Start a Home Daycare in North Dakota| From Planning to Action

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes. All the information mentioned here is taken from the official site of the state of North Dakota (Department of Health and Human Services).

Starting a home daycare sounds interesting, but it’s a tedious task in reality. Especially the part where you have to scrape information from government websites and click on 5 to 6 links just to get a form. 

We know how annoying it is. That’s why we decided to ease your struggle by doing all that tedious work ourselves and presenting you with to-the-point information with direct links.

If you’re living in North Dakota and want to start a home daycare, then keep on reading.

Startup Cost

The average cost of starting a home daycare, from license to set up and furniture, is $1500 to $2500. 

The following items will be your main expenses: 

• License
• Training
• Licensing requirements like fences and fire extinguishers
• Insurance
• Furniture 
• Toys 

North Dakota State Requirements

North Dakota’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) regulates and monitors childcare facilities. 

Orientation

The state of North Dakota offers a training called New Provider Orientation. The course is designed for all new providers and discusses the following. 

• Eligibility
• Processes 
• Requirements
• Responsibilities 

We’ll discuss more details and give you links in the Training section.

Eligibility Criteria

Classification

In North Dakota, home daycares are classified into 2 categories based on the number of children you care for. 

Self-Declared Provider 

• Total max children: 5
• Max 3 kids under 24 months of age

Count your own under-12 kids as well. 

Note that self-declared providers are classified as license-exempt. So, if you fall into this category, it’s your choice to register as a self-declared provider. But to be eligible for the state’s food and child care assistance programs, you’ll need to get declared. 

Licensed Family Childcare: 

• Total max children: 7
• Max 3 under 24 months of age
• 2 School-age kids 

Count your own under-12 kids as well.

For more information on provider types, visit HSS’s official page.

Background Checks

HSS does all the background checks through fingerprinting. You (the owner) must complete the fingerprinting and submit the forms for background screening. Once you get the results, you’ll have to attach them to your licensing application. 

Who Needs Background Checks?

The following people need a background check. And it’s for both licensed and self-declared providers. 

• The operator.
• All adult household members.
• And any volunteer or substitute caring for the kids.

If you’re wondering what offenses make you ineligible to start or work in child care, refer to this list of HHS. 

How to Get a Background Check Done in North Dakota?

North Dakota has made the background check easy. Here’s an overview. 

You have to print and fill out a few forms. Then get your fingerprinting done from any fingerprinting agency, mail the prints and documents to the Criminal Background Check Unit in Bismarck, and you’re done. 

Now, let’s get into the details. 

You need the forms: 

1. SFN 829: Personal Authorization for Criminal History Record Information Inquiry form. You’ll have to add your past 5 years of address history. Use the SFN 829 additional history page if you run out of space.
2. SFN 60688: Criminal History Record Check form.
3. SFN 836: Fingerprint Identity Verification form. Print it out blank. Your fingerprinting personnel will fill it out. 
4. SFN 433: Required for house members aged 12 to 17.
5. If you have resided in any other state in the last 5 years, you might need a few additional forms. Here’s a complete list of states and forms required for them. 

HHS has provided a helpful instruction manual for filling out these forms. You can access it here. 

Action Item: Print and fill out all the forms above and bring them to your fingerprinting appointment.

Once you’ve got all the forms, it’s time to get your fingerprinting done. You have 2 opinions here. 

• Either you can go to a Human Service Center 
• or you can visit any law enforcement agency that offers fingerprinting. 

If you go to a Human Service Center, the fingerprinting is free. But if you go anywhere else, you’ll have to pay a fee. 

There are a total of 8 Human Service Centers in North Dakota. Below is their location and contact information. 

