Indiana Launch Guide

How to Start a Daycare in Indiana (2026)

Last updated: June 2026

Researched by the TotReady Research Team

Opening a licensed daycare in Indiana means applying to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) - Bureau of Child Care, 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 Indiana's licensing statutes.

Indiana Daycare Licensing: Fees & Key Numbers

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

Application fee
Contact your Indiana licensing office to confirm.
Annual renewal fee
Contact your Indiana licensing office to confirm.
Pre-service training
Indiana sets no fixed pre-service clock-hour count; instead, prior to having direct contact with children or food, all child care center staff and volunteers must receive orientation covering the children's names/ages/specific needs, confidentiality of records, the discipline policy, meal patterns and food handling, emergency evacuation procedures, general health policies, and training in universal precautions (470 IAC 3-4.7-32); child care home caregivers must complete fire prevention and safety procedures within one (1) week of starting and listed safety topics (inspection checklist, confidentiality, child abuse/neglect reporting, universal precautions) within thirty (30) days (470 IAC 3-1.1-33.5).
Annual training
Child care CENTER directors and all persons counted in child/staff ratios must complete a minimum of twelve (12) clock hours of in-service training annually, and lead caregivers who do not meet the educational qualifications must complete an additional eight (8) hours of in-service training per year (470 IAC 3-4.7-35). For licensed child care HOMES, no numeric annual continuing-education clock-hour total is specified; requirements are task-based: at least one direct caregiver trained in pediatric CPR annually and a first aid course completed every three (3) years (470 IAC 3-1.1-33.5).
License-exempt threshold
A child care home in Indiana does NOT require a license if the provider: (1) does not receive regular compensation; (2) cares only for children related to the provider; (3) cares for fewer than six (6) children, not counting any child for whom the provider is a parent, stepparent, guardian, custodian, or other relative (so up to 5 unrelated children is license-exempt); or (4) operates to serve migrant children (470 IAC 3-1.1-26). By definition a regulated "child care home" is a residential structure where at least six (6) children, excluding the provider's own/related children, receive care for compensation more than four (4) hours but less than twenty-four (24) hours in each of ten (10) consecutive days per year (470 IAC 3-1.1-7; IC 12-7-2-28.6).
Family child care capacity
A Class I family child care home has a maximum capacity of twelve (12) children at any one time, plus up to three (3) additional school-age children enrolled in at least Grade 1 during the school year (470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5); a Class II home serves more than twelve (12) but not more than sixteen (16) full-time and part-time children at any one time (470 IAC 3-1.3-1). Infant/toddler (birth-24 months) ratio is 6:1, but two of the six must be at least 16 months and walking, otherwise the ratio is 4:1; a mixed-age birth-6 years group is 10:1 with no more than three children under 16 months (470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5).
Indoor square footage
Licensed child care CENTERS must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor play space per child at all times, exclusive of kitchen, toilet rooms, hallways, storage, office, and similar areas (470 IAC 3-4.7-110); a newly licensed infant room must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable space per child, while an existing infant room must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet per child (470 IAC 3-4.7-142); and the outdoor play area must contain at least seventy-five (75) square feet for each child outdoors at one time (470 IAC 3-4.7-68). For licensed child care HOMES, 470 IAC 3-1.1 sets no per-child indoor square-footage minimum (homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure).
Inspection schedule
The division (FSSA/OECOSL) and the State Fire Marshal must make annual on-site inspections of each licensed child care center and keep written records of their monitoring (IC 12-17.2-4-15). The licensee must cooperate with announced and unannounced inspections (IC 12-17.2-4-16). The division investigates compliance at a reasonable time, in announced or unannounced visits, through onsite inspections, record reading, observation, and interviewing (IC 12-17.2-4-7). Licenses expire two (2) years after issuance unless revoked, modified to probationary/suspended status, or voluntarily returned (IC 12-17.2-4-12). Custodial parents/guardians may make unscheduled visits at any time the center is in operation (IC 12-17.2-4-17).

