How to Start a Daycare in Louisiana: Licensing, Staffing, Inspection

To start a daycare in Louisiana, you need a license from the Louisiana Department of Education whenever you care for seven or more children not related to you. Getting there means forming a business entity, choosing one of three license types, securing a facility that passes zoning, fire, and health inspections, hiring staff who meet qualification and background-check rules, carrying liability insurance, and submitting an application packet to the LDOE. The full process can take up to 90 days from a completed application to a license in hand.1Louisiana Department of Education. Child Care Facility Licensing

When You Need a License

Louisiana requires an early learning center license once you serve seven or more children who are not related to the owner.2Louisiana Department of Education. CCAP Eligibility FAQs – General Information for Households Smaller operations may fall under separate family child care registration rules rather than the center licensing process described here.

Operating without the required license is a criminal offense. A first violation carries a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both. Repeat offenses raise the fine and can bar you from applying for a license for up to four years.

Pick Your License Type

Louisiana classifies centers into three types based on ownership and funding. The choice drives your fee, your standards, and whether you can enroll families who receive state subsidies.3Louisiana Department of Education. Understanding Types of Child Care Providers

  • Type I is a center owned by a church or religious organization that accepts only private tuition. Type I centers are exempt from the annual licensing fee.
  • Type II is a privately owned center with no religious affiliation that also accepts only private tuition. Type II centers do not receive a state quality rating.
  • Type III is a center authorized to accept public funding through the Child Care Assistance Program, which covers low-income working families, foster care, and children with special needs. Type III centers receive an instructional quality rating published on the state’s school-finder website and must meet additional performance standards.

If you want to serve CCAP-eligible families, you must apply as Type III and complete a separate certification process on top of licensing.

Set Up the Business

You need a legal business structure on file before you can apply. Most new operators register an LLC or corporation with the Louisiana Secretary of State through the geauxBIZ online portal.4Louisiana Secretary of State. File Business Documents

Once your state entity exists, apply for a federal Employer Identification Number through the IRS online tool at no cost. The number is issued immediately during a single online session.5Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number You will use the EIN for tax filings, payroll, and the licensing application itself. The IRS never charges for an EIN, so skip any third-party site that asks for a fee.

Find a Facility That Will Pass Inspection

Three separate agencies have to clear your location before the LDOE will act on your application. Lining these up early is the single best thing you can do to avoid delay.

Zoning, Fire, and Sanitation

You need a Certificate of Occupancy from your local zoning authority confirming the building is cleared for childcare use. The Office of State Fire Marshal must inspect and approve the premises for exits, alarms, and capacity. The Louisiana Department of Health sanitation division handles a separate inspection covering water, sewer, and food preparation.6Louisiana Department of Health. Day Care Center Plans Review Questionnaire A private well requires water well plans for review. Food preparation areas must comply with state retail food safety standards, and a physical barrier must separate children from the preparation area.

Space Per Child

State regulations require at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, which excludes hallways, bathrooms, storage, offices, and rooms used only for meals or napping. Outdoor play space must provide at least 75 square feet per child using the area at any one time.7HHS Administration for Children and Families. Louisiana Early Learning Center Licensing Regulations Measure before you sign a lease. A center licensed for 50 children needs at least 1,750 square feet of qualifying indoor space and 3,750 square feet of outdoor play area.

Older Buildings and Accessibility

If the building was constructed before 1978, the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule applies to any renovation. Contractors must be EPA-certified and use lead-safe work practices, and records of any lead testing must be kept for at least three years.8US EPA. Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Work Practices

Daycare centers are places of public accommodation under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Buildings constructed after March 15, 2012 must fully comply with the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Older buildings have an ongoing obligation to remove architectural barriers when doing so is readily achievable, meaning it can be done without significant difficulty or expense.9ADA.gov. Commonly Asked Questions about Child Care Centers and the Americans with Disabilities Act You must also make reasonable modifications to policies so children with disabilities can participate, unless doing so would fundamentally change your services.10U.S. Department of Justice – ADA.gov. Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Regulations

Staff the Center

Director

Your director must be at least 21 and meet one of three qualification pathways:11Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Admin Code tit 28, CLXI-1709 – Director Qualifications

  • An early childhood ancillary certificate plus one year of teaching or caregiving experience in a licensed center or comparable setting.
  • A national administrator credential plus one year of experience in a licensed center and six college credit hours or 90 clock hours of approved training in child care, child development, or management.
  • Three years of experience as a director or staff member in a licensed center plus six college credit hours or 90 clock hours of approved training in the same subjects.

