Licensing Your Daycare Center

The most important thing to do when starting a daycare center business is applying for a license. Whether you operate your daycare business out of your own home or you have a separate place for it, license is required in all of the 50 states of the United States. It is considered to be a serious violation to operate a daycare center without a state license; this could really put you in a very serious trouble.

Each state imposes different requirements before issuing a license to operate a daycare center. Licenses are issued only upon the complete compliance by the applicant of all the requirements and when the design and plan of his daycare center meet the health and safety concerns of the state.

Licensing your daycare center will guarantee that your business will have clients. You do not expect parents to be entrusting their children under your care if you are not licensed. That will be similar to just dropping off the child to a baby sitter. The first question parents normally ask when they look for someone to care for their child is: Are you licensed?

A license is a proof that your daycare center is run professionally and that you are really serious in your business. A license will also assure parents that their children will be cared for in a healthy and safe environment that follows rules and regulations in order to make the daycare center a good and safe place for their children.

Parents are picky when it comes to the care of their children. In searching for a good daycare center where they can entrust their children, they normally have a set of criteria of what they are looking for. It is a good idea that you that you are ready to show your accreditation whenever parents ask to look at it because license or accreditation is definitely on top of their list. If you yourself are the parent of a child that needs daycare, you will not entrust such child to a daycare center that is not licensed because you can never be sure how they will take care of your child.

License is also your guide to operate your daycare center as required by the state. You will be provided guidelines on how to run your business in order for you to avoid making any violations that will put your business at risk. The guidelines provided by the state will also help you in the proper way of handling and caring for the children in your daycare, minimizing the chances of risk or injury to children. Costly medical expenses, litigations, and damages can be avoided.

Licensing your daycare business will be a guarantee that you can avail of tax deductions that are normally awarded operators of daycare centers. Such exemptions could not be availed of when you cannot show proof that the state recognizes your business.

If you are planning to put up a daycare center, you must contact your local government for information on the licensing requirements. Or you can check for requirements online at your state's website.

See: How to start a daycare center