Child Care

These are businesses that typically care for dozens of children.

Centers are required to follow a long list of requirements and they receive at least one unannounced monitoring visit annually from HHS consultants. 

Each child care license must be renewed every 2 years.  

Licensed Centers must meet requirements in the following areas (but are not limited to):

• Adequate floor plan and fire marshal’s report
• Policies for fees, enrollment, field trips, discipline, nutrition, and health and safety policies
• Developmentally appropriate curriculum
• Parental participation
• Personnel
• Professional growth and development 
• Staff ratio requirements
• Records
• Health and safety policies
• Physical facilities
• Activity program requirements
• Extended evening care (if applicable)
• Get well center (if applicable)
• Food services

A licensed child care centers may also apply for a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement with HHS.  This allows these programs to care for children that qualify for public assistance with child care costs.

Licensing Regulation Checklist

Licensing Regulation Checklist (Spanish)

Care Centers and Preschools Licensing Standards and Procedures

Click Child Care Provider Portal for an overview or use step 2 for application or renewal information.

Any person providing child care in their home can apply to be a registered Child Development Home.  Those serving more than the following number of children are required to register:

• five or fewer children
• Six or fewer children, if at least one is school-aged

There are 3 categories of child development homes, with an increase in requirements and allowances for numbers in care with each category.

Child Development Homes must meet requirements in the following areas (but are not limited to):

• Number of children allowed in care
• Health and safety standards
• Activity programs
• Parental access
• Discipline
• Meals
• File maintenance for children and staff
• Professional development

The Department must complete a pre-inspection and an unannounced annual inspection once per year. 

Child Development Homes must reapply for registration every two years.  

A Child Development Home provider may also apply for a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement with HHS.  This allows these programs to care for children that qualify for public assistance with child care costs. 

Child Development Home Registration Guidelines

Checklist for Child Development Home Registration

Checklist for Child Development Home Registration (Spanish)

 Please use the Child Care Provider Portal by clicking either requirements or application & renewal for additional information.

People who provide childcare in their own homes are not required by Iowa Code 237A.3 to be registered if they provide care to:

• Five or fewer children
• Six or fewer children, if at least one of the children is school-aged

These individuals may apply for a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement with HHS.  This allows non-registered programs to care for children that qualify for public assistance with child care costs.

2.    Child Care Homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement must meet requirements in the following areas (but are not limited to):

• Number of children allowed in care
• Health and safety standards
• Parental access
• Discipline
• Meals
• File maintenance for children
• Professional development

The Department must complete an unannounced annual inspection once per year to assure compliance with health, safety, and fire standards. 

Child Care Homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement must reapply every two years. 

Guidelines for Child Care Homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement

Guidelines for Child Care Homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement (Spanish)

Health, Safety, and Fire Standards Checklist for Child Care Homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement

Health, Safety, and Fire Standards Checklist for Child Care Homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement (Spanish)

Visit the Child Care Provider Portal for additional information.

 Please use the Child Care Provider Portal by clicking either requirements or application & renewal for additional information.

Learn more about the licensing process on the Child Care Licensing page.

Those employed or living in a licensed child care center, child development home, or non-registered child care home that receives child care assistance funding must complete required record checks.

The Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) staff is able to assist with your fingerprinting needs as a child care provider free of charge. To learn more, please contact a CCR&R staff nearest you by viewing the contact information at https://iowaccrr.org/staff/.

HHS covers record check fees for all Child Development Homes and child care homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement.

In November 2020, HHS began covering the cost of national record checks completed by the FBI via fingerprints for licensed child care center employees (and volunteers, as applicable) hired on or after March 16, 2020. Any rolling fees that may be associated by a local agency providing this service will not be the responsibility of HHS.

Appropriate record check guides for licensed child care centers have been updated and are located here: http://ccmis.dhs.state.ia.us/providerportal/LicensedProviderDocuments.aspx

Provider Record Check FAQ

Visit the Record Check Evaluations webpage for more information on record checks. 

If you are in a state other than Iowa requesting child care background check information:

For a criminal history check, visit the Iowa Department of Public Safety to learn more.

The Iowa Sex Offender Registry (SOR) is a publicly available website.

Visit the Iowa Child Abuse Registry webpage for additional information for State Agencies or those contracted with the State Agency to provide this service requesting registry checks of child care providers.

Use our NEW Child Care Provider Search.

We encourage those who have children with special needs to call a Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Parent Specialist and discuss child care options in your area. The Parent Specialist can talk with you about your child’s special needs and search their database to see if there are child care programs in your area that have indicated they are able to meet special needs. The CCR&R parent referral number is 1-855-CHILD-01 (1-855-244-5301).

Child Care Quality Ratings show quality rating scores for all licensed providers in Iowa. This tool can help you find child care in your community.

The Child Care Assistance Program supports low income families with parents, who are looking for work, employed or attending school to pursue vocational or educational training.  

Providers may serve child care assistance families as a licensed center, registered child development home or child care home provider.  

Visit the Child Care Assistance webpage for more information.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services maintains data in the following categories:

Substantiated child abuse in a child care setting by provider type

Substantiated child abuse in a child care setting by abuse type

Child deaths that occurred in a child care setting

Serious injuries that occurred in a child care setting

Child care capacity statistics

View Child Care Statistics

Healthy Child Care Iowa (HCCI) works to improve the quality of health and safety in Early Care and Education (ECE) programs serving infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children and their families. HCCI provides structure and fidelity for Child Care Nurse Consultants (CCNCs) at the local level.

CCNCs are Registered Nurses who incorporate principles of health equity when working with ECE programs providing on-site consultation, training, and technical assistance, information and referral as well as care planning for children with special health needs. CCNC services are free and available in all 99 counties.

Visit the Healthy Child Care Iowa webpage for more information.

All Child Care Providers must complete First Aid, CPR, and Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training. 

Additional information for providers is listed on the Child Care Providers webpage.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act authorizes the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Program. CCDF is the primary federal funding source to support low-income families to afford child care and increase the quality of child care for all children.

Information on the requirements of the CCDF Program, including links to federal program guidance, webinars, and technical assistance resources is available on the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care website.

CCDF State Plan: The CCDF State Plan is Iowa's application for CCDF funding and describes how Iowa is meeting federal CCDF regulations.

FFY 2025-2027 CCDF State Plan
 

FFY 2022-2024 Iowa Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) State Plan

• Amendment 1: FFY 2022-2024 CCDF State Plan
• Amendment 2: FFY 2022-2024 CCDF State Plan

Quality Progress Report (QPR): The QPR collects information about the State’s investments to improve the quality of child care. This report is submitted to the Federal Office of Child Care on an annual basis as required by CCDF regulations.

• Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2023 QPR
• Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2022 QPR
• Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021 QPR
• Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2020 QPR

Market Rate Survey (MRS) Report: The MRS report contains information about the market rates being charged for child care services in the state as well as an estimate of the costs required to provide child care services. It is required to be completed every three years in alignment with the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) State Plan.

• 2023 Market Rate Survey Report
• 2020 Market Rate Survey Report
• 2017 Market Rate Survey Report

The Iowa Child Care Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan provides a framework for preparedness and recovery activities for child care regulatory and child care subsidy in the event of a significant emergency or disaster in Iowa.
Iowa Child Care Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan

Childcare Compliance and Complaint Reports:  Search a listing of all licensed child care centers and homes to view their annual compliance evaluations and any complaint reports that have been filed.