How to Start a Daycare in Michigan

Michigan daycare licensing at a glance

Sources: MiLEAP licensing rules for family and group child care homes, MiLEAP licensing rules for child care centers, MiLEAP home application page, and MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.

Do I need a childcare license in Michigan?

Yes, in most cases. The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) licenses child care centers, family child care homes, and group child care homes. MiLEAP's Child Care Licensing Bureau took over this work from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Source: Michigan Compiled Laws, Section 722.111 and MiLEAP Child Care Licensing.

What are the child care license types in Michigan?

• Child care center. A facility, other than a private residence, that receives one or more children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day when parents are not immediately available. It includes a facility that provides care for at least two consecutive weeks, regardless of the hours of care per day, and programs commonly called day care centers, nursery schools, parent cooperative preschools, and before- or after-school programs. Source: MCL 722.111(1)(i).
• Family child care home. A private home where you live and care for 1 but fewer than 7 children for compensation, not counting children related to an adult member of the household. A home that cares for an unrelated child for more than four weeks during a calendar year also counts. Source: MCL 722.111(1)(v).
• Group child care home. A private home where you care for more than 6 but not more than 12 children, with the same exceptions for related children. Source: MCL 722.111(1)(v).

The rules also recognize early childhood centers, small capacity centers (20 or fewer children), school-age centers, and outdoor nature-based child care centers within the center license. Source: MiLEAP licensing rules for child care centers, R 400.8101 and R 400.8222.

Which programs do not need a center license?

Michigan's definition of a child care center excludes religious instruction classes that meet for no more than three hours a day, or no more than eight hours a day for up to four weeks in a 12-month period, and care provided for no more than three hours while parents attend religious services. It also excludes supervised, school-age-focused training in a specific subject such as dance or music, and club programs where school-age children can come and go at will. Babysitting for compensation of less than $600 a year does not make a home a family child care home. Source: MCL 722.111(1)(i) and (1)(v). If you are unsure whether your program needs a license, contact the MiLEAP Child Care Licensing Bureau.

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What are the childcare licensing requirements in Michigan?

Requirements for family and group child care homes

• Licensee qualifications. At least 18 years old with a high school diploma, GED, or approved training track through MiRegistry. The licensee permanently resides in the home as a member of the household. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1902.
• Certifications and training. Proof of pediatric first aid and pediatric, infant, child, and adult CPR certification, plus documented training in recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect and in preventing and controlling infectious disease. The licensee also completes the department's self-paced orientation. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1902.
• Indoor space. At least 35 square feet of safe, usable indoor floor space per child, not counting bathrooms and storage areas. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1909.
• Outdoor play area. A clean, safe, hazard-free outdoor play area on the premises or within reasonable walking distance, at least 400 square feet for a family home and 600 square feet for a group home. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1912.
• Household members. Everyone living in the home, including minors, must be suitable to meet children's needs. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1902.
• Background checks. All applicants, staff, assistants, unsupervised volunteers, and adult household members complete fingerprinting and a comprehensive background check through the Michigan child care background check portal. Source: MiLEAP home application page.
• Zoning and inspections. Group homes need zoning approval (form CCL-3748). Homes with a private well or septic system need an environmental health inspection at the provider's expense. Heating systems and fuel-fired water heaters need inspection within the past 12 months, and radon in the lowest level must not exceed 4 picocuries per liter. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Steps 2, 7, 9, and 10.

Capacity and ratios for homes

A family child care home cares for up to 6 unrelated children, and a group child care home for up to 12. After at least 29 consecutive months of licensed operation, a renewed regular license, and having cared for at least one unrelated child, a home may be approved for increased capacity of 7 and 14 children. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1925. The ratio is one staff member for every six children, counting unrelated children and any related child under school age. For each staff member, no more than 4 children can be under 24 months, and no more than 2 of those 4 can be under 12 months. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1927 and R 400.1928.

