Alaska Home Daycare Inspection Checklist

What the Inspection Is (and Isn't)

The pre-licensing inspection is a structured walkthrough of your home against the environmental health and safety standards in 7 AAC 10.1000 through 7 AAC 10.1095. A CCPO licensing specialist (or, in Anchorage, an Anchorage Health Department specialist) uses a checklist to assess physical safety across several categories.

It's not a surprise attack. You'll know when it's scheduled, and you'll know exactly what they're checking because the standards are published. The inspection that catches people off guard is the unannounced annual compliance visit that comes after you're licensed — but the checklist is the same. Prepare properly the first time and every follow-up visit is routine.

Fire Safety and Evacuation

This section generates the most corrections on first inspections.

Smoke detectors — At least one AC-powered smoke detector with battery backup (or a monitored battery unit) in each bedroom. Multi-level homes need at least one on every level.

Carbon monoxide detectors — Required within three feet of sleeping areas if the home uses wood, oil, natural gas, or propane for heating or cooking. Most Alaska homes use at least one of these.

Fire extinguishers — One fully charged 2A:10BC dry-chemical extinguisher mounted on each level. Each must have a current annual inspection tag from a certified fire safety company.

Evacuation plan — A written emergency plan on Form CC67 ("Get Out Alive!") showing primary and secondary escape routes from every room used by children. The plan must include specific procedures for evacuating infants and nonambulatory children.

Evacuation drills — Monthly drills, documented and kept on file, showing all occupants can exit within 150 seconds (two and a half minutes). Specialists review these logs during inspections.

Safe Sleep Area

Programs serving infants face strict standards to reduce SIDS risk.

Approved cribs — Infants must sleep in federally approved wooden or mesh-sided cribs. Playpens, bassinets, and adult beds are not permitted for unsupervised napping.

Crib contents — Firm mattress with a tight-fitting sheet. Nothing else. No loose blankets, quilts, pillows, bumper pads, stuffed animals, or positioners.

Back-to-sleep — Infants must be placed on their backs for all sleep periods.

Supervision — Sleep areas must be arranged so caregivers maintain continuous sight-and-sound supervision. If children nap in a separate room, the caregiver must stay on the same floor with easy access.

Water, Sanitation, and Temperature

Hot water — Handwashing sinks accessible to children must deliver water between 100°F and 120°F. Test with a thermometer, not your hand.

Diaper changing — Changing surfaces must be smooth, non-porous, and sanitized with an EPA-approved disinfectant after each use. Changing areas must be away from food prep spaces.

Waste — All trash and diaper bins must have covers.

Private wells — If you're not on municipal water, the specialist will want to see test results for nitrates, lead, copper, and coliform bacteria. Testing costs $100–$250 through ADEC-certified labs and must be repeated annually.

Chemical and Medication Storage

Cleaning supplies — All household chemicals, pesticides, and solvents must be in locked cabinets out of children's reach.

Medications — All prescription and over-the-counter medications in locked containers. Refrigerated medications go in a locked box inside the fridge. You'll need medication administration logs documenting child name, dosage, time, and written parental consent.

Firearm and Ammunition Storage

Alaska has high residential firearm ownership, and the CCPO takes this section seriously.

Form CC103 — Submitted with your initial application, disclosing every weapon on the premises.

Firearms — Must be unloaded and stored in a securely locked gun safe, cabinet, or closet that is completely inaccessible to children.

Ammunition — Stored separately from firearms in a different locked container using a different key or combination.

Pets and Outdoor Areas

Pet disclosure — Form CC105 lists all animals on the premises. Dogs and cats need current rabies vaccination records. Litter boxes and pet waste areas must be completely separated from children's indoor and outdoor spaces.

Outdoor play — Fenced play areas free of hazards. Juneau adds specific fencing material requirements — permanent materials that visually blend with the neighborhood under CBJ 49.65.1110.

Operational Documents

The specialist will also review your written policies:

• Daily schedule balancing quiet and active play, indoor and outdoor activities, and nap times
• Behavior guidance policy (positive discipline only — no physical punishment, humiliation, or food/sleep deprivation; time-outs capped at 10 minutes)
• Child enrollment files with current immunization records and emergency contacts
• Screen time policy (prohibited under age 2, capped at one hour per day for older children)

After the Inspection

If the specialist identifies non-compliance items, you'll receive a written correction notice with a deadline. Most first-time issues are fixable quickly — moving a cleaning supply to a locked cabinet, replacing an expired fire extinguisher tag, adjusting the water heater. Submit proof of correction and the specialist clears the item.

Our Alaska Home Daycare License guide includes a printable home safety inspection prep checklist that maps every room in your house against the CCPO standards, so you can walk through it yourself before the specialist arrives.

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