Finding daycare in the United States means working with a patchwork of rules, not one national office. Our database lists 166,521 daycare providers across 52 states, from large centers in California and Texas to small church programs in towns such as Abbott, Texas and Acme, Michigan. This page explains who is in charge, why a provider's requirements depend on its address, and how to pick the state page that fits your search. Read it before you tour, so you know which questions to ask.

Who Regulates Daycare in the United States

Three levels of government touch every daycare, and each does a different job. The federal government mostly supplies money and sets minimum standards. States write the licensing rules and decide who may operate. Counties and cities handle zoning, building and fire checks, and in a few places the licensing itself.

Federal funding flows mainly through the Child Care and Development Block Grant, overseen by the Office of Child Care in the Department of Health and Human Services. Each state names a lead agency to spend that money. Federal law also requires background checks for child care staff and regular inspections of licensed providers. Head Start works differently. Washington funds local grantees directly to serve income-eligible children from birth to age five. Our listings include Aberdeen Headstart in Moore County, North Carolina, Abingdon Head Start in Knox County, Illinois, Achille Head Start in Bryan County, Oklahoma, and Shannon Hills Headstart in Pulaski County, Arkansas.

States issue the license. In Texas, the Health and Human Services Commission regulates child care. California uses the Community Care Licensing Division of its Department of Social Services. New York relies on the Office of Children and Family Services, though New York City's health department licenses group programs inside the city. Pennsylvania assigns the work to its Department of Human Services. Florida's Department of Children and Families licenses most providers, but several counties, including Broward, run their own local licensing programs.

Local government matters more than many parents expect. A center needs the right zoning, a certificate of occupancy and a fire inspection before it opens. Public school programs follow a different path. Adamsville Elementary Pre-K in McNairy County, Tennessee, and Aguilar Public School District Re 6 Preschool in Las Animas County, Colorado, answer to school districts and state education departments. In many states those classrooms are exempt from child care licensing, so you will not find them in the same inspection database as a private center.

How Daycare Rules, Fees and Services Differ From State to State

Licensing standards change at every state line. States set their own staff-to-child ratios, maximum group sizes, training hours and health and safety rules. They also decide when a home provider needs a license. Some states require one once a caregiver watches even a few unrelated children, while others set a higher threshold. A home daycare that is legal in one state may need a license in the next.

Prices follow local wages and rent. Care in a large metro area usually costs far more than care in a rural county. Infant care costs more than preschool care because ratios require more adults per child. Ask every provider for a written fee schedule that lists registration fees, supply fees, late pickup charges and closure days.

Quality ratings are another difference. North Carolina rates licensed programs from one to five stars. Pennsylvania uses Keystone STARS, and Georgia runs Quality Rated. Participation rules differ by state, so a missing rating does not always mean a program is weak. It only means you should read the inspection record yourself. Most state agencies publish inspection reports and violations online, and Texas lets you search a provider's compliance history.

Subsidy help also varies. Federal rules let states serve families up to 85 percent of state median income, but each state sets its own lower limit, copayments and waiting lists. Apply through your state's child care assistance office or its county human services department. Our Daycare in California, Daycare in Texas, Daycare in Florida and Daycare in New York pages cover the four states with the most listings and let you narrow down by county and city.

Types of Daycare You Will Find Across the United States

Our listings cover very different kinds of programs. The name alone rarely tells you which type you are looking at, so read the details before you call.

  • Child care centers: Stay N Play Day Care Center in Adams, Jefferson County, New York, and Cougar's Den Daycare & Preschool in Ackley, Hardin County, Iowa, are examples of full-day programs run as a business.
  • Faith-based programs: Lorena Umc Ccc in Abbott, Hill County, Texas, and Clc Christian Day Care in Abbotsford, Clark County, Wisconsin, are tied to congregations. Licensing rules for church programs differ by state.
  • Community organizations: Abington Ymca Child Development Ctr in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and the Boys & Girls Club of Bristol/Abingdon Unit in Washington County, Virginia, come from nonprofit groups with wider youth services.
  • Migrant and farmworker programs: Acampo Child Dev Migrant Center in San Joaquin County, California, points to care built around seasonal agricultural work.
  • Academies and private schools: Bhaktivedanta Academy in Alachua, Florida, Frederick J Furtah Preparatory School in Acworth, Cobb County, Georgia, and Imagine Nation Academy at Woodsdale Elementary School in Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, may combine preschool with school-age care. Confirm which ages each one takes.

Small family child care homes are also common in many states. They care for a handful of children in a residence and are often licensed under a separate category. Ask each provider which agency licenses or monitors it, and request the license number.

Choosing the Right State Page and Avoiding Common Mistakes

Start with the state where your child will actually be cared for, usually the one near your home or workplace. Licensing, inspection records and subsidies all follow the provider's state. Browse from the state page to the county, then to the city. California, Texas and Florida hold the biggest collections, but a smaller state page is often quicker to scan.

