Minnesota Daycare Self-Inspection Checklist (Printable)

Recent and upcoming changes

New child care center standards (effective July 1, 2027) Minn. Stat. ch. 142H Centers Laws 2026, ch. 127, art. 12 creates chapter 142H to replace Minn. R. ch. 9503 and the center-only parts of chapter 142B.
New family child care standards (effective July 1, 2027) Minn. Stat. ch. 142I Family child care Laws 2026, ch. 127, art. 13 creates chapter 142I to replace Minn. R. ch. 9502 and the family-only parts of chapter 142B.
Video cameras after a maltreatment finding Minn. Stat. § 142B.68 Centers Beginning July 1, 2026, a center required to post a maltreatment investigation memorandum must install recording cameras in every infant and toddler room.
Weighted risk system (not yet in effect) Minn. Stat. § 142B.171 Centers · Family child care DCYF is building a tiered enforcement system that weights every rule from 1 to 10.

Who needs a license, and who issues it

License required, and the exclusions Minn. Stat. § 142B.05 Centers · Family child care You may not run or advertise a child care program without a license unless an exclusion applies.
Family vs. group family child care Minn. R. 9502.0315 Family child care "Family day care" is care in a residence for no more than 10 children at one time, of whom no more than 6 are under school age.
Family child care licensing process Minn. R. 9502.0335 Family child care The applicant must be the person who will provide the care and be present during operating hours.
Center building and fire approvals Minn. R. 9503.0155 Centers Before DCYF issues an initial license, a new center needs written verification from the local building official (State Building Code or local ordinance) and a fire marshal inspection within the 12 months before…
Special family child care homes Minn. Stat. § 142B.41 Family child care Programs for 14 or fewer children run outside the provider's own home can be licensed under the family child care rules in some situations: a dwelling on a residential lot, an employer, a church, a community…

Staff-to-child ratios

Center ratios Minn. R. 9503.0040 Centers Minimum staff-to-child ratios: infants 1:4, toddlers 1:7, preschoolers 1:10, school-age children 1:15.
Mixing ages in a center Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 3 Centers Infants may not be grouped with other age categories.
Aide substituting for a teacher at arrival/departure Minn. Stat. § 142B.41, subd. 14 Centers A child care aide may substitute for a teacher during morning arrival and afternoon departure, totaling no more than 25% of daily hours.
Family and group family child care ratios and age mix Minn. R. 9502.0367 Family child care Class A family day care: up to 10 children with 1 adult.
Newborns, helpers and the provider's own children Minn. R. 9502.0365 Family child care If a newborn (under 6 weeks) is in care with only one adult, the newborn must be the only child under 12 months, and the provider may care for no more than two other children unless a second adult is present or the…
Family child care age definitions Minn. Stat. § 142B.01, subd. 13 Family child care This statute sets the family child care age definitions used with the ratio table: newborn, birth to 6 weeks; infant, 6 weeks to under 12 months; toddler, 12 to under 24 months (under 30 months for specialized infant…

Maximum group size (centers)

Center maximum group sizes Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 1 Centers Infants 8, toddlers 14, preschoolers 20, school-age 30.
Moving a child up or holding a child back Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 4 Centers With agreement of the parent, teacher and director, a child may be designated an infant up to 18 months or a toddler up to 35 months, or moved to preschool at 31 months.

Staff qualifications

Center director Minn. R. 9503.0031 Centers A director must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have at least 1,040 hours of staff supervision experience.
Center teacher Minn. R. 9503.0032 Centers Teachers must be 18 or older and meet one of nine credential paths.
Center assistant teacher Minn. R. 9503.0033 Centers Assistant teachers work under a teacher, must be 18 or older, and meet one of nine paths.
Aides, volunteers and substitutes Minn. R. 9503.0034 Centers Aides must be at least 16. An aide under 18 must be directly supervised by a teacher or assistant teacher except while helping with sleeping children or with washing, toileting and diapering.
Experienced aides Minn. Stat. § 142B.41, subd. 7 Centers An aide who is at least 20 and has 4,160 hours of licensed child care experience (120 days of it with the current employer) may work without direct supervision for up to 25% of daily hours, if a teacher is in the…
Family child care provider qualifications Minn. R. 9502.0355 Family child care The applicant must be an adult (18+) and, like every regular adult caregiver, have had a physical exam within 12 months before licensure or employment.
Family child care substitutes Minn. Stat. § 142B.74 Family child care A substitute caregiver may be used for no more than 500 hours a year in total, and the license holder must document the substitute's name, dates and hours.

Background studies

Who must be studied Minn. Stat. § 245C.03, subd. 5c Centers · Family child care The study covers the license applicant and controlling individuals.
When, how, and how often Minn. Stat. § 245C.04, subd. 1 Centers · Family child care The request must be submitted through NETStudy 2.0 before the person starts a position with direct contact.
Disqualifications Minn. Stat. § 245C.15 Centers · Family child care Listed crimes and conduct disqualify a person permanently or for 15, 10, 7, 5 or 2 years, depending on the offense.
Observing job candidates Minn. Stat. § 142B.67 Centers A center may watch a prospective employee interact with children for up to two hours without a background study.