Human Service Center	Contact Information	Counties it Covers
South Central Human Service Center – Jamestown	(701) 253-6300	Barnes, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Griggs, LaMoure, Logan, Stutsman, Wells
Lake Region Human Service Center – Devils Lake	(701) 665-2200Outreach Office – Rolla: (701) 477-9050	Benson, Cavalier, Ramsey, Rolette, Towner
West Central Human Service Center – Bismarck	(701) 328-8888	Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, McIntosh, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sioux
North Central Human Service Center – Minot	(701) 857-8500	Bottineau, Burke, McHenry, Mountrail, Renville, Pierce, Ward
Southeast Human Service Center – Fargo	(701) 298-4500	Cass, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Traill
Northeast Human Service Center – Grand Forks	(701) 795-3000	Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina, Walsh
Northwest Human Service Center – Williston	(701) 774-4600	Divide, McKenzie, Mountrail, Williams
Badlands Human Service Center – Dickinson	(701) 227-7500	Adams, Billings, Bowman, Dunn Golden Valley, Hettinger, Slope, Stark

Contact the Center or any other law enforcement agency and schedule your appointment. Bring all your forms (mentioned above) with a valid photo ID, like a passport or driver’s license. 

Action Item: Once the fingerprinting is done, mail all the documents and print cards to the Criminal Background Check Unit at the following address. 

ND Department of Health & Human Services 

Criminal Background Check Unit 

600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325 

Bismarck ND 58505-0250

For any query, you can contact the Criminal Background Check Unit

Phone: (701) 328-7575

Toll-Free: (800) 472-2622, 711 (TTY)

For more information, visit HHS’s official page for background checks.

Training Requirements

All the training listed below is for both self-declared and licensed home daycares. And you have to complete them within 3 months of your license. Your licensing specialist will track your training record. 

For more information, you can visit HSS’s official page for training requirements.

1. New Provider Orientation

We have mentioned this training before in the heading “Orientation”. It’s not optional; it’s a requirement. 

2. Getting Started – Basic Childcare Course

This 15-hour course covers 13 childcare-related topics. And it will be counted in your annual training hours. (more on this later) 

3. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

If you care for infants, you’ll have to take this 1-hour training on SIDS. This will also be counted in your annual training hours. 

4. Pediatric CPR/AED and Pediatric First Aid

You’ll need training in pediatric CPR, first aid and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) from one of the following sources

• American Heart Associaton
• American Red Cross
• any other program approved by the HHS

You can take online training, but you’ll need an on-site practice for CPR.

5. Annual Training

Other than the above mandatory training, you must complete a certain number of training hours each year. These trainings can be in any subject related to childcare.

• Self-declaration provider: 3-hour annual training
• Family License: 9 hours of annual training

Training Portal

Growing Futures is an online training registry for North Dakota. All the upcoming training (free and paid) are listed there.

Action Item: Create your account on the portal and access all the above training there.  Here’s the link to the Growing Futures Training portal.

Daycare Licensing Application Information for North Dakota

The application process in North Dakota is completely online. Their portal is called the Child Care Licensing System (CCL). 

• You’ll first have to create your account. Here’s the CCL portal link.
• Select your provider type.
• Fill out the form. 
• Upload all the documents. 
• Pay the fee. 
• And submit the application. 
• Once you have submitted it, you won’t be able to make any changes.

HHS has made detailed videos walking you through each step. 

• Account creation and dashboard overview
• Completing the application
• Payment submission 

Fee

North Dakota’s Health and Human Services Department hasn’t mentioned the fee on their site. However, the licensing fee is usually under $50. You can contact the department to know the exact figure. 

Documents Required

You’ll have this list on the portal as well. 

Family child care provider 

• Criminal Background Check Memorandums
• Daily Program Schedule
• Fire Inspection
• Auto Liability Insurance, if transportation is provided
• Growing Futures Training Record
• Indoor Square Footage Map
• Local or Regional Requirements, if applicable
• Outdoor Square Footage Map
• Pediatric CPR/AED & Pediatric First Aid Certification
• Pet Vaccination Records, if applicable
• Policies & Contracts
• SFN 433 Child Abuse and Neglect Background Inquiry for house members aged 12-17
• SFN 517 Child Care Evacuation Disaster Plan

Self-declared provider

• Auto Liability Insurance, if transportation is provided
• Criminal Background Check Memorandums
• Aquatic Policy
• Growing Futures Training Records
• Local or Regional Requirements, if applicable
• Pet Vaccination Records, if applicable
• Pediatric CPR/AED & Pediatric First Aid Certifications
• SFN 433 Child Abuse and Neglect Background Inquiry for household members aged 12-17 if care is provided in a private residence
• SFN 517 Child Care Evacuation Disaster Plan

Action Item: Upload the soft copies of all these forms on the CCL portal.

