Child Care Licensing

Child Care Provider Types

Per Utah Statute, child care means continuous care and supervision of five or more qualifying children that is in lieu of care ordinarily provided by a parent in the parent's home, for less than 24 hours a day, and for direct or indirect compensation.

Unless one of the criteria in the Exemptions Rule are met, providers are required to have a license or certificate from Child Care Licensing if they are or will be providing care or administering a program that meet the definition of child care. A city business license is NOT a Child Care License.

Some individuals provide illegal care. Even if they have a city business license, NO CCL inspections are conducted and NO CCL background checks are done. Please File a Complaint if you are aware illegal care is being provided or a provider is not in compliance with the applicable rules or requirements.

There are several types of licensed providers.

Center-based providers or programs are in a commercial setting.


LICENSED CENTER PROVIDERS	They provide care for children of all ages. The children have regular schedules of care.	They must be in compliance with the R381-100 Rules.
LICENSED HOURLY CENTER PROVIDERS	They provide care for children of all ages. The children do not have regular schedules of care; they are cared for on a drop-in basis.	They must be in compliance with the R381-60 Rules.
LICENSED OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM PROVIDERS	They provide care only for school age (ages 5 to 12) children. The care is before and after school and on school holidays.	They must be in compliance with the R381-70 Rules.
LICENSED COMMERICAL PRESCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDERS	They provide care only for children between the ages of 2 and 4. Each child is in care for less than 4 hours a day.	They must be in compliance with the R381-40 Rules.

Home-based providers are in the provider's home.


LICENSED FAMILY PROVIDERS	They provide care care for at least one child not related to them. The children have regular schedules of care.	They must be in compliance with the R430-90 Rules.
RESIDENTIAL CERTIFIED PROVIDERS	They also provide care for at least one child not related to them. The children also have regular schedules of care.	They must be in compliance with the R430-50 Rules.

There are several types of license-exempt providers.

The criteria for being license exempt are found in the Exemptions Rules.

DWS stands for the Department of Workforce Services. FFN stands for Family, Friend, & Neighbor. LE stands for License Exempt.


DWS FFN PROVIDERS	They are home-based providers who are not required to have a Family Child Care License or a Residential Certificate or for whom a license or certificate is not available and want to be eligible for DWS child care subsidy payments.	They must be in compliance with the DWS FFN Requirements.
LE DWS PROVIDERS	They are center-based providers who are not required to have a Child Care License and want to be eligible for DWS child care subsidy payments and/or DWS grant money from Child Care Development Funds.	They must be in compliance with the LE DWS Requirements.
LE PROVIDERS	They are center-based providers who are required to have an exemption.	They must be in compliance the applicable Exemptions Rules.
CHILD CARE LICENSING REGISTERED PROVIDERS	They are are home or center-based providers who are not required to have a Child Care License or Residential Certificate but are required, by another program or agency, to register with Child Care Licensing.	There are no rules or requirements that apply to them.