In Home Daycare Requirements Nevada

When Nevada Requires a License

Nevada draws the licensing line at four unrelated children. Under NRS Chapter 432A, anyone who provides care, supervision, and guidance to more than four unrelated children for compensation must hold a state child care license. Caring for four or fewer unrelated children remains exempt from state licensing, though local business registration rules may still apply.

Related children — up to the third degree of blood relationship — don't count toward your capacity. Your own children do count toward staffing limits if they're under four years old in a Family Care Home, or under three in a Group Care Home.

Two Categories of Home Licenses

Nevada licenses two types of residential child care operations, both of which require the licensee to actually live in the home:

Family Care Home (5–6 children): A single provider can run this operation without an assistant, provided specific infant and toddler age-mix limitations are met. The maximum drops to two children if all are under one year old, or four children if all are under two, with no more than two under one.

Group Care Home (7–12 children): This category bridges home-based care with commercial center standards. A second qualified caregiver must be on duty when the group exceeds six children, and the state requires a structured, developmentally appropriate curriculum.

The Licensing Authority

As of July 1, 2024, all seventeen Nevada counties operate under a single licensing authority: the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) Child Care Licensing. Washoe County was the last county to integrate its independent licensing program into the statewide system, so older online resources referencing county-level licensing boards are outdated.

The state runs two regional offices: a southern office in Las Vegas at (702) 631-3037 and a northern office in Carson City at (775) 684-8781. Rural providers can also reach the Elko office at (775) 753-1237.

Physical Space Standards

Your home must meet measurable space requirements before DWSS will issue a license:

• Indoor play area: Minimum 35 square feet of usable activity space per child, excluding hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, offices, and storage rooms
• Outdoor play area: Minimum 37.5 square feet per child based on licensed capacity, enclosed by a fence at least six feet high
• Shade: At least 5 square feet of shaded outdoor area per child during April through September

These aren't suggestions. The assigned DWSS surveyor measures every room during the pre-licensing inspection, and falling short on square footage is one of the most common reasons applications stall.

The 90-Day Licensing Window

Nevada's licensing process runs on a strict 90-day clock. Once DWSS receives your application, every prerequisite — background clearances, fire inspection, health permits, physical home setup — must be completed and uploaded to the state's online portal within 90 days. If you miss the deadline, your application is automatically withdrawn and all processing fees are forfeited.

Here's the general sequence:

Weeks 1–3: Register your business through SilverFlume ($425 for an LLC, including the state business license), get your free EIN from the IRS, secure landlord or HOA written approval if applicable, and complete the mandatory LAP orientation through the NEATS e-learning system.

Weeks 4–6: Submit your application through the ALiS portal ($20 for Family Care, $60 for Group Care), register everyone in the household aged 18 and older in the NABS background check system, and schedule fingerprinting at a LiveScan vendor ($60–$90 per person).

Weeks 7–9: Coordinate local health and fire inspections. In Clark County, that means the Southern Nevada Health District. In Washoe County, it's Northern Nevada Public Health. Rural counties work with state environmental sanitarians. The fire inspection requires interconnected smoke alarms, a 2A:10BC fire extinguisher, two unobstructed exit paths, and a posted evacuation plan.

Weeks 10–12: Complete all Nevada Registry-approved preservice training — pediatric CPR and First Aid (must include in-person skill demonstration), bloodborne pathogens, SIDS prevention if caring for infants, child abuse recognition, and emergency planning. Then pass the final on-site survey with your assigned DWSS surveyor.

What Trips Up Most Applicants

Background check processing is the biggest timeline risk. DPS fingerprint clearance takes four to eight weeks, so submitting fingerprints early — even before your home is fully set up — prevents the background check from eating into your 90-day window.

The other common stumbling block is confusing your state child care license with your local business license. These are separate systems. DWSS issues the child care credential, but you also need a business license from your city or county — Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, Sparks, or the applicable county clerk's office — before you can legally operate.

What the Licensing Process Actually Costs

The state fees are modest: $20 or $60 for the license itself. The real startup cost comes from SilverFlume registration ($425), background checks ($60–$90 per household adult), local health and fire inspections ($100–$500 combined, depending on your county), and physical home modifications like fencing, safety locks, and fire equipment ($1,500–$4,000 depending on your starting point).

All told, the example budgets below run from about $1,020 to $7,105 to get through the licensing process — significantly less than the $50,000+ required to open a commercial center.

If you want a step-by-step system that sequences every fee, form, and inspection in the right order so you don't spend money before you've confirmed your home qualifies, the Nevada Home Daycare Licensing Guide walks you through the entire 90-day window.

See more Nevada guides →