Dreaming of opening up your own in-home preschool or child care but not sure where to start? Chances are, you will need a license to operate your child care or preschool and each state has its own licensing process to become an in-home child care provider.

FIND CHILD CARE NEAR ME

In New Jersey, if you are planning to serve two or more children at any one time on a regular basis, you may choose to become voluntarily registered as a home-based child care provider. The New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DHS/DFD) provides support for those interested in starting child care programs in their communities.

If you live in New Jersey, we’ve put together a blog post series on everything you need to know about getting licensed:

In New Jersey, if you wish to provide in-home child care, you can get a Family Child Care (FCC) Certificate of Registration or become a Family, Friend, and Neighbor Provider (FFN) . Learn more about the Types of Licenses here.

To apply for a license, you’ll have to submit a complete application and go through training. The application will then require certain inspections and safety regulations. Read more about the in-depth Licensing Process here.

To be eligible for the license, you must be at least 18 years old, provide references, pass a background check, and more. Read more about License Eligibility.

There are certain pre-service and in-service training requirements you will have to meet whether you want to become a provider, assistant, or a substitute provider. To learn more about Training Requirements for Licensing, click here.

Lastly, your home will have to meet certain requirements for you to receive a license in New Jersey. Learn more about the Home Requirements for Licensing .