The Ultimate Guide to Child Care Licensing Requirements in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, child care businesses must be licensed through the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), which oversees a wide array of child care operations including nurseries, kindergartens, child play schools, progressive schools, child development centers, preschools, or other arrangements caring for children.

Licensing requirements are generally set by Massachusetts with the goal of ensuring each child care operation provides a healthy and safe environment, in which children participate in development and enrichment programs, and where their caregivers are adequately educated, experienced, and prepared for unexpected circumstances. Thus, for each child care business category in Massachusetts, a specific path of requirements must be met to achieve licensure. This article will help you easily ensure you meet all the requirements and execute the application end to end, regardless of the type of business you plan to operate with four steps:

1. Determine Your Child Care Business Type

2. Comply With Prerequisite Qualifications

3. Complete Your Application

4. Requirements to Maintain Your License

Throughout your application process, you can reference this chart for all license types and application steps.

Step 1: Determine Your Child Care Business Type

In Massachusetts, your child care license application procedure and requirements will ultimately depend on the circumstances of your proposed business, including the type of location, your personal experience and education level, child-to-staff ratios, and more. The primary license types for most child care operations will fall under one of the categories below, including Large group and school-aged children; Small group and school-aged children; and Family Child Care.

Group and School-Aged Child Care

These licenses are specifically for child care operations based out of a commercial or community facility, rather than a private home. Group and School Age Child Care licenses are broken down into two designations based on enrollment capacity: Large Group and School Age, and Small Group and School Age.

Large group and school aged

These programs enroll 11 or more children under the age of 14, with no upper cap set by license type alone. Licensed large group programs in Massachusetts have operated with capacities ranging into the hundreds. These programs may serve any combination of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children, and commonly operate as before/after school programs, summer programs, or full-day early education centers. The staffing and administrative requirements at this tier are more rigorous than the small group designation: Educators must have documented direct care and teaching experience with children younger than seven.

Small group and school aged

These programs enroll up to 10 children under the age of 14 in a non-residential setting. Like large group programs, small group programs may serve any combination of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children across a variety of program formats. Staffing requirements are lighter at this tier. 

Family child care (FCC) 

These licenses are specifically for child care operations based out of your home, rather than a separate leased or owned commercial facility. Family child care licenses are further broken down into three designations: Standard FCC, FCC Plus, and Large FCC.

• Standard FCCs can enroll up to six children in the program. 

• FCC Plus certificants can enroll up to eight children without needing an assistant, as long as at least two of the eight children are school aged. 

• Large FCCs can enroll up to 10 children, given that a qualified assistant is contributing to the workload.

Family child care assistants

Family child care assistants may be designated for groups of 6, 8 or 10 children cared for by the primary provider and the assistant combined, in addition to the two subgroups:

• Regular FCC assistant: Can work under the supervision of a licensed Family Care Center or a Certified FCC assistant (see next bullet). If this individual has First AID or CPR Certification, they are allowed to care for children unsupervised for a limited time – up to 25 hours in a year long period, not to exceed 8 hours within a seven-day period. A maximum of six children can be watched under these unsupervised circumstances. This applies to each family care center home worked at, so the clock resets for different locations.

• Certified FCC assistant: This assistant meets the same licensure requirements as an FCC, including First Aid and CPR certification regardless of the supervision arrangements. Similarly to regular FCC assistants, they are allowed to substitute as the sole carer for children for up to 25 hours in a year long period, but do not have seven-day restrictions on these hours.

Step 2: Complete Your Prerequisites

A few elements of the Massachusetts child care licensing process are the same regardless of the type of business you are pursuing. The LEAD portal, EEC Essentials Training, and Professional Qualification Registry are common to all applications – then we break down the unique application details for each specific child care business type.

EEC Essentials Training

Completing the EEC Essentials training module is required for anyone applying for licensure as a Family Child Care Provider, a Certified Assistant, or a Regular Assistant. This can be found through Massachusetts’ StrongStart Professional Development System.

Professional Qualification Registry

For all business types requiring EEC licensure, you will need to have a current Professional Qualifications Number (aka: PQR, PQ Registry) to comply with the 2010 Family, Group and School Age Child Care Regulations. This registration must be updated annually.

Potential Provider Training

All prospective licensees in Massachusetts must attend a Potential Provider meeting before they can apply, regardless of license type. The applicant must have attended an EEC-approved orientation within one year prior to licensure. Sessions are found through the Massachusetts StrongStart Professional Development System. One additional note for family child care applicants planning to care for seven or more children: a separate pre-service training is also required on top of the standard orientation, as specified under 606 CMR 7.09(15)(b).

