Choosing quality child care is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make as a parent. Licensing is the first step in quality care. Quality child care impacts how children learn, think, develop and behave; promotes social and emotional skills; promotes self-esteem and confidence; encourages curiosity and love of learning; prepares children for school; strengthens math and reading skills; and increases probability of attending college.

When you select a licensed care provider in Virginia, you are selecting a qualified professional in the field of early education with a commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for children by demonstrating compliance with regulations.

What is the difference between licensed versus unlicensed and unregistered care?

Licensed child day care programs can be offered in a child day center or in a family day home. They have an initial inspection and two unannounced inspections per year. Additional inspections are conducted as a result of violations and/or complaints. They have requirements for background checks, education, training/orientation, and health and safety standards.

Unlicensed and unregistered child day care programs do not have any of the following requirements or safeguards to protect vulnerable children: background checks, training/orientation, or health and safety requirements; and only minimal Code of Virginia requirements apply.

Who inspects early care and education programs?

The Virginia Department of Education inspects licensed programs prior to operation, twice per year for unannounced inspections, as needed for program development, and in response to complaints.

Regulated programs that are unlicensed are inspected accordingly:

Religious Exempt child day centers may be inspected by VDOE to determine compliance with the Code of Virginia, and at minimum are inspected when there is a report of a complaint and/or allegation. Religious exempt centers that are subsidy vendors receive a minimum of one unannounced health and safety inspection per year.

Certified Preschools may be inspected by VDOE to determine compliance with the Code of Virginia, and are inspected when there is a report of a complaint and/or allegation. Certified preschools that are subsidy vendors receive a minimum of one unannounced health and safety inspection per year.

Voluntarily Registered homes are inspected by VDOE prior to issuance of an initial certificate and prior to issuing a renewed certificate. Registered homes are inspected when there is a report of a complaint and/or allegation. Annual monitoring inspections are conducted on a random sampling of homes by contract agency staff and/or Virginia Department of Education staff. Registered homes that are subsidy vendors receive a minimum of one unannounced health and safety inspection per year.

Family Day System is operated by Infant/Toddler Family Day Care and they are inspected by VDOE. Individual family day homes approved under the umbrella of the system are directly inspected by the family day system on a quarterly basis to ensure compliance with the system's policies and procedures. At least two visits are required to be unannounced.

How do I find out about inspection reports or violations?

Inspection reports are available for licensed and religious exempt child day centers, licensed and voluntarily registered family day homes, certified preschools, and unlicensed child day programs that are approved subsidy vendors.

To view inspection reports enter the necessary information of the facility or home and activate the search, the program's information will be displayed. In addition to the program’s contact information, the assigned inspector and license information is displayed.

Inspection reports are posted with the most recent inspection displayed first. Details of the inspection reports highlights the areas reviewed, technical assistance provided during the inspection, and the inspector’s comments. Specific information on violations are available and include specific standard numbers, description of the violation, and the center’s response and/or corrective action if provided.

Parents who would like to file a complaint regarding a violation of a health and safety standard and/or citizens who would like to report an allegation of an illegally operating facility may do so by completing the Office of Child Care Health and Safety Online Complaint form or by calling (833) 778-0204.

How can I tell if a child care program is operating illegally?

A child day provider may have a business license issued by a locality, but a business license is not the same as a license issued by the Virginia Department of Education.

Child Day Centers

Child day centers are child day programs offered to (i) two or more children under the age of 13 years in a facility that is not the residence of the provider or of any of the children in care or (ii) 13 or more children at any location. 

Child day centers must be either licensed or exempt from licensure.

A center may be operating illegally if:

• A current exemption letter cannot be produced; or
• There are more children in care than are allowed by the license or exemption letter.

Ask the center to show you their license or letter of exemption letter issued by VDOE.

Licensed Family Day Homes

Licensed family day homes may provide care for up to twelve children (exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home) when at least one child receives care for compensation. The care may be offered in the home of the provider or in the home of any of the children in care.

A family day home may be operating illegally if:

• A current license cannot be produced;
• The provider or someone who resides in the home is identified as a sex offender or child abuser;
• There are more children in care than are allowed by the license; or
• There are more than four children under the age of two, including the provider’s own children or any children who reside in the home.

Ask the family day home provider to show you their license (issued by VDSS prior to July 1, 2021 or issued by VDOE on or after July 1, 2021).

Voluntarily Registered Family Day Homes

Voluntarily Registered family day homes are not required to be licensed, but may choose to be registered. These homes have fewer than five children in care, not including the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home. Voluntary registration is not available in areas where local ordinances regulate unlicensed providers (Arlington, Fairfax, and Alexandria).

A voluntarily registered family day home may be operating illegally if:

• A current registration certificate cannot be produced;
• The provider or someone who resides in the home is identified as a child abuser or is registered as a sex offender;
• There are more children in care than are allowed by the registration certificate; or
• The program is located at a different address from the one listed on the certificate.

Ask the family day home provider to show you their voluntary registration certificate issued by VDOE.

Certified Preschools

Certified preschools operated by private schools that are accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the State Board of Education are allowed by Section 22.1-289.032 of the Code of Virginia to be exempt from licensure.

A certified preschool may be operating illegally if:

• A current certificate cannot be produced; or
• The program does not meet the requirements in the Code of Virginia.

Ask the preschool to show you their certificate issued by VDOE.