Montana Launch Guide

How to Start a Daycare in Montana (2026)

Last updated: June 2026

Researched by the TotReady Research Team

Opening a licensed daycare in Montana means applying to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Early Childhood and Family Support Division (ECFSD) — Child Care Licensing (CCL) Program, 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 Montana's licensing statutes.

Montana Daycare Licensing: Fees & Key Numbers

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

Application fee
Montana charges no application or registration fee for child care. ARM 37.95.106(3)-(4) lists what an applicant must provide for a center license or a family/group home registration (fire-marshal and health inspection reports, current fire and liability insurance, satisfactory background-check results, an emergency disaster plan, and staff/health attestations), and the department's duties in 52-2-704, MCA list its responsibilities, but no dollar application or registration fee is set anywhere in ARM Title 37, chapter 95 (ARM 37.95.106; 52-2-704, MCA).
Annual renewal fee
Montana charges no renewal fee for child care. Regular registration certificates and licenses are issued for periods up to three years (ARM 37.95.108(7)), and renewal applications must be made by the provider at least 30 days prior to expiration of the license or registration certificate (ARM 37.95.106(5)); no dollar renewal fee is set in ARM Title 37, chapter 95.
Pre-service training
Montana does not set a fixed pre-service clock-hour total; instead, before providing unsupervised care a staff member must complete current infant/child/adult CPR (hands-on), infant choking response, and pediatric first aid certification, prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and safe sleep practices, and prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, all as part of department-approved early childhood teacher orientation due within 30 days of hire (ARM 37.95.163(2)(a)-(d)); the remaining orientation topics (infectious-disease control, child development, medication administration, emergency preparedness, hazardous-materials handling, transportation, and child-abuse reporting) must be completed within 90 days of hire (ARM 37.95.163(3)).
Annual training
All directors, early childhood teachers, and assistant teachers at any child care facility must complete annual training required to be current on the Montana ECP Practitioner Registry, approved through MTECP (ARM 37.95.162(1)-(2)); teachers (ECTs) at facilities serving exclusively school-age children must complete at least eight hours of continuing education annually and are not required to be on the registry (ARM 37.95.162(5)); and all directors, substitutes, ECTs, ECLTs, and ECATs must complete a health-and-safety review course at least every three years, which counts toward the required annual training (ARM 37.95.162(6)).
License-exempt threshold
Under 2023 House Bill 556, a person may care for up to six children in a private residence without a license or registration, unless the person participates in the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship or another public subsidy program (HB 556, 2023; confirmed by Montana Free Press, June 14, 2023, and Whitefish Pilot, June 21, 2023). Separately, the statutory definition still requires a "family day-care home" (registration) for care of three to eight unrelated children on a regular basis (52-2-703, MCA), a "group day-care home" for 9 to 15 children, and a licensed "day-care center" for 16 or more; care limited to children related to the provider by blood, marriage, or legal guardianship is exempt unless registration or licensure is required to receive state payments (52-2-703 and 52-2-713, MCA). Note: HB 556 created a licensing/registration exemption rather than changing the three-to-eight child count in the 52-2-703 family day-care home definition itself.
Family child care capacity
A family day-care home is a private residence in which day care is provided to three to eight children on a regular basis (52-2-703, MCA). Except for approved overlap care, at least two caregivers are required at all times when more than eight children are present at the home (ARM 37.95.702(1)), and no more than three children under age two are allowed in a family day-care home at any time unless care is provided exclusively to children under two, in which case no more than four children under age two may be present (ARM 37.95.702(2)-(3)).
Indoor square footage
Group and family day-care homes must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor play and learning space per child and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (ARM 37.95.705(1)). For child care centers, the required minimum 35 square feet of usable floor space per child is calculated excluding food preparation areas, bathrooms, toilets, offices, staff rooms, corridors, hallways, closets, lockers, laundry areas, furnace rooms, and storage spaces (ARM 37.95.610(2)-(3)); the center space rule (37.95.610) does not set a 75-square-foot-per-child outdoor minimum like the homes rule does.
Inspection schedule
The department must visit and inspect all licensed and registered child care facilities annually, except RCE providers, and may conduct unannounced inspections (FFN providers receive scheduled inspections) (ARM 37.96.118, Facilities Inspections; statutory basis 52-2-733, MCA, Periodic Visits to Facilities by Department). Before a provider may care for children the department conducts a pre-inspection, then issues a 90-day provisional license/registration during which it observes the facility while children are in care before removing provisional status and issuing a regular license/registration (ARM 37.96.111, Issuing a License or Registration). Annual State Fire Marshal and local public-health authority approvals are also required (ARM 37.96.602).

