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Home Daycare License Requirements in Colorado (2026)

Opening a home daycare in Colorado means getting a family child care home license from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Division of Early Learning, Licensing, and Administration (DELLA). Here is exactly what that takes in 2026 — your capacity limit and ratios, the training and background checks, the application steps, and the postings and enrollment forms you need — sourced to the state’s own rules and dated.

Who needs a license — home types in Colorado

COLORADO DOES NOT HAVE ONE HOME LICENCE. IT HAS FIVE, PLUS AN EXEMPTION THAT NEARLY EXPIRED THIS MONTH — AND CHOOSING BETWEEN THEM IS THE STATE'S DEFINING DECISION. THE STATUTORY DEFINITION FIRST. C.R.S. § 26.5-5-303(7) defines a family child care home as "A facility for child care operated with or without compensation or educational purposes in a place of residence of a family or person for the purpose of providing less than twenty-four-hour care for children under the age of eighteen years who are not related to the head of such home." The rule repeats it almost word for word at section 2.303: "The provisions of these rules and regulations shall be applicable to facilities for child care operated with or without compensation or educational purposes in a place of residence of a family or person, for the purpose of providing less than twenty-four (24) hour care for children under the age of eighteen (18) years who are not related to the head of such home." Section 2.304(A)(31) then closes the loop: "'Family Child Care Home' (FCCH) has the same meaning as set forth in section 26.5-5-303(7), C.R.S." Four elements do the work in that sentence, and each of them catches somebody. "WITH OR WITHOUT COMPENSATION."

Summarised from the state’s own rules. Every figure above is quoted from the regulation cited on this page.

How many children you can care for in Colorado

TWELVE CHILDREN IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER ANY COLORADO HOME LICENCE CARRIES — AND THE NUMBER ON YOUR OWN LICENCE IS DECIDED BY SQUARE FOOTAGE BEFORE IT IS DECIDED BY LICENCE TYPE. THE FIRST RULE, WHICH MOST SUMMARIES SKIP. Section 2.305(A)(1): "The capacity for a family child care home (generally referred to within these rules as 'the home') is determined by the amount of indoor and outdoor space designated for child care, as well as the below factors." The licence type sets a ceiling. Space sets your actual number. The rule states the space arithmetic in two places. Indoor, section 2.336(A)(1): "There must be open, uncluttered, and safe indoor play space of at least thirty-five (35) square feet of floor space per child, including space for moveable furniture and equipment exclusive of: a. Hallways; b. Bathrooms; c. Stairways; d. Closets; e. Laundry rooms; f. Furnace rooms; and g. Space occupied by permanent built-in cabinets and permanent storage shelves." Outdoor, section 2.337(A)(1): "At least seventy-five (75) square feet of useable outdoor play space must be available for each child in care."

Summarised from the state’s own rules. Every figure above is quoted from the regulation cited on this page.

Adult-to-child ratios

COLORADO PUBLISHES NO STAFF-TO-CHILD RATIO TABLE FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES — AND THEN CITES ONE. THE MEASUREMENT. Across the whole of the Rules Regulating Family Child Care Homes, sections 2.300 through 2.338, the word "ratio" appears exactly once in a normative sentence. It is at section 2.315(A): "Volunteers cannot be used to meet the applicable staff to child ratio." There is no applicable staff-to-child ratio for a family child care home anywhere in 8 CCR 1402-1. The centre chapter has one — section 2.217, "REQUIRED STAFF AND SUPERVISION," runs to nearly four hundred lines of age-banded ratio tables — and the school-age chapter has one at section 2.510. The home chapter has none. Section 2.315(A) forbids you from meeting a number that the rule never states for your setting. That is not a drafting curiosity to be waved away; it is the structural fact you have to understand to read Colorado correctly. Colorado regulates homes by LICENSED CAPACITY AND AGE MIX, not by staffing ratio. The capacity numbers in sections 2.306 through 2.310 ARE the ratio for a single provider: six children to one adult on a regular licence, six with a third infant on a three-under-eighteen-months licence, four to one in an infant/toddler home, nine to one as an experienced provider under Options 1–4, twelve to two in a large home above eight children.

Summarised from the state’s own rules. Every figure above is quoted from the regulation cited on this page.

Training you must complete before licensure

COLORADO RUNS FOUR SEPARATE CLOCKS: BEFORE THE LICENCE ISSUES, BEFORE YOU TOUCH A CHILD, WITHIN THIRTY DAYS, AND WITHIN NINETY DAYS. Miss which clock a course sits on and you will be cited for something you did complete. THE MASTER RULE. Section 2.312(A): "Every required training in this rule section 2.312 must be documented and available for review by the Department." CLOCK ONE — BEFORE THE LICENCE ISSUES OR YOU CARE FOR ANY CHILD. Section 2.312(B): "Prior to issuance of the license or providing care to children, the primary provider, applicant 2, and equally qualified provider, must complete a Department approved fifteen (15) clock hour pre-licensing course of training." Section 2.312(B)(1): "The following individuals are exempt from pre-licensing training: a. Individuals who have a current director qualifications letter issued by the Department; or b. Individuals with a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with a major area of study in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education." Read the exemption narrowly. It is not "a degree in education."

Summarised from the state’s own rules. Every figure above is quoted from the regulation cited on this page.

Ongoing (annual) training

FIFTEEN CLOCK HOURS EVERY YEAR, OF WHICH AT LEAST THREE MUST BE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL — AND FIRST AID AND CPR DO NOT COUNT TOWARD ANY OF THEM. THE CORE OBLIGATION. Section 2.312(R): "The primary provider, applicant 2, equally qualified provider, qualified substitutes, and all staff members shall: 1. Complete a minimum of fifteen (15) clock hours of ongoing professional development each year. At least three (3) of the fifteen (15) clock hours must be in social emotional development." Everyone owes it — not just the licensee. A qualified substitute who covers you three days a year owes fifteen hours; a staff aide owes fifteen hours. "EACH YEAR" IS NOT THE CALENDAR YEAR. Section 2.304(A)(B) — the definitions run alphabetically, and the second entry reads: "'Annually' means the time frame from the initial date of hire, training, licensing, or certification, and the following twelve months." Section 2.304(A)(C) defines the other one: "'Calendar year' means the time frame from January 1 to December 31." Section 2.312(R)(1) says "each year," not "each calendar year," and the surrounding renewals in section 2.312 are expressed as "renewed annually," which the definition pegs to your own anniversary of hire, training, licensing or certification.

