Learn how to get a child care licence in Ontario, including how to apply, information on fees and required approvals.
Apply for a child care licence
Application review and results
In Ontario, a licence is required for any child care program that provides care to more than five children younger than 13 years old.
Programs that do not need a child care licence include:
nannies or babysitters that provide care to children from one family in the children’s home
relatives that provide care for children
camps that only care for children four years old and older
programs with a primary purpose of academic study or skill-based recreation
private schools that only care for children ages four years and older
Learn more about programs that may not need a licence.
The process to get a child care licence takes approximately four to six months, but this depends on the time it takes to:
complete renovations
incorporate a corporation
obtain a police records check
purchase equipment
hire a supervisor and staff
hire home visitors
recruit home child care providers
develop policies and procedures
obtain all required approvals, such as fire and health approval
To apply for a child care licence, you will need to:
register for the Child Care Licensing System (CCLS)
submit your application and pay your non-refundable fee deposit through CCLS
gather and submit any required supporting documents through CCLS, for example:
policies and procedures
relevant approvals
floor plans
Learn how to register for CCLS.
Before you apply for a licence, you should:
review the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) and Ontario Regulation 137/15 to understand the licensing requirements
review other resources, such as the:
Home child care licensing manual
Before and after school program licensing guideline
contact your First Nation or the local service system manager that is responsible for planning, managing and coordinating child care in your area to learn about:
child care needs in your community
opportunities to apply for funding
Note: You do not need to rent or own the child care centre location before applying. However, you must give an address for the proposed location when you apply.
After you submit your application, a Ministry of Education program advisor will:
review your application and supporting documents
help answer specific questions regarding your application
schedule a site inspection to check that you are in compliance with all requirements
If you withdraw your application, your initial fee deposit is non-refundable.
To open a child care centre or home child care agency, you must provide proof that the premises complies with:
the laws affecting the health of residents of the municipality or of the reserve of a First Nation
any rule, regulation, direction or order of the local board of health
any direction or order of the local medical officer of health
zoning and local by-laws
the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act
You may be able to operate a child care centre from your home if the:
house has been zoned for child care and approved by the local fire department
space meets all the requirements set out under the CCEYA, such as adequate outdoor play space
The application and renewal fees you will have to pay depend on how many children you want to provide care for or how many home child care premises you want to oversee. These fees are set out in regulation under the CCEYA.
The tables below show fees for:
getting a new licence
renewing a licence
revising a licence
Maximum number of children
Fee for a new licence
Fee for renewal of a licence
Licence revision fee
0–24
$200
$100
$50
25–49
$250
$120
$65
50–74
$300
$140
$75
75–99
$350
$170
$90
100–124
$400
$200
$100
125 or more
$450
$230
$115
Number of premises
Fee for a new licence
Fee for renewal of a licence
Licence revision fee
0–25
$200
$100
$50
26–50
$250
$120
$65
51–75
$300
$140
$75
76–100
$350
$170
$90
101–125
$400
$200
$100
126 or more
$450
$230
$115
A licence may be issued after you have met all licensing requirements. Before we issue you a licence, we will thoroughly review your application, including your:
policies, procedures and other required documents
proof of zoning for the proposed site
request for director approval for a supervisor or home visitors
We will also conduct a site inspection of the proposed site to assess compliance with requirements before a licence is issued.
Once a licence is issued, you may operate a licensed child care program according to the rules set out in the CCEYA and its regulations. You will be able to download your licence from CCLS. You must print and post your licence in a location that is clearly visible to parents and guardians at the child care centre or home child care agency head office.
You should also contact your First Nation or your local service system manager to notify them of your licence status.
If your application is not approved, we will notify you in writing. You may appeal this decision by requesting a hearing before the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 calendar days of receiving the notice of proposal refusing to issue the licence.
If you do not request a hearing, we will carry out the proposal and refuse to issue the licence.
Before your licence is issued, you may operate as an unlicensed child care provider and provide care for a maximum of five children including:
your own children under the age of four
no more than three children under the age of two
This limit on the number of children applies regardless of how many adults are present at the home or centre. Unlicensed providers may not operate at multiple premises.
Learn about the rules for unlicensed child care providers.
Learn more about operating a child care program after you get your licence
Learn more about specific requirements for child care centres
Learn more about specific requirements for home child care
Learn about the four foundations that are important for children’s wellbeing and healthy development
Additional resources to help you get started, such as sample policies, are available in the “Tools and Resources” section of the Child Care Licensing System.
The Ministry of Education does not provide in-person consultation if you have not submitted an application. If you have general questions about licensing requirements or the process for applying, please call Toll-free: 1-877-510-5333 or email childcare_ontario@ontario.ca.
If you have questions about whether a child care licence is required for your program, please email uccv@ontario.ca. In your email, include the following information about your program:
description of the program, equipment and facilities
hours of operation
number of children served and their ages
schedule of activities
list of other programs offered
if transportation to or from the program is offered
Updated: June 16, 2022
Published: August 06, 2021
The Ministry of Education is responsible for child care and for administering the system of publicly funded elementary and secondary school education in Ontario.
There are many ways to contact the Government of Ontario.
Questions