How to Start a Daycare in Utah

Starting a childcare business takes time and effort, but it also allows you to help the children in your community learn and grow. Before opening a daycare, you need to consider the type of program you would like to start. 

Follow this guide to learn more about Utah's childcare licensing requirements including how to navigate the application process and how to remain compliant with state regulations.

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Do I need a childcare license in Utah?

Before starting a daycare center, you will need to determine if your program needs a license. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services requires licensing for both home-based and center-based childcare programs.

Home-based programs

Home-based childcare programs are in the provider’s home:

• Licensed family childcare providers: Provide care for up to 16 children, including their own children, under the age of four. They may also care for up to three additional school-aged children beyond their license's capacity.
• Residential certified childcare providers: Provide care for up to eight children, including their own children, under the age of four. They may also care for up to two additional school-aged children beyond their license's capacity.

Center-based programs

Center-based childcare programs are in a commercial setting:

• Licensed childcare centers: Provide care for children from birth up to age 12 and for children ages 13 to 17 who have a disability. Licensed childcare centers provide care for less than 24 hours a day on an ongoing basis for four or more weeks in a year.
• Licensed commercial preschool programs: Provide care for children ages two to five years old. Preschools provide care for each individual child for less than four hours per day on an ongoing basis for more than two days a week and for four or more weeks in a year.
• Licensed hourly centers: Provide care for children from birth up to age 12 and for children 13 to 17 who have a disability. The children at hourly centers do not have regular schedules of care and are cared for on a drop-in basis.

Licensing exemptions

Certain types of childcare facilities don't require a childcare license or certificate from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. These facilities must meet application and public notice requirements.

Childcare licensing requirements in Utah

Daycare facilities in Utah must satisfy the Department of Health and Human Services' licensing requirements to receive a daycare license.

Licensed family childcare provider

There are specific licensing requirements that all licensed family childcare providers must follow before obtaining a license.

Provider requirements

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must pass a Utah Child Care Licensing (CCL) background check
• The provider must be present at the facility at least 50% of the time each week the program is open for business. If the provider is not present, the provider must ensure that there’s at least one staff member who is 18 years old or older present at the facility when there’s a child in care
• An unaltered family childcare license must be posted on the facility premises. The license must be readily visible and accessible to the public during business hours
• The provider must complete the Utah Department of Human Services’ free new provider training and at least 20 hours of childcare training per year
• The provider must ensure that at least one staff member who has a current Red Cross, American Heart Association, or equivalent pediatric first aid and CPR certification is present at the facility when children are being cared for, in each vehicle transporting children, and at each offsite activity

Caregiver qualifications

• To be eligible to be a caregiver at a licensed family childcare facility, you must be at least 16 years old. You must pass a CCL background check and receive at least two-and-a-half hours of preservice training before caring for children
• If you are younger than 18 years old, you cannot have any unsupervised contact with any child in your care, including during off-site activities and transportation
• A caregiver must complete at least 20 hours of childcare training each year. You must also complete pre-service training and annual health and safety training. At least half of the required annual training must be interactive

Staff-to-child ratios

• Licensed family childcare providers must maintain ratios of at least one caregiver for up to eight children in care and two caregivers for nine to 16 children in care
• Licensed family childcare providers must maintain a maximum group size of 12 children when there is one caregiver present and a maximum group size of 24 children when there are two caregivers present
• Licensed family childcare providers may include staff members’ children who are 4 years old or older in the group size when the child's family member is working at the facility and in the staff-to-child ratio when the child's family member is not working at the facility

Residential certified childcare provider 

There are specific licensing requirements that all residential certified childcare providers must follow before obtaining a license.

Provider requirements

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must pass a Utah Child Care Licensing (CCL) background check
• A residential certified childcare provider must be present at the home at least 50% of the time each week the program is open for business. If the provider is not present, the provider must ensure that there’s at least one staff member who is 18 years old or older present at the facility when there’s a child in care
• An unaltered family childcare license must be posted on the facility premises. The license must be readily visible and accessible to the public during business hours
• The provider must complete the Utah Department of Human Services’ free new provider training and at least 10 hours of childcare training per year
• A licensed family childcare provider must ensure that at least one staff member who has a current Red Cross, American Heart Association, or equivalent pediatric first aid and CPR certification is present at the facility when children are being cared for, in each vehicle transporting children, and at each offsite activity

Caregiver qualifications

• To be eligible to be a caregiver at a residential certified childcare facility, you must be at least 16 years old and complete a CCL background check before becoming involved with child care
• A caregiver must complete at least 10 hours of childcare training each year. At least half of the required annual training must be interactive

Staff-to-child ratios

• Residential certified childcare providers must maintain a ratio of at least one caregiver for up to eight children
• Providers must ensure that there are no more than two children younger than 2 years old in their care, including the provider's and employee's own children

Licensed childcare center

There are specific licensing requirements that all licensed childcare centers must follow before obtaining a license.

