Child Care Centre License

If you are interested in providing care for more than six children under the age of 5 inclusive of your own, or for more than eight school age children (age 5-12 inclusive of your own ) you must apply for a license to operate a child care centre. If you currently provide care for fewer than six children under the age of 5 or eight school age children, or are planning to do so in the future, you may wish to apply to join a licensed Family Home Day Care Agency. You are not required to do so but may find that joining a Family Home Day Care Agency enriches your experience as an unlicensed care provider.

Eligibility

The operator of a child care centre or family home day care agency is eligible to obtain a license when all requirements for operation identified in the Day Care Regulations have been met.

Next steps

To apply for a license you must submit a Notice of Intent to Operate a Child Care Centre or Family Home Day Care Agency (PDF). (You may also request that it be sent via mail.) Upon receipt of this notice, an Early Childhood Development Officer (ECDO) will be assigned to assist you throughout the licensing process. You will also receive, or you may download, an Application Package, which includes How to Start a Child Care Centre, a detailed manual designed to assist you in meeting licensing requirements.

If you are interested in applying for a license to operate a child care centre or family home day care agency and would like further information please contact us:

Licensing Services

Phone: (902) 424-5499
Fax: (902) 424- 0721

Office location:

Nelson Place
5675 Spring Garden Road
Halifax, NS   B3J 1H1

Mailing address:

P.O. Box 696
Halifax, NS   B3J 2T7

Related information

• Child care directory at Child Care Connection NS
• Day Care Act
• Day Care Regulations
• Early Learning and Child Care Expansion Initiative
• Early Learning and Child Care Family Home Day Care Initiative
• Quality Inclusive Child Care Brochure (PDF)
• Ontario Planning and Designing a Child Care Centre