How to Start a Daycare in Rhode Island (2026)

The 8 Steps to Open a Daycare in Rhode Island

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

1. 1

   Research your state's rules

   Confirm whether your program needs a license in Rhode Island. A license is required once a home cares for four (4) or more children who are not relatives of the caregiver at the same time, so a person caring for three (3) or fewer unrelated children is license-exempt (R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-12.5-2(9), defining "family daycare home").

   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. 2

   Complete pre-service training & CPR

   Finish the required pre-service training and certifications. Rhode Island does not set a fixed number of pre-service clock hours; instead all providers, assistants, and substitutes must complete the Department-approved mandatory health and safety pre-service training modules within ninety (90) days of initial licensure or hire (218-RICR-70-00-2.3.5(C)(3) for family homes; 218-RICR-70-00-1.12(E)(3) for centers).

   Plan for ongoing training too: Family Child Care Home providers and full-time assistants must complete twelve (12) hours of professional development per calendar year (four of which must address specified health and safety topics), while year-round Child Care Center program leadership and classroom staff must complete twenty-four (24) hours per year (approximately two hours per month) (218-RICR-70-00-2.3.5(D)(1); 218-RICR-70-00-1.12(F)(1)).

3. 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. 4

   Prepare your facility

   Set up a space that meets Rhode Island's facility standards. Rhode Island requires thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor floor space per child (forty-five (45) sq ft per child for infant/toddler classrooms in centers), plus at least seventy-five (75) square feet of usable outdoor space per child for at least fifty percent (50%) of licensed capacity at centers (218-RICR-70-00-2.3.1(F)(1); 218-RICR-70-00-1.8(F)(5)-(6) and 1.8(G)(1)(a)).

   Match your enrollment plan to capacity limits: A Family Child Care Home provider working alone may care for no more than six (6) children with no more than two (2) under eighteen (18) months; with one assistant the limit rises to eight (8) children with no more than four (4) under eighteen (18) months. A Group Family Child Care Home may serve up to twelve (12) children with one assistant (max 4 under 18 months) or twelve (12) with two assistants (max 8 under 18 months) (218-RICR-70-00-2.3.4(B); 218-RICR-70-00-7.3.4(B)).

5. 5

   Submit your license application & fee

   File your application with the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Child Care, Child Care Licensing Unit and pay the licensing fee. The nonrefundable initial license application fee, paid to the State of Rhode Island, is $100 for a Family Daycare Home, $250 for a Group Family Daycare Home, and $500 for a Child Daycare Center (R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-12.5-5(2)).

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

6. 6

   Pass the licensing inspection

   Schedule and pass your pre-licensing inspection. Unannounced monitoring visits at least two (2) times per year for child care centers (218-RICR-70-00-1.7(F)); the DHS Director/designee and the Office of the Child Advocate also have right of entrance, file access, and authority to investigate complaints. Initial licensure proceeds through required facility inspections (fire, lead, radon, water, food safety, etc.) under 218-RICR-70-00-1.8(A).

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

7. 7

   Open your doors

   Once your license is issued, you can legally begin caring for children under Rhode Island rules. Maintain the staff-to-child ratios at all times: Younger Infants (6 weeks - 12 months) 1:4 (max group size 8), Older Infants (12 - 18 months) 1:4 (max group size 8), Toddlers (18 - 36 months) 1:6 (max group size 12), Preschool 3 (3 years old) 1:9 (max group size 18), Preschool 4 (4 years old) 1:10 (max group size 20), Preschool 5-6 (5-6 years, not in kindergarten) 1:12 (max group size 24), School Age - Kindergarten 1:13 (max group size 26), School Age Grades 1-6 1:13 (max group size 26), School Age Grades 7+ (under age 16) 1:13 (max group size 26)

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

8. 8

   Enroll families

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

Keep researching Rhode Island

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