Requirements for child care centers

• Zoning. Before you apply, contact your local zoning authority to confirm a child care center is allowed at the site. A license is issued for a specific location and is not transferable. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Fire safety inspection. Required at original application and every four years at renewal. New construction or renovation may also need a Bureau of Fire Services plan review. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Environmental health inspection. Required at original application and in certain situations at renewal. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Lead inspection risk assessment. If the building was constructed before 1978, submit a lead inspection risk assessment report before the original provisional license is issued. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Playground inspection. A playground on the premises must comply with licensing rule R 400.8170(11), which is usually shown through a playground safety inspection. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Indoor space. At least 42 square feet per child for infants and toddlers, and 35 square feet per child for preschoolers, school-age children, and small capacity centers. Hallways, bathrooms, offices, kitchens, and storage areas do not count. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8121.
• Outdoor play area. A center open for three or more continuous hours a day needs an outdoor play area of at least 1,200 square feet and daily outdoor play when weather allows. The area needs a fence or natural barrier at least 48 inches high. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8125.
• Background checks. All applicants, staff, assistants, and unsupervised volunteers are fingerprinted and pass a comprehensive background check. Source: Michigan child care background check portal and MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.

Michigan child care center staff qualifications

• Program administrator. At least 21 years old with a high school diploma or GED, and at least 2 semester hours or 3.0 CEUs in child care administration within six months of hire. The program administrator also meets one qualification path. For an early childhood center, that path is a bachelor's degree or higher in a child-related field; or a CDA, Montessori, or infant family associate credential or an associate degree in a child-related field plus three months of experience; or an associate degree or higher in any field plus six months of experience and MiRegistry-approved training. The experience-based paths also require working in a center that participates in Great Start to Quality. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8204.
• Lead teacher. At least 19 years old with a high school diploma or GED, plus one qualification path: one year of experience with MiRegistry-approved training; six months of experience with 90 clock hours of coursework; or a CDA, Montessori, or infant family associate credential or any associate degree with MiRegistry-approved training. The experience-based paths also require working in a center that participates in Great Start to Quality. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8210.
• Infant and toddler lead teacher. Within six months of hire, completes 3 semester hours, 4.5 CEUs, or 45 hours of a MiRegistry-approved infant and toddler development and care track. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8210.
• Program staff orientation. Within 30 days of starting and before caring for children unsupervised, program staff complete training on topics including discipline policy, emergency procedures, diapering, health policies, and staff-to-child ratios. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8216.
• Health and safety training. Within 90 days, program staff complete training on medication administration, food and allergic reactions, building and premises safety, hazardous materials, child development, and pediatric first aid and CPR. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8216.

Michigan child care center staff-to-child ratios

Ratios and group sizes apply in each room or well-defined space, including children related to a staff member or the licensee. When children of mixed ages share a room, the youngest child sets the ratio and group size unless each age group is clearly separated and its own ratio is maintained. Children who are developmentally ready and have written parental permission may move up to the next classroom at 33, 45, or 57 months. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8222.

Small capacity centers follow separate rules: at least 1:6 with a maximum group size of 20, and no more than 4 children under 30 months per staff member. When all children in a room are asleep, one staff member can supervise if all children are visible, no other duties are performed, and additional staff are near enough to step in. See also brightwheel's guide to childcare ratios. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8222.

How do I apply for a childcare license in Michigan?

How do I apply for a child care center license in Michigan?

• Learn the rules. Read the licensing rules for child care centers and the Child Care Organizations Act before you submit an application. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Choose a site. Confirm local zoning, and consider fire, health, and lead requirements before you sign a lease, since repairs and fees can affect whether a location works. See our tips for marketing your child care business when comparing locations. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Meet with a licensing consultant. MiLEAP provides consultation and technical assistance to applicants at no charge. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Apply online and pay the fee. Create a MiLogin account at MiLogin, complete the application, and pay the non-refundable fee: $150 for 1 to 20 children, $200 for 21 to 50, $250 for 51 to 100, and $300 for 101 or more. Source: MiLEAP center application page and MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Complete your inspections. Arrange the fire safety, environmental health, playground, and, for buildings built before 1978, lead inspections. Other inspections may apply to boilers, furnaces, and fuel-fired water heaters. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Submit your documents and policies. These include the program administrator's qualifications, a staffing plan, a staff training plan, a program plan, an equipment list, a floor plan sketch, and policies for admission, fees, discipline, medication, illness exclusion, and parent notification. Emergency and evacuation plans are also required. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Complete fingerprinting and background checks. Use the Michigan child care background check portal for applicants, staff, and unsupervised volunteers. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Pass the on-site inspection. A licensing consultant visits the center at a time you schedule together and may take photos to document findings. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.
• Receive your license. When the department determines the center complies, it issues an original provisional license valid for six months. After a renewal inspection, a regular license is issued that must be renewed every two years. MiLEAP says the center licensing process takes 3 to 12 months on average. Michigan law requires MiLEAP to issue or deny a center, family home, or group home license within six months of a completed application, and if it misses that deadline, it returns your application fee and reduces your next renewal fee by 15 percent. Source: MCL 722.115m(7) and (9). If an application is denied, you may appeal. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.

