inspect): visits occur prior to initial licensure, at renewal, and on an as-needed basis including complaint investigations under §12 and enforcement-period visits under §13. The licensee self-conducts monthly evacuation drills (§66.2) and a monthly fire prevention inspection (§66.4).

The 8 Steps to Open a Daycare in Delaware

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

  1. Research your state's rules

    Confirm whether your program needs a license in Delaware. Delaware sets no "small number" license-free tier: any paid care of unrelated children in a private home is regulated family child care requiring a license, while care provided only to one's own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and stepchildren is exempt; a facility serving 13 or more children is an "early care and education and school-age center" requiring a center license (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 3.A and 3.B; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 4.A; 31 Del. C. ss341-345; 14 Del. C. ss3001A-3005A).

    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. Complete pre-service training & CPR

    Finish the required pre-service training and certifications. Family/large family applicants who will work with children must complete documented pre-service training before licensure including 6 hours of quality-assured child development and 3 hours of quality-assured positive behavior management/social-emotional development plus health and safety topics; in centers all staff, substitutes, and volunteers (working more than five days or 40 hours a year) must complete OCCL orientation training before working with children, which counts as 3 clock hours toward annual training (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 6.N; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 32 Orientation).

    Plan for ongoing training too: Family child care home licensees must complete at least 12 clock hours of annual training, and large family providers/assistants/aides (and any licensee present 7+ hours/week) at least 15 clock hours; in centers, staff working 25 or more hours/week must complete 18 clock hours annually (including at least 2 hours health/safety) and those working less than 25 hours/week 9 clock hours (including at least 1 hour health/safety), as accepted by OCCL (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 48.B and Sec. 60.B; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 33.B-C).

  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. Prepare your facility

    Set up a space that meets Delaware's facility standards. Centers must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor floor space per child (measured wall-to-wall, excluding toilet rooms, kitchen, isolation areas, offices, storage, hallways, furnace rooms, and gymnasiums) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (50 square feet for centers licensed before January 1, 2007); family homes require 25 square feet of indoor space per child and large family homes 35 square feet of indoor space per child (DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 49.E.2 and Sec. 53.D-F; DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 50 and Sec. 55).

    Match your enrollment plan to capacity limits: A Level I family home may care for up to 4 children preschool-age-or-younger plus 2 school-age (6 max present, max 2 under 12 months) or alternatively up to 5 preschool-age-or-younger (max 2 under 12 months, max 3 under 24 months); a Level II family home up to 6 preschool-age-or-younger plus 3 school-age (9 max, max 2 under 12 months, max 4 under 24 months); a large family home with one staff member may serve up to 9 (6 preschool-or-younger plus 3 school-age, max 2 under 12 months, max 4 under 24 months) and with two staff up to 12 (max 4 under 12 months, max 6 under 24 months) (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 49 and Sec. 62).

  5. Submit your license application & fee

    File your application with the Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) and pay the licensing fee. Contact your Delaware licensing office to confirm.

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

  6. Pass the licensing inspection

    Schedule and pass your pre-licensing inspection. OCCL has authority to inspect centers, grounds, and files (14 DE Admin. Code 933 §5, Authority to Inspect): visits occur prior to initial licensure, at renewal, and on an as-needed basis including complaint investigations under §12 and enforcement-period visits under §13. The licensee self-conducts monthly evacuation drills (§66.2) and a monthly fire prevention inspection (§66.4).

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

  7. Open your doors

    Once your license is issued, you can legally begin caring for children under Delaware rules. Maintain the staff-to-child ratios at all times: Infant (under 12 months) 1:4 (max group size 8), Young toddler (1 year old / 12-23 months) 1:6 (max group size 12), Older toddler (2 year old / 24-35 months) 1:8 (max group size 16), Young preschool (3 year old / 36-47 months) 1:10 (max group size 20), Older preschool (4 year old / 48+ months, not yet attending kindergarten or higher) 1:12 (max group size 24), School-age (attending kindergarten or higher) 1:15 (max group size 30); variance to 1:20 allowed only when a currently certified Delaware teacher teaches school-age children in the teacher's area of certification; no variance from the max group size of 30

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

  8. Enroll families

    Use your compliant enrollment paperwork to bring in families. A complete, Delaware-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.

