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Home Daycare License Requirements in Minnesota (2026)

Opening a home daycare in Minnesota means getting a family child care home license from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Licensing Division. 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 Minnesota

Minnesota splits home-based care at TEN children and again at FOURTEEN, and the definitions are short enough to quote whole. FAMILY DAY CARE - Minn. R. 9502.0315, subp. 11: '"Family day care" means day care for no more than ten children at one time of which no more than six are under school age. The licensed capacity must include all children of any caregiver when the children are present in the residence.' GROUP FAMILY DAY CARE - subp. 13: '"Group family day care" means day care for no more than 14 children at any one time. The total number of children includes all children of any caregiver when the children are present in the residence.' LICENSED CAPACITY - subp. 18: '"Licensed capacity" means the total number of children ten years of age or younger permitted at any one time in the residence. The licensed capacity includes all children of any caregiver when the children are present in the residence.' READ THOSE THREE TOGETHER AND TWO THINGS FALL OUT. First, the ceiling counts YOUR OWN CHILDREN. DHS-8013 p. 16 says it in one sentence: 'Your own children younger than age 11 count towards your capacity.'

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 Minnesota

FOURTEEN is the hard ceiling for a family child care licence in Minnesota, and TEN is the ceiling for the ordinary licence most new providers get. The numbers, class by class, from the Minn. R. 9502.0367 table read in full on 2026-08-25: Class A (family day care) - licensed capacity 10; Class B1 (specialized infant and toddler family day care) - 5; Class B2 - 6; Class C1 (group family day care) - 10; Class C2 - 12; Class C3 - 14; Class D (specialized infant and toddler group family day care) - 9. DHS-8013 p. 17 confirms the everyday reading of Class A: 'Class A license - 1 Adult - Capacity: 10 children under 11 years old ... School age: all 10 of the children can be school age.' That last clause matters: unlike many states, Minnesota's total is not a separate 'preschool' allowance plus a 'school-age' allowance. The ten is a single pot, and the age-distribution limits carve it up from inside. THE FOUR THINGS THAT SHRINK THE NUMBER ON YOUR LICENCE BELOW THE CLASS MAXIMUM. (1) YOUR OWN CHILDREN. Minn. R. 9502.0365, subp. 1(A): 'Providers shall be licensed for the total number of children, ten years of age or younger, who are present in the residence at any one time.

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

Adult-to-child ratios

Minnesota does not publish an adult:child ratio in the American sense. It publishes ONE TABLE - Minn. R. 9502.0367, 'CHILD/ADULT RATIOS; AGE DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS' - which pairs a licensed capacity with a minimum number of adults and then caps the number of children under school age, the combined number of infants AND toddlers, and the number of infants alone. Here is the whole table, transcribed from the Revisor's text on 2026-08-25. A. FAMILY DAY CARE (Class A): licensed capacity 10 / adults 1 / total children under school age 6 / 'Of the total children under school age, a combined total of no more than 3 shall be infants and toddlers. Of this total, no more than 2 shall be infants.' B. SPECIALIZED INFANT AND TODDLER FAMILY DAY CARE: (1) capacity 5 / 1 adult / 3 under school age / 'No more than 3 shall be infants.' (2) capacity 6 / 1 adult / 4 under school age / 'No more than 2 shall be infants.' C. GROUP FAMILY DAY CARE: (1) capacity 10 / 1 adult / 8 under school age / 'Of the total children under school age, a combined total of no more than 3 shall be infants and toddlers. Of this total, no more than 2 shall be infants.' (2) capacity 12 / 1 adult / 10 under school age / 'Of the total children under school age, a combined total of no more than 2 shall be infants and toddlers.