How do I apply for a family or group child care home license in Michigan?

• Review the rules. Read the licensing rules for family and group child care homes and the Child Care Organizations Act before you apply. Expect the licensing process to take 3 to 6 months after you submit a complete application packet. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide to Child Care Home Licensure, revised 05/11/2026.
• Apply online and pay the fee. Submit your application in the Child Care Hub Information Records Portal (CCHIRP) with the non-refundable fee: $50 for a family home and $100 for a group home. The application lists the additional paperwork you complete in the next steps. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide to Child Care Home Licensure, Step 1.
• Get zoning approval if you are opening a group home. A Zoning Approval form (CCL-3748) is required for group child care homes only. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 2.
• Complete your medical clearance. You and your physician or the physician's designee complete a Medical Clearance Request (CCL-3704) about your mental and physical health. Staff members and assistants need one too. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 3.
• Finish required trainings. Complete infant safe sleep training before a license is issued, and complete the Health and Safety for Licensed Child Care Providers modules A, B, and C. Both are available through MiRegistry. Staff members and assistants complete the same trainings. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Steps 4 and 5.
• Get CPR and first aid certified. Pediatric infant, child, and adult CPR and first aid certification from a department-approved organization is required before a license is issued. Staff members and assistants need it within 90 days of hire. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 6.
• Get your heating system and water heater inspected. A fuel-fired furnace, wood stove or other permanent heating device, and a fuel-fired water heater need inspection and approval within the past 12 months. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 7.
• Complete fingerprinting and background checks. Applicants, staff members, assistants, unsupervised volunteers, and adult household members complete fingerprinting and a comprehensive background check. You receive instructions after your application and fee are submitted. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 8 and Michigan child care background check portal.
• Request an environmental health inspection if you have a well or septic system. Your local health authority conducts it at your expense, using the Environmental Health Inspection Request form (CCL-1787-CC). Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 9.
• Test for radon. Document that radon in the lowest level of your home does not exceed 4 picocuries per liter of air. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 10.
• Complete the self-paced orientation. After MiLEAP reviews and approves your documents, you receive a link to a self-paced licensing orientation. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 11.
• Prepare for and pass the on-site inspection. Your licensing consultant may ask for your emergency plans, discipline policy, and daily schedule, then inspects your home, reviews your paperwork, and discusses the terms of your license. If anything needs correcting, you and the consultant create a corrective action plan. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Steps 12 and 13.
• Receive your original license. A six-month original license is issued when you are in compliance. Before it expires, you receive a renewal application packet, submit it with the renewal fee, and pass another on-site inspection to receive a regular license valid for two years. Source: MiLEAP Resource Guide, Step 14.

How much does it cost to start a child care center in Michigan?

The non-refundable application fee is $150 to $300 based on capacity. Other costs depend on your building and may include fire safety, environmental health, furnace and water heater, playground, and lead inspections, plus fingerprinting. Employment, utilities, equipment, rent, and insurance are separate. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide, revised 05/11/2026.

Whether you open a center-based program or start a preschool at home, it is important to write a comprehensive child care business plan and use the best marketing strategies to attract new families. Once you are licensed, childcare management software can help you run your program. Compare other states in brightwheel's childcare licensing requirements by state.

How do I stay compliant with my Michigan daycare license?