Summarised from the state’s own rules. Every figure above is quoted from the regulation cited on this page.

Background checks

COLORADO RUNS FIVE DISTINCT CHECKS, NOT TWO — AND THE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH ARE THE ONES PEOPLE MISS. A CBI/FBI fingerprint check; a Trails child abuse and neglect records check; a state criminal history, state sex offender registry and state abuse-and-neglect registry check for EVERY STATE you have lived in during the past five years; a National Sex Offender Registry check; and, done by the Department on its own initiative, a comparison search of the State Judicial Department's court case management system and the Colorado Department of Public Safety sex offender registry. All of them reach every adult who lives in your house, not merely everyone who works in it. CHECK ONE — FINGERPRINT-BASED CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK (CBI AND FBI). Section 2.121(A)(1): "In order to obtain any Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and/or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint criminal history records, each applicant listed below must have their fingerprints taken and processed at a vendor approved by CBI. Approved vendors may be located using the CBI website at Colorado.gov/cbi. Payment of the fee for the criminal record check is the responsibility of the individual being checked, identified as follows: a.

Summarised from the state’s own rules. Every figure above is quoted from the regulation cited on this page.

The application, step by step

Work through these in order — the prep packet turns them into a checklist you can tick off:

1. MEASURE THE HOUSE BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE SPACE — NOT LICENCE TYPE — SETS YOUR REAL CAPACITY. Section 2.305(A)(1): "The capacity for a family child care home ... is determined by the amount of indoor and outdoor space designated for child care, as well as the below factors." Indoors you need "at least thirty-five (35) square feet of floor space per child, including space for moveable furniture and equipment exclusive of: a. Hallways; b. Bathrooms; c. Stairways; d. Closets; e. Laundry rooms; f. Furnace rooms; and g. Space occupied by permanent built-in cabinets and permanent storage shelves" (section 2.336(A)(1)). Outdoors you need "At least seventy-five (75) square feet of useable…
2. CHOOSE ONE OF THE FIVE LICENCE TYPES, AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CANNOT STACK THEM. Regular (section 2.306), three-under-eighteen-months (section 2.307), infant/toddler (section 2.308), large (section 2.309) or experienced provider (section 2.310). Section 2.110(A): "If a licensee wishes to assume child care responsibility in more than one classification of care, separate applications, fees, and licensing evaluations are required for each classification. A family child care home may only be licensed as one type of classification at any one location address." Section 2.110(C): "Operating multiple licenses of the same classification at a single location by the same licensee or governing body is…
3. GET WRITTEN ZONING APPROVAL FROM THE LOCAL ZONING DEPARTMENT — IT IS A CONDITION OF ISSUANCE. Section 2.122(B): "Prior to the original license being issued, all child care facilities, must submit to the Department written approval from the local zoning department approving operation of the facility. The approval must include the address of the child care facility and the ages and number of children to be served. The facility must also submit written zoning department approval to the Department any time there is a change to the license, including moving the facility to another location, increasing the capacity, or adding different ages of children." Section 2.122(C): "All child care…
4. KNOW WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED: NO FIRE INSPECTION AND NO HEALTH INSPECTION. Section 2.122(A): "Prior to the original license being issued, following the renovation of the facility that would affect the licensing of the facility and at least every two (2) years thereafter, all child care facilities except family child care homes and Neighborhood Youth Organizations must be inspected and obtain an approving inspection report from the local department of health or the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and from the local fire department." Family child care homes are carved out by name. If a municipality demands a fire or health inspection of your home that it does not…
5. IF YOU LIVE IN A COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITY, YOUR HOA CANNOT STOP YOU. C.R.S. § 38-33.3-106.5(1), added to by Senate Bill 20-126: "Notwithstanding any provision in the declaration, bylaws, or rules and regulations of the association to the contrary, an association shall not prohibit any of the following: ... (k)(I) THE OPERATION OF A FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 26-6-102 (13), THAT IS LICENSED UNDER PART 1 OF ARTICLE 6 OF TITLE 26" — cross-references since conformed to section 26.5-5-303 and part 3 of article 5 of title 26.5. The limits, as enacted: architectural control, parking, landscaping and noise rules survive; "THE ASSOCIATION SHALL MAKE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR…
6. START THE BACKGROUND CHECKS FIRST, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE LONGEST EXTERNAL LEAD TIME AND THE WIDEST REACH. Fingerprints at a CBI-approved vendor for yourself and "any adult eighteen (18) years of age or older who resides in the licensed center, facility or agency," with the fee payable by the individual (section 2.121(A)(1)(a)). A Trails child abuse and neglect records request "on the state-prescribed form, accompanied by the required fee," submitted "at time of application" for every adult resident (sections 2.120(C) and 2.120(C)(1)(b)). A National Sex Offender Registry check "submitted and successfully completed prior to an individual caring for children" (section 2.121(D)(4)(b)). And —…
7. GET MEDICAL STATEMENTS FOR THE WHOLE HOUSEHOLD BEFORE APPROVAL. Section 2.311(A)(13): "Prior to license approval, the primary provider, applicant 2, and all persons residing in the home must obtain a medical statement signed and dated by a licensed physician or other health care provider." Staff have thirty days from employment (section 2.311(A)(13)(a)). Renewals every two years for the provider, Applicant 2 and resident children under ten, and within thirty days for anyone who moves in later (section 2.311(A)(14)). Signatory qualifications are fixed by section 2.304(A)(41): "a Licensed Physician, Physician's Assistant, and Nurse Practitioner registered or licensed with the Colorado…