Provider requirements

• Must be at least 21 years old
• Must pass a Utah Child Care Licensing (CCL) background check
• Must complete the new provider training offered by the Department of Health and Human Services
• The provider at a licensed childcare center must post a current copy of the Department of Health and Human Services' Parent Guide at the facility for families to review during business hours

Director qualifications

• A director at a licensed childcare center must be at least 21 years old and complete a CCL background check before caring for children
• A director must be on duty at the facility for at least 20 hours a week during operating hours and have sufficient freedom from other responsibilities to manage the center and respond to emergencies
• A director must also complete new director training and at least two and a half hours of pre-service training before beginning job duties
• Must complete at least 20 hours of childcare training each year
• A director must also meet one of the following educational qualifications:
  • Any bachelor’s or higher education degree and at least 60 clock hours of approved Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder courses in child development, social and emotional development, and the childcare environment, or 60 clock hours of equivalent training approved by the department
  • At least 12 college credit hours of child development courses
  • A current valid national certification such as a Certified Childcare Professional (CCP) issued by the National Child Care Association, or a Child Development Associate (CDA) issued by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition
  • At least a Level 9 from the Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder system or a National Administrator Credential (NAC) and at least 60 clock hours of approved Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder courses in child development, social and emotional development, and the childcare environment, or 60 clock hours of equivalent training approved by the department

Caregiver qualifications

• To become a caregiver at a licensed childcare center, you must be at least 16 years old and complete a CCL background check and preservice training before caring for children
• A caregiver must complete at least 20 hours of childcare training each year

Staff-to-child ratios

Licensed childcare centers must maintain the appropriate staff-to-child ratios and group sizes at all times.

For single-age groups of children, the provider must maintain the following ratios and group sizes: 

• The group has eight or fewer children
• There are no more than three children younger than two years old in the group
• There are at least two caregivers with the group if more than two children younger than 18 months are present and the group has more than four children

• There must be at least one caregiver for up to seven children and at least two caregivers for eight and up to 14 children in the group

• The group has eight or fewer children
• There are no more than three older toddlers in the group
• There are at least two caregivers with the group if more than three younger toddlers are present and the group has more than five children

• The caregiver-to-child ratio is determined by the age of the oldest child in the group, minus one child of that age group
• The maximum group size is determined by the age of the oldest child in the group, minus two children of that same age group

Licensed commercial preschool program

There are specific licensing requirements that all licensed commercial preschool programs must follow before obtaining a license.

Provider requirements

• Must be at least 21 years old
• Must pass a Utah Child Care Licensing (CCL) background check before working with children
• Must complete the new provider training offered by the department
• Must post their unaltered childcare license on the facility premise in a place readily visible to the public
• Must post a current copy of the department’s' parent guide at the facility for families to review during business hours

Director qualifications

• A preschool program must have a qualified director that is at least 21 years old and completes a CCL background check and at least two and a half hours of pre-service training before caring for children
• A director must also complete new director training offered by the department within 60 working days of starting the position
• Must complete at least 10 hours of childcare training each year
• The director must be on duty at the facility for at least 50% of the time every week the program is open
• A director must also meet one of the following educational qualifications:
  • Any bachelor’s or higher education degree
  • At least 60 clock hours of approved Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder courses in child development, social and emotional development, and the childcare environment, or 60 clock hours of equivalent training approved by the department
  • At least 12 college credit hours of child development courses
  • A current valid national certification such as a Certified Childcare Professional (CCP) issued by the National Child Care Association, or a Child Development Associate (CDA) issued by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition
  • At least a Level 9 from the Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder system or proof of at least five years of early education teaching experience

Caregiver qualifications

• Caregivers must be at least 16 years old and complete a CCL background check and at least two and a half hours of preservice training before caring for children
• A caregiver must complete at least 10 hours of childcare training each year

Staff-to-child ratios

Licensed commercial preschool programs must maintain staff-to-child ratios and group sizes. 

For single-age groups of children, the provider must maintain the following ratios and group sizes:

For mixed-age groups of children, the provider must maintain the following ratios and group sizes:

Two to five year olds

Maximum total of children in the room: 11

Three to five year olds

Maximum total of children in the room: 16

Four to five year olds

Maximum total of children in the room: 18

Licensed hourly center

To open a licensed hourly childcare center, you must satisfy specific licensing requirements.

