How to Start a Daycare in North Carolina (2026)

North Carolina Daycare Licensing: Fees & Key Numbers

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

Application fee

North Carolina does not codify a separate statewide initial license application fee for child care centers or family child care homes; the only fee set by statute is the recurring Annual License Fee under N.C. Gen. Stat. 110-90(1a). Before licensure, prospective providers must attend a DCDEE Pre-Licensing Workshop, which is part of both the family child care home and child care center application process (NCDHHS/DCDEE, "Getting a License"). [The absence of any separate application fee is an inference from the statute and DCDEE fee materials, not an affirmative "no application fee" statement on a .gov page.]

Annual renewal fee

North Carolina assesses an Annual License Fee, payable online for the current calendar year, of $52.00 for a family child care home, $52.00 for a center with capacity of 0-12 (12 or fewer children), $187.00 for capacity 13-50, $375.00 for capacity 51-100, and $600.00 for capacity 101 or more; the fee is based on the licensed capacity printed on the license, and state, public-school, and religious-sponsored (Notice of Compliance) facilities are exempt (NCDHHS/DCDEE Annual License Fee page and FAQ, citing N.C. Gen. Stat. 110-90(1a)).

Pre-service training

Each North Carolina child care center must ensure every new employee expected to have contact with children receives 16 hours of on-site orientation within the first six weeks of employment, including 6 of those hours within the first two weeks (10A NCAC 09 .1101(a)); health and safety training must then be completed within one year of employment (10A NCAC 09 .1102(a)), and family child care home operators complete a pre-licensing visit and new staff orientation requirements referenced in 10A NCAC 09 .1703 (set out in Rules .1702(d) and .1729(c)).

Annual training

After the first year of employment, North Carolina child care center staff and family child care home operators must complete annual on-going training that scales with education and experience: 5 clock hours (four-year or higher degree in a child-care-related field), 8 (two-year degree in a child-care-related field or a NC Early Childhood Administration Credential), 10 (certificate or diploma in a child-care-related field or a NC Early Childhood Credential), 15 (10 years documented experience as a teacher, director, or caregiver in a licensed arrangement), or 20 clock hours if none of these criteria apply; CPR and First Aid do not count toward this requirement (10A NCAC 09 .1103(a),(c) for centers; 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d) for family child care homes).

License-exempt threshold

In North Carolina, caring for one or two children does not require a license; regulation is triggered only when three or more children under 13 years old, who do not reside where the care is provided, receive care on a regular basis of at least once per week for more than four hours but less than 24 hours per day from persons other than their guardians or relatives (N.C. Gen. Stat. 110-86(2); exempt arrangements include public schools, recreational programs operated for less than four consecutive months in a year, and cooperative arrangements among parents to care for their own children).

Family child care capacity

A North Carolina family child care home may be licensed for one of three capacity options, counting the operator's own preschool-age children and excluding the operator's own school-age children up to 13 years of age: a maximum of 8 children, with no more than 5 from birth to 5 years of age, plus 3 school-age children; or a total of 9 children (3 from birth to 24 months, plus 3 from 2 to 5 years, plus 3 school-age up to 13); or a maximum of 10 children if all are older than 24 months of age (NCDHHS/DCDEE "State Budget Language About New Family Childcare Ratio" notice; N.C. Gen. Stat. 110-86(3) and 110-91, as revised by the 2023 state budget).

Indoor square footage

A North Carolina child care center must provide at least 25 square feet of indoor (primary) space per child for its total licensed capacity, plus at least 75 square feet of fenced outdoor play space for each child using the outdoor learning environment at any one time (NCDHHS/DCDEE "Child Care Centers Basic Information for Potential Providers," Revised December 2024); the optional Enhanced Space standard for higher star ratings instead requires at least 30 square feet indoor per child and 100 square feet outdoor per child (10A NCAC 09 .3210).

Inspection schedule

Annual; frequency increases for lower-rated facilities (1-5 star)

What You Need to Apply in North Carolina

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

• ✓Enrollment Form
• ✓Emergency Contact Form
• ✓Medical Examination Report
• ✓Immunization Record
• ✓Medication Administration Authorization
• ✓Parent Handbook Acknowledgment

Starting a Daycare in North Carolina: FAQs

Do I need a license to start a daycare in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, caring for one or two children does not require a license; regulation is triggered only when three or more children under 13 years old, who do not reside where the care is provided, receive care on a regular basis of at least once per week for more than four hours but less than 24 hours per day from persons other than their guardians or relatives (N.C. Gen. Stat. 110-86(2); exempt arrangements include public schools, recreational programs operated for less than four consecutive months in a year, and cooperative arrangements among parents to care for their own children).

How much does it cost to get a daycare license in North Carolina?

North Carolina does not codify a separate statewide initial license application fee for child care centers or family child care homes; the only fee set by statute is the recurring Annual License Fee under N.C. Gen. Stat. 110-90(1a). Before licensure, prospective providers must attend a DCDEE Pre-Licensing Workshop, which is part of both the family child care home and child care center application process (NCDHHS/DCDEE, "Getting a License"). [The absence of any separate application fee is an inference from the statute and DCDEE fee materials, not an affirmative "no application fee" statement on a .gov page.] Renewal: North Carolina assesses an Annual License Fee, payable online for the current calendar year, of $52.00 for a family child care home, $52.00 for a center with capacity of 0-12 (12 or fewer children), $187.00 for capacity 13-50, $375.00 for capacity 51-100, and $600.00 for capacity 101 or more; the fee is based on the licensed capacity printed on the license, and state, public-school, and religious-sponsored (Notice of Compliance) facilities are exempt (NCDHHS/DCDEE Annual License Fee page and FAQ, citing N.C. Gen. Stat. 110-90(1a)).

Who issues daycare licenses in North Carolina?

Childcare licensing in North Carolina is handled by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education. 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 North Carolina?

Each North Carolina child care center must ensure every new employee expected to have contact with children receives 16 hours of on-site orientation within the first six weeks of employment, including 6 of those hours within the first two weeks (10A NCAC 09 .1101(a)); health and safety training must then be completed within one year of employment (10A NCAC 09 .1102(a)), and family child care home operators complete a pre-licensing visit and new staff orientation requirements referenced in 10A NCAC 09 .1703 (set out in Rules .1702(d) and .1729(c)).