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

Everything below must be finished BEFORE the licence issues and before you care for a child. The governing section is Minn. Stat. 142B.70, 'FAMILY CHILD CARE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS', and the state's own current summary is DHS-7672-ENG, 'Training Requirements for Licensed Family Child Care', revision 12-25 - the most recently revised Minnesota family child care document I could read on 2026-08-25. WHO THE RULES APPLY TO. Minn. Stat. 142B.70, subd. 1(a): 'License holders, second adult caregivers, and substitutes must comply with the training requirements in this section.' Subd. 2 gives the boundaries: a 'second adult caregiver' works more than 500 hours annually; a 'substitute' assumes responsibility for not more than 500 hours annually; a 'helper' is a minor aged 13 to 17; and 'An adult who cares for children in the licensed program along with the license holder for a cumulative total of not more than 500 hours annually has the same training requirements as a substitute.' Helpers get a grace period - subd. 1(b): 'Helpers who assist with care on a regular basis must complete six hours of training within one year after the date of initial employment.'

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

Ongoing (annual) training

SIXTEEN HOURS a year for the licence holder and for each second adult caregiver. Minn. Stat. 142B.70, subd. 8(a): 'For purposes of family and group family child care, the license holder and each second adult caregiver must complete 16 hours of ongoing training each year. Repeat of topical training requirements in subdivisions 3 to 9 shall count toward the annual 16-hour training requirement.' The sixteen is not sixteen ON TOP of the required topics - the required topics count inside it. DHS-7672-ENG (rev. 12-25) prints it as 'Yes, 16 hours (includes required training course hours)' for both roles. ONE HOUR for substitutes and for adult caregivers under 500 hours a year. Subd. 8(c): 'Substitutes and adult caregivers who provide care for 500 or fewer hours per year must complete a minimum of one hour of training each calendar year, and the training must include the requirements in subdivisions 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9.' SIX HOURS for helpers, within their first year - subd. 1(b). 'ANNUAL' NOW MEANS THE CALENDAR YEAR, AND THIS CHANGED ON 1 JANUARY 2025. Minn. Stat. 142B.01, subd. 3: 'For the purposes of family child care under sections 142B.70 to 142B.72 and 142B.74 and family child foster care training, "annual" or "annually" means each calendar year.'

DHS-7672 explains the transition in terms a provider can act on: 'Until December 31, 2024, "annual" was defined in the law, for the purposes of training requirements, to allow for the completion of annual training requirements within the one-year period following the license effective date, or the one-year period following the anniversary of the license effective date. Effective January 1, 2025, "annual" or "annually" means each calendar year. This means that the annual training requirements must be completed between January 1 and December 31 each year.' Any Minnesota guidance still keyed to your licence anniversary is out of date. WHAT MUST BE IN THE SIXTEEN, EVERY YEAR. (a) At least two hours of child development and learning OR behavior guidance - Minn.

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

Background checks

A Minnesota family child care background study is a CHAPTER 245C study, it is run by the DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES rather than by the licensing department, it is fingerprint-and-photograph based, and it repeats on a five-year clock. Each of those four facts is quotable. WHO RUNS IT. Minn. Stat. 142A.09, subd. 1: 'The commissioner of human services shall conduct background studies of individuals specified in section 245C.03, subdivision 5c, affiliated with: (1) a facility or program licensed or seeking a license under chapter 142B.' Subd. 2(a): 'The commissioner of human services shall conduct the background studies required by subdivision 1 in compliance with the provisions of chapter 245C. The commissioner of human services shall provide necessary forms and instructions, shall conduct the necessary background studies of individuals, and shall provide notification of the results of the studies to the facilities, individuals, and the commissioner of children, youth, and families.' Inside chapter 245C the word 'commissioner' means DHS and only DHS - Minn. Stat. 245C.02, subd. 7: '"Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services.'

DCYF's role is downstream: 142A.09, subd. 3(a) gives 'the commissioner of children, youth, and families' the job of deciding reconsideration requests, including variance requests, except where a programme is licensed by both departments. Minn. Stat. 142A.02, subd. 1(b) puts it structurally: 'The commissioners of human services and children, youth, and families are hereby constituted the "state agency" for background studies under chapter 245C', and (c) adds that they are 'the "joint interagency office" for background studies under chapter 245C.' WHO GETS STUDIED. Minn.