Training (incl. SUID, abusive head trauma, CPR and first aid)

Center orientation Minn. Stat. § 142B.65, subd. 1 Centers Before starting duties, every director, staff person, substitute and unsupervised volunteer gets orientation.
Center pediatric first aid and CPR Minn. Stat. § 142B.65, subds. 4–5 Centers Pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR must be completed before unsupervised contact with children, and no later than 90 days after hire.
Center SUID and abusive head trauma training Minn. Stat. § 142B.65, subds. 6–7 Centers Anyone caring for infants needs at least ½ hour of SUID-risk training at orientation and every calendar year.
Center child development and in-service hours Minn. Stat. § 142B.65, subds. 3, 9 Centers Directors and staff need 2 hours of child development training within 90 days of hire and again every second calendar year.
Family child care training Minn. Stat. § 142B.70 Family child care Before licensure, the license holder and any second adult caregiver complete 4 hours of child development and behavior guidance, pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR (repeated every 2 years), and the 6-hour Supervising…
Car seat training Minn. Stat. § 142B.51 Centers · Family child care Anyone who transports children under age 9 must first complete child passenger restraint training from a trainer certified by the Department of Public Safety, repeated at least every five years.

Health and safety

When a center must send a sick child home Minn. R. 9503.0080 Centers Unless licensed for sick care, a center must exclude a child who, for example, has vomited twice or more that day, or has had three or more abnormally loose stools that day.
Center health policies and consultant Minn. R. 9503.0140 Centers Centers need written health policies and a health consultant (physician, RN or public health nurse).
Family child care sanitation and illness Minn. R. 9502.0435 Family child care Medicines, chemicals, alcohol and poisonous plants must be inaccessible to children.
Allergies Minn. Stat. §§ 142B.66, subd. 1; 142B.71, subd. 1 Centers · Family child care Before admission, get documented allergy information covering triggers, avoidance, symptoms, response steps, medication and dosage, and the doctor's contact.
Bodily fluids Minn. Stat. §§ 142B.66, subd. 2; 142B.71, subd. 2 Centers · Family child care Clean and disinfect surfaces after blood or vomit.

Facility, furniture and hazards

Center equipment, furniture and hazardous objects Minn. R. 9503.0140, subps. 17–20 Centers Equipment and furniture must be durable, in good repair, and structurally sound and stable once assembled and installed.
Center risk reduction plan Minn. Stat. § 142B.54, subd. 2 Centers Every center needs a written risk reduction plan.
Center building features Minn. R. 9503.0155 Centers Hot surfaces such as radiators and pipes must be shielded.
Family child care physical environment Minn. R. 9502.0425 Family child care Homes need at least 35 sq ft of usable indoor space per child.
Family child care fire safety and stairs Minn. Stat. § 142B.72 Family child care Each sleeping room and any basement used for care needs a second way out: a stairway or door to the exit floor plus a door or window directly outside, with minimum window sizes.
Crib safety checks Minn. Stat. § 142B.45 Centers · Family child care For every crib, keep the brand and model number.

Emergency preparedness and drills

Center emergency plan Minn. Stat. § 142B.66, subd. 3 Centers Centers need a written plan on the DCYF form.
Center emergency policies, drills and incident records Minn. R. 9503.0110 Centers Policies must cover first aid, daily hazard inspection, missing children, and unauthorized or impaired people trying to pick up.
Family child care emergency plan and drills Minn. Stat. § 142B.71, subd. 3; Minn. R. 9502.0435, subp. 8 Family child care Family providers keep a written emergency preparedness plan on the DCYF form, update it yearly, and train caregivers before they provide care and every year.

Medication

Giving medicine in a center Minn. R. 9503.0140, subp. 7 Centers Written parent permission is required before giving any medicine, diaper cream, sunscreen or insect repellent.
Giving medicine in family child care Minn. R. 9502.0435, subp. 16 Family child care Written parent permission is required before giving medicine, diapering products, sunscreen or insect repellent.

Immunizations

Immunization records for child care Minn. Stat. § 121A.15 Centers · Family child care Children over 2 months old must have an immunization record on file to enroll in licensed child care.
Center immunization documentation Minn. R. 9503.0140, subp. 5 Centers At enrollment, a center must get current immunization documentation, a notarized parental objection, or a medical exemption.
Family child care immunization updates Minn. R. 9502.0405, subp. 4 Family child care Family providers must request and update immunization dates for children in regular attendance: every 6 months for infants, every year for toddlers, every 18 months for preschoolers, and every 3 years for school-age…

Food and nutrition

Center meals and snacks Minn. R. 9503.0145 Centers When the center provides food, menus must meet USDA CACFP meal patterns (7 CFR 226.20).
Family child care food and water Minn. R. 9502.0445 Family child care Offer well-balanced meals and snacks that cover the USDA food groups, and serve only pasteurized milk.
No propped bottles Minn. R. 9502.0415, subp. 4 Family child care Hold infants for bottle feedings until they can hold their own bottle.