Background Checks

Background checks are prevalent to all child care business types in Massachusetts. For group and school-aged programs, all staff members must complete background checks. For family care centers and their assistants, any person who is regularly on the premises or any household member aged 15 or older must also complete a background check for EEC licensure. These background checks will include fingerprinting, and background checks must be renewed every three years.

Background checks can be executed through LEAD. Once your LEAD account is set up, you will receive an invite to the BRC Program Portal. Note that there are no public access points to this portal, so if you lose the email or otherwise cannot access the BRC Program Portal, you may have to submit a ticket or call 617-988-7841 for help. 

Building Inspections

Building and fire inspections are required for both Large Group and Small Group and School Age programs, and the requirements are identical across both license types. Prior to licensure, every program must obtain a certificate of inspection from the Department of Public Safety or the local building inspector confirming compliance with 780 CMR (the Massachusetts State Building Code), as well as a fire inspection certificate. If your facility draws from a private well, a water source inspection is also required. Programs must demonstrate compliance with the Integrated Pest Management program of the Department of Agricultural Resources, obtain a lead paint inspection, and submit a pool inspection if applicable as well.

Large Group and School-Aged Applicants should keep the following space requirements in mind for their building:

• Minimum 35 sq ft of indoor activity space per child

• Minimum 75 sq ft of outdoor play space per child outside at any one time

• At least one toilet and sink per every 20 children

• Designated administrative space separate from children's play or rest areas

Small Group and School-Aged Applicants must plan accordingly:

• Minimum 35 sq ft of indoor activity space per child

• Minimum 75 sq ft of outdoor play space per child outside at any one time

• At least one toilet and sink per every 20 children

• Designated administrative space separate from children's play or rest areas

For Family Child Care applications, the building must be a single-family home, duplex, or triplex in which the licensee lives. There must be two egresses to the outside in the home as well as basement (if used for child care purposes), approved smoke detectors, and adequate impact-absorbing material around playground equipment. Spacewise, the EEC requires family child care centers in Massachusetts abide by:

• Minimum 150 sq ft of approved activity space for 1-2 children

• Minimum 225 sq ft for 3-6 children

• Minimum 35 sq ft per child for 7-10 children

Step 3: Submit Your Application

Scope of the LEAD Portal

The Licensing Education Analytic Database (LEAD) Portal will host your application and licensing details and will serve as a method to communicate with the EEC for the duration of your licensure tenure. The EEC may communicate to your business about compliance matters and inspections through this portal, as well. If you ever need to update your business information, such as contact details or location, you can also use the LEAD portal. So it’s important to create a secure password and store it safely for future use of this account, beyond the initial application process.

Depending on your business type, you may have to contact the EEC to initially set up your account, rather than an initial online registration. In this case, you will receive an email invitation to the portal from the EEC. 

You can log in to your existing account for the LEAD portal here. 

Those applying for Family Child Care or Certified Assistant licenses can apply for a LEAD account online here.

Those applying for Group or School Age licenses can find their regional EEC office to contact and request a LEAD account be made. You can reach one of the six offices depending on which is closest to you, between the hours of 9am to 5pm on Mondays through Fridays.

LEAD Application Information for Massachusetts Family Child Care Licensing

For family child care and family child care assistant applications, you can apply for a LEAD account and thereby a child care license via the online form. The online form will ask you to provide:

• Your name

• Your date of birth

• Your street address

• Email

• Phone number

• Language preferences

• Application type (FCC Provider, Regular Assistant, Certified Familly Child Care Assistant, with specific designations for the group size)

Group and School-Aged Children Application Details

Building and fire inspection certificates are submitted through your LEAD account as part of the initial licensing application. All certificates must be current at the time of submission, and EEC will verify compliance during the licensing visit. If your facility undergoes substantial renovations or expands into previously unapproved space after initial licensure, you may be required to obtain updated inspection certificates before that space can be used for child care.

The application fee for a Small Group and School-Aged license is $175.

Due to the varying sizes of large group applications, fees are broken down by capacity tiers.

Family Child Care and Assistant Application Details

Applications for family child cares and assistants for these businesses diverge from some of the base requirements as small and large group school-aged businesses. The application fee for Family Child Care businesses in Massachusetts is $100. The fee for Family Child Care Assistant applications is $75.

Medical Requirements for Massachusetts Family Child Care Providers

The medical form issued by the EEC in Massachusetts requires that you have had a physical within the last year. Submit the form to your doctor’s office for them to provide details about your physical and mental health, including details of any physical limitations you may have in an effort to care for children. You will be required to have your immunizations for Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

What Counts as Prequalifying Child Care Experience?