Mistakes that cost parents time

  • Searching by town name only. Aberdeen appears in our data for Ohio (Brown County), North Carolina (Moore County) and New Jersey (Monmouth County). Abbeville appears in Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi. Always confirm the county and state.
  • Treating a listing as an open slot. Call to confirm hours, age groups and current openings.
  • Skipping the license check. Look up the provider with the state agency before you pay a deposit.
  • Starting late. Infant spaces and Head Start places can have long waiting lists, so apply as soon as you know your dates.
  • Ignoring total cost. Ask what the weekly rate includes, such as meals, diapers and field trips.

What to bring when you visit or enroll

Bring your child's immunization record, a birth certificate or other proof of age, and a photo ID. Have your doctor's name, emergency contacts and a list of people allowed to pick up your child ready. Add allergy or medication instructions and any custody paperwork. For Head Start or subsidy applications, bring proof of income, proof of address and, in some cases, work or school schedules.

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Reading the Daycare Numbers Across the United States

The twelve busiest states in our database hold just under 100,000 of the 166,521 listings, roughly 60 percent. That pattern mostly follows population, with California at 16,705, Texas at 13,383 and Florida at 9,939. Counts also reflect how each state records providers. Some states include small home programs and school-based classrooms, while others list mainly licensed centers, so a bigger number does not always mean more choice for your family.

Use the state pages to move from the big picture to your own county. Daycare in Pennsylvania and Daycare in North Carolina show how programs such as Abington Ymca Child Development Ctr and Aberdeen Headstart sit alongside state rating systems. Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee and Virginia each hold more than 5,000 listings and run their own licensing agencies, rules and subsidy offices.

Whatever the state, treat a listing as a starting point. Verify the address, phone number and license status with the provider and the state agency before you commit.

Daycare Questions Parents Ask Across the United States

Each state licenses its own providers, and there is no single federal license. The agency differs by state. Texas uses its Health and Human Services Commission, California uses the Department of Social Services, New York uses the Office of Children and Family Services, and Pennsylvania uses its Department of Human Services. Some counties and cities add local licensing or inspections, as Broward County does in Florida and New York City does for group programs. Search for your state's child care licensing agency by name, then look up the provider's license number, inspection history and any listed violations before you enroll.

Head Start is free for eligible families. It serves children from birth to age five, with Early Head Start for infants and toddlers. The federal government funds it, and local grantees such as community agencies and school districts run it. Eligibility is mostly based on family income compared with the federal poverty guidelines. Children who are homeless or in foster care, and some families receiving certain public benefits, can qualify regardless of income. Programs in our listings, like Aguila Head Start in Maricopa County, Arizona, and Achille Head Start in Bryan County, Oklahoma, can tell you current openings and which documents to bring.

Start with the provider. A licensed program should be able to give you its license number, and many post the license where parents can see it. Then search your state's child care licensing website using the provider's name or license number. Look at the license type, capacity, age groups, inspection dates and any substantiated violations. If you cannot find the program, call the agency's licensing office. Some programs may be exempt from licensing, including certain public school pre-K classrooms, some church programs and informal care by relatives, so ask what oversight applies.

Costs vary widely by state, county, child age and type of program, so no single national figure will match your area. Infant care is usually the most expensive because states allow fewer children per caregiver. Centers in metro areas generally charge more than rural programs. Ask for the weekly or monthly rate, registration and supply fees, late pickup charges and holiday closure policy in writing. Help may come from your state's child care subsidy program, Head Start, employer benefits, a dependent care flexible spending account, or the federal child and dependent care tax credit. Ask a tax preparer about current limits.

Most providers ask for a completed enrollment form, your child's immunization record, a birth certificate or other proof of age, and a parent photo ID. Many states also require a physical exam form signed by a health care provider within a set period. Bring emergency contacts, the names of approved pickup people and written instructions for allergies, medications or special needs. For a subsidy or Head Start application, add proof of income, proof of address and work or school schedules. Requirements differ by state and provider, so call ahead and ask for the packet to complete at home.

States set ratios, so the number depends on where the daycare operates. Ratios are tighter for infants and looser for older children, and states also cap group size. A program's licensed capacity is a separate figure from the ratio in a given room on a given day. Look up your state's rules on its licensing agency website, then watch a classroom during your visit. Count the adults and children in the room and ask what happens when a teacher is absent. A good provider will answer plainly and show you its written policy.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first. For other concerns, contact your state's child care licensing agency, which can investigate licensed programs and issue citations. Suspected abuse or neglect goes to your state's child protective services hotline. Write down dates, times, names and what you saw, and keep copies of any messages with the provider. Raise the issue with the director as well, since many problems can be fixed quickly. If the program is a Head Start, you can also contact the local grantee and the federal Office of Head Start.