8. COMPLETE THE FIFTEEN-HOUR PRE-LICENSING COURSE UNLESS YOU ARE ONE OF TWO NARROW EXCEPTIONS. Section 2.312(B): "Prior to issuance of the license or providing care to children, the primary provider, applicant 2, and equally qualified provider, must complete a Department approved fifteen (15) clock hour pre-licensing course of training." Section 2.312(B)(1) exempts only "Individuals who have a current director qualifications letter issued by the Department" or "Individuals with a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with a major area of study in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education."
9. COMPLETE THE PRE-SERVICE TRAINING BLOCK BEFORE ANY CHILD IS IN YOUR CARE. Standard precautions meeting OSHA requirements, renewed annually (section 2.312(C)); First Aid and CPR "for all ages of children from infant to twenty-one (21) years of age," with a lighter basic module renewed every two years for staff not required to be certified (section 2.312(D) and (D)(1)); medication administration, repeated every three years and creditable toward your annual hours (section 2.312(E)); building and physical premises hazards training that you write and deliver yourself, covering "electrical hazards, bodies of water, vehicular traffic, handing and storage of hazardous materials, and the…
10. WRITE THE FOUR EMERGENCY PLANS AND THE FIRE SAFETY PLAN. Section 2.134(A) requires "a written plan for: evacuating and safely moving children to an alternate site; lockdown; shelter in place; and an active shooter on premises ... updated as changes occur and reviewed annually," with all employees "annually trained on the provider's written plan prior to caring for children." Section 2.135(A): "a written plan for emergency notification of parents and reunification of families following an emergency or disaster." Section 2.136(A): "a written plan that accounts for children with disabilities as defined in 42 U.S.C. Section 12102 and those with access and functional needs as defined in the…
11. WRITE THE STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES — THIRTY-SIX REQUIRED TOPICS. Section 2.316(A) requires it to be handed to every parent at enrolment and on every amendment, with "a signed document stating that the parent(s)/guardian(s) have received the policies and procedures," and provides that "By signing the policies and procedures document, the parent(s)/guardian(s) agree to follow, accept the conditions of, and give authorization and approval for the activities described in the policies and procedures." Section 2.316(B) then lists thirty-six mandatory contents, from "Admission and registration procedures" through fee schedules, late pick-up, hours and closures, services for children…
12. REGISTER IN THE COLORADO SHINES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, AND ENROL IN COLORADO SHINES IF YOU WILL SERVE UNDER-SIXES. Section 2.311(A)(18): "Primary provider, applicant 2, equally qualified providers, qualified substitutes, and all staff must register with the Colorado Shines Professional Development Information System." Section 2.305(A)(2): "Licensed family child care homes enrolling children five (5) years of age or younger are required to participate in Colorado Shines, the state quality rating and improvement system." Note also C.R.S. § 26.5-5-333, added by Senate Bill 26-020 in 2026, which directs the executive director to adopt rules requiring licensed facilities…
13. FILE THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION WITH THE FEE AT LEAST SIXTY CALENDAR DAYS BEFORE YOU INTEND TO OPEN. Section 2.105(A): "A completed original application accompanied by the appropriate fee must be submitted to the Department a minimum of sixty (60) days prior to the proposed opening date for the facility." Section 2.105(B): "A licensing evaluation will occur only after the Department has received the complete application and appropriate fee." Section 2.111(A): "The appropriate application fee, must be submitted to the Department with the application for a child care, agency or neighborhood youth organization license at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to the anticipated opening date of…
14. IF YOU ARE APPLYING AS AN EXPERIENCED PROVIDER, FILE THE SEPARATE SIGNED APPLICATION SIXTY DAYS OUT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SIGNING. Section 2.310(A)(2): "At least sixty (60) calendar days prior to the proposed date of operation as an experienced provider, the applicant must submit to the Department a completed and signed experienced provider application form, which: a. Affirms compliance with all the rules for licensed family child care homes and experienced providers; and b. Affirms the provider understands that the license will be submitted for adverse action if capacities are exceeded at any time." No other home licence type asks you to pre-commit to adverse action for a capacity…
15. EXPECT A PROVISIONAL LICENCE IF YOU CANNOT YET MEET EVERY RULE — BUT ONLY ONCE. Section 2.108(A): "A provisional license or certificate may be issued only for the initial six (6) month licensing period." Section 2.108(B): "This license permits the facility to operate while it is temporarily unable to conform to all rules upon proof by the applicant that attempts are being made to comply with the rules." Section 2.108(C): "If an applicant holds a valid provisional license at the time of application for a permanent license, the provisional license will remain in effect until the application is acted on by the Department." A separate provisional route exists for zoning disputes under C.R.S. §…
16. RECEIVE THE PERMANENT LICENCE — WHICH HAS NO EXPIRY DATE. Section 2.107(A): "A permanent license is granted when the Department is satisfied that the facility or agency is in compliance with the appropriate Department rules and the Child Care Licensing Act. The permanent license remains in effect until surrendered or revoked." Colorado does not renew home licences on a term; it continues them on a declaration.
