How to Start a Daycare in Kentucky

Quick answer: How do I start a daycare in Kentucky?

Kentucky daycare licensing at a glance

Sources: Division of Regulated Child Care, DCC Child Care Provider Information, 922 KAR 2:090, 922 KAR 2:100, 922 KAR 2:120, and 922 KAR 2:180.

Do I need a childcare license in Kentucky?

Yes, in most cases. The Division of Regulated Child Care (DRCC) in the Kentucky Office of Inspector General licenses child care centers, certifies family child care homes, and inspects both. The Division of Child Care (DCC) handles background checks, the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), and Kentucky All STARS. Source: DRCC and DCC Child Care Provider Information.

Kentucky regulates four types of care:

• Licensed Type I child care center. A center that regularly provides child care for four or more children in a nonresidential setting, or 13 or more children in a designated space separate from your primary residence. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 2 and KRS 199.894.
• Licensed Type II child care center. The primary residence of the licensee, where child care is regularly provided for at least seven but no more than 12 children, including children related to the licensee. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 2.
• Certified family child care home. A private home that is the primary residence of the provider and cares for up to six unrelated children, plus up to four related children, for a maximum of 10 children at any time. Related children are the provider's child, grandchild, niece, nephew, sibling, stepchild, or a child in the provider's legal custody. Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Sections 1 and 10 and DCC Certified Family Child Care Home.
• Registered relative provider. A relative who cares for related children in the CCAP subsidy program. Registration is not a license, and DRCC does not inspect registered relative providers. Related children are grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and siblings if the provider lives in a separate residence. Source: 922 KAR 2:180 and DCC Child Care Provider Information.

DRCC does not regulate providers who care for three or fewer children who are not related to them. State law requires a family child care provider to apply for certification when caring for four to six unrelated children, and a provider caring for three or fewer unrelated children may apply for certification voluntarily. Source: DCC Child Care Provider Information and KRS 199.8982.

Before you start, write a daycare business plan, choose a name for your daycare, and plan how you will market your program to families nearby. A checklist for starting a childcare business can keep the work organized.

Which programs are exempt from licensing?

Kentucky exempts several child care settings from center licensure, including summer camps permitted as youth camps for school-age children, kindergarten through grade 12 in private schools while school is in session, programs regulated by the Kentucky Department of Education, summer programs run by a religious organization that a child attends no longer than two weeks, child care provided while parents are on the premises, armed forces programs on a base, and facilities run by a religious organization during religious services. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 3.

Other exempt settings include programs that operate no more than 20 hours a week and that a child attends no more than 10 hours a week, certain after-school programs run by accredited schools that do not take CCAP, and instructional programs for school-age children, such as martial arts or dance, that meet the conditions in state law. Preschool instructional programs that operate up to 20 hours a week and that a child attends up to 15 hours a week must notify the Cabinet in writing and still meet background check and tuberculosis screening rules. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 3 and KRS 199.896(19) to (21).

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What are the childcare licensing requirements in Kentucky?

Licensed Type I and Type II child care centers

Type I and Type II centers follow 922 KAR 2:090 for licensure and 922 KAR 2:120 for health and safety. Source: 922 KAR 2:090 and 922 KAR 2:120.

Director qualifications

A director must be at least 21 years old, have a high school diploma, GED, or comparable documentation, and not hold any other job at the center during operating hours except as director of multiple facilities. The director of a Type I center must also meet one of these education requirements:

• Master's degree in education or a child development field
• Bachelor's degree in education or a child development field
• Master's or bachelor's degree in another field, including pastoral care and counseling, plus 12 clock hours of child development training
• Associate degree in early childhood education and development
• Associate degree in another field, plus 12 clock hours of child development training and two years of verifiable full-time paid experience working directly with children
• Director's Credential in Early Childhood Development, plus one year of verifiable full-time paid experience working directly with children in a school-based program, an early childhood development program such as Head Start, or a licensed or certified child care program
• Child development associate (CDA) credential, plus one year of that same verifiable paid experience
• Three years of verifiable full-time paid experience working directly with children in one of those settings

The director of a Type II center meets one of the Type I options, or any two of these: 12 hours of orientation and child development training, one year of verifiable full-time paid experience working directly with children, or six additional hours of training in child care program administration. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 10.