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. START WITH YOUR COUNTY, NOT WITH THE STATE. Minn. R. 9502.0335, subp. 1(A): 'Application for a license must be made on the application form issued by the department. The application must be made in the county where the applicant resides.' DHS-8013-ENG, 'Guide to Becoming a Licensed Family Child Care Provider', p. 8: 'Your county licensor is your first resource for all licensing questions ... Your county is your first and on-going point of contact to help you through the application process.' P. 9: 'Applications are submitted and processed directly with the county where your program will operate. Contacting your county family child care licensing unit is the first step in this process.' The…
2. ATTEND ORIENTATION IF YOUR COUNTY RUNS ONE - AND KNOW THAT IT IS A COUNTY OPTION, NOT A STATE MANDATE. DHS-8013 p. 9: 'Counties may require individuals who are interested in becoming licensed to attend an orientation or informational meeting before receiving a license application. The orientation meeting will give you a broad overview of the licensing process, licensing regulations, and next steps if you decide to apply for a license. Orientation may be offered in person, online or over the phone with your county's licensors ... You will receive application materials after you have participated in an orientation meeting.' The statute expressly forbids one county re-imposing orientation on…
3. CHECK YOU QUALIFY FOR THE CLASS YOU WANT. For family day care the bar is age and health. Minn. R. 9502.0355, subp. 1: 'An applicant for family day care or group family day care shall be an adult at the time of licensure' - and 'adult' is 18 (9502.0315, subp. 2). For GROUP family day care there is an experience gate on top.
4. GET THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, FOR YOURSELF AND FOR EVERY REGULAR ADULT CAREGIVER. Minn. R. 9502.0355, subp. 2(A): 'The applicant shall supply documentation to the agency with the license application that the applicant has had a physical examination from a licensed physician within 12 months prior to initial licensure and is physically able to care for children.' Subp. 2(B) extends the same requirement to 'all adult caregivers who are assisting with care on a regular basis ... within 12 months prior to employment within the residence.' The county keeps these on file - 9502.0345, subp. 1(B).
5. COMPLETE THE PRE-SERVICE TRAINING BEFORE THE LICENCE, NOT AFTER. The full list, with citations, is in 'preservice_training': the six-hour Supervising for Safety for Family Child Care course (Minn. Stat. 142B.70, subd. 10(b)); four hours of child development and learning and behavior guidance (subd. 3(a)); pediatric first aid (subd. 4(a)); pediatric CPR (subd. 5(a)); SUID training before being licensed to care for infants and abusive head trauma training before being licensed to care for children under school age (subd. 6(a)); and the one-hour B.E.S.T. child passenger restraint course if you will transport children under nine (subd. 7(b)). DHS-7672-ENG (rev. 12-25) is the state's current…
6. INITIATE THE BACKGROUND STUDIES - YOURS, EVERY HOUSEHOLD MEMBER 13 AND OVER, AND EVERY CAREGIVER. Run through DHS-7733-ENG, the 'Family Child Care Background Study Worksheet', then submit through NETStudy 2.0 via your county. Minn. Stat. 245C.04, subd. 1(h) is the timing rule: studies must be submitted 'before individuals ... begin positions allowing direct contact in any licensed program.' Fingerprints and a photograph are taken by the authorised vendor (245C.05, subd. 5(c)). Minn. R. 9502.0335, subp. 11(C) repeats the obligation whenever the licence changes: 'A background study must be initiated and completed as required under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245C.'
7. WRITE THE POLICIES AND THE PLANS BEFORE THE VISIT. Minn. R. 9502.0405, subp. 3 requires sixteen written items to be 'available for discussion with parents or the agency': 'A. the ages and numbers of children in care in the residence; B. the hours and days of operation; C. meals and snacks to be served; D. labeling requirements for food brought from the child's home; E. sleeping and rest arrangements; F. nondiscrimination practices ...; G. policies for the care of ill children, disease notification procedures, immunizations, and medicine permission policies; H. emergency, fire, and storm plans and the monthly fire drill log; I. seat belt and transportation plans and field trip and…
