Family daycare
Open a Family Daycare in California (Family Child Care Home)
Open a licensed family daycare at home in the Bay Area, with help in English or Chinese.
Talk to us about a family daycare
$900 / month
Who it is for
How many children
About 6–12 children
- Small family child care home: up to 6 children, or up to 8 if at least 2 are school-age and no more than 2 are infants.
- Large family child care home: up to 12 children, or up to 14 if at least 2 are school-age and no more than 3 are infants. Requires an assistant.
Source: CDSS: Family child care home capacity requirements (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
Who it is for
- Parents, grandparents and caregivers who want to work from home
- Experienced nannies or preschool teachers ready to run their own program
- Small family daycares that want to grow from small to large
Budget
Lower startup cost than a center: mostly home preparation, safety equipment, training and insurance, plus the state licensing fee.
Monthly partnership fee for Waymaker's consulting. State licensing fees, insurance and setup costs are separate.
Family daycare
What we do
Plan your home
Small or large? We look at capacity, age mix, whether you need an assistant, and whether your home and household are ready.
Application paperwork
We help you prepare the CCLD application forms and supporting documents, and track what is still missing.
Background checks and training
A checklist for Live Scan, health screening and required training. Pediatric CPR and first aid through Waymaker's own classes.
Home inspection readiness
A room-by-room walk-through so your home is ready before the licensing visit.
Policies and parent handbook
Bilingual templates for your parent agreement, policies, daily schedule and emergency plan.
Enrollment
A bilingual profile in the Waymaker network with online tour booking, so families can find you.
Partnership
$900 / month
Includes everything above, a monthly check-in, and support until you are licensed and enrolling.
Talk to us about a family daycareLicensing timeline
Typical total: About 3–6 months
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 family child care home orientation online, live virtual or in person.
Prepare and submit the application
2–4 weeksComplete the application forms and gather supporting documents for you and your household.
Background checks and training
2–8 weeksLive Scan fingerprints for adults in the home, health screening, and required health and safety training including pediatric CPR and first aid.
Fire clearance and home preparation
2–6 weeksGet the home ready to code. A large family child care home also needs a fire clearance.
Home inspection
4–12 weeksA licensing analyst visits your home. Any deficiencies must be corrected before the licence is issued.
Licensed: open and enroll
OngoingStart enrolling families. 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: Family child care home capacity requirements (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- CDSS: Family child care home 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