The 8 Steps to Open a Daycare in Montana

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

  1. Research your state's rules

    Confirm whether your program needs a license in Montana. Under 2023 House Bill 556, a person may care for up to six children in a private residence without a license or registration, unless the person participates in the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship or another public subsidy program (HB 556, 2023; confirmed by Montana Free Press, June 14, 2023, and Whitefish Pilot, June 21, 2023). Separately, the statutory definition still requires a "family day-care home" (registration) for care of three to eight unrelated children on a regular basis (52-2-703, MCA), a "group day-care home" for 9 to 15 children, and a licensed "day-care center" for 16 or more; care limited to children related to the provider by blood, marriage, or legal guardianship is exempt unless registration or licensure is required to receive state payments (52-2-703 and 52-2-713, MCA). Note: HB 556 created a licensing/registration exemption rather than changing the three-to-eight child count in the 52-2-703 family day-care home definition itself.

    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. Montana does not set a fixed pre-service clock-hour total; instead, before providing unsupervised care a staff member must complete current infant/child/adult CPR (hands-on), infant choking response, and pediatric first aid certification, prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and safe sleep practices, and prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, all as part of department-approved early childhood teacher orientation due within 30 days of hire (ARM 37.95.163(2)(a)-(d)); the remaining orientation topics (infectious-disease control, child development, medication administration, emergency preparedness, hazardous-materials handling, transportation, and child-abuse reporting) must be completed within 90 days of hire (ARM 37.95.163(3)).

    Plan for ongoing training too: All directors, early childhood teachers, and assistant teachers at any child care facility must complete annual training required to be current on the Montana ECP Practitioner Registry, approved through MTECP (ARM 37.95.162(1)-(2)); teachers (ECTs) at facilities serving exclusively school-age children must complete at least eight hours of continuing education annually and are not required to be on the registry (ARM 37.95.162(5)); and all directors, substitutes, ECTs, ECLTs, and ECATs must complete a health-and-safety review course at least every three years, which counts toward the required annual training (ARM 37.95.162(6)).

  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 Montana's facility standards. Group and family day-care homes must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor play and learning space per child and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (ARM 37.95.705(1)). For child care centers, the required minimum 35 square feet of usable floor space per child is calculated excluding food preparation areas, bathrooms, toilets, offices, staff rooms, corridors, hallways, closets, lockers, laundry areas, furnace rooms, and storage spaces (ARM 37.95.610(2)-(3)); the center space rule (37.95.610) does not set a 75-square-foot-per-child outdoor minimum like the homes rule does.

    Match your enrollment plan to capacity limits: A family day-care home is a private residence in which day care is provided to three to eight children on a regular basis (52-2-703, MCA). Except for approved overlap care, at least two caregivers are required at all times when more than eight children are present at the home (ARM 37.95.702(1)), and no more than three children under age two are allowed in a family day-care home at any time unless care is provided exclusively to children under two, in which case no more than four children under age two may be present (ARM 37.95.702(2)-(3)).

  5. Submit your license application & fee

    File your application with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Early Childhood and Family Support Division (ECFSD) — Child Care Licensing (CCL) Program and pay the licensing fee. Montana charges no application or registration fee for child care. ARM 37.95.106(3)-(4) lists what an applicant must provide for a center license or a family/group home registration (fire-marshal and health inspection reports, current fire and liability insurance, satisfactory background-check results, an emergency disaster plan, and staff/health attestations), and the department's duties in 52-2-704, MCA list its responsibilities, but no dollar application or registration fee is set anywhere in ARM Title 37, chapter 95 (ARM 37.95.106; 52-2-704, MCA).

    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 department must visit and inspect all licensed and registered child care facilities annually, except RCE providers, and may conduct unannounced inspections (FFN providers receive scheduled inspections) (ARM 37.96.118, Facilities Inspections; statutory basis 52-2-733, MCA, Periodic Visits to Facilities by Department). Before a provider may care for children the department conducts a pre-inspection, then issues a 90-day provisional license/registration during which it observes the facility while children are in care before removing provisional status and issuing a regular license/registration (ARM 37.96.111, Issuing a License or Registration). Annual State Fire Marshal and local public-health authority approvals are also required (ARM 37.96.602).