8. SORT THE INSURANCE, OR GIVE THE NOTICE. Minn. R. 9502.0355, subp. 4: 'A provider shall have: A. a certificate of insurance for the residence for general liability coverage for bodily injury in the amount of at least $100,000 per person and $250,000 per occurrence; or B. if the provider has liability coverage of lesser limits or no liability coverage, the provider shall give a written notice of the level of liability coverage to parents of all children in care prior to admission or when there is a change in the amount of insurance coverage; and C. the provider shall maintain copies of the notice, signed by the parents to indicate they have read and understood it, in the provider's records.'…
9. SUBMIT THE APPLICATION - FORM DHS-8206 - TO THE COUNTY, AND PAY THE COUNTY FEE. The eDocs landing page served on 2026-08-25 is titled 'Family Child Care License Application (DHS-8206)'. DHS-8013 p. 9 lists what it asks for: 'the type and class of license you are applying for, if you have held a license before, your identifying information, tax identification information, address and type of dwelling you will be providing care in, people living in the home and working in the program, workers' compensation insurance verification, hours of operation of your program, references, and identifying if you plan to participate in any publicly funded program.' There is NO state licence fee for family…
10. PASS THE LICENSING STUDY OF THE HOME. Minn. R. 9502.0335, subp. 2: 'The applicant shall give the agency access to the residence for a licensing study to determine compliance with parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445.' The statutory inspection is at Minn. Stat. 142B.10, subd. 11(a): 'Before issuing a license under this chapter, the commissioner shall conduct an inspection of the program. The inspection must include but is not limited to: (1) an inspection of the physical plant; (2) an inspection of records and documents; (3) observation of the program in operation; and (4) an inspection for the health, safety, and fire standards in licensing requirements for a child care license holder' - with…
11. GET THE FIRE MARSHAL IN IF YOU FALL INTO ONE OF THE FIVE TRIGGER CATEGORIES. Minn. R. 9502.0335, subp. 2(C): 'An initial inspection of the residence by a fire marshal to determine compliance with the State Fire Code and compliance with orders issued are conditions of licensure for all residences with freestanding solid fuel heating appliances; manufactured (mobile) homes; new applicants for licensure with a licensed capacity of more than ten; day care residences which use the basement for child care; and residences in mixed or multiple occupancy buildings. "Multiple occupancy building" means a structure with two or more residential dwelling units such as a duplex, apartment building, or…
12. MEET THE REST OF THE PHYSICAL-ENVIRONMENT RULE. 35 sq ft usable indoor space per child and 50 sq ft outdoor play space per child (Minn. R. 9502.0425, subps. 1 and 2); water hazards inaccessible except during supervised use (subp. 3); a crib, portable crib or playpen with a waterproof mattress for each infant and newborn, meeting 16 C.F.R. parts 1508 and 1509 (subp. 9); guardrails on decks, balconies or lofts more than 30 inches up (subp. 11); closet and bathroom latches openable from the correct side and no double-cylinder locks on exit doors (subp. 12); a flame spread rating of 200 or less on interior walls and ceilings (subp. 15); tamper-proof or shielded receptacles accessible to…
13. RECEIVE THE LICENCE, POST IT, AND WATCH THE TERM. Minn. R. 9502.0335, subp. 4: 'A license must be issued by the department when the provider fully complies with parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445. The period of licensure may be up to two years. The license must not be transferred to another provider.' Subp. 5 allows an initial licence of up to two years where minor deviations exist that 'do not threaten the health, rights, or safety of the children' and will be corrected within a stated time. Subp. 10: 'The provider shall post the license in the residence in a prominent place.' The licence must carry the licensing agency's telephone number - Minn. Stat. 142B.61, subd. 2: 'A new or renewed child…
14. OPEN, AND KEEP THE RECORDS FROM DAY ONE. Before a child starts you need the completed admission and arrangements form (Minn. R. 9502.0405, subp. 4(A), state form DHS-7776-ENG), written special instructions on toilet training, eating, sleeping, allergies and health problems (subp. 4(B)), immunisation records kept under Minn. Stat. 121A.15 and updated 'for an infant, every six months; for a toddler, annually; for a preschool child, every 18 months; and for a school-age child, every three years' (subp. 4(C)), advance written consent for emergency medical care (subp. 4(D)), written permission to transport (subp. 4(E)), and the allergy form required by Minn. Stat. 142B.71, subd. 1. You must…

