North Dakota Launch Guide

How to Start a Daycare in North Dakota (2026)

Last updated: June 2026

Researched by the TotReady Research Team

Opening a licensed daycare in North Dakota means applying to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services (Early Childhood Licensing unit), 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 North Dakota's licensing statutes.

North Dakota Daycare Licensing: Fees & Key Numbers

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

Application fee
The nonrefundable annual license fee is twenty dollars for a family child care (or thirty-five dollars for a two-year license), twenty-five dollars for group child care (forty-five for two years), thirty dollars for a preschool (fifty-five for two years), forty dollars for a child care center (seventy-five for two years), and fifty dollars for a multiple licensed program (ninety-five for two years) (NDCC 50-11.1-03(7)).
Annual renewal fee
A license renewal uses the same nonrefundable fee schedule as the initial application (e.g., twenty dollars annually or thirty-five dollars for a two-year family child care license) and must be filed at least sixty days and no more than ninety days before expiration; if submitted less than sixty days before expiration, the applicant must pay two times the nonrefundable fees, and a license may not be effective for longer than two years (NDCC 50-11.1-03(8) and 50-11.1-04).
Pre-service training
North Dakota does not set a fixed pre-service clock-hour total; a family child care provider must complete a department-approved basic child care course within ninety days of licensure and one hour of department-approved safe sleep (sudden infant death prevention) training before providing care to infants, while each staff member must receive documented orientation during the first week of employment (NDAC 75-03-08-10(2), 75-03-08-10(4), and 75-03-08-12(8)).
Annual training
A family child care provider must complete a minimum of nine hours of department-approved child care training annually (including one hour of mandated-reporter training) plus one hour of annual safe-sleep training when caring for infants; in group child care, staff annual hours scale by hours worked (eight hours/year for staff working thirty or more hours/week, six hours at twenty to twenty-nine, four hours at ten to nineteen, two hours under ten) and the group child care supervisor must complete at least ten hours annually (NDAC 75-03-08-10(3)-(4), 75-03-09-12(6), and 75-03-09-10).
License-exempt threshold
A family child care license is required once early childhood services are provided for four or more children ages twenty-four months and under, or six or seven children through age eleven (including no more than three under twenty-four months) at any one time; below that threshold a person may operate without a license, including under a voluntary "self-declaration" for up to five children through age eleven of which no more than three may be under twenty-four months of age (NDCC 50-11.1-03(1) and 50-11.1-02(27)).
Family child care capacity
A family child care may serve no more than seven children at any one time, of which no more than three may be under twenty-four months of age, plus up to two additional school-age children; a license is triggered at four or more children twenty-four months and under, or six or seven children through age eleven. The provider's own children under age twelve count toward the total, while the provider's own children, foster children, or grandchildren over age eleven are exempt (NDCC 50-11.1-02(7), 50-11.1-03(1), and 50-11.1-02.1).
Indoor square footage
A family child care must provide a minimum of thirty-five square feet (3.25 square meters) of indoor space per child (excluding bathrooms, pantries, passageways to outdoor exits, furniture/appliance areas, and off-limits space) and a minimum of seventy-five square feet (6.97 square meters) of outdoor play space per child, unless the provider supplies seventy-five square feet of separate indoor recreation space per child, which exempts it from the outdoor requirement (NDAC 75-03-08-14(1)).
Inspection schedule
Licensed and self-declared child care programs receive one announced (scheduled) and one unannounced (drop-in) monitoring/inspection visit per year, verifying compliance with health and safety standards (per ND HHS Early Childhood Licensing monitoring practice; the once-announced/once-unannounced frequency is a Department policy, not a statutory term). The Department's inspection authority is established under N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-08; investigation authority under N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-07; and reinspection authority under N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-07.3. Annual fire inspections by local or state fire authorities also apply under N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-17(1).

The 8 Steps to Open a Daycare in North Dakota

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

  1. Research your state's rules

    Confirm whether your program needs a license in North Dakota. A family child care license is required once early childhood services are provided for four or more children ages twenty-four months and under, or six or seven children through age eleven (including no more than three under twenty-four months) at any one time; below that threshold a person may operate without a license, including under a voluntary "self-declaration" for up to five children through age eleven of which no more than three may be under twenty-four months of age (NDCC 50-11.1-03(1) and 50-11.1-02(27)).

    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. North Dakota does not set a fixed pre-service clock-hour total; a family child care provider must complete a department-approved basic child care course within ninety days of licensure and one hour of department-approved safe sleep (sudden infant death prevention) training before providing care to infants, while each staff member must receive documented orientation during the first week of employment (NDAC 75-03-08-10(2), 75-03-08-10(4), and 75-03-08-12(8)).

    Plan for ongoing training too: A family child care provider must complete a minimum of nine hours of department-approved child care training annually (including one hour of mandated-reporter training) plus one hour of annual safe-sleep training when caring for infants; in group child care, staff annual hours scale by hours worked (eight hours/year for staff working thirty or more hours/week, six hours at twenty to twenty-nine, four hours at ten to nineteen, two hours under ten) and the group child care supervisor must complete at least ten hours annually (NDAC 75-03-08-10(3)-(4), 75-03-09-12(6), and 75-03-09-10).

  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 North Dakota's facility standards. A family child care must provide a minimum of thirty-five square feet (3.25 square meters) of indoor space per child (excluding bathrooms, pantries, passageways to outdoor exits, furniture/appliance areas, and off-limits space) and a minimum of seventy-five square feet (6.97 square meters) of outdoor play space per child, unless the provider supplies seventy-five square feet of separate indoor recreation space per child, which exempts it from the outdoor requirement (NDAC 75-03-08-14(1)).

