Group Day Care License

In Wisconsin, a group day care license is required to care for 9 or more children for less than 24 hours a day for compensation. Many resources are available from a variety of agencies, to assist you in exploring this career option and in preparing to apply for a license. WCCIP has a contract with the State of Wisconsin to help you with this preparation. This web site is designed to help you connect with the essential information.

How do I get started?
How can I obtain a copy of the licensing rules?
Where can I get the forms I will need to use?
What else will I need?
Is zoning an issue?
Will I need a building inspection?
Will my building plans need to be reviewed?
Are background checks required?
Am I qualified to run the center or will I need to hire someone?
Do I need policies?
What do I need to know about starting my own business?
Other questions?

How do I get started?
You will need to order a Group Day Care Inquiry Packet by sending a check or money order for $10 to your Regional Licensing Office. Complete the Business Start-Up Worksheet in the inquiry packet and mail it to WCCIP. A Technical Advisor (TA) will be assigned to help you.

How can I obtain a copy of the licensing rules?
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/childcare/licensed/Rules.HTM The rules may be downloaded (caution: they are lengthy), or you may order a copy for $10 from your Regional Licensing Office.

Where can I get the forms I will need to use?
Child Care Forms & Publications

What else will I need?
The Child Care Information Center (CCIC) http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/ccic/ distributes many excellent, free resources, some of which you will be required to have. We especially recommend these:

G-2: Starting a Child Care Program in Wisconsin
G-4: Seeking a Facility for an Early Childhood Program
D-25: List o Items Needed at the Site Prior to Provisioinal Licensing
H-1: Your Guide to Licensed Child Care, a pamphlet which must be given to each family
C-30: Babies Sleep Safest on Their Backs, a pamphlet which must be given to each family with a child under 2 years of age.

Read the entire listing, and request all that appear helpful to you. You may phone CCIC at 1-800-362-7353 for additional information. CCIC has an extensive book and videotape collection, any of which can be sent to you at no cost, other than return postage.

Is zoning an issue?
Call your local zoning office to ask if the property is already zoned to permit a child care center. You may be required to obtain an occupancy permit. If you must request an exception or variance to the zoning, you will typically have to fill in paperwork, submit a floor plan (drawing of the layout of the rooms) and a site plan (drawing of the building on the property), pay a fee, and meet with the zoning board.

Will I need a building inspection?
Yes. Your building will need to be inspected (there may be a fee involved) using the state building codes, COMM 60, by one of the following:

Certified local building inspector

Wisconsin registered architect or engineer

Commercial building inspector certified by the Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce

Certified fire chief

Do my building plans need to be reviewed?
Yes. Contact a Building Plan Reviewer from the Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce for a building plan review.

Are background checks required?
Yes. Once a completed application is submitted, the licensing office
will do a background check on the licensee and the child care center will complete background checks on anyone having direct contact with the children including staff, volunteers and substitute caregivers. For more information, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services website.

Am I qualified to run the center or will I need to hire someone?
A group child care center needs to have one person or a combination of people who meet the qualifications of an administrator and a program director. This chart represents the minimum or least restrictive requirement for entry level educational qualifications. Please consult the exact language of the rule. Information in this chart paraphrases language in the rule, HFS 46, Licensing Rules for Group Day Care Centers.

Position Title	Minimum Age	High School	Experience	Training
Administrator Note: an administrator may meet qualifications by choosing one option in the experience and one in the training column	21	Yes	Must have at least one of the following: 1. One year as a manager Or 2. One credit/non-credit course in business or program administrator	Must have at least one of the following: 1. One year as a center director or child care teacher Or 2. One credit/non-credit course in early childhood education
Center Director 50 or less	21	Yes	80 working days full time in licensed center Or 120 working days half time in a licensed center	2 credit/non-credit courses in early childhood education Or 2 years of credit from institution or higher education with 3 credits in early childhood education.
Center Director 51 or more	21	Yes	2 years as a child care teacher or center director in a licensed group day care center	4 credit/non-credit courses in early childhood education Or 2 years of credit from institution of higher education with 12 credits in early childhood education

Do I need policies?

Yes. Policies are written statements about what you believe and describe in detail how you will operate your childcare business. They guide your day-to-day operations. It is critical that you take the time now to carefully research and think through many important issues, put them in writing and make a plan to implement them. Parent or staff handbooks are not policies. These handbooks summarize important information for parents and staff. Policies are much more in-depth documents. The policies required include;

Admission, describes the procedure parents go through to enroll their children

Continuing Education, describes for staff the process of obtaining and documenting continuing education

Child Guidance, describes to staff and families your philosophy of guiding children’s behavior and the prohibited forms of punishment

Education, explains what the children will be doing all day in your program and why they are doing these particular activities

Fire/Tornado and other Emergency, describes procedures for all potential emergencies and staff responsibilities

Health Care Policy, defines procedures for ensuring a healthy and safe child care operation. These policies relate directly to regulations

Nutrition Policy, defines food service procedures

Orientation of Staff, explains who is responsible to orientate new staff, when this will happen and how it will be documented.

Discharge of Enrolled Children, tells parents what to do when they intend to withdraw their child, and explains why and how the center might terminate an enrollment

Fee Payment and Refund

Personnel Policy, including job descriptions, benefits, hiring/firing procedures

Mildly Ill Care, if program wishes to be licensed for this specialty
For more information, visit our section on Policy Development.

What do I need to know about starting my own business?
Visit the Build Your Business in Wisconsin website. It was designed to make it easy for you to obtain the information you need to seriously plan and prepare for the start or expansion of your business. Follow the links to find everything you need for most business ventures, including educational and financial resources as well as step-by-step help in registering your business with the state). This is a critical step!

The top two reasons why new business fail are:

Not having a good plan (need for care, marketing and financial plan).

Not having enough money to get the business going. (Getting your center licensed will take 6-12 months or more. And, when you first open your doors, you may have as little as 10% of your total licensed capacity enrolled.)

Other questions?
You may e-mail us clicking on the “contact us” button on the WCCIP home page, or by calling the WCCIP InfoLine—800-366-3556—between 9 AM and 4 PM any week day.

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