The 8 Steps to Open a Daycare in Indiana

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

  1. Research your state's rules

    Confirm whether your program needs a license in Indiana. A child care home in Indiana does NOT require a license if the provider: (1) does not receive regular compensation; (2) cares only for children related to the provider; (3) cares for fewer than six (6) children, not counting any child for whom the provider is a parent, stepparent, guardian, custodian, or other relative (so up to 5 unrelated children is license-exempt); or (4) operates to serve migrant children (470 IAC 3-1.1-26). By definition a regulated "child care home" is a residential structure where at least six (6) children, excluding the provider's own/related children, receive care for compensation more than four (4) hours but less than twenty-four (24) hours in each of ten (10) consecutive days per year (470 IAC 3-1.1-7; IC 12-7-2-28.6).

    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. Indiana sets no fixed pre-service clock-hour count; instead, prior to having direct contact with children or food, all child care center staff and volunteers must receive orientation covering the children's names/ages/specific needs, confidentiality of records, the discipline policy, meal patterns and food handling, emergency evacuation procedures, general health policies, and training in universal precautions (470 IAC 3-4.7-32); child care home caregivers must complete fire prevention and safety procedures within one (1) week of starting and listed safety topics (inspection checklist, confidentiality, child abuse/neglect reporting, universal precautions) within thirty (30) days (470 IAC 3-1.1-33.5).

    Plan for ongoing training too: Child care CENTER directors and all persons counted in child/staff ratios must complete a minimum of twelve (12) clock hours of in-service training annually, and lead caregivers who do not meet the educational qualifications must complete an additional eight (8) hours of in-service training per year (470 IAC 3-4.7-35). For licensed child care HOMES, no numeric annual continuing-education clock-hour total is specified; requirements are task-based: at least one direct caregiver trained in pediatric CPR annually and a first aid course completed every three (3) years (470 IAC 3-1.1-33.5).

  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 Indiana's facility standards. Licensed child care CENTERS must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor play space per child at all times, exclusive of kitchen, toilet rooms, hallways, storage, office, and similar areas (470 IAC 3-4.7-110); a newly licensed infant room must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable space per child, while an existing infant room must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet per child (470 IAC 3-4.7-142); and the outdoor play area must contain at least seventy-five (75) square feet for each child outdoors at one time (470 IAC 3-4.7-68). For licensed child care HOMES, 470 IAC 3-1.1 sets no per-child indoor square-footage minimum (homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure).

    Match your enrollment plan to capacity limits: A Class I family child care home has a maximum capacity of twelve (12) children at any one time, plus up to three (3) additional school-age children enrolled in at least Grade 1 during the school year (470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5); a Class II home serves more than twelve (12) but not more than sixteen (16) full-time and part-time children at any one time (470 IAC 3-1.3-1). Infant/toddler (birth-24 months) ratio is 6:1, but two of the six must be at least 16 months and walking, otherwise the ratio is 4:1; a mixed-age birth-6 years group is 10:1 with no more than three children under 16 months (470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5).

  5. Submit your license application & fee

    File your application with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) - Bureau of Child Care and pay the licensing fee. Contact your Indiana 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. The division (FSSA/OECOSL) and the State Fire Marshal must make annual on-site inspections of each licensed child care center and keep written records of their monitoring (IC 12-17.2-4-15). The licensee must cooperate with announced and unannounced inspections (IC 12-17.2-4-16). The division investigates compliance at a reasonable time, in announced or unannounced visits, through onsite inspections, record reading, observation, and interviewing (IC 12-17.2-4-7). Licenses expire two (2) years after issuance unless revoked, modified to probationary/suspended status, or voluntarily returned (IC 12-17.2-4-12). Custodial parents/guardians may make unscheduled visits at any time the center is in operation (IC 12-17.2-4-17).

