Child Care Licensing

Through our licensing and field based compliance program, our office seeks to promote a child care environment:

• that is affordable and accessible to children of all ages;
• where children receive safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate care;
• where child care providers are of good moral character and encouraged to become career professionals;
• where parents have the information and skills needed to make appropriate child care choices;
• where our office works together with parents, employers, providers, schools, and other community organizations, to accomplish and maintain high quality standards of care.

Licensing Programs

The Office of the City Clerk licenses all child care providers operating within city limits. In order to gain and maintain a child care license in good standing, a provider must undergo a FBI background check, complete annual approved training in child development and CPR, maintain a two year certification in pediatric first-aid, comply with all health, building, and fire codes, and maintain proper adult-to-child supervision ratio's. Our licenses are divided into three distinct categories:

¹ (requires P&Z Administrative Review before applying for a license)
² (requires Building Occupancy Permit and P&Z Conditional Use Permit before applying for a license)

Child care facility operators and child care workers need to apply at the Office of the Boise City Clerk located at City Hall, 150 North Capital Blvd.

Licensing Fees

A completed facility license or worker application plus a fingerprint card1 will be required of all applicants. Correct photo identification and the following fees will also be required at the time of application:

¹All residents of a child care home over the age of thirteen (13) will be required to complete a local background check ($10.00 per adult and $5.00 per juvenile) prior to a license being issued.

Referral Services

A new GIS supported child care locator is available by going to Child Care Locator. This service is available free to any user and will provide you with a map-based representation of all licensed child care facilities within the City of Boise. Address, Telephone and Facility Type indicators are available by clicking on any individual child care facility found on the map. Our office does not charge for these services.

The Office of the City Clerk keeps digitally imaged files on all licensed child care providers within the City of Boise. These files contain health, fire and field inspection information, as well as, any compliant information (if made and verified) since the provider first opened. All Parents, after making a public records request in writing at the City Clerk's office, can view these files and evaluate providers accordingly.

• Our office does not give any kind of recommendation concerning specific providers.
• Our office can provide a list of providers broken out by Zip Code and Facility Type.
• Our office recognizes the Parent as the ultimate authority in choosing child care.
• Our office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Resource Services

Important Updates

April 2008 - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued final regulations on a new Renovation Repair and Paint (RRP) rule. The rule has a two-year phase-in period, and will affect child-occupied facilities and even schools constructed before 1978.  Please review the pamphlet "RENOVATE RIGHT".  In additions, you can review "Small Entity Compliance Guide to Renovate Right: EPA's Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program" at www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/sbcomplianceguide.pdf.