Staff qualifications

• Staff hired after January 1, 2009 with supervisory power over a minor. A high school diploma, a GED or comparable documentation, or the Commonwealth Child Care Credential, unless enrolled in secondary education.
• All staff. A statement from a health professional that the person is free of active tuberculosis, or negative tuberculin results, before employment and every two years after that.
• Staff and owners who provide care. Six hours of Cabinet-approved orientation within the first three months, nine hours of Cabinet-approved early care and education training in the first year, and 15 hours between July 1 and June 30 of each year after that. Each total includes 1.5 hours of pediatric abusive head trauma training once every five years.
• Person on duty. At least one person present with the children holds current infant and child CPR and first aid certification for centers that serve infants, toddlers, or preschool-age children, or adult CPR and first aid for school-age centers. This certification is in addition to the 15 hours of training.
• Staff under 18. Work under the direct supervision of a qualified staff person and do not count in the ratio unless they are providing care with a qualified staff person.
• Adults living in a Type II center. Background check results and negative tuberculin results or a health professional's statement stay on file for each adult residing in the center, and a new adult who moves in completes both within 30 calendar days.

Each center must have two qualified substitutes available if needed for a Type I center, or one for a Type II center. Training compliance is verified through the Cabinet's training database, ECE-TRIS. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 11 and KRS 199.896(15) and (16). State law also requires a one-hour training on preventing pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances once every three years, counted within the annual hours.

Staff-to-child ratios and group sizes

Centers must maintain these ratios and group sizes. The age of the youngest child in a group sets its ratio and group size. Group size limits apply only to Type I centers, and each Type I group must have its own defined area and assigned staff. Source: 922 KAR 2:120, Section 2.

Facility, safety, and program requirements

• Local zoning compliance, State Fire Marshal approval, and an approved water and sewage system are required, and the Cabinet calculates and approves the final capacity. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6 and 922 KAR 2:120, Section 4.
• Centers need at least 35 square feet of indoor space per child, not counting the kitchen, bathroom, hallways, and storage, and at least 60 square feet of outdoor play space per child. The outdoor area must be fenced, except for an after-school program on the grounds of a public or state-accredited nonpublic school.
• Indoor temperatures stay between 65 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit, a working carbon monoxide detector is required in a center in a home that uses fuel-burning appliances or has an attached garage, and a working telephone with posted emergency numbers must be accessible to children's rooms.
• A written daily program must be posted for each age group and offer a variety of creative activities, including art or music, dramatic play, books, science or nature, and indoor and outdoor play, with a balance of active and quiet play. Screen time is prohibited for children under 24 months and limited to 30 minutes in a half-day program or 60 minutes in a full-day program. Source: 922 KAR 2:120, Section 2.
• Corporal physical discipline is prohibited. Children also cannot be subjected to loud, profane, threatening, frightening, humiliating, or abusive language, or to discipline tied to rest, toileting, play time, or food. Source: 922 KAR 2:120, Section 2 and KRS 199.896(18).
• Smoking and vaping are allowed only in designated outside areas and never in the presence of a child. Toxic cleaning supplies, poisons, insecticides, matches, lighters, flammable liquids, and staff members' personal belongings and medications must be inaccessible to children, and firearms and ammunition are stored separately in a locked area outside the child care area. A staff person suspected of having a communicable disease cannot perform duties that could transmit it. Source: 922 KAR 2:120, Section 3.
• Centers need written proof of liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6.
• Centers must keep a written evacuation plan, hold monthly fire drills and quarterly earthquake and tornado drills, and keep children's records, attendance, and staff files for five years. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Sections 5 and 9.

Certified family child care homes

A certified family child care home follows 922 KAR 2:100 and displays its certificate of operation in a prominent place within the residence where care is provided. Source: 922 KAR 2:100 and KRS 199.8982.

Provider qualifications

• Provider. At least 18 years old, with a high school diploma, GED, or Commonwealth Child Care Credential, and not employed outside the home during regular hours of operation.
• Provider certifications. Current infant, child, and adult CPR and first aid certification from a Cabinet-approved agency.
• Provider health. A physician's statement that the provider's health is satisfactory and that the provider is free of active tuberculosis.
• Provider training. Six hours of Cabinet-approved orientation within three months of submitting the application, three hours of training in the first year, and nine hours each year after that between July 1 and June 30, including 1.5 hours of pediatric abusive head trauma training once every five years and a one-hour training on preventing pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances once every three years.
• Assistant. At least 18 years old, supervised by the provider, certified in infant, child, and adult CPR and first aid before being left alone with children, and completing the same orientation and training timeline.
• Household adults and assistants. Adults who live in the home and are present during care or have unsupervised contact with children, and any assistants, complete background checks and show they are free of active tuberculosis. A new adult who moves in has 30 calendar days to complete both.