Child care centers

• Stay within your license. The number and ages of children in care must never exceed what the center is licensed for. Get written approval from the department before adding space, changing age groups, changing capacity, or making changes that affect room capacity. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8222.
• Keep ratios. Maintain the staff-to-child ratios and group sizes in every room, including during outdoor play. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8222.
• Complete professional development. Program staff complete 16 clock hours each calendar year, or 10 hours in small capacity centers. Substitute teachers complete 5 to 10 hours depending on hours worked, and unsupervised volunteers complete 2. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8216a.
• Keep CPR and first aid current. At least 50 percent of program staff must hold current pediatric first aid and pediatric, child, and adult CPR certification before an original license is issued or renewed. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8216.
• Keep records current. Training and professional development verification is maintained at the center or central office, and after two years from the rule's effective date it is verified in MiRegistry. Source: MiLEAP center licensing rules, R 400.8216 and R 400.8216a.
• Expect inspections. A licensing consultant inspects licensed centers annually and when a complaint is received. Fire safety inspections are required every four years at renewal. Source: MiLEAP center step-by-step guide.

Family and group child care homes

• Be present and in compliance. The licensee must be present in the home daily during operation and provide direct care for most of the time children are in care, apart from limited vacation or personal leave. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1903.
• Complete professional development. The licensee completes 10 clock hours each calendar year, and other personnel complete 5. CPR and first aid hours count toward the total. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1924.
• Keep certifications current. Pediatric first aid and CPR certification must be maintained according to the expiration dates on the certification card. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1924.
• Follow capacity and ratios. Stay within the licensed capacity and the 1:6 ratio, including during transportation. Use our checklist for starting a childcare business to stay organized. Source: MiLEAP home licensing rules, R 400.1925 and R 400.1927.
• Renew on time. A regular license is valid for two years, and MiLEAP sends renewal materials before the original license expires. The renewal fee is $25 for a family home, $50 for a group home, and $75 to $150 for a center based on capacity, payable when you submit your renewal application. Source: MCL 722.115m(11) and (13). Source: MCL 722.111(1)(bb) and MiLEAP home application page.

What financial resources are available for Michigan childcare providers?

Yes. Grants are financial awards from government agencies or private foundations that do not need to be repaid. You can use them for facility updates, equipment, or staff training. Review the current grants for childcare providers in Michigan to find options that fit your program.

• Child Development and Care (CDC) scholarship. Once you are licensed, you can accept eligible families who receive CDC scholarships. Families select you as their provider on the Provider Verification form (DHS-4025) and submit it to MDHHS. You also need a SIGMA account to receive CDC payments. Source: MiLEAP home application page and MiLEAP Child Development and Care.
• Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). MiLEAP administers Michigan's state-funded preschool program. Learn more on the MiLEAP GSRP page.
• Small business loans. Consider loans from local banks or credit unions that support child care entrepreneurs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a childcare license and a preschool license in Michigan?

Michigan does not issue a separate preschool license. A child care center license covers programs commonly described as day care centers, nursery schools, parent cooperative preschools, and before- or after-school programs that serve children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day.

How long is a Michigan childcare license valid?

A new Michigan child care license starts as a six-month original license. After a renewal inspection shows you are still in compliance, MiLEAP issues a regular license that is valid for two years.

How much does a Michigan childcare license cost?

The non-refundable application fee is $50 for a family child care home and $100 for a group child care home. For a center, it is $150 to $300 based on capacity: $150 for 1 to 20 children, $200 for 21 to 50, $250 for 51 to 100, and $300 for 101 or more. Renewal fees are $25 for a family home, $50 for a group home, and $75 to $150 for a center.

How long does it take to get a childcare license in Michigan?

MiLEAP says the home licensing process takes 3 to 6 months after you submit a complete application packet, and MiLEAP says the center process takes 3 to 12 months on average. By law, MiLEAP must issue or deny a license within six months of a completed application. Timing depends on completing fire and health inspections and meeting the licensing rules.

Can I run a home daycare from a rental in Michigan?

Michigan's home rules require the licensee to permanently reside in the home, and the home must pass zoning and inspection requirements. Check your lease and local zoning before you apply, and ask your licensing consultant about space approved for child use.

What are the daycare ratios in Michigan?

Family and group child care homes follow a 1:6 ratio, with no more than 4 children under 24 months per staff member. Child care centers use age-based ratios, from 1:4 for children from birth to 30 months to 1:18 for school-age children.

Final thoughts

Securing a childcare license is a critical first step in launching a program in Michigan. 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.