Get a Residential Child Care License?

A license is issued by the State and permits you to operate a Child Welfare Agency. It is recommended that you participate in an orientation to Residential Child Care prior to pursuing a license.

The Residential Child Care Licensing (RCCL) Unit licenses child caring institutions, child placing agencies, children's transitional care centers, outdoor child caring programs (camps) and maternity homes. To find out if you need a license from the State to provide the service you want to provide, click on one of these facility types or call the Office of Inspector General, Residential Child Care Licensing (RCCL) unit.

RCCL does not license daycare centers, personal care homes or psychiatric hospitals.

If you are required to obtain a state license issued by RCCL, you must:

• Download the application package.
• Familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations and develop a working knowledge of the meaning and intent of the rules.
• Develop policies and procedures to address each rule applicable to your program.
• Attend the Mandatory Application Training (MAT) before submitting an application.
  • The RCCL MAT classes are held the second Wednesday of every month. Eligibility screenings to determine an applicant’s readiness to submit an application will be conducted before attendance is permitted. Please email [email protected] for registration details.
  • There is no fee for this class.

In most cases, your business location will be visited by an RCCL surveyor to verify that you are in compliance with the rules and regulations that apply to your particular business.

If your application is complete and your business is in compliance with the rules, then you will be issued a State license to operate.

The length of time required to get a State license to operate varies greatly, depending partly on the motivation of the applicant.One way to speed up the process is to make sure that the paperwork you submit is accurate and complete. Be sure to keep a copy of whatever you submit.