17. FILE THE ANNUAL DECLARATION OF COMPLIANCE AND CONTINUATION NOTICE SIXTY DAYS BEFORE YOUR ANNIVERSARY, WITH THE FEE. Section 2.107(B): "Once a permanent license has been issued, the licensee must annually submit to the Department a declaration of compliance with the applicable licensing rules and notice of continuing operation on the form prescribed by the Department, along with the appropriate annual fee as set forth in rule section 2.111." Section 2.107(C): "Failure to submit the annual Continuation Notice and fee will constitute a consistent failure to maintain Department standards and may result in fines or the revocation of the license." Section 2.111(B): "The appropriate annual…
18. REGISTER YOUR OPERATIONAL STATUS TWICE A YEAR, IN APRIL AND OCTOBER. Section 2.318(A): "The primary provider must register their operational status information in the Department's provider status portal every calendar year in the months of April and October." Section 2.318(A)(1): "The primary provider must update their information any time their operational status changes during a declared state emergency." Section 2.304(A)(57) defines the content: "'Operational status information' means if the family child care home is open, closed, or temporarily closed."
19. RE-APPLY — DO NOT AMEND — IF THE LICENSEE, THE CLASSIFICATION OR THE ADDRESS CHANGES. Section 2.106(A): "A license is deemed surrendered and a new application is required in any of the following circumstances: 1. Change of licensee, owner, or governing body; 2. Change in classification of facility or service offered; or 3. Change in location of the facility." Moving house, adding a spouse as licensee, or upgrading from a regular to a large home each surrender your existing licence and restart the sixty-day clock at section 2.105(A) with a fresh fee.
20. GET PRIOR APPROVAL FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THAT CHANGES. Section 2.124(A)(3): written notification and prior Department approval are required for "a. Proposed change in the number or age of children for whom the facility is licensed that differs from that authorized by the license. b. Changes in the physical facility or use of rooms for child care at a facility. c. Change of name of the facility or agency. d. Change of residents in the facility, not to include those residents placed in the facility by a county department." Capacity and premises changes cost $97.00 each under section 2.111(C), and a capacity or age-range change also triggers fresh zoning approval under section 2.122(B).
21. KNOW THE THREE APPEAL AND WAIVER ROUTES BEFORE YOU NEED THEM. Section 2.114: "The Department is authorized to hear and decide three kinds of appeal or waiver requests by applicants or licensees: hardship appeals in this rule set, also referred to as hardship waivers, stringency appeals, and materials waiver requests." Hardship waivers, section 2.115(A): a right "to appeal, pursuant to section 26.5-5-314(5), C.R.S., any rule or standard which, in their opinion, poses an undue hardship," where "Undue hardship is a situation where compliance with the rule creates a substantial, unnecessary burden on the applicant or licensee's business operation or the families or community it serves, which…
22. UNDERSTAND WHAT AN APPROVED WAIVER OBLIGES YOU TO DO AFTERWARDS. Section 2.118(C)(1): "For hardship appeals and materials waiver requests, the official decision letter must be posted next to the child care license until its expiration date. If there is no expiration date, the letter expires three (3) years from its date." Section 2.118(C)(2): any change to the alternate compliance plan requires a wholly new appeal. Section 2.118(C)(3): "If, after the Department approves a hardship appeal or materials waiver request, the applicant or licensee violates the terms and conditions described in the approved alternate compliance plan, approved safety policy, or official decision letter, the…
23. SET UP THE PREMISES TO THE HOME-SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES BEFORE THE LICENSING VISIT. Section 2.335(A) warns you what will be looked at: "The entire premises are subject to inspection for licensing and safety purposes including, but not limited to, the entire residence and where care is to be provided, the grounds surrounding the residence, the basement, the attic, the storage shed, garage or carport, and any vehicles used for transportation of children in care." The rules that most often need work in advance: all weapons "unloaded, locked, and inaccessible to children," with weapons, ammunition and arrows "locked and stored separately," antique guns rendered inoperable with the firing pin…
24. PLAN THE DRILL CALENDAR, BECAUSE IT STARTS ON DAY ONE. Section 2.138(A): "Emergency drills, lockdown and active shooter on premises drills must be held at least quarterly but often enough so that all occupants are familiar with the drill procedure ... Fire drills must be held monthly and be consistent with local fire department procedures. Tornado drills must be held monthly from March to October. A record of all emergency drills held over the past twelve (12) months must be maintained by the facility or center, including date and time of drill, number of adults and children participating, and the amount of time taken to evacuate." Section 2.138(B): "Drills must be held at unexpected times…
25. COMPLETE THE THIRTY-DAY AND NINETY-DAY TRAINING ON THE CLOCK THAT STARTS WHEN YOU FIRST CARE FOR CHILDREN. Within thirty calendar days: the CDPHE immunization course, renewed annually, for the primary provider and anyone handling immunization records (section 2.312(J)); Department-approved playground safety for homes, once, creditable toward ongoing hours (section 2.312(K)); and reading and being trained on all three rule sets, with a signed statement in each personnel file (sections 2.312(L) and 2.313(A)(4)). Within ninety calendar days: the introduction to early intervention and preschool special education (section 2.312(M)); the training on recognizing the impact of bias (section…
26. IF YOU ALSO WANT TO FOSTER, READ THE OTHER DEPARTMENT'S RULEBOOK. 12 CCR 2509-8 section 7.710.33(E) permits dual status — "An applicant may apply to become a dual care provider to operate a family child care home as well as a foster care home. The foster home will be certified by the CPA and the family child care home will be licensed by the Colorado Department of Human Services. Both sets of standards shall be met" — and section 7.710.33(F) caps it: "A home that is licensed as a family child care home may only be certified for foster care for one child or for a group of siblings. A foster care home dually licensed as a family child care home shall not be certified as a host family home…