A provider must have an assistant present if caring for more than four infants, or more than six children under age six, including the provider's own and related children. Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Sections 2 and 10.

Home and safety requirements

• Indoor space includes at least 35 square feet per child for play, not counting the bathroom and storage areas.
• Each floor used for child care has an unblocked exit, a smoke detector, and a maintained fire extinguisher, and the home has a carbon monoxide detector if it uses fuel-burning appliances or has an attached garage.
• Areas accessible to children are free from harmful items, firearms and ammunition are locked in separate containers, and alcohol is out of reach and sight and is not consumed on the premises during hours of operation.
• Smoking and vaping are not allowed in the presence of children, and each level used for child care has a working telephone and posted emergency numbers.
• The home is clean, uncluttered, and free of insects and rodents, and it has a potable water supply from an approved public water source. Fire drills happen at least monthly, and earthquake, tornado, shelter-in-place, and lockdown drills happen at least quarterly. All are documented.

Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Sections 10 and 12.

Care, records, and reporting

• Offer a daily planned program of developmentally appropriate activities that parents can request to see. Limit television and video to two hours a day within the planned activities.
• Put infants to sleep on their backs, unless a health professional signs a waiver, in an individual non-tiered crib with no loose bedding. Release a child only to the parent, a person the parent designates in writing, or, in an emergency, a person the parent designates by phone.
• Allow animals around children only with adult supervision, written parent consent, and proof of a rabies vaccination.
• Keep an enrollment record, immunization certificate, and daily attendance record for each child, and keep all records for five years. Keep a written child care agreement with each parent, and let parents, the Cabinet, and other regulators in at any time a child is in care.
• Report a communicable disease, an injury needing medical care, a fire or other emergency, a legal action, or an accepted child abuse report naming you, an assistant, or a household member within 24 hours, and report a child's death within one hour.
• If you move, give 10 calendar days' notice, submit a new OIG-DRCC-03, and pass an inspection of the new home.

Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Sections 2, 13, 17, 19, and 20. The Family Child Care Network (FCCN) of Kentucky has specialists across the state who help people open and maintain certified family child care homes and Type II centers.

Registered relative providers

A registered relative provider is at least 18 years old, related to a child receiving CCAP, and does not live in the same residence as the child in care. The provider cannot hold a Type I or Type II license or a family child care home certificate. Providers also complete background checks and Cabinet-approved training, covered in the registration steps below. Source: 922 KAR 2:180.

How much does a daycare license cost in Kentucky?

Kentucky charges small application and renewal fees. DRCC lists a $50 initial fee and a $25 annual renewal fee for licensed centers, and a $10 certification fee with a $10 renewal fee every two years for certified family child care homes. Source: DRCC and 922 KAR 2:090, Section 7.

Center fees are payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer by cashier's check, certified check, business check, or money order and attached to the application. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 7. The regulation also allows the Cabinet to charge a fee of up to $30 for the National Background Check Program and requires a provider to pay for fingerprint checks, but the Cabinet absorbs fees when funds are available, and DCC does not currently charge a fee for in-state checks. Source: DCC National Background Check Program and 922 KAR 2:280.

How do I apply for a childcare license in Kentucky?