Family child care license applicants as well as FCC assistant applicants are required to have one year of experience for licensure. If you have cared for your own child for at least one year, this can serve as your experience. Similarly, paid employment in a child care facility can satisfy this requirement. However, paid or unpaid babysitting experience will not suffice. If you do not currently satisfy this requirement, you will need to set aside at least a year to satisfy this requirement and gain valuable hands-on experience before opening your own child care business in Massachusetts.

Step 4: Maintaining Your Massachusetts Child Care License

Mandatory Record-Keeping for Massachusetts Child Cares

Once you are operating your child care business, your Massachusetts state license requires you to maintain careful records of many day-to-day activities – this will also be best practice for business efficiency, taxes, and other purposes. Specifically, you’ll have to find ways to carefully track:

• Child information, including:

  • Personal details

  • Physical description and a current photograph

  • Parent(s) and associated contact information

  • Doctor and associated contact information

  • Medical records, including medication and allergy information

  • Expected days/times for attendance

  • Information on any other schools concurrently attended

  • Copies of custody agreements, court orders, other applicable legal documents

  • Written consent for off-site transport; events; third-party observers; etc.

  • A list of people authorized to pick up the child

  • Permission for use of topic/over the counter remedies

  • Documentation that parent has right to visit unannounced at any time

  • Health care plan details

  • Any referrals made

  • Injury, incident, and periodic progress reports

• Who is on the premises at any given time (including vendors, parents, staff, etc.)

• Evacuation drill records

• Staff details, including:

  • Medical records

  • Background checks

  • Professional development

  • Driver’s and other licenses as applicable to work activities

While these cover the minimum mandates by the state, many other elements of a child care program should simultaneously be carefully tracked for management and growth purposes. Several software programs are available to help you automate these compliance requirements and focus on other aspects of your business. Playground, for instance, allows child care directors to simply and effectively track enrollment, attendance, compliance records, parental communications, 

License Visibility and Other Notice Requirements

In addition to displaying any certifications or notices that may be required in your physical location by local law, the EEC requires Massachusetts child care operators to clearly display five different notices in an area where it will be visible to parents, staff and visitors alike. These notices include:

1. Your child care license granted by Massachusetts

2. A sign reminding folks to “Call 911” in an event of an emergency, with the name and location of the facility clearly labeled.

3. A sign with the number for the Poison Control contact, including a back-up.

4. A list of all life-saving medications (e.g., an epipen or inhaler) and the associated child, in a way that protects the child’s privacy.

5. A list of all allergies and other relevant emergency medical information and the associated child, in a way that protects the child’s privacy.

Child Care License Renewal in Massachusetts

Your child care license will be valid for two years from issue date. For renewal, you must file the renewal application and pay the associated renewal fee within 30 days of expiry. Your license will then remain active until a decision has been made by the state. You will also be expected to participate in a scheduled renewal meeting approved by the EEC, and update any organizational, inspection, or operations documents that may have been required in your initial application depending on your business structure.

FAQs

Provisional Child Care Licenses in Massachusetts

In some cases, the EEC may issue a provisional license, particularly if your business is new or requirements beyond health and safety mandates were not initially met and the applicant needs a little more time to meet these other requirements. A provisional license is valid for six months, if issued. If needed, the provisional license may be renewed – only once – for an additional six months. A provisional license can help your business by allowing you to operate before all of the logistical options are in place, as long as the health and safety requirements are met.

Who Should I Hire for my Massachusetts Child Care Business?

Massachusetts EEC sets minimum qualifications for each educator role – from assistant teacher through program director – based on a combination of education, experience, and credentials. As of December 2021, EEC updated this policy for Group and School-Age programs to give hiring managers more flexibility, including allowing some coursework to be completed after hire and accepting a broader range of preparation programs. All educators must also register with EEC's Professional Qualifications Registry and complete the required EEC Essentials Trainings. Keep in mind that meeting education and experience requirements alone isn't enough — Background Record Check suitability is determined separately by EEC. Full details, hiring protocols, and a staff records checklist are available on the EEC Minimum Hiring Requirements page.

Where can I find the official Massachusetts regulations governing child care licensing?

The primary regulation governing all licensed child care programs in Massachusetts is 606 CMR 7.00, published by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). It covers licensing requirements for all three program types — family child care, small group and school age, and large group and school age — and sets the standards for everything from staff-to-child ratios and educator qualifications to facility requirements, health and safety policies, and record-keeping.