How to Fill Out EEC Forms for Child Care Licensing in Massachusetts

The EEC forms used for child care licensing in Massachusetts live in one place: the Department of Early Education and Care’s Licensing Education Analytic Database, known as the LEAD portal. You will complete a licensing application, Background Record Check (BRC) consent forms for every adult with unsupervised access to children, and a set of operational and compliance forms that match your license type. There is no fee to apply for a family child care license.¹

Pick Your License Type First

The form set you fill out depends on which of three licenses applies to you:

Family Child Care — care in a private residence for no more than ten children under age 14 (or under 16 with special needs). Valid for three years.
Small Group and School Age Child Care — a program outside a residence serving ten or fewer children under 14 (16 with special needs).
Large Group and School Age Child Care — a program outside a residence serving more than ten children under 14 (16 with special needs).

Group and school age programs usually receive a provisional license valid for six months, renewable once for another six months, before the EEC issues a regular license valid for two years.² Public schools, private organized educational systems (unless primarily limited to preschool services), Sunday schools, and informal cooperative arrangements among neighbors or relatives are not covered by EEC licensing and do not use these forms.

The Forms You Will Actually Complete

Licensing Application

Under 606 CMR 7.03, applicants submit a completed application on the form provided by the department along with supporting documents, including a tax certification form demonstrating compliance with the Revenue Enforcement and Protection Program (REAP).³ The application also calls for evidence of fire code compliance and current inspection certificates.

Background Record Check Forms

Every person with unsupervised access to children must complete a BRC consent form and validate their identity during the initial process. The check pulls from the Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system, Department of Children and Families (DCF) records of abuse or neglect findings, the Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) database, and fingerprint-based state and national criminal history databases. Candidates who have lived outside Massachusetts in the past five years are also checked against the National Sex Offender Registry and out-of-state criminal history and child welfare records.⁴ Consent must be recertified annually.⁵

Operational and Compliance Forms

Group and school age programs also use a set of operational forms the EEC publishes as either required or sample templates. The required forms include a Children’s Records Checklist, Staff Information Form, Staff Records Checklist, Health Care Consultant Agreement, Transportation Supplement, and Family Involvement Information sheet. Sample forms cover enrollment, medication consent and administration, injury reports, incident logs, off-site activity permissions, and indoor/outdoor space sketches.⁶ You are not required to use the sample versions; you can create your own, but the templates already align with what EEC reviewers expect.

What to Have Ready Before You Open the Portal

Half-finished applications stall. Pull these together first.

Personal identification: Social Security number, date of birth, ZIP code, phone number, and Professional Qualifications Registry (PQR) registration number if you have one. If you operate as a business entity rather than a sole proprietor, your federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).⁷
Educational credentials: official transcripts showing the college or university name and logo, the registrar’s signature, course names and credits, and any degree earned. Some applicants also need proof of Continuing Education Units or credentials such as the Child Development Associate certificate.⁸
Facility measurements and a sketch: precise square footage of indoor activity space and outdoor play area, with a floor plan reviewers can match against the numbers. Family child care homes need at least 150 square feet of approved activity space for one or two children, 225 square feet for three to six, and 35 square feet per child for seven to ten. Group and school age programs need at least 35 square feet per child indoors. Every program needs at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child outside at one time.⁹
Fire code compliance: smoke detectors on or near the ceiling on every floor level (including basements) and outside each sleeping area, plus carbon monoxide detectors positioned per the state fire safety code. Family child care providers keep a monthly log of detector tests and replace batteries at least yearly. Programs outside a residence serving more than ten children also need a building inspection certificate from the Department of Public Safety or the local building inspector.²
First aid and CPR certifications: all educators must hold current certifications, renewed before expiration. Training is available through the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, and Heart Savers.¹⁰
Your staff list for BRC processing: full legal names and identity verification documents for every adult who will have unsupervised access to children, plus notice of anyone who has lived outside Massachusetts in the past five years.⁴
Vehicle insurance, if you transport children: liability coverage of at least $100,000 per person for injury, $300,000 per accident for injury, and $5,000 for property damage.²

One more planning note before you fill in capacity numbers: the children you intend to serve, broken out by age, drive the staffing ratios and group-size caps you must meet under 606 CMR 7.10. Work out those numbers before you lock an enrollment figure into the application.¹¹

Submitting Through LEAD

Licensed programs and licensing applicants process all licensing-related transactions through the LEAD portal, including new license applications and renewals.¹² Create a secure account on the EEC’s website, and the portal will walk you through the modules that apply to your license type, prompting you to enter facility details, upload documents, and complete the background check process.

Before you submit, open every uploaded file one more time. Corrupted PDFs and blurry transcript scans are the most common cause of avoidable delays. Confirm your physical address and contact information so inspection notices actually reach you. The portal issues a confirmation once you submit, and your dashboard tracks progress from there. If technical issues block online submission, mail physical documents to your regional EEC office.

Regional EEC Offices

Main Office: 50 Milk St., 14th Floor, Boston, MA 02109-5002
Western MA (Region 1): 1441 Main St., Suite 230, Springfield, MA 01103
Central MA (Region 2): 324-R Clark Street, Worcester, MA 01606
Northeast (Region 3): 360 Merrimack Street, Entrance G, 3rd Floor, Suite 315, Lawrence, MA 01843
Southeast (Region 5): 100 Myles Standish Boulevard, Suite 100, Taunton, MA 02780
Metro Boston (Region 6): 500 Victory Road, Suite 2100, Quincy, MA 02171

¹³

After You Submit

A licensing specialist reviews your packet and decides whether it is complete or needs more documentation. The regulations do not publish a guaranteed processing timeline; review speed depends on application volume and the complexity of your background checks. Missing or unclear materials can force you to reapply.⁷ Check your LEAD dashboard often so you catch requests for additional information quickly.

Within one year before licensure, you (or your designee) must attend an EEC-approved orientation to early education and care.² The department also conducts a site visit to verify that your facility matches the measurements and floor plans you submitted and meets fire and safety codes.

Renewal and Annual Forms

File your renewal application at least 30 days before the current license expires. If you file on time, your existing license stays in effect until the EEC makes a final determination. Renewal requires you to participate in a license renewal meeting approved by the department and to submit copies of any written plans or documents that changed during the licensing period, along with current inspection certificates.³ Miss the deadline and your authorization to operate lapses.

BRC consent also needs annual recertification for every candidate still working at or providing services to the program. If any identifying information changes between recertifications, the candidate’s identity must be re-verified. Providing false information on a BRC form triggers notification to EEC and can result in a “not suitable” finding.⁵

1
Mass.gov. Become a Family Child Care Provider
2
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. 606 CMR 7.00 – Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Family Child Care; Small Group and School Age and Large Group and School Age Child Care Programs
3
Cornell Law Institute. Massachusetts Code 606 CMR 7.03 – Licensure and Approval
4
Mass.gov. EEC Background Record Checks
5
Cornell Law Institute. Massachusetts Code 606 CMR 14.07 – Submitting Background Record Checks
6
Mass.gov. Licensing Forms for Group and School Age Child Care Programs
7
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. EEC Professional Certification Application
8
Department of Early Education and Care. Get an EEC Professional Certification
9
Cornell Law School. 606 CMR 7.07 – Physical Facility Requirements
10
Mass.gov. First Aid and CPR Training for Child Care Providers
11
Legal Information Institute. 606 CMR 7.10 – Ratios, Group Sizes and Supervision of Children
12
Mass.gov. Licensing Education Analytic Database
13
Mass.gov. Department of Early Education and Care Locations