Apply for a Type I or Type II center license

• Meet with a Child Care Aware health and safety coach. Child Care Aware of Kentucky offers free coaching for new providers, including a walkthrough of your proposed center and help collecting documents. A Getting Started meeting is recommended but not required. Source: DCC Licensed Provider.
• Get zoning and fire marshal approval. Request written zoning approval from your local authority and approval from the Office of the State Fire Marshal or its designee. Both must be dated within six months of your application, and the fire marshal approval must list your occupancy load and whether nighttime care is approved. Source: DRCC initial application instructions and 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6.
• Complete background checks. You, your director, every employee present while children are in care, and any household adults for a center in your home need background checks through KARES. You need a KYID account and a KARES account, which you request by emailing the Division of Child Care help desk at CHFSDCCNBCP@ky.gov. Staff schedule fingerprinting through IdentoGo within 30 days, and DCC makes an eligibility decision within 30 days of receiving the application and fingerprint results. Anyone who lived out of state in the past five years needs additional checks, and extra fees can apply. Source: DCC National Background Check Program and 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6.
• Prepare an evacuation plan. A center must have a written evacuation plan for fire, natural disaster, or other threatening situations. The Cabinet posts a free template on its Child Care Emergencies and Disaster Preparedness page. The plan must include a relocation site and evacuation route, how you notify parents and reunite families, how you meet the needs of individual children, staff training or reassigned duties, coordination with local emergency management officials, and a program to keep staff familiar with the plan. Source: KRS 199.895 and 922 KAR 2:090, Section 5.
• Gather your director documents. Include education records, proof of previous paid experience, training verification through ECE-TRIS, completed background check findings, and tuberculosis results. A director who lived outside Kentucky in the past five years also submits a state criminal records check, a state sexual abuse registry check, and a state child abuse and neglect check for each state where the director lived. If you are a corporation or limited liability company, include a current certificate of existence or authorization from the Secretary of State, and use the same daycare name that is on file with the Secretary of State. Source: DRCC initial application instructions and 922 KAR 2:090, Section 4.
• Submit the application. Mail the completed OIG-DRCC-01 Initial Child-Care Center License Application, the $50 fee, and your documents to the Office of Inspector General, Division of Regulated Child Care, 275 E. Main Street, 5 E-F, Frankfort, KY 40621. Submit only when you are ready for an inspection. If your center has a food service permit, list the permit number on the application. For questions, call DRCC at 502-564-7962. Source: DRCC initial application instructions and DCC Child Care Emergencies and Disaster Preparedness.
• Pass the inspection and start on a preliminary license. Approval of an initial application results in a preliminary license for a probationary period of up to six months. During that period, the Cabinet or its designee provides at least two support contacts a week, and DRCC issues a violation only if one is knowingly committed after clear instructions or poses an immediate threat to children. After probation, the Cabinet approves a regular license if you meet the requirements. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Sections 4 and 6 and KRS 199.896(27).

A license cannot be sold or transferred, and a center cannot begin operating without a preliminary license. A change of ownership requires a new application. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6 and DRCC.

If you previously owned a program whose license, certification, or registration was denied or revoked, the Cabinet can grant you a license only after seven years have passed and you have completed 60 hours of Cabinet-approved training in child development and child care practice. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Sections 6 and 17.

Apply for family child care home certification

• Consider contacting an FCCN specialist. Meeting with a family child care specialist is not required but is highly recommended. Call (800) 621-5908 or email FCCN. Source: DCC Certified Family Child Care Home.
• Buy liability insurance. Obtain commercial liability insurance of at least $50,000 per occurrence within 90 days of starting the application process. Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Section 2.
• Collect your documents. Gather proof of age by photo ID or birth certificate, written zoning documentation from your local authority, two written character references, a physician's statement of good health that includes tuberculosis screening, background checks and tuberculosis results for you and every adult 18 or older in the home, including any assistants or substitutes, and your CPR and first aid certifications. Your high school diploma or GED goes in the packet too, and if you rent, your landlord completes the permission section of the application. You also need a written evacuation plan, which you update by December 31 each year. Local governments cannot add their own certification, licensure, or training requirements for family child care homes, but general local zoning rules still apply. Source: DCC Certified Family Child Care Home, OIG-DRCC-03 application, 922 KAR 2:100, Section 2, KRS 199.895, and KRS 199.8982.
• Submit your application. Within 90 days of starting the process, mail the OIG-DRCC-03 Initial Certification Application for Family Child-Care Home, a $10 nonrefundable certification fee, and your documents to the Office of Inspector General, Division of Regulated Child Care, 275 E. Main Street, 5 E-F, Frankfort, KY 40621. Source: DCC Certified Family Child Care Home.
• Complete orientation. Within three months of submitting the application, finish six hours of Cabinet-approved orientation on health, safety, and sanitation, recognizing and reporting child abuse, and developmentally appropriate practice, and develop a written plan for the training you must complete in your first year. Find approved training on the Division of Child Care Professional Development page and through Child Care Aware of Kentucky, which offers the online six-hour orientation. Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Section 2.
• Complete the unannounced inspection. After DRCC receives the application and fee, it reviews the application and inspects your home without notice, including your evacuation plan. If you meet the requirements, you receive your certificate. Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Section 2.