What you must post on your walls

• THE LICENCE, IN A PROMINENT PLACE. Minn. R. 9502.0335, subp. 10: 'The provider shall post the license in the residence in a prominent place.' What must appear on it is fixed by subp. 9 - 'A. the number and age groupings of children who may receive care at any one time; B. the expiration date of the license and location of the residence; C. the name and address of the provider; and D. that the provider is licensed under parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445 of Minnesota Rules' - and by Minn. Stat. 142B.10, subd. 14(a), which adds 'the type of license' and 'any special conditions of licensure'. Since the licence must also carry 'the licensing agency's telephone number and a statement that informs…
• EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS - AND HERE THE STATUTE HAS CANCELLED THE RULE, WHICH IS THE SINGLE MOST-REPEATED ERROR IN MINNESOTA FAMILY CHILD CARE SUMMARIES. Minn. R. 9502.0435, subp. 8(B) still reads: 'Emergency phone numbers must be posted by the telephone. The numbers must be those of the local fire department, police department, emergency transportation, and poison control center.' That requirement has been REMOVED by statute. Minn. Stat. 142B.71, subd. 5, 'Telephone requirement': 'Notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 9502.0435, subpart 8, item B, A LICENSE HOLDER IS NOT REQUIRED TO POST A LIST OF EMERGENCY NUMBERS. A license holder may use a cellular telephone to meet the requirements…
• THE WRITTEN FIRE ESCAPE PLAN AND THE DRILL LOG - ON FILE, AND APPROVED BY THE COUNTY. Minn. R. 9502.0435, subp. 8(F): 'The provider shall have a written fire escape plan and a log of monthly fire and storm drills on file in the residence. The plan must be approved by the agency and specify: (1) emergency phone numbers; (2) a place to meet outdoors for roll call; (3) smoke detector and fire extinguisher locations; (4) plans for monthly fire and tornado drill sessions; and (5) escape routes to the outside from all levels used by children. In buildings with three or more dwelling units, enclosed exit stairs must be indicated.' Note the operative words: 'on file in the residence', not…
• THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN - AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW, ON THE COMMISSIONER'S FORM, UPDATED YEARLY. Minn. Stat. 142B.71, subd. 3(a): 'A licensed family child care provider must have a written emergency preparedness plan for emergencies that require evacuation, sheltering, or other protection of children, such as fire, natural disaster, intruder, or other threatening situation ... The plan must be written on a form developed by the commissioner and updated at least annually.' Subd. 3(b): 'The license holder must train caregivers before the caregiver provides care and at least annually on the emergency preparedness plan and document completion of this training.' Subd. 3(c): 'The license…
• THE ALLERGY INFORMATION - READILY AVAILABLE TO ALL CAREGIVERS. Minn. Stat. 142B.71, subd. 1(a): 'Before admitting a child for care, the license holder must obtain information about any known allergy from the child's parent or legal guardian. The license holder must maintain current allergy information in each child's record. The allergy information must include a description of the allergy, specific triggers, avoidance techniques, symptoms of an allergic reaction, and procedures for responding to an allergic reaction, including medication, dosages, and a doctor's contact information.' Subd. 1(b): 'The child's allergy information must be documented on a form approved by the commissioner,…
• THE RULE SUMMARY FOR PARENTS - HANDED OVER AT ADMISSION, PLUS A FULL COPY OF THE RULE KEPT IN THE HOME. Minn. R. 9502.0405, subp. 2: 'A descriptive summary of parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445 shall be distributed to the parent by the provider at the time a child is admitted to care. The summary shall be provided by the department to the agency for distribution to the provider. The summary shall be written in language that is understandable to the general public and: A. state that parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445 govern the licensing of day care residences; B. specify the rule part headings contained in parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445; and C. state that a complete copy of parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445…
• THE MALTREATMENT REPORTING POLICY - GIVEN TO EVERY PARENT AT ENROLMENT. Minn. Stat. 142B.61, subd. 1(a): 'The Department of Children, Youth, and Families must develop policies and procedures for reporting suspected child maltreatment that fulfill the requirements in chapter 260E and provide the policies and procedures to all licensed child care providers.' Subd. 1(b): the policies and procedures 'must: (1) be provided to the parents of all children at the time of enrollment in the child care program; and (2) be made available upon request.'
• THE LIABILITY-INSURANCE NOTICE, WHERE COVER IS BELOW THE RULE MINIMUM. Minn. R. 9502.0355, subp. 4(B): 'if the provider has liability coverage of lesser limits or no liability coverage, the provider shall give a written notice of the level of liability coverage to parents of all children in care prior to admission or when there is a change in the amount of insurance coverage', with signed copies retained under subp. 4(C). State form DHS-7741-ENG.
• CRIB DOCUMENTATION - MAINTAINED ON SITE AND SHOWN TO PARENTS ON REQUEST. Minn. Stat. 142B.45, subd. 3(c): 'Documentation of the review completed under this subdivision shall be maintained by the license holder on site and made available to parents or guardians of children in care and the commissioner.' The annual review is against the CPSC's list of unsafe cribs (subd. 3(a)), and family child care homes must additionally inspect every mesh- or fabric-sided play yard 'On at least a monthly basis' (subd. 3(e)). State form DHS-7743-ENG, 'Monthly Crib Safety Inspection Form for Family Child Care Providers'.
• IF YOU HOLD A SPECIAL FAMILY CHILD CARE LICENCE IN COMMERCIAL SPACE, ONE EXTRA POSTING WITH PRESCRIBED WORDING. Minn. Stat. 142B.41, subd. 4(a)(6)(iv) requires that 'the license holder prominently displays the license issued by the commissioner which contains the statement "This special family child care provider is not licensed as a child care center."'
• WHAT IS NOT A POSTING, DESPITE FREQUENT CLAIMS. There is no Minnesota family child care requirement to post a daily schedule, a menu, a ratio chart, a licensor's business card, a parent's bill of rights, a fire-drill certificate, or - as set out above - a list of emergency numbers. Correction orders and licensing actions are published by the State on the Licensing Information Lookup website rather than posted in the home (DHS-8013 pp. 45-47), and a 'fix-it ticket' is expressly not published at all: Minn. Stat. 142B.17, subd. 1(c) - 'The commissioner shall not publicly publish a fix-it ticket on the department's website.'

