Minnesota Childcare Required Forms & Documents (2026)

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Applicant Agreement, Acknowledgement, and Verification Form (submitted via DCYF Provider Hub; notarized original required per application) for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Child Care Emergency Plan, DHS-7955 for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Maltreatment of Minors Mandated Reporting Policy, DHS-7634A for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Child Care Center Serious Injury and Death Reporting Form (DCYF fillable PDF) for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Swaddling Consent for an Infant, DHS-7218 for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Directive for Alternative Infant Sleep Position, DHS-7216 for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Individual Child Care Program Plan (ICCPP), DHS-7995 for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Background study via NETStudy 2.0 (Minn. Stat. ch. 245C) — electronic submission, no paper form number for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

Minnesota childcare centers are required to collect and maintain a completed Childcare Annual Immunization Status Report (AISR), submitted electronically to the Minnesota Department of Health (Minn. Stat. 121A.15) for every enrolled child (per Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification).).

What forms are required for childcare enrollment in Minnesota?

Minnesota requires the following forms for each enrolled child: Applicant Agreement, Acknowledgement, and Verification Form (submitted via DCYF Provider Hub; notarized original required per application); Child Care Emergency Plan, DHS-7955; Maltreatment of Minors Mandated Reporting Policy, DHS-7634A; Child Care Center Serious Injury and Death Reporting Form (DCYF fillable PDF); Swaddling Consent for an Infant, DHS-7218; Directive for Alternative Infant Sleep Position, DHS-7216; Individual Child Care Program Plan (ICCPP), DHS-7995; Background study via NETStudy 2.0 (Minn. Stat. ch. 245C) — electronic submission, no paper form number; Childcare Annual Immunization Status Report (AISR), submitted electronically to the Minnesota Department of Health (Minn. Stat. 121A.15).

How long must Minnesota childcare centers keep enrollment forms on file?

Minnesota childcare licensing rules require that child records, including all required enrollment forms, be kept on file for the duration of enrollment and for a retention period after the child leaves. Contact the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Child Care Centers Licensing. Note: child care center licensing transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to DCYF effective June 18, 2025. Existing DHS-issued licenses remain valid and license holders need not reapply; the governing rules (Minn. Rules ch. 9503) remain in force, and the licensing statutes formerly in Minn. Stat. ch. 245A have been recodified into Minn. Stat. ch. 142B (licensing) and ch. 142C (certification). to confirm the exact retention schedule.

What happens if a Minnesota center is missing required child forms during an inspection?

Missing or incomplete required forms are a citable deficiency in a Minnesota childcare licensing inspection. For child care centers under the DCYF chapter, the commissioner may issue a correction order or conditional license (Minn. Stat. 142B.16), and may suspend or revoke a license, impose a fine, or seek other sanctions (Minn. Stat. 142B.18, 'SANCTIONS'). Fine schedule (Minn. Stat. 142B.18, subd. 4(c)(4); parallel/predecessor Minn. Stat. 245A.07, subd. 3(c)(4)): $1,000 for each determination of maltreatment of a child under ch. 260E; $5,000 for each determination of serious maltreatment; $200 for each occurrence of a violation of law or rule governing health, safety, or supervision (including staff-to-child ratio violations and background-study noncompliance); and $100 for each occurrence of any other violation. In lieu of a correction order, the commissioner may issue a 'fix-it ticket' for eligible non-imminent-danger violations correctable at inspection or within 48 hours (Minn. Stat. 142B.17, 'Child Care Fix-it Ticket'; predecessor 245A.065). Failure of a mandated reporter to report suspected child maltreatment is a misdemeanor (Minn. Stat. 260E.08; reporting duty under 260E.06).

Does TotReady provide templates for Minnesota required forms?

TotReady's enrollment form tool and incident report tool generate Minnesota-ready documents pre-filled with the required fields. Visit /tools/enrollment-form and /tools/incident-report to get started.