What you must post on your walls

• THE CURRENT CHILD CARE LICENCE, in a prominent and conspicuous location easily observable by anyone entering, at all times during operating hours. Section 2.127(A): "At all times during the operating hours of the facility, the facility/agency must post the current child care license in a prominent and conspicuous location easily observable by those entering the child care facility." Note "current" — a licence reflecting a superseded capacity, age range or name is not current, and section 2.124(A)(3) requires prior Department approval for each of those changes. A replacement costs $40.00 under the "Duplicate Licenses" line of section 2.111(C).
• THE MOST RECENT LICENSING INSPECTION REPORT — OR A NOTICE SAYING WHERE IT MAY BE REVIEWED. Section 2.127(B): "At all times during the operating hours of a family child care home, child care center, school-age child care center, or children's resident camp, the facility must post its most recent licensing inspection report or a notice as to where the report may be reviewed at the facility by the parent or legal guardian of a child or their designee." The alternative is a notice of location, not an offer to produce on request — the notice itself must be posted. Section 2.130(B) reinforces the underlying access right: "During the hours of operation, the facility's most recent licensing, fire…
• HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH CDEC, INCLUDING THE TELEPHONE NUMBER AND MAILING ADDRESS. Section 2.127(C): "At all times during the operating hours of a family child care home, child care center, preschool, school-age child care center, children's resident camp and Neighborhood Youth Organization, the facility must post in a prominent and conspicuous location information regarding the procedures for filing a complaint with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, including the telephone number and mailing address." The same information must also be handed over in writing rather than merely posted: section 2.125(A) requires it "to parents or legal guardians at the time of admission and…
• THE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS, POSTED WHERE THE PEOPLE CARING FOR CHILDREN CAN SEE THEM. This is the only posting requirement written specifically for homes, and it lives in the home chapter rather than in section 2.127. Section 2.317(A)(3): "The following emergency telephone numbers must be posted in a prominent and conspicuous location easily observable to those caring for children: a. 911 or the alternate emergency number for local fire or police; b. Name and phone number of at least one (1) designated emergency substitute for the provider; c. Name and physical address of the family child care home; d. Nearest hospital or emergency medical clinic; e. Local health department; f. Rocky…
• ANY APPROVED HARDSHIP-APPEAL DECISION LETTER, POSTED NEXT TO THE LICENCE UNTIL IT EXPIRES. Section 2.118(C)(1): "For hardship appeals and materials waiver requests, the official decision letter must be posted next to the child care license until its expiration date. If there is no expiration date, the letter expires three (3) years from its date." Section 2.117(E) states the same rule for materials waivers, which are available only to child care centers under section 2.117(A) — so for a family child care home this posting duty arises from an approved hardship waiver, including the outdoor hardship waiver contemplated by section 2.337(A)(2) for a home without a fenced play space. Keep the…
• WHAT YOU ARE EXPRESSLY NOT REQUIRED TO POST: PER-ROOM CAPACITY AND STAFF-TO-CHILD RATIOS. Section 2.127(D): "All facilities, except family child care homes must post in every room of the child care facility, excluding bedrooms and living areas, the license capacity of the room and the staff-to-child ratio required by regulation to be maintained for the age of children cared for in the room." Family child care homes are carved out by name. This is coherent with the rest of the scheme — Colorado publishes no staff-to-child ratio table for homes at all, and the single reference to one, at section 2.315(A), points at a number the rules never state for the home setting.
• NOT A POSTING, BUT A DOCUMENT THAT MUST BE HANDED OVER AND SIGNED FOR: THE STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. Section 2.316(A): "At the time of enrollment and upon any amendments to policies and procedures, the provider must give the parent(s) or guardian(s) a written statement of the family child care home's policies and procedures, and provide the opportunity to ask questions. Written copies must be available either electronically or in hard copy. The provider must obtain a signed document stating that the parent(s)/guardian(s) have received the policies and procedures. By signing the policies and procedures document, the parent(s)/guardian(s) agree to follow, accept the conditions…
• NOT A POSTING, BUT A NOTICE THAT MUST APPEAR ON EVERY EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION YOU USE. Section 2.131(A)(1): "Every application used in the State of Colorado for employment with a child care provider or facility, must include the following notice to the applicant: 'Any applicant who knowingly or willfully makes a false statement of any material fact or thing in the application is guilty of perjury in the second degree as defined in section 18-8-503, C.R.S., and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished accordingly.'" If you ever hire a substitute or a staff aide, the form you use must carry that sentence.
• NOT A POSTING, BUT A DISCLOSURE OWED BY UNLICENSED PROVIDERS. If you operate under the licence exemption at section 2.112(B)(5) rather than under a licence, the statute enacted by House Bill 20-1347 requires an affirmative warning to every parent: the exempt provider "SHALL NOTIFY THE PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN IN THE INDIVIDUAL'S CARE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS OPERATING UNDER A LEGAL LICENSE EXEMPTION AND THAT THE STATE HAS NOT VERIFIED THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE CARE SETTING OR PERFORMED BACKGROUND CHECKS ON THE INDIVIDUAL OR ANYONE ELSE RESIDING IN THE RESIDENCE." That duty appears nowhere in section 2.112 of the rules; it exists only in statute.