Enrollment forms for each child

• DHS-8206 - FAMILY CHILD CARE LICENSE APPLICATION. The single application form, submitted to the county, not the state. The eDocs landing page served on 2026-08-25 is titled 'Family Child Care License Application (DHS-8206)' (https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-8206-ENG); the file itself is an XFA PDF that must be opened in Adobe Reader. The rule behind it: Minn. R. 9502.0335, subp. 1(A) - 'Application for a license must be made on the application form issued by the department. The application must be made in the county where the applicant resides' - and Minn. Stat. 142B.10, subd. 1(a) - 'The application must be made on the forms and in the manner prescribed by the…
• DHS-7776-ENG (rev. 9-19) - FAMILY CHILD CARE ADMISSION AND ARRANGEMENTS. The form on its face: 'Complete one form for each child in care. This form must be kept on file at the family child care home. Please Note: Pursuant to MN Rules 9502.0405, subpart 4, the provider shall obtain the required information for each child prior to admission and keep the information up to date.' The rule calls it by name - 9502.0405, subp. 4(A): 'The signed and completed admission and arrangements form of the department must be on file in the provider's home' - and lists the nine data items it must carry, from the child's name and birthdate through 'Names of all persons authorized to remove the child from the…
• DHS-7736-ENG (rev. 7-17) - FAMILY CHILD CARE ALLERGY INFORMATION FORM. The commissioner-approved form required by Minn. Stat. 142B.71, subd. 1(b). One per child, kept on file, readily available to all caregivers, reviewed annually. The form's own note still cites the pre-recodification section number ('Pursuant to MN Statute 245A.51, subd. 1'), which is now Minn. Stat. 142B.71 - the requirement is unchanged, the citation on the form is stale.
• DHS-7747-ENG (rev. 9-25) - RULE AND STATUTE SUMMARY FOR PARENTS, FAMILY CHILD CARE. This is the 'descriptive summary' the department must supply and the provider must hand to every parent at admission under Minn. R. 9502.0405, subp. 2. Its subtitle is the clearest single statement of the current Minnesota legal frame: 'Minnesota Rules, Chapter 9502 and Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 142B and Chapter 245C', and paragraph A: 'Minnesota Rules, parts 9502.0300 to 9502.0445 govern the provisions of licensing family and group family child care. Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 142B governs licensed programs and may supersede some requirements in the family child care rule.'
• DHS-7955 - CHILD CARE EMERGENCY PLAN. The 'form developed by the commissioner' on which the written emergency preparedness plan must be written and annually updated under Minn. Stat. 142B.71, subd. 3(a). The eDocs landing page served 2026-08-25 is titled 'Child Care Emergency Plan (DHS-7955)'. The companion guidance is DHS-7414-ENG (rev. 3-24), 'Keeping Kids Safe: Child Care Provider Emergency Planning Guide'.
• DHS-7748-ENG - STORM AND FIRE DRILL LOG. Required by Minn. R. 9502.0435, subp. 8(F) ('a log of monthly fire and storm drills on file in the residence') and by Minn. Stat. 142B.71, subd. 3(c) ('The date and time of the drills must be documented').