Safe sleep and naps

Infant safe sleep Minn. Stat. § 142B.46 Centers · Family child care Infants under 1 year sleep on their backs unless a physician, APRN or PA directs otherwise on the commissioner's form.
Supervising sleeping infants in centers Minn. Stat. § 142B.01, subd. 27 Centers Center supervision normally means sight and hearing.
Center nap and rest Minn. R. 9503.0050 Centers Centers need a developmentally appropriate nap policy, shared at enrollment.
Family child care sleep checks (recommended) Minn. Stat. § 142B.75 Family child care Family providers are encouraged, though not required, to do in-person checks on sleeping infants every 30 minutes.

Behavior guidance

Center behavior guidance Minn. R. 9503.0055 Centers Centers need written, developmentally appropriate guidance policies.
Family child care behavior guidance Minn. R. 9502.0395 Family child care Corporal punishment, emotional abuse, withholding necessities, and having another child discipline are prohibited.

Records and retention

How long to keep records Minn. Stat. § 142B.03 Centers · Family child care Keep child records for at least five years after the child leaves, personnel records for five years after employment ends, and administrative and financial records for five years after the program closes.
Center child records Minn. R. 9503.0125 Centers At enrollment, record: name, birthdate and address; parent contacts; people authorized to pick up; regular and emergency medical and dental care; two emergency contacts; health and immunization forms; emergency…
Center parent information and daily reports Minn. R. 9503.0090 Centers Give parents the center's key policies in writing at enrollment, and offer individual conferences at least twice a year.
Family child care admissions and records Minn. R. 9502.0405 Family child care Before admission, keep the department's signed admission and arrangements form for each child.

Attendance and sign-in/sign-out

Attendance records for publicly funded care Minn. Stat. § 142B.41, subd. 10 Centers · Family child care Centers and family providers must keep actual attendance for each child whose care is reimbursed by a government program.
Parent access Minn. Stat. § 142B.41, subd. 11 Centers · Family child care An enrolled child's parent or legal guardian must be allowed access to their child at any time while the child is in care.
Unauthorized pickups (centers) Minn. R. 9503.0110, subp. 3 Centers A center's emergency policies must say what staff do if an unauthorized, incapacitated or suspected abusive person tries to pick up a child, or if no one comes.

Transportation and field trips

Center transportation Minn. R. 9503.0150 Centers Drivers need a valid license for the vehicle, and ratios apply on all transportation and field trips.
Field trip permission Minn. R. 9503.0100 Centers Get written parent permission for each field trip, or an annual form listing all trips, stating purpose and destination.
Family child care transportation Minn. R. 9502.0435, subp. 9 Family child care Get written parent permission to transport.

Inspections and correction orders

Center inspections Minn. Stat. § 142B.02, subd. 7 Centers DCYF must make at least one unannounced licensing inspection of each licensed child care center every calendar year.
Family child care inspections Minn. Stat. § 142B.30, subd. 1 Family child care The county must make at least one unannounced licensing review of each family child care program every year.
Fix-it tickets Minn. Stat. § 142B.17 Centers · Family child care For eligible minor violations that don't endanger children and weren't cited at the last inspection, the licensor issues a fix-it ticket instead of a correction order.
Correction orders and conditional licenses Minn. Stat. § 142B.16 Centers · Family child care A correction order states the violation, the specific law or rule, and the deadline to fix it.
Fines, suspension and revocation Minn. Stat. § 142B.18 Centers · Family child care DCYF may fine, suspend, revoke, or immediately suspend a license when children are at imminent risk.

Challenging a citation

Reconsideration of a correction order Minn. Stat. § 142B.16, subd. 2 Centers · Family child care You have 20 calendar days to ask DCYF in writing to reconsider the parts of a correction order you believe are wrong, with an explanation and documentation.
Reconsideration of a conditional license Minn. Stat. § 142B.16, subd. 4 Centers · Family child care Request reconsideration within 10 calendar days.
Appealing sanctions Minn. Stat. § 142B.18, subds. 2, 4 Centers · Family child care Appeal a suspension, revocation or fine in writing within 10 calendar days, which gives you a contested case hearing before an administrative law judge.
Reapplying after revocation or denial (family child care) Minn. R. 9502.0341, subp. 11 Family child care After a revocation for noncompliance, a provider can't be relicensed for five years.

Minnesota daycare self-inspection checklist

Recent and upcoming changes

Who needs a license, and who issues it

Staff-to-child ratios

Maximum group size (centers)

Staff qualifications

Background studies

Training (incl. SUID, abusive head trauma, CPR and first aid)

Health and safety

Facility, furniture and hazards

Emergency preparedness and drills

Medication

Immunizations

Food and nutrition

Safe sleep and naps

Behavior guidance

Records and retention

Attendance and sign-in/sign-out

Transportation and field trips

Inspections and correction orders

Challenging a citation

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