Michigan Daycare Orientation Training

Why Orientation Exists

Michigan requires every prospective home daycare licensee to complete a mandatory orientation session before receiving their original license. MiLEAP's Child Care Licensing Bureau (CCLB) will not schedule your on-site home inspection until orientation is done.

The orientation covers the administrative rules governing family and group child care homes, your legal obligations as a licensee, what licensing consultants look for during inspections, and the record-keeping systems you need in place from day one.

Format and Duration

The orientation runs approximately six hours. Historically, it was offered only as an in-person session led by regional licensing staff. MiLEAP now also offers a self-paced virtual option through the MiAEYC Knowledge Center, which means you can complete it on your own schedule without waiting for a local session to open.

Whether you take it in person or online, keep the completion record and follow the current CCLB instructions for how it is recorded in your licensing file.

When to Schedule It

Orientation sits in the middle of the licensing timeline, not at the beginning. The typical sequence is:

1. Verify property feasibility (zoning, lease, environmental health)
2. Submit your CCHIRP application and pay the state fee ($50 family home, $100 group home)
3. Complete background checks through the CCBC system
4. Complete orientation and training requirements
5. Pass the on-site licensing inspection

Trying to complete orientation before your background checks are processed wastes time. The CCLB won't move to the inspection stage until both your clearances and your training milestones are confirmed, so work on them in parallel if possible.

What Orientation Covers

The session walks through the updated April 2026 licensing rules for child care homes. Key topics include:

• Capacity and ratio rules — the 1:6 caregiver-to-child ratio, infant density sub-limits (no more than 4 children under 30 months, with no more than 2 under 18 months), and how your own children under 6 count toward capacity
• Physical space standards — the 35-square-foot-per-child indoor play area requirement, two remotely located exits per floor, and temperature minimums
• Record-keeping obligations — the licensing notebook, personnel files, child enrollment records, and daily attendance documentation
• Inspection expectations — what the licensing consultant evaluates during the on-site audit and how corrective action plans work if issues are found

The 2026 rules introduced several changes you'll hear about in orientation, including the elimination of mandatory TB testing, new written food allergy policy requirements, and updated school-age ratio flexibility.

Other Training You Need Before Licensure

Orientation is just one of several training requirements. Before your original license is issued, you also need:

• Health and Safety Training — a state-funded online module completed through MiRegistry
• Safe Sleep Practices — another MiRegistry module covering infant safe sleep standards
• Pediatric CPR and First Aid — certification in pediatric, infant, child, and adult CPR plus pediatric first aid from an approved training provider

Create your MiRegistry account early. All professional development hours are tracked there, and the state requires licensees to complete a minimum of 10 clock hours of professional development annually after licensure.

Getting the Complete Training Timeline

Orientation is one checkpoint in a multi-month licensing process that includes zoning verification, background clearances, mechanical inspections, and space preparation. Our Michigan Home Daycare Licensing Guide sequences every training requirement alongside the application steps so you know exactly when to schedule what — and which steps you can run in parallel to shorten your total timeline.

See more Michigan guides →