Child care programs are required to be licensed or registered in every state. Licensing procedures are designed to ensure that all child care programs meet minimal standards to protect the health and safety of young children. States monitor licensed and registered programs to ensure that they are meeting the standards set by the state legislature.
In most states, there are different rules, regulations and monitoring processes for child care centers and family child care homes. To learn more about general child care regulations, check out our articles on General Child Care Licensing Regulations.
Specific licensing regulations vary from state to state. To see the specific child care licensing regulations for your state, click the state name below.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Territories, Protectorates, and Reservations