Enrollment forms for each child

• AN ADMISSION RECORD FOR EACH CHILD, completed before or at the time of admission and updated annually or whenever anything changes. Section 2.320(A): "An admission record must be completed for each child prior to or at the time of the child's admission and updated annually or when any changes occur, unless otherwise specified in these rules." Section 2.320(A)(1) sets the base content: "The child's full name, date of birth, current address, and date of enrollment." Section 2.320(B): "All forms contained in the admission record must be current and accessible to providers, qualified substitutes, staff members, and representatives of the Department." Note "accessible to" — the substitute who…
• PARENT AND GUARDIAN CONTACT DETAILS, INCLUDING EMPLOYER AND WORK ADDRESS. Section 2.320(A)(2): "Parent(s) and guardian(s) home and e-mail addresses; telephone numbers, including home, work, and cell numbers; employer name and work address; and any special instructions as to how the parent(s) or guardian(s) may be reached during the hours that the child is in care at the family child care home." The employer name and work address are required fields, not optional ones, and the "special instructions" field exists for parents who cannot be reached by ordinary means during the day.
• AUTHORIZED PICK-UP LIST — SIXTEEN AND OVER ONLY. Section 2.320(A)(3): "Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of persons aged sixteen (16) years and older who are authorized to pick up the child from the family child care home." The operative release rule is at section 2.317(C)(1): "The provider must release the child only to the person(s) sixteen (16) years of age or older to whom the parent or guardian has given written authorization. If the provider who releases the child does not know the person, picture identification must be required to assure that the person is authorized to pick-up the child. Written authorization must be maintained in the child's record. In an emergency…
• EMERGENCY CONTACTS WHO CAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CHILD. Section 2.320(A)(4): "Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of persons who can assume responsibility for the child in the event of an emergency if the parent(s) or guardian(s) cannot be reached immediately." Distinct from the pick-up list, and with no stated age floor. These numbers are also what section 2.317(A)(3)(g) and (A)(4) require to be gathered "in one (1) designated place" and signposted on the posted emergency list.
• HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, DENTIST AND HOSPITAL OF CHOICE. Section 2.320(A)(5): "Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the child's health care provider, dentist, and hospital of choice, if applicable."
• HEALTH ADMISSION INFORMATION, DELIVERED BEFORE THE FIRST DAY. Section 2.320(A)(6): "Health admission information, including health care plans, chronic medical conditions, allergies, and immunization history, shall be provided to the family child care provider prior to the first day the child attends the family child care home." Section 2.321(A)(2) restates the parent's side of the duty at admission and adds detail: "Health information, including any known allergies, medication being taken and possible side effects, special dietary requirements, and chronic health conditions" and, "If applicable, a Department-approved health care plan authorized by the child's health care provider and…
• IMMUNIZATION CERTIFICATE OR EXEMPTION, BEFORE THE FIRST DAY. Section 2.321(A)(2)(c): "Documentation of school-required immunization status or medical or nonmedical exemption, is required by the Colorado Board of Health. Up-to-date, school-required immunizations must be documented as specified on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) certificate of immunization or on an 'approved alternate' certificate of immunization as described in CDPHE regulations at 6 CCR 1009-2:VI(A), (May 15, 2023) ... Colorado law requires that proof of immunization be provided prior to the first day of admission." For a non-medical exemption, section 2.321(A)(2)(c)(1)-(2) requires either…
• A STATEMENT OF CURRENT HEALTH STATUS, WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF ADMISSION AND ON EACH EXPIRY. Section 2.321(A)(3): "Within thirty (30) days after admission, and within thirty (30) days following the expiration date, the parent(s) or guardian(s) of each child must submit a statement of the child's current health status or written verification of a scheduled appointment with a healthcare provider. The statement of the child's current health status must be signed and dated by a health care provider who has seen the child within the last twelve (12) months, or within the last six (6) months for children under two and one-half (2-1/2) years of age. The statement must include when the next visit is…
• A DATED, NOTARIZED-IF-REQUIRED AUTHORIZATION FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE, UPDATED ANNUALLY. Section 2.320(A)(7): "A dated, written authorization for emergency medical care signed and updated annually by the parent(s) or guardian(s). The authorization must be notarized if required by the local hospital, clinic, or emergency health care facility." Ask the facility you would actually use, before you need it — the notarisation requirement is set by them, not by the rule.
• A WRITTEN RECORD OF ANY REPORTABLE ACCIDENT, ILLNESS OR INJURY, WITH A COPY TO THE PARENT. Section 2.320(A)(8): "A written record of any reportable accident, illness, or injury as defined in rule section 2.124 of the 'General Rules for Child Care Facilities' occurring during care must be retained in each child's record, with a copy provided to the parent or guardian." Section 2.124(A)(1) defines what is reportable to the Department within twenty-four hours excluding weekends and holidays: any fatality, "An injury to a child that requires medical attention by a health care professional or admission to a hospital, whether or not treatment was given," a reportable disease under 6 CCR 1009-1…
• FIELD TRIP AND EXCURSION AUTHORIZATIONS, ON THREE DIFFERENT CADENCES. Section 2.320(A)(9) permits authorization "on a daily, weekly, monthly, or seasonal basis" and then sets three regimes, repeated verbatim at section 2.316(B)(13). Scheduled trips "require advanced notice by written or electronic methods, which must include: locations, estimated times of attendance, and a phone number to contact the family child care home provider during the trip; and written permission from the parent(s) or guardian(s) for each scheduled trip or excursion." Unscheduled trips "require notification upon departure to the parent(s) or guardian(s) via written or electronic methods, which must include:…
• MEDIA-USE AUTHORIZATION, UNLESS YOUR POLICY STATEMENT COVERS IT. Section 2.320(A)(10): "Written authorization for media use is required if the media use is not included in the written policies and procedures statement; including, but not limited to, television and video viewing, music, tablet and/or smart phone usage, video games, and computer use. The authorization must include approved time limits. The authorization form only needs to be on file if media use is not addressed in the home policies and procedures statement." The cheaper route is to address it in the policy statement under section 2.316(B)(15), which requires "Developmentally appropriate media use including, but not limited…
• SPECIAL-ACTIVITY AUTHORIZATION. Section 2.320(A)(11): "Written authorization for special activities as defined in rule section 2.600 of the 'Rules Regulating Special Activities.'" That chapter covers swimming, shoreline and wading, watercraft, white water rafting, archery, riflery, ax-throwing, knives, horseback riding, rock climbing and climbing walls, ropes courses and ziplines, and hiking. Section 2.302 makes the chapter mandatory for home providers who do any of them, and section 2.316(B) requires the corresponding policy content.
• THE WRITTEN STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, WITH A SIGNED RECEIPT ON FILE. Section 2.316(A), quoted in full under "required_postings." Section 2.319(A)(2) repeats the duty as part of the admission process: "The provider must obtain a signed document stating that the parent(s) or guardian(s) have received the policies and procedures, and by signing the policies and procedures document, the parent(s) or guardian(s) agree to follow, accept the conditions of, and give authorization and approval for the activities described in the policies and procedures." Section 2.316(B) sets thirty-six mandatory contents. Section 2.316(B) also contains three broken internal cross-references that are…
• THE ADMISSION PROCESS ITSELF, INCLUDING A PRE-ADMISSION INTERVIEW AND AN ITEMIZED FEE SCHEDULE. Section 2.319(A): "An admission process must be completed prior to the child's attendance at the family child care home and must include: 1. A pre-admission interview, by telephone or in person, with the child's parent(s) or guardian(s) to determine whether the services offered by the family child care home will meet the needs of the child and the parent(s) or guardian(s); 2. [the signed policies receipt]; 3. An itemized fee schedule; 4. Completion of the registration information and authorizations required for inclusion in the child's record." The fee schedule is also a mandatory policy content…