Register as a relative provider

• Confirm you qualify. You must be a relative of a child who receives CCAP and be at least 18. Source: 922 KAR 2:180.
• Complete a background check. Submit a KARES background check form with your application. If you provide care in your home, include one for every adult 18 or older in the household. Applications without completed checks are not accepted, and KARES results are good for five years. Source: DCC Registered Relative Provider and enrollment checklist.
• Start your application. Email the DCC-95 application for care in your home or the DCC-96 application for care in the child's home, with your KARES results, to the Division of Child Care. Questions? Call 844-209-2657 or email RegisteredPABox@ky.gov. Source: DCC Registered Relative Provider and enrollment checklist.
• Submit your remaining documents within 30 days. Email the Relative Self-Attestation Form, a copy of your photo ID or birth certificate, a copy of your Social Security card, the DCC-94A provider information form, a W-9, and your certificate for the Cabinet-approved billing training, Provider CCAP Billing Basics. Source: enrollment checklist and 922 KAR 2:180, Section 2.
• Finish training within 90 days. Complete training on recognizing child abuse and neglect, including 1.5 hours on pediatric abusive head trauma, and certified age-appropriate CPR and first aid. The Cabinet approves, denies, or withdraws your application within 30 days. If your registration is approved, it lasts one year. Source: 922 KAR 2:180, Sections 2 to 4.

To renew a registration, complete the same background and CPR requirements, finish billing training, and complete 1.5 hours of pediatric abusive head trauma training once every five years. Source: 922 KAR 2:180, Section 7.

Getting your childcare license is just the beginning. Launching your program takes planning, tools, and reliable support. That’s why brightwheel offers a dedicated New Program Experience designed to guide you every step of the way. With our all-in-one platform, you can simplify enrollment, set up billing plans, and stay on track for a smooth, successful opening.

How do I stay compliant with my Kentucky daycare license?

Inspections

DRCC inspects Type I centers, Type II centers, and certified family child care homes every year. State law says inspections of licensed centers and certified homes are unannounced, but DCC's provider page lists initial inspections and inspections for a change of location as announced, so confirm with DRCC what to expect for your first visit. DRCC is moving its inspection program to a system called SansWrite beginning in late September 2026, which lets providers review findings and submit plans of correction electronically. Source: DCC Child Care Provider Information, KRS 199.896(14), and KRS 199.8982. Parents of enrolled children also have unannounced access to a center during operating hours. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6.

Licensed Type I and Type II centers

A regular center license expires one year from its effective date. To renew, submit the OIG-DRCC-06 Child-Care Center License Renewal Form one month before the anniversary of the effective date, pay the $25 nonrefundable renewal fee, and continue to meet the licensing requirements. A license that expires lapses and cannot be appealed. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 14.

Centers must also:

• Keep local zoning documentation and State Fire Marshal approval current. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6.
• Update the evacuation plan by December 31 each year, give a copy to each parent at enrollment and whenever the plan changes, and send an updated copy to local emergency management officials. Source: KRS 199.895.
• Post the license, each statement of deficiency and civil penalty notice from the current licensure year, each plan of correction, the daily program, current rates, and the ratios and group sizes. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 8.
• Report a communicable disease, an injury needing medical care, a fire or other emergency, or a legal action within 24 hours, report a child's death within one hour, and report a change of director within one week. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 13.
• Get written Cabinet approval before a change of ownership, location, capacity, hours, or services. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 13.
• Submit a written corrective action plan within 15 calendar days of a statement of deficiency, and correct any violation that poses an immediate threat within five working days. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 15.

Certified family child care homes

A certificate expires two years after it is issued. To renew, submit the renewal form (OIG-DRCC-04) one month before expiration, a $10 nonrefundable renewal fee, a physician's statement, and proof that you continue to meet the requirements. The Cabinet inspects the home without notice and approves the renewal within 15 calendar days of receiving the form if the requirements are met. DRCC also conducts an annual unannounced inspection. Complete nine hours of training each year between July 1 and June 30. Source: 922 KAR 2:100, Sections 3 and 10.