What You Need to Apply in Delaware

Delaware licensing requires these documents and forms at the initial application and inspection.

  • Center Initial License Application (DELACARE Appendix I)
  • Center Renewal and Relocation License Application (DELACARE Appendix II)
  • Variance Request (DELACARE Appendix III)
  • Medication Administration Record (MAR) (required under 14 DE Admin. Code 933 §63.5; not a numbered DELACARE appendix)
  • Administration of Medication Self-Training Guide (DELACARE Appendix V)
  • Parent's Right To Know information (required under 14 DE Admin. Code 933 §38)
  • Child Health Appraisal with immunization record (or notarized statement / health-care-provider certification for a religious or medical immunization exemption under §41.3)
  • Delaware State Police fingerprint-based SBI and FBI comprehensive background check (verification of fingerprinting form; CHU eligibility letter)
  • Adult Abuse Registry check (DHSS)

Staff-to-child ratios you must maintain

Delaware requires these maximum staff-to-child ratios, enforced by the Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL): Infant (under 12 months) 1:4 (max group size 8), Young toddler (1 year old / 12-23 months) 1:6 (max group size 12), Older toddler (2 year old / 24-35 months) 1:8 (max group size 16), Young preschool (3 year old / 36-47 months) 1:10 (max group size 20), Older preschool (4 year old / 48+ months, not yet attending kindergarten or higher) 1:12 (max group size 24), School-age (attending kindergarten or higher) 1:15 (max group size 30); variance to 1:20 allowed only when a currently certified Delaware teacher teaches school-age children in the teacher's area of certification; no variance from the max group size of 30.

Skip the 80-hour paperwork grind

Get your Delaware licensing kit

The inspector asks for a parent handbook, staff policies, enrollment forms, and an operations manual — all Delaware-specific. The TotReady Startup Bundle gives you every document you need to apply, ready to customize in about 30 minutes.

See the Startup Bundle →

One-time purchase · Delaware-specific documents

Starting a Daycare in Delaware: FAQs

Do I need a license to start a daycare in Delaware?
Delaware sets no "small number" license-free tier: any paid care of unrelated children in a private home is regulated family child care requiring a license, while care provided only to one's own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and stepchildren is exempt; a facility serving 13 or more children is an "early care and education and school-age center" requiring a center license (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 3.A and 3.B; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 4.A; 31 Del. C. ss341-345; 14 Del. C. ss3001A-3005A).
How much does it cost to get a daycare license in Delaware?
Contact your Delaware licensing office to confirm. Renewal: No renewal fee is specified in Delaware's DELACARE regulations; licenses are renewed annually with the renewal application due at least 60 days before the license expires and no fee charged (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 8 License Renewal; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 8 License Renewal).
Who issues daycare licenses in Delaware?
Childcare licensing in Delaware is handled by the Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL). You apply to this agency, pay the licensing fee, and schedule your inspection through them.
What training do I need before opening a daycare in Delaware?
Family/large family applicants who will work with children must complete documented pre-service training before licensure including 6 hours of quality-assured child development and 3 hours of quality-assured positive behavior management/social-emotional development plus health and safety topics; in centers all staff, substitutes, and volunteers (working more than five days or 40 hours a year) must complete OCCL orientation training before working with children, which counts as 3 clock hours toward annual training (DELACARE Regs for Family and Large Family Child Care Homes, Sec. 6.N; DELACARE Regs for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers, Sec. 32 Orientation).

Keep researching Delaware

Delaware Licensing Requirements

Full handbook sections, ratios, immunization rules, and penalties for Delaware.

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How to Start a Daycare: Complete Guide

The cross-state playbook, from choosing a program type to opening day.

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License-Exemption Thresholds by State

Compare when a license is required across all 50 states.

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Licensing Fees by State

Application and renewal fee data for every state we track.

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