Michigan Daycare Startup Checklist

Before You Apply: The Property Feasibility Filter

The biggest mistake new Michigan daycare applicants make is paying the state application fee before confirming their property can actually pass inspection. These checks cost nothing or very little, and they save you from non-refundable losses if a property-level issue exists.

Zoning clearance: For family child care homes (1–6 children), Michigan's Zoning Enabling Act treats your operation as a residential use. Counties and townships cannot require special-use approval, while some cities and villages may require a home-occupation permit. For group homes (7–12 children), you need local zoning approval and the Zoning Approval Form (CCL-3748). Call your local planning department to confirm before filing with the state.

Lease and HOA review: If you rent, you need a written lease addendum permitting a licensed home child care business. If your property is governed by an HOA, check the covenants for home business restrictions.

Environmental pre-screening: Arrange radon testing on the lowest level of your home (must be below 4.0 pCi/L). If you're on a private well, schedule a county health department water evaluation — results take up to five weeks.

Physical layout check: Measure your indoor play area (need at least 35 square feet per child, excluding bathrooms, kitchens, hallways). Verify that every child-use floor has two remotely located exits. Check that emergency egress windows meet state dimensions.

The Application Sequence

Once your property clears feasibility, the state process follows a defined order:

1. Register on CCHIRP: Create a MiLogin Business account and link the Child Care Hub Information Records Portal. Complete the online application and pay the non-refundable fee — $50 for a family home, $100 for a group home.

2. Receive your Launch Letter: MiLEAP's CCLB generates a Launch Letter in CCHIRP containing your Provider ID and the codes you need for background check registration.

3. Complete background checks: Register in the CCBC (Child Care Background Check) system. Submit information for yourself, all staff, assistants, and every household member aged 14 and older. Schedule fingerprinting through Idemia (IdentoGO). Have each person sign the Consent and Disclosure form before their appointment.

4. Complete mandatory training: Create a MiRegistry account. Complete the Health and Safety Training and Safe Sleep Practices modules. Obtain certified pediatric CPR and First Aid certification. Complete the mandatory licensing orientation (available as self-paced virtual training through MiAEYC Knowledge Center).

5. Obtain medical clearance: Have your physician complete Form CCL-3704 (Medical Clearance Request), attesting to your physical and mental fitness to care for children.

6. Schedule mechanical inspections: Hire a licensed heating contractor to inspect and certify any fuel-fired furnace, and a licensed plumbing/heating contractor for any fuel-fired water heater (homes with all-electric heat and hot water are exempt). Gather your radon test results and well water results if applicable.

7. Prepare your physical space: Install smoke detectors on every floor, CO detectors on every child-use floor, and mount a 2A-10BC rated fire extinguisher on each approved level. Protect unused outlets accessible to children, lock hazardous materials, secure window cords, and fence outdoor play areas.

8. Pass the on-site inspection: Your CCLB licensing consultant schedules a home visit to evaluate compliance with the child care home rules. Have your emergency plan, discipline policies, daily operations schedule, and personnel files ready.

Equipment and Supplies Checklist

Beyond the licensing infrastructure, you need operational equipment from day one:

• Age-appropriate cribs, cots, or rest mats for each child
• Locked storage for medications, cleaning supplies, and hazardous materials
• First aid kit (restocked, accessible, out of children's reach)
• Daily attendance sign-in/sign-out sheets or digital check-in system
• Emergency contact binder with completed enrollment forms (CCL-3731) for each child
• Licensing Notebook containing all inspection reports and corrective action plans (must be accessible to parents during business hours)

After Your Original License

Your original license is valid for six months. Before it expires, you submit a renewal application ($25 family, $50 group), pass a second on-site inspection, and receive a regular two-year license.

From there, you maintain 10 clock hours of professional development annually (5 hours for staff), keep all training current, and maintain your on-site records for licensing consultant visits.

Getting the Full Sequenced Roadmap

This checklist hits the major milestones, but the licensing process has dozens of interdependent steps where sequence matters — paying for background checks before confirming zoning clearance, for example, risks non-refundable losses. Our Michigan Home Daycare Licensing Guide maps every step in the right order with a capital-protection sequence designed to ensure you don't spend money on state fees until your property, household, and training foundations are confirmed.

See more Michigan guides →