Family child care provider with two children.

Family child care home providers care for a small group of children in their own private home, such as a house, apartment, or condo unit.

Are Family Child Care Homes Licensed?

To ensure a safe care environment, states and territories use child care licensing regulations to limit the number of children that can receive care in a family child care home. Child care regulations also limit the number of infants and toddlers that can be cared for in a licensed family child care home to ensure proper supervision and safety. When a family child care home is licensed, the provider must also meet a range of health and safety requirements, including training (such as CPR/First Aid) and criminal background check requirements. They are also monitored by the state or territory to ensure they continue to meet those requirements.

Depending on the child care regulations in your state or territory, some in-home child care providers may be considered legally exempt from having to be licensed in certain circumstances. For instance, some states and territories require a family child care provider to be licensed when they care for more than one nonrelated child in their home, while others may not require a license until the provider cares for six or more children. Some states may offer certification or registration to help ensure some basic health and safety standards in certain home-based child care programs. Specific requirements vary by state.

Although some family child care providers may be legally exempt from having to be licensed, it is important to understand the difference between these programs and those that are required to be licensed but are operating illegally without a license.

To learn more about what child care licensing is and why it is important, see the "How is Child Care Regulated to Ensure Children's Health and Safety?" page.

How Do I Learn More About How My State or Territory Licenses Family Child Care Homes?

If you are considering family child care, it is important to learn about how your state or territory regulates family child care homes so you can choose the safest care option for your child. Always ask a family child care provider if they are licensed or check with your state or territory child care consumer education website or local child care resource and referral agency to see if your provider is required to be licensed.

To find your state or territory’s child care consumer education website and child care resource and referral agency and learn about the family child care licensing requirements where you live, select your state or territory and review the “Understanding and Finding Child Care Resources” page.

Why Choose a Family Child Care Home?

Little Girl Playing in Kitchen

Families choose family child care homes for a variety of reasons, including the following:

  • Families may prefer the home-like setting and small group size.
  • Family child care providers can provide greater caregiver consistency because children do not move to different classrooms with different staff like they might in a center-based setting.
  • Family child care providers may offer more flexible hours, such as evening and weekend care.
  • Families with multiple children may prefer for siblings to be cared for together rather than separated into different age groups.
  • Family child care providers can be less expensive than center-based programs, but rates within your community may vary.

How Do I Find and Choose a Family Child Care Home?

To search for licensed family child care homes near you through your state or territory’s online child care search, go to the "Find Child Care" page and select your state or territory.

To learn more about how to find and choose quality child care, visit the “How Do I Find and Choose Quality Child Care?” page.

Use "Look, Listen, and Ask: Tips for Choosing a Quality Family Child Care Home" as a guide to help choose a family child care home that is right for your family.