For more information on forms, visit the official HHS page

For more information about the portal and application process, visit HHS’s official CCL page.

Register the Business With the State of North Dakota

Disclaimer: Before you register your business, we advise you to consult an attorney to better guide you regarding your business structure.

Before registering your business, you’ll have to select your business structure. The state has explained different business types very well in this short article.

Action Item: Once you have decided, head over to the IRS website and select your business type to register.

Liability Insurance

Liability insurance is a must for running a daycare business. You can’t operate without it. The average cost ranges from $1500 to $2500, depending on how many kids you have. 

Inspections

You’ll get 1 visit before getting your license or self-declaration form to ensure you meet the health and safety requirements.

Besides that, self-declared and licensed home daycares will get 1 unannounced and 1 announced inspection yearly. These visits’ results will be available for parents to see on the online portal.

The Subsidies Provided to Daycare Businesses

All the subsidies and resources we have discussed here are recommended by the State of North Dakota. For more information, you can visit their official page. 

1. Grant Opportunities

There are multiple grants available for providers to help them 

• stabilize their business,
• stick to the quality mark,
• and maintain a healthy and safe environment.

For more information, visit HHS’s contracts and grants page.

2. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

CACFP is a federal program that provides funds to self-declared and licensed providers for offering nutritious food to kids. 

Meals are one of the biggest expenses daycares have, so if you qualify for the program, the government will take care of that amount.

For more information on eligibility, requirements and application for CACFP, visit North Dakota’s official page for CACFP.

3. Resources

Child Care Aware of North Dakota is a government-recognized organization whose mission is to make child care easy for both providers and parents in North Dakota. 

They offer multiple online and on-site sessions to help providers navigate their business journey. They can help you with everything from setting up your business and finances to management, care and paperwork. Plus, they can refer you to local subsidies in your city. 

For more information and helpful resources, visit Child Care Aware of North Dakota.

4. Bright & Early, North Dakota

Bright and Early program offers grants to quality licensed daycares. For eligibility, you need to meet certain standards of quality, health and safety. 

For more information, visit Bright and Ealry’s official page for providers.

Daycare Setup

Licensed home daycares have to comply with more requirements than self-declared providers. Here, we have mentioned some common and necessary setup requirements for both. 

For more information, refer to the childcare regulation manual for self-declared providers and licensed family home daycares. HHS has put together all the useful information in these comprehensive regulations. Give them a thorough read, and you’ll be clear about all the processes. 

Indoor

• Your home should have enough space for children to perform daily activities. You must have 35 square feet of indoor space per child. If you have 75 square feet of indoor space per kid, you’re exempt from the outdoor space requirement. 
• There should be 1 smoke detector and fire extinguisher where kids play and sleep. And it should be properly installed. 
• Install safety gates on stairs and other places where necessary.
• Any firearms, chemicals, cleaning supplies or medication shouldn’t be accessible to kids.
• A working telephone should be available in child care.

Outdoor

• You must have 75 square feet of outdoor space per child.
• The outdoor space should be clean and free from any debris, water or health hazards. 
• The outdoor area should have a fence or any kind of barrier to prevent kids from going out.

Marketing

Just like any other business, your home daycare also needs marketing. First, list your business in Google My Business so it shows up whenever someone searches daycares in your area. 

Then, you can use different marketing methods like social media, pamphlets, and referral programs. It’s a separate topic, so we can’t go into details here. You can check out our detailed guide on how to advertise your daycare business to learn the best marketing ways for daycare.

Staff and Training Requirements

Your staff member or volunteer should be at least 14 years of age. If they’re under 16, you must get written consent from their parents for employment. And under 18 staff members can’t provide unsupervised care. 

And they’ll have to go through the same process of background checks and training. Their annual training hours will depend on the number of hours they work, which is given below. 

Working Hours/Week	Annual Training Hours
30 to 40 hours	8
20 to 30 hours	6
10 to 20 hours	4
Less than 10	2

For more information, visit the same regulation manual for licensed family daycares.

Conclusion

It was a long ride on how to start a home daycare in North Dakota, but we have come to its end.

If you have questions related to your specific scenario, please contact the department directly and get first-hand guidance. In fact, North Dakota encourages providers to contact the department directly for any queries. They’ll walk you through the complete process. 

Happy planning your home daycare!