Child care center
Open a Child Care Center in California
Open a licensed child care center in the Bay Area, with help in English or Chinese.
Talk to us about a center
$2,100 / month
Who it is for
How many children
12+ children
- Capacity is set by your licence, based on your space, outdoor area and qualified staff, rather than a fixed home limit.
Who it is for
- Owners with a site, or a budget for a lease and renovation
- Family daycare providers ready to move to a bigger program
- Churches, schools and organisations adding child care
Budget
Higher startup cost: lease or purchase, renovation to code, furniture and equipment, qualified director and staff, and insurance, plus the state licensing fee.
Monthly partnership fee for Waymaker's consulting. State licensing fees, insurance and setup costs are separate.
Child care center
What we do
Site review before you sign
Zoning questions to ask the city, indoor and outdoor space, restrooms, exits, and fire-clearance considerations.
Permits and fire clearance
One plan across the city or county, the building department and the local fire authority.
CCLD application
We help assemble the center application, facility documents and required forms.
Director and staffing
What your director and teachers need under Title 22, plus a hiring and training plan.
Business plan and budget
Startup and operating budget, tuition planning, and a business plan for your lender or landlord.
Inspection and enrollment
A pre-licensing readiness walk-through, then a bilingual profile and online tour booking in the Waymaker network.
Partnership
$2,100 / month
Includes everything above, regular check-ins, and coordination until you are licensed and enrolling.
Talk to us about a centerLicensing timeline
Typical total: About 6–12 months, longer with construction
Time ranges are Waymaker estimates, not official processing times. The state does not guarantee a timeline; yours depends on how complete your application is, background checks, inspections and, for centers, local permits.
Licensing orientation
1–2 weeksTake the CDSS child care center orientation online.
Find and approve a site
1–4 monthsChoose a location and confirm zoning. Some cities require a conditional use permit.
Building, fire and local permits
2–6 monthsRenovate to code and obtain a fire clearance from the local fire authority, plus any city or county permits and business licence.
Application, director and staff
1–3 monthsSubmit the center application, hire a qualified director and teachers, and complete Live Scan and required training.
Pre-licensing inspection
4–12 weeksA licensing analyst inspects the facility. Deficiencies must be corrected before the licence is issued.
Licensed: open and enroll
OngoingOpen your doors. With Waymaker, your bilingual profile and tour booking go live in the network.
Our track record
20+ daycares we work with
Every daycare in our partner network is one we actively work with today. Here are some of them; each has its own bilingual profile and online tour booking.
What we will not promise
Licensing decisions are made by California's Community Care Licensing Division, and timelines depend on your application, background checks, inspections and local permits. We will not guarantee approval or a date. We are consultants, not lawyers; for legal or tax questions, talk to a licensed professional. The California Child Care Resource & Referral agencies also offer free help, and we are happy to point you to them.
Free consultation
Tell us about your plans
We reply within two business days, in English or Chinese.
Official sources
- CDSS: How to become licensed (opens in a new tab)
- CDSS: Register for a licensing orientation (opens in a new tab)
- CDSS: Child care center application steps (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- CDSS: Live Scan background checks (opens in a new tab)
- CDSS: Child care laws and regulations (Title 22) (opens in a new tab)
Facts on this page last checked: 2026-10