• DHS-7743-ENG - MONTHLY CRIB SAFETY INSPECTION FORM FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, with the annual certification on the reverse. It implements Minn. Stat. 142B.45: brand name and model number documented for every crib (subd. 2(a)-(b), 'Any crib for which the license holder does not have the documentation required under paragraph (a) must not be used by or be accessible to children in care'), federal compliance under 16 C.F.R. parts 1219 and 1220 (subd. 2(c)), an annual check against the CPSC unsafe-crib list (subd. 3(a)-(b)), and monthly inspection of mesh- or fabric-sided play yards (subd. 3(e)). The form's own instruction: 'Maintain this document on site and make it available to parents…
• THE THREE INFANT-SLEEP FORMS UNDER MINN. STAT. 142B.46. DHS-7216-ENG (rev. 1-24), 'Directive for Alternative Infant Sleep Position' - 'This form is the approved format to direct an alternative sleep position and must remain on file' - required because 142B.46(a) obliges back-sleeping 'unless the license holder has documentation from the infant's physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant directing an alternative sleeping position ... on a form developed by the commissioner'. DHS-7218-ENG (rev. 2-24), 'Swaddling Consent for an Infant', required by 142B.46(f): 'Prior to any use of swaddling for sleep by a provider licensed under this chapter, the license holder…
• DHS-7741-ENG (rev. 8-18) - LIABILITY INSURANCE NOTICE TO PARENTS OR GUARDIANS, FAMILY CHILD CARE. Required whenever cover is below $100,000 per person / $250,000 per occurrence or absent, under Minn. R. 9502.0355, subp. 4(B), with parent-signed copies retained under subp. 4(C).
• DHS-7746-ENG - PRESCRIPTION AND NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION PERMISSION, FAMILY CHILD CARE. The form is OPTIONAL, the permission is not. DHS-8013 p. 25: 'You must obtain written permission from a child's parent(s) prior to administering medicine, diapering products, sunscreen lotions, and insect repellents. DHS has an optional form on its website that you may decide to use to meet these requirements; however, you may also create your own form.' The underlying rule is Minn. R. 9502.0435, subp. 16(F)(1) and (2).
• DHS-7733-ENG (rev. 9-20) - FAMILY CHILD CARE BACKGROUND STUDY WORKSHEET ('Is a background study required?'), used to work out which household members and helpers must be studied before the background studies are submitted through NETStudy 2.0 under Minn. Stat. 245C.04, subd. 1.
• REFERENCE DOCUMENTS RATHER THAN FORMS, BUT THE ONES A COUNTY LICENSOR WILL EXPECT YOU TO HAVE READ: DHS-7672-ENG (rev. 12-25), 'Training Requirements for Licensed Family Child Care' - the current initial/annual/2-year/3-year/5-year grid by role; DHS-7734-ENG (rev. 6/2018), 'Age Group Definitions ... Family and Group Child Care' - the class-by-class toddler definitions and a reprint of the Minn. R. 9502.0367 ratio table; and DHS-8013-ENG (rev. 10-20), 'Guide to Becoming a Licensed Family Child Care Provider' - the 107-page state handbook, still the only end-to-end narrative of the process, and still written against the repealed Minn. Stat. ch. 245A numbering (see 'verify_flag').
• DOCUMENTS YOU MUST PRODUCE THAT ARE NOT STATE FORMS: a licensed physician's statement of a physical examination within the previous 12 months, for the applicant and for each regular adult caregiver (Minn. R. 9502.0355, subp. 2); the sixteen written policy items at Minn. R. 9502.0405, subp. 3; written parental instructions on toilet training, eating, sleeping, allergies and health problems (subp. 4(B)); immunisation records under Minn. Stat. 121A.15 (subp. 4(C)); advance written consent for emergency medical care (subp. 4(D)); written permission to transport (subp. 4(E)); written permission for a school-age child to take part in activities away from the residence (9502.0415, subp. 12); and,…