• A DAILY SIGN IN / SIGN OUT RECORD WITH A WEEKLY PARENT SIGNATURE. Section 2.317(D)(1): "The provider must maintain a daily sign in/out method containing the date; the child's name; the time that the child arrived at and left the family child care home; and the parent, guardian, or authorized person's signature. A full signature or other unique identifier is required by the parent(s) or guardian(s) every time the child arrives at or leaves the family child care home. The provider may sign in or out children who arrive directly from school or an activity as needed on a daily basis. The provider must use their full signature or other unique identifier. The parent(s) or guardian(s) must…
• A VISITOR LOG COVERING EVERYONE WHO IS NOT A RESIDENT. Section 2.317(E)(1): "All non-resident visitors to the family child care home during child care hours, including friends of the provider's own children, must be documented on the sign in/out log, including the name, date, arrival, and departure times." The express inclusion of your own children's friends closes the obvious gap, and it interlocks with the visitor conditions at section 2.327(C)-(E). Section 2.318(D)(5) requires "A record of visitors and volunteers in the family child care home during scheduled business hours" to be retained for three years.
• A WRITTEN LOST-CHILD REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. Section 2.318(B): "As soon as possible, but not later than twenty-four (24) hours after the event, the primary provider must submit to the Department a written report about any child who has been separated from the group outside of the supervision of the provider or staff member, or for whom the local authorities have been contacted. Such report must indicate: 1. The name, birth date, address, and telephone number of the child; 2. The names of the parent(s) or guardian(s) and their address and telephone number if different from those of the child; 3. The date when the child was separated from the group outside of the…
• PERSONNEL FILES FOR EVERY EQUALLY QUALIFIED PROVIDER, QUALIFIED SUBSTITUTE AND STAFF MEMBER — EIGHT REQUIRED CONTENTS. Section 2.313(A): "Prior to working with children, unless otherwise specified in rules, personnel files for equally qualified providers, qualified substitutes, and all staff members must be available for review by the Department and must include: 1. The name, address, telephone number, and birth date of the individual, and emergency contact information, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers; 2. A health evaluation signed and dated by a licensed physician or other health provider as defined in rule section 2.304; 3. A record of the dates and hours of employment,…
• VOLUNTEER FILES — TWO REQUIRED CONTENTS, PLUS WRITTEN DUTIES. Section 2.315(D): "Personnel files for volunteers must include: 1. The name, address, telephone number, and birth date of the individual, and emergency contact information, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers; and 2. A record of dates and hours of volunteering, including the first date and final date." Section 2.315(B) separately requires volunteers to "have clearly established written duties." The hours record is not administrative housekeeping: section 2.121(D)(2) makes fingerprinting mandatory for an adult volunteer working "fourteen (14) days (112 hours) or more in a calendar year," and the log is how you know.
• BACKGROUND CHECK RESULTS, HELD ON SITE. Section 2.121(D): "The results of the criminal record check, the CBI and/or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) response letters, must be maintained at the home, center, facility, or agency and must be available for review upon request by a Licensing Specialist." Section 2.120(J): "The results of the abuse and neglect inquiry must be maintained at the center, facility, or agency and must be available for review upon request by a Licensing Specialist." Section 2.121(D)(1) adds an exit form: "When an individual leaves employment, the facility must submit to the Department a completed Notification of Name Removal form to request the removal of the…
• THE ANNUAL DECLARATION OF COMPLIANCE AND CONTINUATION NOTICE, ON THE DEPARTMENT'S FORM. Section 2.107(B): "the licensee must annually submit to the Department a declaration of compliance with the applicable licensing rules and notice of continuing operation on the form prescribed by the Department, along with the appropriate annual fee as set forth in rule section 2.111." Section 2.111(B) fixes the timing at "at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to the anniversary date of the license," and section 2.107(C) makes failure to file "a consistent failure to maintain Department standards" that "may result in fines or the revocation of the license."
• THE STATE-PRESCRIBED APPEAL FORMS. Section 2.115(B) for hardship and emergency hardship appeals: "The applicant or licensee or their designated representative must send an appeal on the state-prescribed form to the appropriate division. Each rule appealed requires an individual appeal and applicable fee. If the appeal is an emergency hardship appeal, the applicant or licensee must mark it as such on the state-prescribed form." Section 2.116(B) for stringency appeals, in identical terms, with a sixty-day window from the date of the report of inspection. Section 2.120(C) for the Trails request: "on the state-prescribed form, accompanied by the required fee."
• STAFF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CHILD ABUSE REPORTING DUTY. Section 2.126(A): "A child care facility must require each staff member of the facility to read and sign a statement clearly defining child abuse and neglect pursuant to state law and outlining the staff member's personal responsibility to report all incidents of child abuse or neglect according to state law." Section 2.126(C) adds a parent-facing duty: "At the time of admission the facility must give the child's parent or guardian information that explains how to report suspected child abuse or child neglect." The underlying obligation is at section 2.126(B), tracking C.R.S. § 19-3-304: any caregiver or staff member "who has…
• EMERGENCY AND DRILL RECORDS, KEPT TWELVE MONTHS. Section 2.318(C): "The following emergency records must be kept and maintained at the family child care home for twelve (12) months: 1. Dates of annual review of emergency plans per rule section 2.317(B); 2. A record of all emergency drills held over the past twelve (12) months as required in rule section 2.313 of the 'General Rules for Child Care Facilities;' and 3. Dates of monthly smoke alarm testing." (The cross-reference to "rule section 2.313 of the General Rules" is wrong — 2.313 is the family-home personnel file rule and there is no 2.313 in the General Rules; the drill requirement is at section 2.138.) Section 2.138(A) specifies the…
• THE THREE-YEAR RETENTION LIST. Section 2.318(D): "The following records must be kept and maintained in the files at the family child care home for three (3) years after the family child care home closes its license or stops providing care under its license; a child leaves the care of the family child care home or a staff member or volunteer terminates employment or volunteerism at the family child care home: 1. A daily attendance sign in/sign out sheet for each child ...; 2. Children's records per rule section 2.320; 3. A list of current staff members, qualified substitutes, and volunteers work schedules; 4. Primary providers, applicant 2, equally qualified providers, staff members,…
• CONFIDENTIALITY, WHICH IS NOW STRONGER IN STATUTE THAN IN RULE. Section 2.318(E)(1): "Information and records concerning the primary provider, applicant 2, equally qualified providers, qualified substitutes, all staff members, volunteers, children and their families must be kept confidential (see rule sections 2.123 and 2.124 of the 'General Rules for Child Care Facilities'). All required records must be stored in a secure location." (Another mis-citation: 2.123 is governing body and 2.124 is reports; the confidentiality sections are 2.128 to 2.130.) Since 2026 the governing text is statutory. House Bill 26-1259 section 13 amended C.R.S. § 26.5-5-316(4) to read: "EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY A…
• PARENT NAMES AND ADDRESSES, SURRENDERED TO THE DEPARTMENT AFTER AN ADVERSE ACTION OR A SERIOUS VIOLATION — AND YOU PAY THE POSTAGE. Section 2.113(C): "Within ten (10) working days after receipt of a notice of final agency action with regard to a negative licensing action or the imposition of a fine, or when the Department identifies and documents in a report of inspection serious violations of any of the standards that could impact the health, safety or welfare of a child cared for at the facility, each facility must provide the Department with the names and mailing addresses of the parents or legal guardians of each child cared for at the facility, so that the Department can notify the…
• TEN-WORKING-DAY REPORTS. Section 2.124(A)(2): "Reports Made to the Department within Ten (10) Working Days. a. Any legal action against a facility, agency, owner, operator, or governing body that relates to or may impact the care or placement of children. b. Change of director of facility or agency; and c. Closure of the facility or agency." Read (a) broadly — it is not limited to licensing litigation. A custody dispute, a personal-injury suit or a landlord action that could affect the care or placement of children is reportable.

