Starting a Licensed Child Care

image of tribal child care provider and children reading

Thank you for your interest in starting a licensed child care center – providing care to Wisconsin’s children is a valuable service to families and the community!

Take your time reading through our many resources and tips to help you with your decision to become a regulated child care provider. DCF is here to help you through your journey – every step of the way! And, we have partnered with teams across the state to help guide you.

Get connected with us early on in your journey to get help, resources, answers to your questions, and more!

For more information about starting a Certified Child Care Program, visit our Child Care Certification webpage.

What type of child care license should I obtain?

Family Child Care - DCF 250

A child care program that provides care and supervision for less than 24 hours a day for at least 4 and not more than 8 children who are not related to the provider.

Group Child Care - DCF 251

A child care program that provides care and supervision for less than 24 hours a day for 9 or more children who are not related to the provider.

Day Camps for Children - DCF 252

A child care program that provides care and supervision to 4 or more children 3 years of age and older in a seasonal program oriented to the out-of-doors for less than 24 hours a day.

Child Care Regulation Fees

See the Child Care Regulation Fees page for information regarding the different types of fees associated with child care licensing.

Get Connected and Submit your Expression of Interest

Submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) to get connected to a representative. You can submit your interest by setting up your account in the Child Care Provider Portal. The Expression of Interest form will collect basic information, like name, address, email, and what type of child are you are interested in starting. You will then be connected to your local pre-licensing or certification agency for support along your journey to becoming a regulated child care provider.

Expression of Interest (EOI) Information

Currently Certified Operators Interested in Obtaining a Family Child Care License

If you are an existing, currently certified family child care operator, and are interested in applying for a family child care license, do not submit an Expression of Interest using the Child Care Provider Portal. 

Existing certified operators may begin the licensing process by contacting the appropriate pre-licensing agency listed on the bottom of the Starting a Licensed Child Care webpage. 

If an existing/currently certified family child care operator submits an EOI for family child care licensing in error, this will create a new location number for your facility/program and have adverse consequences related to your YoungStar Quality Rating, Wisconsin Shares Authorizations, Child Care Counts and FIS/MyWIChildCare. If an EOI was submitted in error, please contact the regional licensing office for assistance.

Am I eligible to open or start a child care business?

Child Care Background Check Law
image of cartoon woman holding up index finger with fingerprint

The child care background check law, Wis. Stat. 48.686, prohibits licensure when a license applicant, household member, or employee has a conviction or pending charges for certain serious crimes or a substantiated finding of abuse or neglect.

Review the department’s resources for information about crimes and offenses that could impact your ability to obtain a license:

To find out if you or any adult who resides at your proposed child care center has anything in their record that could be a barrier to licensure, you may want to complete background checks in advance for yourself and each adult household resident. Several options for this include:

Delinquent Taxes or Unemployment Insurance Contributions

Wis. Stat. 48.715 (7) requires the department to deny an application for a child care license if the applicant is liable for delinquent taxes or for delinquent unemployment insurance contributions.
If you have been certified delinquent, contact:

Inquiry Packets

Once you have determined the type of center that you want to open, carefully read through all inquiry packet materials below related to obtaining this license. If you would prefer a printed version of the inquiry packet, please complete and submit the Ordering Information - Child Care Licensing Inquiry Packets form English (Información de pedidos: paquetes de información sobre el otorgamiento de licencias para el cuidado infantil (Spanish)). Contact your pre-licensing agency with any questions.

Family Child Care - DCF 250 Inquiry Packet Materials

After you have reviewed the information above and determined you would like to open a family child care center, please review the procedure document below in its entirety before you begin the pre-licensing process. All necessary forms and publications are linked in this document as well as listed below.

Preparation

Physical Premises

Business Model

Staffing & Administration

Pre-Licensing Technical Assistance

Based on your county and licensing region found in the map above select either the 4C For Children or Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) worksheet below.

For those in the northeastern, southern, and western licensing regions:

For those in the northern and southeastern licensing regions:

Submitting the Application

Note: After completing pre-licensing, your Pre-Licensing Technical Consultant will provide you with an application. Coming next year, the application will be online...stay tuned for updates!

Group Child Care - DCF 251 Inquiry Packet Materials

After you have reviewed the information above and determined you would like to open a group child care center, please review the procedure document below in its entirety before you begin the pre-licensing process. All necessary forms and publications are linked in this document as well as listed below.

Preparation

Physical Premises

Business Model

Staffing & Administration

Pre-Licensing Technical Assistance

Based on your county and licensing region found in the map above select either the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) or 4C For Children worksheet below.

For those in the northern and southeastern licensing regions:

For those in the northeastern, southern, and western licensing regions: 

Submitting the Application

Note: After completing pre-licensing, your Pre-Licensing Technical Consultant will provide you with an application. Coming next year, the application will be online...stay tuned for updates! 

Day Camps for Children - DCF 252 Inquiry Packet Materials

After you have reviewed the information above and determined you would like to open a day camp for children, please review the procedure document below in its entirety. All necessary forms and publications are linked in this document as well as listed below.

Preparation

Physical Premises

Business Model

Staffing & Administration

Submitting the Application

 

Begin the Pre-Licensing Process

Pre-Licensing Technical Assistance

What is the pre-licensing technical assistance program?

The pre-licensing technical assistance program provides support for potential applicants interested in operating a licensed family or licensed group child care center. Potential applications receive individualized support throughout the application process. This support includes:

  • One-on-one work with a technical consultant
    • Policy review
    • Business planning
    • On-site physical premises visits
    • And more!
Pre-Licensing Technical Consultants

Who are the Pre-Licensing Technical Consultants?

DCF has contracted with the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) and 4C for Children to assist anyone interested in becoming a Wisconsin regulated child care provider. Their pre-licensing staff will meet with you to go over everything you need to consider when starting a child care business. Contact the organization covering your area of Wisconsin for assistance.

  • Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA)
    Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) administers this program in the northern (NRO) and southeastern (SERO) licensing regions.
  • 4C For Children
    4C For Children administers the program in the northeastern (NERO), southern (SRO), and western (WRO) licensing regions.

Select an agency to see which pre-licensing entity it is are covered by.

Northeastern Region

Counties: Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Shawano, Sheboygan, Washington, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago

Tribes: Ho-Chunk Nation, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Oneida Nation of Wiconsin, and Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohicans

Northern Region

Counties: Ashland, Bayfield, Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Price, Sawyer, Taylor, Vilas, and Wood

Tribes: Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Ho-Chunk Nation, Lac Courte Oreille Ojibwa Tribe, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and Sokaogon Chippewa Community (Mole Lake)

Southeastern Region

Counties: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, and Waukesha

Southern Region

Counties: Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, LaFayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk, and Walworth

Tribes: Ho-Chunk

Western Region

Counties: Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, Saint Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon, and Washburn

Tribes: Ho Chunk Nation and St. Croix Chippewa Indians

Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA)

Serves these licensing regions:

  • Northern
  • Southeastern

Phone: 608-620-8165
Email: pre-licensing@wisconsinearlychildhood.org
Website: WECA Pre-Licensing

4C For Children

Serves these licensing regions:

  • Northeastern
  • Southern
  • Western

Phone: 414-562-2650
Email: 4c@4cfc.org
Website: 4C for Children Pre-licensing

Veterans Professional Occupational Licensure Fee Waiver Program

If you are a veteran, you may be eligible to have your initial child care license fee waived. Check out the Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs website to see if you qualify.