Regulations and Permits for Child Care Providers - NYC Health

Health

Promoting and Protecting the City's Health


Permits and LicensesHealth AcademyFood OperatorsOpportunities

Animal Facilities
Beaches
Camps
Child Care
Restaurants, Mobile Food Vending
Mental Health Licensed Programs (NYS OMH)
Violations and Summonses
Pools, Spas and Spray Grounds
Smoking: Exemptions, Registration and Hookah
Drinking Water
Cooling Towers
Radiological Equipment (X-Rays) and Materials
Other Permits and Registrations

Animal Facilities

Beaches

Camps

Child Care

Restaurants, Mobile Food Vending

Mental Health Licensed Programs (NYS OMH)

Violations and Summonses

Pools, Spas and Spray Grounds

Smoking: Exemptions, Registration and Hookah

Drinking Water

Cooling Towers

Radiological Equipment (X-Rays) and Materials

Other Permits and Registrations


Child Care — Information for Operators

Good child care encourages children to play and learn in a stimulating and nurturing environment. To keep children safe and healthy while they are in a provider's care, the government licenses and regulates child care facilities and inspects them regularly.

Information for Each Type of Child Care

For more information, including instructions on getting a permit, select one of the child care types below.

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Group Child Care (Center-based)

A group child care (center-based) program is any program providing child care to three or more children under 6 years of age. These programs operate for five or more hours per week, for more than 30 days in a 12-month period. They primarily operate in non-residential spaces.

School-based

School-based programs provide instruction for children ages 3 through 5 who are located within a school or are part of a school.

Summer Camp

Summer camps provide child care for children younger than 16 (younger than 18 for overnight camps). They operate during the summer months in any year, primarily for the purpose of organized group activity.

School-age Child Care (After-school Programs)

A school-age child care program is a non-residential child care program for a group of seven or more school age children.

Family Day Care and Group Family Day Care (Home-based)

Family day care and group family day care programs are located in residences. They provide child care on a regular basis for more than three hours per day per child.

Informal and Legally-exempt

Informal child care providers are not regulated by the NYC Health Department.

Additional Resources

Leasing Space to Child Care Centers: Frequently Asked Questions for Property Owners (PDF, May 23, 2023)

More Information

Child Care Connect: Compare your program’s performance and inspection records to others across the city.