    Match your enrollment plan to capacity limits: A family child care may serve no more than seven children at any one time, of which no more than three may be under twenty-four months of age, plus up to two additional school-age children; a license is triggered at four or more children twenty-four months and under, or six or seven children through age eleven. The provider's own children under age twelve count toward the total, while the provider's own children, foster children, or grandchildren over age eleven are exempt (NDCC 50-11.1-02(7), 50-11.1-03(1), and 50-11.1-02.1).

  5. Submit your license application & fee

    File your application with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services (Early Childhood Licensing unit) and pay the licensing fee. The nonrefundable annual license fee is twenty dollars for a family child care (or thirty-five dollars for a two-year license), twenty-five dollars for group child care (forty-five for two years), thirty dollars for a preschool (fifty-five for two years), forty dollars for a child care center (seventy-five for two years), and fifty dollars for a multiple licensed program (ninety-five for two years) (NDCC 50-11.1-03(7)).

    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. Licensed and self-declared child care programs receive one announced (scheduled) and one unannounced (drop-in) monitoring/inspection visit per year, verifying compliance with health and safety standards (per ND HHS Early Childhood Licensing monitoring practice; the once-announced/once-unannounced frequency is a Department policy, not a statutory term). The Department's inspection authority is established under N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-08; investigation authority under N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-07; and reinspection authority under N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-07.3. Annual fire inspections by local or state fire authorities also apply under N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-17(1).

    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 North Dakota rules. Maintain the staff-to-child ratios at all times: Under 18 months (infants) 1:4 (max group size 10), 18 months to 36 months (toddlers) 1:5 (max group size 15), 3 years to 4 years 1:7 (max group size 20), 4 years to 5 years 1:10 (max group size 25), 5 years to 6 years 1:12 (max group size 30), 6 years to 12 years (school-age) 1:20 (max 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, North Dakota-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 North Dakota

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

  • Personal Authorization for Criminal History Record Information Inquiry (SFN 829) — verified at nd.gov/eforms/Doc/sfn00829.pdf
  • Criminal History Record Check Request Pursuant to N.D.C.C. 12-60-24 (SFN 60688) — verified at attorneygeneral.nd.gov SFN60688
  • Fingerprint Identity Verification (SFN 836) — completed by law enforcement; listed on the HHS child care provider background-check page
  • Child Abuse and Neglect Background Inquiry (SFN 433) — required for household members ages 12-17 when care is provided in a residence; verified at nd.gov/eforms/doc/sfn00433.pdf
  • Department-approved authorization for background check form — required no later than the first day of employment per N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-28(2)
  • Child care center license application (submitted via the online Child Care Licensing (CCL) System, in the form and manner prescribed by the Department per N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-07; license fees per N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-03(7))
  • Written parental authorization for emergency medical care and written permission to dispense medication (record-keeping requirements under N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-22(2)(d) and 75-03-10-26(7); no single mandated SFN-numbered statewide form)

Staff-to-child ratios you must maintain

North Dakota requires these maximum staff-to-child ratios, enforced by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services (Early Childhood Licensing unit): Under 18 months (infants) 1:4 (max group size 10), 18 months to 36 months (toddlers) 1:5 (max group size 15), 3 years to 4 years 1:7 (max group size 20), 4 years to 5 years 1:10 (max group size 25), 5 years to 6 years 1:12 (max group size 30), 6 years to 12 years (school-age) 1:20 (max group size 40).

Skip the 80-hour paperwork grind

Get your North Dakota licensing kit

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

Starting a Daycare in North Dakota: FAQs

Do I need a license to start a daycare in North Dakota?
A family child care license is required once early childhood services are provided for four or more children ages twenty-four months and under, or six or seven children through age eleven (including no more than three under twenty-four months) at any one time; below that threshold a person may operate without a license, including under a voluntary "self-declaration" for up to five children through age eleven of which no more than three may be under twenty-four months of age (NDCC 50-11.1-03(1) and 50-11.1-02(27)).
How much does it cost to get a daycare license in North Dakota?
The nonrefundable annual license fee is twenty dollars for a family child care (or thirty-five dollars for a two-year license), twenty-five dollars for group child care (forty-five for two years), thirty dollars for a preschool (fifty-five for two years), forty dollars for a child care center (seventy-five for two years), and fifty dollars for a multiple licensed program (ninety-five for two years) (NDCC 50-11.1-03(7)). Renewal: A license renewal uses the same nonrefundable fee schedule as the initial application (e.g., twenty dollars annually or thirty-five dollars for a two-year family child care license) and must be filed at least sixty days and no more than ninety days before expiration; if submitted less than sixty days before expiration, the applicant must pay two times the nonrefundable fees, and a license may not be effective for longer than two years (NDCC 50-11.1-03(8) and 50-11.1-04).
Who issues daycare licenses in North Dakota?
Childcare licensing in North Dakota is handled by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services (Early Childhood Licensing unit). 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 Dakota?
North Dakota does not set a fixed pre-service clock-hour total; a family child care provider must complete a department-approved basic child care course within ninety days of licensure and one hour of department-approved safe sleep (sudden infant death prevention) training before providing care to infants, while each staff member must receive documented orientation during the first week of employment (NDAC 75-03-08-10(2), 75-03-08-10(4), and 75-03-08-12(8)).

Keep researching North Dakota

North Dakota Licensing Requirements

Full handbook sections, ratios, immunization rules, and penalties for North Dakota.

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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 North Dakota statutes and agency materials and are provided for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services (Early Childhood Licensing unit) before applying. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal advice.