Child Care Licensing

Requirements

Child Care Providers are required to be licensed by the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services if they provide day care services beyond what is allowed as a legally unlicensed child care provider. If interested in becoming a licensed day care provider please contact Nicollet County.

Rules & Regulations

Licensing rules are set forth in Minnesota Rules, Parts 9502.0300 - 9502.0445 ("Rule 2"), governing licensing of family child care and group family child care. The rules define minimum standards a provider must meet in order to be licensed. These standards relate to caregiver qualifications, caregiver training, license capacity, child / adult ratios, age distribution restrictions, behavior guidance, provider records, activities and equipment, safety of the physical environment, sanitation and health, and water, food, and nutrition. Licensing regulations can be found in statute under Minnesota Statutes sections 245A and 245C.

Each Minnesota county acts as a licensing agent for the State of Minnesota to ensure that licensed providers comply with licensing rules. Providers are generally granted a 1-year license when they start day care, and may be granted either a 1-year or a 2-year license thereafter. They are also responsible to investigate any complaints received about a licensed provider.