How to Start a Daycare in Texas

A daycare in Texas is licensed by Texas Health and Human Services Child Care Regulation (CCR), not by the Secretary of State. The state application fee itself is small, $35, and the license fee is $35 plus $1 per child of licensed capacity. The real work is the required orientation, four application forms, background checks on everyone with child contact, and passing a facility inspection.

Every figure below is sourced to the agency that issues it.Updated October 8, 2026

The short version

Who licenses you
Texas HHS Child Care Regulation (CCR)
Application fee
$35 (Licensed child care centers, per the CCR fee chart)
License fee
$35 + $1 per capacity (Also the annual fee)
Background checks
$2 each (Required for staff with child contact)
Orientation
Required (Schedule before you apply)
Forms to file
2910, 2948, 2911, 2760
Inspection
Yes (CCR inspects after a completed application)

The steps, in order

  1. Decide which kind of operation you are opening

    Texas regulates a child care center and a child care home differently, and the fees differ too. A licensed center pays $35 to apply and $35 plus $1 per child of licensed capacity for the license. A registered child care home pays $35 to apply and a $35 annual fee with no capacity add-on.

    This is the first decision because it changes your forms, your standards and your costs. Starting in your own home is a legitimate and much cheaper path, and plenty of Texas providers do exactly that.

  2. Schedule the required orientation

    Time: Schedule before applying

    HHS requires an orientation class or pre-application interview before you apply for a license, certificate or registration. It covers the application process, CCR requirements and administrative procedures.

    This is not a formality to skip. It is also free information from the people who will later inspect you, which makes it the single most useful hour in this process. Bcall your questions about your specific building.

    CCR can hold the pre-application interview at an HHSC office, at your office, at the site of your proposed operation, as a group meeting, or by telephone if meeting in person is not possible.

  3. Register your business and get your EIN

    This is separate from your child care license and neither one waits on the other. Most providers form an LLC to keep personal assets separate from the business, file with the Texas Secretary of State, and get a free federal EIN from the IRS so they can hire staff and open a business bank account.

    Check that your business name is not already taken in Texas before you print anything.

    Texas has no personal income tax but does have a franchise tax with a revenue threshold, and child care services are generally not subject to sales tax the way retail is. Confirm what applies to you with the Comptroller or a Texas CPA before you assume either way.

  4. Submit your application: Forms 2910, 2948, 2911 and 2760

    Cost: $35 application fee

    Send the following to your local CCR office: Form 2910, Application for a License or Certification to Operate a Child Day Care Facility; Form 2948, Plan of Operation for Licensed Center and Home Operations; Form 2911, Child Care Regulation Governing Body/Director Designation; and Form 2760, Controlling Person, Child Care Regulation.

    Form 2948, the plan of operation, is the one that takes real time. It is where you describe how your program will actually run day to day, and a vague plan of operation is a common reason applications come back.

    CCR reviews the application for completeness and either accepts it as complete or returns it to you incomplete, so a missing signature costs you weeks rather than a phone call.

  5. Clear background checks and prepare the building

    Cost: $2 per background check, plus local inspection fees

    Background checks are required for staff who have contact with children, at $2 per check per the CCR fee chart. Budget for every person you intend to hire, not just yourself.

    Before CCR inspects, your building generally has to satisfy local fire and health authorities and meet the physical environment requirements in the Texas Administrative Code minimum standards for child care centers. Fire marshal sign-off and any required health inspection are local, so timelines vary by city.

    Local fire and health clearance requirements, fees and wait times are set by your city or county, not the state. Call your city fire marshal and local health department early: this is the step most likely to add months, especially in a building that was not built as a daycare.

  6. Pass the CCR inspection, then set up your provider account

    After you submit a completed application, CCR staff conduct an inspection to confirm you and your operation comply with the applicable statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards.

    Once CCR has accepted your application, you complete online registration to create your provider account.

  7. Get help from people who do this for a living, for free

    The Texas Small Business Development Center network offers no-cost business advising, funded in part by the SBA. For a licensed, staffed, insured business like a daycare, an advisor who has walked other people through it is worth more than another evening of searching.

What it costs

ItemAmount
CCR application feeLicensed center or registered home$35
License fee, licensed centerAlso charged annually$35 + $1 per capacity
License fee, registered home$35 annual
Background checksPer person with child contact$2 each
Texas LLC filingConfirm the current amount when you fileSee Secretary of State fee schedule
Federal EINFree from the IRS. Never pay a third party for this.$0
Liability insuranceRequired consideration under CCR rules; get quotesVaries
Fire and health inspectionsVaries by city
Facility, equipment, staffThe largest line by far

The state fees here are small on purpose. The money in opening a daycare goes to the building, the ratios and the staff, which is exactly the part no license page will tell you.

This guide is the overview. A plan is the whole thing.

Everything above is free and it is the state-level picture. An Offramp plan is built around you: your city, your budget, the licenses that apply to your specific setup, the people near you to call, and the order to do it in so nothing stalls.

Build my Texas plan$79 $49

Common questions

How much does a daycare license cost in Texas?

Per the HHS Child Care Regulation fee chart, a licensed child care center pays a $35 application fee and a license fee of $35 plus $1 per child of licensed capacity, charged annually. A registered child care home pays $35 to apply and a $35 annual fee. Background checks are $2 each.

Who licenses daycares in Texas?

Texas Health and Human Services Child Care Regulation (CCR). That is separate from registecall your business with the Texas Secretary of State, and separate again from local fire and health clearance, which your city or county handles.

What forms do I need to open a daycare in Texas?

HHS lists four for a center-based provider: Form 2910 (Application for a License or Certification to Operate a Child Day Care Facility), Form 2948 (Plan of Operation), Form 2911 (Governing Body/Director Designation) and Form 2760 (Controlling Person).

Do I have to attend orientation before applying?

Yes. HHS requires an orientation class or pre-application interview before applying for a license, certificate or registration. It can be held at an HHSC office, at your proposed site, as a group meeting, or by telephone if an in-person meeting is not possible.

Can I run a daycare out of my house in Texas?

Yes. Texas licenses and registers child care homes separately from centers, with a $35 application fee and a $35 annual fee and no per-capacity add-on. It is the cheaper way in, and it has its own set of minimum standards and its own forms.

How long does it take to get a daycare license in Texas?

There is no single published figure, and honestly the state fees are not what sets the clock. The pace is set by your orientation date, how complete your application is, and how fast your local fire marshal and health department move. Ask your CCR office what they are currently seeing for your county.

What to confirm yourself

We would rather tell you what we don’t know than make it up. These are the parts that are local, that change, or that the agency does not publish.

  • HHS does not publish the fee amount or the director qualification requirements on its steps page. Confirm the current fee and the director credential requirements with your local CCR office before you budget or hire.
  • Fire marshal and health department requirements, fees and wait times are local. Call your city before you sign a lease on a building, not after.
  • Minimum standards cover staff-to-child ratios, square footage, training hours and more. Read the Texas Administrative Code minimum standards for your operation type, because these drive your real costs far more than the license fee does.
  • Zoning matters. A daycare is not permitted by right everywhere, including in some residential areas. Check with your city planning or zoning office for the specific address.

Sources

Related guides

Offramp is not a law firm, an accountant or a government agency, and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Fees and requirements change. Confirm with the agency before you file or pay. See all guides.