What's specific about getting licensed in Minnesota

Minnesota just moved the goalposts administratively: as of July 1, 2024 child care licensing left the Department of Human Services (DHS) for the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and the governing statute was renumbered from Chapter 245A to Chapter 142B (family-child-care training moved from §245A.50 to §142B.70). The rules themselves (Minnesota Rules Chapter 9502) did not change, so most online guides, forms, and even providers still say 'DHS' and '245A.' The deeper trap is who your licensor actually is: Minnesota is a county-delegated state. You do not apply to the state — your county (or Tribal) licensing agency runs your orientation, inspects your home, investigates complaints, and recommends the license; DCYF only issues it. Two applicants in different counties can face different orientation schedules, waitlists, and interpretations for the same rulebook.

How long it takes and what it costs in Minnesota

Timeline: Realistically 3-6 months from first county contact to an issued license, driven mostly by (a) county orientation and inspection scheduling, (b) completing the pre-service training courses (first aid/CPR/SUID-AHT/6-hour Supervising for Safety), and (c) background study turnaround for you and all household members. Counties with waitlists can push this longer.

Cost: Varies — confirm the current figures with your county/Tribal agency and DCYF. Expect: an annual state license fee (modest; set by statute and by license class), background study fees for yourself and each required household member/caregiver, fingerprinting costs for new studies, and out-of-pocket course fees for first aid, CPR, SUID/AHT, and the six-hour Supervising for Safety course. Do not budget from a single quoted number found online — the DHS-to-DCYF transition and county administration mean fees should be verified directly.

Source: Sources officielles consultées pour Minnesota :

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9502/

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9502/full

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9502.0315/

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/142B

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/142B.01

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2026/0/Session+Law/Chapter/127/

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2024/0/Session+Law/Chapter/80/

https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/

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