Registered relative providers

Registered relative providers keep attendance records for five years and report address, name, telephone, household, or location changes within 10 calendar days. DRCC does not inspect them. Source: 922 KAR 2:180, Section 5 and DCC Child Care Provider Information.

Penalties for operating without a license

A center that operates without a license is subject to legal action, and the Cabinet can seek a court order, injunctive proceedings, or an end to child care subsidy payments. Source: 922 KAR 2:090, Section 6 and KRS 199.896(9).

The Cabinet can also deny, suspend, or revoke a license or certificate. A center has 20 days from an adverse action or civil penalty to appeal, and a certified home has 20 calendar days from the notice to request an appeal on form OIG-DRCC-05. Grounds for revoking a center license can include blocking an inspector or parent from entering, knowingly submitting false information, or more than two directed plans of correction in three years. Source: KRS 199.896(7) and (28) and 922 KAR 2:100, Section 9.

What financial resources are available for Kentucky childcare providers?

Grants are financial awards from government agencies or private foundations that do not need to be repaid, and they can fund facility improvements, equipment, or staff training. Review current grants for childcare providers in Kentucky to find options that fit your program.

Registered, certified, and licensed providers can receive CCAP payments for eligible families, and the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program reimburses meals and snacks for licensed, registered, or approved family child care homes. Source: DCC Child Care Provider Information and DCC Licensed Provider.

Kentucky All STARS is the state's five-star quality rating and improvement system, and one-star providers meet state licensing requirements. Licensed Type I and Type II centers and certified family child care homes are enrolled automatically at Level 1, and programs on a preliminary license can participate only at Level 1. Source: DCC Kentucky All STARS Provider Information.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services also provides brightwheel childcare management software to all licensed and certified child care programs for free. Source: DCC Child Care Provider Information.

Whether you open a center or a home-based program, a clear business plan and the right childcare management software help you open on time and run smoothly. See brightwheel's Kentucky childcare licensing requirements, including pages for centers and family child care homes, and compare other states in our childcare licensing requirements resource. When you are ready to launch, explore brightwheel's new childcare programs offering, which supports new programs from before opening day.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a license to start a daycare in Kentucky?

Yes, for a center that cares for four or more children in a nonresidential setting (Type I) or seven to 12 children in your home (Type II). If you care for four to six unrelated children in your home, state law requires certification as a family child care home. The Division of Regulated Child Care does not regulate providers who care for three or fewer unrelated children.

How much does a Kentucky daycare license cost?

A Type I or Type II center license costs $50 to apply and $25 a year to renew. A certified family child care home pays $10 to apply and $10 to renew every two years. Center licensees also need at least $100,000 of liability insurance per occurrence, and family homes need at least $50,000. The Division of Child Care does not currently charge a fee for in-state background checks.

What are the staff-to-child ratios for a Kentucky child care center?

Kentucky requires one staff member for every five infants under 12 months, one for six at 12 to 24 months, one for 10 at 24 to 36 months, one for 12 at ages 3 to 4, one for 14 at ages 4 to 5, and one for 15 at ages 5 to 7. School-age children 7 and older need one staff member for every 25 before and after school, or one for every 20 in a full day. The youngest child sets a mixed-age group's ratio.

Can I run a home daycare in Kentucky?

Yes. A certified family child care home can care for up to six unrelated children plus four related children, 10 in all, and must be your primary residence. You must be at least 18, have a high school diploma, GED, or Commonwealth Child Care Credential, hold CPR and first aid certification, and complete training each year. You need an assistant if you care for more than four infants or six children under age six.

What background checks are required for Kentucky child care staff?

Kentucky requires all child care staff to complete a background check through the Kentucky Applicant Registry and Employment Screening (KARES) system. It includes state and national sex offender registry checks, a child abuse and neglect registry check, and fingerprinting through IdentoGo. Family child care home providers also submit checks for every household member who is 18 or older.

How long does a Kentucky daycare license last?

A Type I or Type II center license expires one year after its effective date, and you renew it each year for $25. A new center first receives a preliminary license for up to six months. A certified family child care home certificate lasts two years, and you renew it for $10.

Final thoughts

Securing a childcare license is a critical first step in launching a program in Kentucky. Designed with new childcare programs in mind, brightwheel's software streamlines operations, improves communication, and supports your program's growth from day one, and you can begin setting it up before you open.