Tennessee Home Daycare Inspection Checklist

The TDHS licensing process includes two formal walk-throughs — a solo inspection by your Program Specialist (Step 9) and a joint inspection with the Specialist, a Licensing Consultant, and a Field Supervisor (Step 10). After licensure, unannounced inspections happen at least four times per year. All three types check the same core areas.

Indoor Space Measurement

Inspectors verify that your home provides at least 30 square feet of usable indoor play space per child. "Usable" is the operative word — they subtract:

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Hallways
• Offices and storage areas
• Floor area occupied by cribs, large furniture, and fixed equipment

The formula: (total square footage - excluded areas - fixed furniture) ÷ 30 = maximum child capacity. Your actual licensed capacity cannot exceed the statutory limit for your provider class (7 unrelated for family homes, 12 for group homes), even if your space allows more.

Measure before the inspector does. Walk through each room with a tape measure and sketch the layout. If you are tight on space, removing a bookshelf or relocating a desk out of the play area can change your capacity number.

Outdoor Space

Fenced outdoor play areas must provide at least 50 square feet per child using the yard at one time. Inspectors check:

• Fence condition and height — gaps, broken sections, or gates that do not self-latch are immediate deficiencies
• Playground equipment condition — no rusted hardware, exposed bolts, or broken surfaces
• Water feature security — pools, hot tubs, and ponds must be enclosed by a separate locked fence
• General hazard scan — no poisonous plants, standing water, or debris in the play area

Fire and Safety Equipment

Since April 2025, family child care homes follow Appendix AM of the 2021 International Residential Code. Inspectors verify:

• Smoke alarms on every level of the home — tested and functional
• Carbon monoxide detectors within 10 feet of every designated sleeping area
• Fire extinguisher in the kitchen — properly mounted with a current inspection tag
• Emergency procedures posted near the primary exit
• A written multi-hazard emergency plan covering fire, severe weather, intruder, and medical emergencies

Commercial fire systems (voice evacuation, fire suppression) are not required for family homes under the current code.

Locked Storage

Personal belongings of staff and household members — purses, backpacks, keys, medications, coats — must be in a locked location completely inaccessible to children. Cleaning supplies, household chemicals, and any medications (including over-the-counter) must be locked as well. Inspectors open cabinets and check under sinks.

Records Inspection

This is where most first-visit deficiencies occur. Inspectors expect to review, on-site and immediately available:

• Immunization records on the current state form for every enrolled child
• Emergency medical authorization — signed by each parent
• Authorized release list — who is allowed to pick up each child, with signatures
• Daily sign-in/sign-out sheets — printed child name, date, arrival and departure times, parent signature
• Transportation agreements — written daily pick-up and drop-off protocols
• Safe sleep logs (if infants are in care) — 15-minute physical checks with provider signature
• Allergy action plans for any child with a life-threatening allergy, endorsed by a physician
• Staff drug-testing policy — written and on file
• Written field trip consent for any off-site activities
• Parent pre-enrollment visit verification — signed confirmation that the parent toured the facility before enrollment

Missing records are the fastest way to generate a corrective action. Set up a filing system before your first child enrolls, not after.

Safe Sleep (Infant-Specific)

If you care for children under 12 months, inspectors specifically check:

• Free-standing, CPSC-compliant cribs or approved play yards with firm sleep surfaces and fitted sheets — no soft bedding, bumper pads, pillows, or toys
• Babies placed on their backs for every sleep
• 15-minute check documentation with a physical touch to verify breathing and temperature
• Sleep spaces positioned away from windows, cords, and heating sources

Environmental and Sanitation

• Diapering area has handwashing supplies within arm's reach
• Food preparation surfaces are separate from diapering and play areas
• No smoking anywhere inside the home or in any vehicle used for transport (whether children are present or not)
• End-of-day sweep: after the last child leaves, the provider must inspect all areas of the home and outdoor grounds to confirm no child remains

How to Prepare

Run a self-audit two weeks before your Step 9 walk-through. Walk through every room the inspector will see. Test every smoke alarm and CO detector. Open every cabinet to confirm locks work. Pull out your records binder and verify every child's file is complete. Check the yard for hazards and verify the fence has no gaps.

The Tennessee Home Daycare Licensing Guide includes a pre-audit checklist organized by inspection area so you can work through each category systematically before your first visit.

See more Tennessee guides →