A director designee who fills in during absences must meet the same qualifications. Documentation has to sit in the director’s personnel file and be available for inspection at all times.

Staff-to-Child Ratios

Minimum ratios must be maintained at all times:12Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Admin Code tit 28, CLXI-1711 – Child-to-Staff Minimum Ratios

  • Under 1 year: 5 children per staff member
  • 1 year: 7:1
  • 2 years: 10:1
  • 3 years: 13:1
  • 4 years: 15:1
  • 5 years: 19:1
  • 6 years and older: 23:1

Infant care is where staffing costs land hardest. A center licensed for 20 infants needs four staff members in that room alone. Separate, tighter ratios also apply during water activities like swimming.

Background Checks and Health Certifications

Every adult working in the facility, including owners, directors, and staff, must clear a Child Care Criminal Background Check before having unsupervised access to children. The CCCBC includes a fingerprint-based search of both Louisiana and federal criminal history databases, and updated clearances are required at each annual renewal.13Louisiana Department of Education. New Child Care Criminal Background Check (CCCBC) Requirements Handout

Every staff member accessible to children must hold current certifications in infant and child CPR, adult CPR, and pediatric first aid through programs approved by the department. Copies have to be kept on-site.14Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Admin Code tit 28, CLXI-1723 – CPR and First Aid Certifications Staff must also provide documentation of a negative tuberculosis skin test, and enrolled children must have current immunization records on file.

Liability Insurance

Every licensed center must carry commercial liability insurance covering the operation of the center and ensuring medical coverage for children in the event of an accident or injury.15Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Admin Code tit 28, CLXI-1503 – General Liability Insurance The state does not set a minimum dollar amount, though most childcare policies on the market provide general liability coverage starting around $1 million per occurrence. If you transport children, you also need commercial automobile insurance. Proof of current coverage is required at initial licensing and at every renewal.

Write Your Emergency Plan

Before opening, you must develop a written multi-hazard emergency and evacuation plan covering evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place, lockdown, parent communication, and reunification.16Louisiana Department of Education. Louisiana Child Care Emergency Plan Practice drills involving all children must be documented at least twice per year, with tornado drills specifically in March, April, May, and June. Staff must be oriented to the plan annually and cross-trained to cover multiple roles.

Submit the Application and Pay the Fee

The Initial License Application runs through the LDOE’s online EdLink portal. You will provide your entity’s legal name, proposed maximum capacity, ownership structure, and chosen license type. The annual licensing fee depends on your licensed capacity:17Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Admin Code tit 28, CLXI-313 – Annual Licensure Fee

  • 15 or fewer children: $25
  • 16 to 50 children: $100
  • 51 to 100 children: $175
  • 101 or more children: $250

Type I centers operated by churches or religious organizations are exempt. The fee must be paid before the license is issued and no later than 90 days from the LDOE’s receipt of your completed application. Along with the application, your packet should include CCCBC clearances for all owners and directors, current fire marshal approval, Department of Health sanitation approval, and proof of liability insurance.

Pass the On-Site Inspection

Once the LDOE determines your packet is complete, you have 45 calendar days to coordinate an on-site inspection.7HHS Administration for Children and Families. Louisiana Early Learning Center Licensing Regulations A licensing consultant walks the physical space to verify it matches your application and reviews personnel files for background checks, CPR certifications, and director qualifications.

If the inspection turns up shortfalls, you generally have up to 90 calendar days from the date the LDOE received your completed application to submit documentation of compliance. The full process from application to license issuance can take up to 90 days, and incomplete applications or failed inspections push that further.1Louisiana Department of Education. Child Care Facility Licensing Once the license is issued, you can legally begin accepting children.

Keep the License

Your license must be renewed every year. Submit the renewal packet through EdLink before the first day of the month in which your current license expires.18Louisiana Department of Education. Division of Licensing – Licensing Renewal Checklist Renewal requires a completed application, updated CCCBC clearances for all owners, directors, and designees, current fire marshal and Department of Health approvals, proof of commercial liability insurance, and the annual fee on the same capacity-based schedule (waived for Type I).

The LDOE also conducts an annual renewal inspection, reviewing personnel files for every employee, each child’s emergency contact and immunization records, and the parent handbook in use. The state can conduct unannounced visits at any time between renewals. Failing to maintain compliance can result in fines, conditions on your license, or revocation.