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California child care center license requirements

What California asks of child care centers, rule by rule: what each license or card is, who needs it, how long it lasts, and the official source to check it against. Your city or county may add its own.

Last reviewed October 21, 2026

This is a summary to help you plan, not legal advice. Check the linked source before you rely on it.

Cards your people carry

Pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR

At least one director or teacher at each child care center must hold pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR, from a course approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority.

  • Pediatric First Aid and CPR

    Who needs it
    At least one director or teacher at each center.
    Issued by
    An EMSA approved training program
    How long it lasts
    Valid for 2 years.
Who it covers
At least one director or teacher at each child day care center, and each family child care home licensee who provides care, as part of 15 hours of health and safety training.
Deadline
Before licensing, as part of the health and safety training.
Renewal
Retrain at least every 2 years. The preventive health and safety part of the training is one time only and does not expire.
Official source

Licenses the business holds

Child care center license and its annual fee

A California child care center license has no expiry date of its own. It is kept in force by an annual fee, due before each anniversary of the license, and an unpaid fee can forfeit it.

  • Child care license annual fee

    Who holds it
    Each licensed center or home, every year on the license's anniversary.
    Kind
    Child care license
    Issued by
    California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing
    How long it lasts
    Valid for 1 year.
Who it covers
Every licensed child care center and family child care home.
Deadline
Before caring for children.
Renewal
The annual fee notice says the fee must be received 30 days before the anniversary of the current license, and that late payment may result in the forfeiture of the license. The Department's fee page adds a late fee when it is not paid on or before the anniversary.
Read closely
The date to track is the fee's, not an expiry: record the anniversary of the license's effective date.
Official sources

Keep these current for every center you run.

Currity keeps every date on this page for each person and location, and warns you about each one 90, 60 and 30 days out, then 14, 7 and 1, and on the day.

Start freeHave us load your listHow Currity works for child care centers

From $10 a month. 14 days free, no card.