What's specific about getting licensed in Colorado

Colorado is the state where the licence you apply for matters more than the application itself. Five different family child care home licences sit in 8 CCR 1402-1 — regular (6 children), three-under-18-months (6, with three infants), infant/toddler (4 alone or 8 with a second qualified provider), large (12), and experienced provider (9 across five published age-mix options) — and four of the five are gated behind years already spent licensed in Colorado, specific coursework, and a clean two-year compliance record. Add the rule that your own children under 10 count against capacity while your children 10 and over do not, and the practical planning question becomes: which licence can I actually hold in year one, and how many paid places does that leave after my own household? The second Colorado-specific thing to know is administrative: licensing moved to the new Department of Early Childhood and the rules were re-adopted from 12 CCR 2509-8 into 8 CCR 1402-1 in December 2023, so a great deal of the advice still circulating online cites a rulebook that no longer applies.

How long it takes and what it costs in Colorado

Timeline: Work backwards from a hard 60-day floor: the application and fee must be with CDEC at least 60 calendar days before your proposed opening date, and no licensing evaluation happens until both have arrived complete (§2.105, §2.111(A)). Ahead of that sit the items that take real calendar time — CBI/FBI fingerprints at an approved vendor for you and every adult in the household plus the Trails records check (§2.120, §2.121), physician's medical statements for the provider and everyone residing in the home (§2.311(A)(13)), the 15 clock-hour pre-licensing course (§2.312(B)), and written zoning approval from the local zoning department (§2.122(B)). If you are not yet in full compliance you can open under a PROVISIONAL licence, but only during the initial six-month licensing period and only on proof you are working toward compliance (§2.108). The permanent licence, once granted, has no expiry: it remains in effect until surrendered or revoked (§2.107(A)). What recurs is annual — the declaration of compliance and continuation notice with the fee, due at least 60 calendar days before your licence anniversary (§2.107(B), §2.111(B)) — plus your 15 hours of professional development each year (§2.312(R)) and a fresh medical statement every 2 years for you and for resident children under 10 (§2.311(A)(14)).

Cost: The state fees are fixed in the rule and are modest: a regular family child care home (1-6 children) pays a $65.00 original application fee and $65.00 for each annual continuation; a LARGE family child care home (7-12 children) and an EXPERIENCED family child care provider (up to 9 children) each pay $100.00 original and $100.00 annually (§2.111(C), schedule in force since July 1, 2020). The continuation fee is due at least 60 calendar days before your licence anniversary date. Everything else is out-of-pocket and not set by CDEC: the CBI/FBI fingerprint criminal record check, whose fee is expressly the responsibility of the individual being checked and which you pay for EVERY adult 18+ in the household (§2.121(A)(1)); the fee accompanying the Trails child abuse and neglect records check (§2.120(C)); physician's medical statements for the provider and all residents, repeated every 2 years (§2.311(A)(13)-(14)); the 15 clock-hour pre-licensing course and the Department-approved First Aid and CPR certification for ages birth to 21 (§2.312(B), (D)); and 15 clock hours of professional development every year thereafter. The rule does not publish the fingerprint or Trails amounts — confirm them with the CBI-approved vendor and with CDEC rather than trusting a figure from a blog.

Source: Sources officielles consultées pour Colorado :

https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/NumericalDeptList.do

https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/NumericalCCRDocList.do?deptID=26&agencyID=215

https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/DisplayRule.do?action=ruleinfo&ruleId=3433&deptID=26&agencyID=215&deptName=Dep

https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=12417&fileName=8+CCR+1402-1

https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/NumericalCCRDocList.do?deptID=9&agencyID=107

https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/DisplayRule.do?action=ruleinfo&ruleId=2827&deptID=9&agencyID=107

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-020

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1259

Verified 2026-08-25. General information, not legal advice and not a guarantee of licensure — confirm with your state’s licensing agency before applying.