    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 Montana rules. Maintain the staff-to-child ratios at all times: Newborn through 11 months (infants) 4:1 (maximum group size 12), 12 months through 23 months (toddlers) 6:1 (maximum group size 12), 2 years old 8:1 (maximum group size 16), 3 years through 5 years 10:1 (maximum group size 20), 6 years old and over (school-age) 20:1 (maximum group size 40)

    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, Montana-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 Montana

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

  • Child Care License / Registration Application — DPHHS ECFSD Child Care Licensing Program (ARM 37.96.107)
  • Emergency contact and consent form retained in children's records (ARM 37.96.308)
  • Authorization of persons allowed to pick up the child (ARM 37.96.308)
  • Documentation of immunization status; Montana Certificate of Immunization, Form HES-101 (ARM 37.96.806; immunization schedule per ARM 37.96.802)
  • Conditional/grace-period enrollment documentation prescribed by the department (ARM 37.96.802; ARM 37.96.806)
  • Affidavit of Exemption on Religious Grounds, Form HES-113 (ARM 37.96.805)
  • Medication administration record and written parent/guardian medication authorization (ARM 37.96.502; ARM 37.96.303(1)(f))
  • Incident/injury report with parent notification (ARM 37.96.303(1)(d); ARM 37.96.307)

Staff-to-child ratios you must maintain

Montana requires these maximum staff-to-child ratios, enforced by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Early Childhood and Family Support Division (ECFSD) — Child Care Licensing (CCL) Program: Newborn through 11 months (infants) 4:1 (maximum group size 12), 12 months through 23 months (toddlers) 6:1 (maximum group size 12), 2 years old 8:1 (maximum group size 16), 3 years through 5 years 10:1 (maximum group size 20), 6 years old and over (school-age) 20:1 (maximum group size 40).

Skip the 80-hour paperwork grind

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

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Starting a Daycare in Montana: FAQs

Do I need a license to start a daycare in Montana?
Under 2023 House Bill 556, a person may care for up to six children in a private residence without a license or registration, unless the person participates in the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship or another public subsidy program (HB 556, 2023; confirmed by Montana Free Press, June 14, 2023, and Whitefish Pilot, June 21, 2023). Separately, the statutory definition still requires a "family day-care home" (registration) for care of three to eight unrelated children on a regular basis (52-2-703, MCA), a "group day-care home" for 9 to 15 children, and a licensed "day-care center" for 16 or more; care limited to children related to the provider by blood, marriage, or legal guardianship is exempt unless registration or licensure is required to receive state payments (52-2-703 and 52-2-713, MCA). Note: HB 556 created a licensing/registration exemption rather than changing the three-to-eight child count in the 52-2-703 family day-care home definition itself.
How much does it cost to get a daycare license in Montana?
Montana charges no application or registration fee for child care. ARM 37.95.106(3)-(4) lists what an applicant must provide for a center license or a family/group home registration (fire-marshal and health inspection reports, current fire and liability insurance, satisfactory background-check results, an emergency disaster plan, and staff/health attestations), and the department's duties in 52-2-704, MCA list its responsibilities, but no dollar application or registration fee is set anywhere in ARM Title 37, chapter 95 (ARM 37.95.106; 52-2-704, MCA). Renewal: Montana charges no renewal fee for child care. Regular registration certificates and licenses are issued for periods up to three years (ARM 37.95.108(7)), and renewal applications must be made by the provider at least 30 days prior to expiration of the license or registration certificate (ARM 37.95.106(5)); no dollar renewal fee is set in ARM Title 37, chapter 95.
Who issues daycare licenses in Montana?
Childcare licensing in Montana is handled by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Early Childhood and Family Support Division (ECFSD) — Child Care Licensing (CCL) Program. 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 Montana?
Montana does not set a fixed pre-service clock-hour total; instead, before providing unsupervised care a staff member must complete current infant/child/adult CPR (hands-on), infant choking response, and pediatric first aid certification, prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and safe sleep practices, and prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, all as part of department-approved early childhood teacher orientation due within 30 days of hire (ARM 37.95.163(2)(a)-(d)); the remaining orientation topics (infectious-disease control, child development, medication administration, emergency preparedness, hazardous-materials handling, transportation, and child-abuse reporting) must be completed within 90 days of hire (ARM 37.95.163(3)).

Keep researching Montana

Montana Licensing Requirements

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How to Start a Daycare: Complete Guide

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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 Montana statutes and agency materials and are provided for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Early Childhood and Family Support Division (ECFSD) — Child Care Licensing (CCL) Program before applying. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal advice.