Provider qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old
• Must pass a Utah Child Care Licensing (CCL) background check
• Must complete new provider training before caring for children

Director qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old and complete a CCL background check before caring for children
• Must also complete new director training offered by the department and at least 2 and a half hours of pre-service training before beginning job duties
• Must complete at least 10 hours of childcare training each year
• A director must also meet one of the following educational qualifications:
  • Any bachelor’s or higher education degree and at least 60 clock hours of approved Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder courses in child development, social and emotional development, and the childcare environment, or 60 clock hours of equivalent training approved by the department
  • At least 12 college credit hours of child development courses
  • A current valid national certification such as a Certified Childcare Professional (CCP) issued by the National Child Care Association, or a Child Development Associate (CDA) issued by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition
  • At least a Level 9 from the Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder system or a National Administrator Credential (NAC) and at least 60 clock hours of approved Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder courses in child development, social and emotional development, and the childcare environment, or 60 clock hours of equivalent training approved by the department

Caregiver qualifications

• To become a caregiver at a licensed hourly childcare center, you must be at least 16 years old
• A caregiver must complete a CCL background check and preservice training before caring for children
• A caregiver must complete at least 10 hours of childcare training each year

Staff-to-child ratios

Licensed hourly childcare centers must maintain staff-to-child ratios and group sizes. For any group of children, the provider must maintain the following ratios and group sizes:

The provider must ensure there are at least two caregivers with a mixed-age group if:

• There are more than 6 children in the facility

• There are more than two infants or toddlers included in the mixed-age group and the group has more than six children total

When caring for children younger than two years old, the provider must ensure that:

• There are no more than four children with one caregiver

• Children are cared for in an area that is physically separated from older children

Once you have decided which type of program you want to operate, you should consider choosing a name for your daycare, developing your business plan, and creating a marketing plan.

Childcare license application in Utah

Follow these steps to apply for a license for your daycare program.

Step 1: Read the licensing rules

Familiarize yourself with the specific licensing rules and requirements for the childcare program you are applying for.

Step 2: Complete new provider training

This free two hour online training course will give you a brief overview of licensing.

Step 3: Submit an application

Complete a childcare licensing application and submit a copy of your current city business license, current fire inspection, and current kitchen inspection. If you are applying for a licensed center, commercial preschool program, or hourly center, you will also need to submit a copy of your director’s educational credentials and a copy of your facility floor plans.

You will receive an email after the department receives your application to notify you if any documents are missing.

Step 4: Create a Utahid login

After submitting your application, create a UtahID account to log in to your childcare licensing portal.

Step 5: Submit a background check

After creating your online account, you will be able to submit an online background check and fingerprinting form. All individuals including owners, directors, employees, caregivers, assistant caregivers, volunteers, and anyone 12 or older who lives at the facility must complete a background form online.

Step 6: Pay all fees and submit all required paperwork

You are required to pay a license fee and submit all required paperwork, including a W-9 through the CCL portal. License fees may vary per license type. 

Step 7: Complete an onsite inspection

Once all documents are received, a licensor will contact you to schedule an onsite inspection. At the inspection, the licensor will assess compliance with all licensing rules, measure your facility, and determine the total capacity of your facility. All items must be in compliance before a license can be issued.

After you have received your license or certification and you are ready to enroll children in your daycare center, you can use administrative software such as brightwheel's center management tool to manage your enrollment process, simplify administrative tasks, and maintain important records and reports.

How to stay compliant with a daycare license in Utah

Follow these guidelines to keep your daycare in compliance with Utah's laws and regulations.

License renewal

The Department of Health and Human Services requires that childcare providers renew their license or certification 30 to 90 days before the current license or certification expires. An online renewal request, a $62 renewal fee, and a copy of a current business license are required to renew a childcare license or certification.

Inspection

A provider must pass an annual inspection by the local fire authority to renew their childcare license. The inspection verifies that childcare facilities are compliant with state regulations.

Funding resources for your childcare business

As you go through the licensing process, you may come across grants or other funding resources that can help fund your childcare business. A grant is an often overlooked financial resource given by a government agency or private foundation that does not need to be repaid. This makes them an attractive funding option if you are looking to expand or enhance the quality and accessibility of your program.

Grants provide funding that can be used towards a variety of purposes, such as improving facilities, purchasing new equipment or materials, or offering professional development opportunities for staff. The available resources vary by state so it is crucial to research and understand the grants for childcare providers in Utah to make informed decisions about which ones to apply for.

Final thoughts

Licensing your daycare facility can be a long process, but it provides important benefits and protections for your childcare business. Owning a licensed daycare facility shows the Utah Department of Health and Human Services and families in your community that you're a trustworthy childcare provider who is committed to providing safe, high-quality child care to the children in your state.