    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 Indiana rules. Maintain the staff-to-child ratios at all times: Infant (birth to 12 months) 1:4 (max group size 8), Toddler (12 to 24 months) 1:5 (max group size 10), 2 years (24 to 30 months) 1:5 (max group size 10), 30 to 36 months 1:7 (max group size 14), 3 years 1:10 (max group size 20), 4 years 1:12 (max group size 24), 5 years and older (school age) 1:15 (max group size 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, Indiana-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 Indiana

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

  • Child Care Center license application - submitted online through the FSSA I-LEAD provider portal (no paper State Form number; apply at https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/become-a-child-care-provider/)
  • Physical Form for Child - State Form 49969 (R6/01-25), physical examination + age-appropriate immunization record per 470 IAC 3-4.7-86 and IC 12-17.2-4-18.1
  • State Form 49970 - Physical Form for Adult Caregiver (R7/01-25) (licensed homes and centers)
  • State Form 53323 - Consent to Release Information (for licensed centers, licensed homes, unlicensed registered ministries, and CCDF LLEPs) - submitted as part of background-check requirements
  • Signed parental consent forms - required per 470 IAC 3-4.7-37 (e.g., transportation, field trips, emergency medical treatment, photographs)
  • Children's medication record / medication authorization - required per 470 IAC 3-4.7-40 and -88
  • Emergency information file - required per 470 IAC 3-4.7-42
  • National criminal history (FBI) fingerprint background check application via IdentoGO/IDEMIA - required per IC 12-17.2-4-3

Staff-to-child ratios you must maintain

Indiana requires these maximum staff-to-child ratios, enforced by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) - Bureau of Child Care: Infant (birth to 12 months) 1:4 (max group size 8), Toddler (12 to 24 months) 1:5 (max group size 10), 2 years (24 to 30 months) 1:5 (max group size 10), 30 to 36 months 1:7 (max group size 14), 3 years 1:10 (max group size 20), 4 years 1:12 (max group size 24), 5 years and older (school age) 1:15 (max group size 30).

Skip the 80-hour paperwork grind

Get your Indiana licensing kit

The inspector asks for a parent handbook, staff policies, enrollment forms, and an operations manual — all Indiana-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 · Indiana-specific documents

Starting a Daycare in Indiana: FAQs

Do I need a license to start a daycare in Indiana?
A child care home in Indiana does NOT require a license if the provider: (1) does not receive regular compensation; (2) cares only for children related to the provider; (3) cares for fewer than six (6) children, not counting any child for whom the provider is a parent, stepparent, guardian, custodian, or other relative (so up to 5 unrelated children is license-exempt); or (4) operates to serve migrant children (470 IAC 3-1.1-26). By definition a regulated "child care home" is a residential structure where at least six (6) children, excluding the provider's own/related children, receive care for compensation more than four (4) hours but less than twenty-four (24) hours in each of ten (10) consecutive days per year (470 IAC 3-1.1-7; IC 12-7-2-28.6).
How much does it cost to get a daycare license in Indiana?
Contact your Indiana licensing office to confirm. Renewal: Contact your Indiana licensing office to confirm.
Who issues daycare licenses in Indiana?
Childcare licensing in Indiana is handled by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) - Bureau of Child Care. 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 Indiana?
Indiana sets no fixed pre-service clock-hour count; instead, prior to having direct contact with children or food, all child care center staff and volunteers must receive orientation covering the children's names/ages/specific needs, confidentiality of records, the discipline policy, meal patterns and food handling, emergency evacuation procedures, general health policies, and training in universal precautions (470 IAC 3-4.7-32); child care home caregivers must complete fire prevention and safety procedures within one (1) week of starting and listed safety topics (inspection checklist, confidentiality, child abuse/neglect reporting, universal precautions) within thirty (30) days (470 IAC 3-1.1-33.5).

Keep researching Indiana

Indiana Licensing Requirements

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

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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 Indiana statutes and agency materials and are provided for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) - Bureau of Child Care before applying. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal advice.