Childcare Facility

The Office of the City Clerk licenses all child care facilities operating within city limits.

This license requires a background check which must be conducted in person for fingerprinting at City Hall. Fingerprinting must be completed before your license will be processed.

New License

Before You Apply

• For Residential Facilities serving 7-12 children (with no live-in provider):
  • Begin the process with our Planning and Development Services team to obtain a Zoning Certificate. For questions on this process, please call (208) 608-7100. For efficiency, you may proceed to step one while this is in progress. The Child Care Facility Application will not be approved until this is completed.
• For Commercial facilities serving 13+ children (non-residential building):
• Begin the process with our Planning and Development Services team to obtain a Conditional Use Permit. For questions on this process, please call (208) 608-7100. For efficiency, you may proceed to step one while this is in progress. The Child Care Facility Application will not be approved until this is completed.
• Have a copy of your Building Occupancy Permit. For questions, please call (208) 608-7070.
• For all other facilities: 
  • Proceed directly to Step 1

Step One

To qualify for a Child Care Facility License, an applicant must:

1. Facility owners must undergo CPR and First Aid training. Provide a current First Aid and CPR certification for pediatric and adult or infant, child, and adult endorsements from one of the following agencies: American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or American Safety and Health Institute. Fully online courses are not accepted.
2. Complete the city's Healthy Initiative Training
3. For facilities with a live-in provider: Copy or digital copy of most recent Child Protection Registry Check(s) for yourself and any person 13 years old or over living in your home. State processing time for Child Protection Registry Checks is variable and may cause delay in issuing the license. Request your check(s) as soon as possible. Facilities serving 7-12 children with a live-in provider should also prepare the following items for submittal in step two:

• Site plan with property structures (shop, home, pool, canal, yard, etc), property line, dimensions of outdoor play area, fences, etc labeled. This should be an aerial image of the property.
• Color site photos from north, south, east and west of each structure as identified on the site plan, including structures, facility, and outdoor play area.
• Floor plan including dimensions of each interior room, no matter if it is used for childcare or not.
• Statement of legal interest - Download this document after submitting your application. Please print and complete prior to coming into the office.

Step Two

Apply Online and Pay Application Fee

The City of Boise allows you to apply for your license online. First time users of this system will be required to set up an account.

Set Up Account

Select Child Care Facility Application from the menu and apply.

Step Three

Fingerprint Background Check
This license requires a background check. You must come to Boise City Hall for fingerprinting.

• Background checks require fingerprinting and must be done at Boise City Hall. (150 N. Capitol Blvd., Boise, ID 83702)
• Fingerprinting must be completed before your license will be processed.
• Please note: In-home facilities require anyone living in the home, age 13 and over, to undergo a background check. Juvenile background checks require a legal guardian with ID to be present.
• For more information, contact the City Clerk's office at (208) 972-8150 or cityclerk@cityofboise.org.

Schedule fingerprinting

Step Four

Pass Inspections
After submitting application and before a license can be issued, you must:

• Pass Central District Health inspection: Call (208) 375-5211 x4 to schedule.
• Pass City Clerk inspection: Call (208) 972-8150 to schedule.

Idaho Child Protection Registry Check

The facility owner and anyone 13 years of age or over residing in the household must undergo a Central Registry Check from every stat you've lived in over the previous 5 years, including Idaho. The Central Registry Check is managed through each individual state. A full list of state Central Registry Check contact information is available here.

Applicant's Responsibility

• The applicant must provide the registry check from each state in which they have lived in the past five years, including Idaho, via email to cityclerk@cityofboise.org or in person at Boise City Hall.
• Each state has their own laws and requirements, including fees for registry checks. See the Central Registry Master List for information for each state.
• Applicants must provide the results of the Central Registry Checks for anyone age 13 years or over in the household prior to receiving a Childcare Facility License. Central Registry Checks have variable processing time, so we recommend requesting them immediately.

Idaho Child Protection Registry Check
The Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare conducts Idaho's Child Protection Central Registry check. Please access their website for instructions and forms.

Forms must be filled out completely, notarized, and mailed with payment to:

Idaho Department of Health & Welfare
Criminal History Unit
PO Box 83720
Boise ID 83707-9815

Additional Resources