How to Start a Daycare in Kansas (2026)

Last updated: October 3, 2026

Kansas child care licensing is in the middle of a major restructuring. Today, child care is licensed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Child Care Licensing program under K.A.R. 28-4. By July 1, 2026, that authority transfers to the new Kansas Office of Early Childhood (OEC), created by House Bill 2045 of 2025. The OEC consolidates child care licensing (now at KDHE), the Child Care Assistance Program subsidy (now at the Department for Children and Families – DCF), and 18 other early childhood programs from KSDE. If you are starting a daycare in 2026, you are applying under one set of rules and one agency that will hand off mid-year – bookmark both the current KDHE portal and the OEC transition page at the Kansas Children’s Cabinet website.

Kansas has also just consolidated its license types. The 2024 regulation overhaul (effective August 2, 2024) replaced the old day care home / group day care home distinction with a single Family Child Care Home (FCCH) license capped at 12 children, with capacity now driven by the ages of children present and the number of providers on shift rather than by the old “license capacity” number. If you are reading older Kansas daycare guides, the previous 6/12 split is obsolete.

Kansas Daycare Requirements at a Glance

Requirement	Agency	Cost	Timeline
Pre-application orientation	KDHE Child Care Licensing	Free	Required before applying
State license application fee	KDHE (transitioning to OEC 7/1/2026)	KDHE published fees: Child Care Center $75 + $1 per child in capacity; Family Child Care Home $85; School Age / Drop-In $20 (confirm current fee/waiver status with KDHE/OEC)	90 days before opening
Background check (per person, including household 14+)	KBI / FBI / KDHE Comprehensive Background Check	$48 per person, resuming January 1, 2026 (waived 2023-2025)	Before licensing decision; recheck every 5 years
Inspections	KDHE-contracted local health department; State Fire Marshal (centers)	Included in license fee	Before opening; annual thereafter
Annual provider training	Self-arranged (KCCTO, CCKS, KSU Extension)	Varies; many free trainings via CCKS	10 hours/year per provider (reduced from 16 hours effective 7/1/2025)
Links to Quality (QRIS) enrollment	Child Care Aware of Kansas (CCKS)	Free, voluntary	Anytime after permanent license
Child Care Assistance Program (DCF subsidy) enrollment	DCF Economic and Employment Services (transitioning to OEC)	Free; paid at ~75th percentile of market rate	Anytime; recommended for revenue stability
Workers’ compensation insurance	Private insurer or KS WC Insurance Plan	Required when gross payroll exceeds $20,000 (K.S.A. 44-505)	Before crossing payroll threshold
General liability insurance	Private insurer	$500-$2,000/year typical for small center	Before opening
Local business license / zoning	City (Wichita / KCK / Topeka / Lawrence / Johnson County cities)	Varies; KCK Occupation Tax License required	Before opening

How to Start a Daycare in Kansas (Step by Step)

Step 1: Choose Your License Type

Kansas K.A.R. 28-4 recognizes the following license types as of the August 2, 2024 amendments:

• Family Child Care Home (FCCH): Up to 12 children under 16. Operates in a residence. Single consolidated license type since August 2, 2024 (replaces the old day care home + group day care home split). Capacity at any moment depends on the ages of children present and the number of qualified providers – one provider can serve a smaller group; two providers can serve up to 12. Detailed capacity rules are in K.A.R. 28-4-114.
• Child Care Center: 13+ children. Operates in a non-residence facility. Subject to K.A.R. 28-4-420 series for the most rigorous requirements.
• Preschool: Children 30 months through age of kindergarten eligibility, operating less than 35 hours per week with school-year programming.
• School Age Program: Children eligible for kindergarten through age 16, before/after school and full-day programs during school breaks.
• Drop-In Care: Short-term care for children whose parents need temporary supervision; lower regulatory floor but limited operating hours.
• Head Start / Early Head Start: Federal program with KDHE state licensure overlay.

Most first-time providers begin with an FCCH (in-home) before scaling to a Child Care Center. The FCCH route lets you build a client base, establish ratios you can sustain, and earn into a Center license rather than carrying center overhead from day one.

Step 2: Complete the Required KDHE Orientation

Before submitting an application, every prospective licensee must complete KDHE Child Care Licensing orientation. The orientation is offered online and in person, covers the application packet, the regulations, ratios, background checks, and inspection process. Schedule through the KDHE Child Care Provider Portal. Orientation is free and required – applications submitted before orientation are returned without review.

This is also the point at which licensing falls under your local county health department in counties where KDHE has delegated licensing inspections – Sedgwick County (Wichita), Wyandotte County (KCK), Shawnee County (Topeka), Johnson County (Overland Park / Olathe / Lenexa), and Douglas County (Lawrence) all run their own daycare licensing units that operate as KDHE delegates. Your inspector and your day-to-day point of contact will be your county, even though the underlying license is a KDHE / OEC license.

Step 3: Submit the Application 90 Days Before Opening

Apply through the KDHE Child Care Provider Portal. Submit:

• Completed Application for License (form varies by license type – FCCH, Center, Preschool, etc.)
• Floor plan and outdoor play space drawing
• Emergency procedures and severe weather (tornado) shelter plan
• Health care policy
• Discipline and guidance policy
• Daily schedule
• Staffing plan with qualifications
• Director qualifications (for centers)
• References and household member listing (for FCCH)
• Application fee

KDHE recommends submitting at least 90 days before your anticipated opening date for summer/fall programs, and longer if you are opening a new facility that requires fire marshal inspection. New construction or significant remodel applications can take 120-180 days end to end.

Step 4: Background Checks Under the Comprehensive Background Check Process

Every prospective provider, every staff member, every household member age 14 or older, and every regular volunteer must complete a comprehensive background check covering:

• Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) criminal history
• Kansas Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry (DCF)
• FBI fingerprint-based criminal history
• Kansas Adult Abuse Registry (where applicable)
• Kansas Sex Offender Registry
• National Sex Offender Registry
• State sex offender, child abuse, and criminal records from any state of residence in the prior 5 years

Background check fees are resuming. KDHE waived the $48-per-person comprehensive background check fee through 2023-2025 to support workforce recruitment. The fee resumes January 1, 2026 – so a center opening with a 5-person staff plus 2 household member dependents will pay $336 for clearances. Budget for this.

Rechecks are required every 5 years for permanent staff. Disqualifying offenses include felonies against children, drug felonies within 5 years, and certain violent felonies; KDHE maintains the disqualifying-offense list.

Step 5: Comply with K.A.R. 28-4-428 Staff-to-Child Ratios (2024 Update)

The 2024 regulation revision changed both the age groupings and the ratios. Effective August 2, 2024:

Age Group	Staff-to-Child Ratio	Maximum Group Size
Infant (2 weeks to 12 months)	1:3 (or 1:4 in some configurations)	9 (or 8)
Mixed infant + under 6 (one staff)	1:6 with maximum 3 infants	12 with maximum 6 infants
Toddler (12-30 months)	1:6	12
Ages 2 through 3	1:7	14
Ages 2.5+ to school-age (preschool)	1:12	24
School-age (kindergarten through age 16)	1:16	32

What changed in August 2024: The previous “license capacity” number was replaced with “maximum group size” that flexes with the ages present. Units licensed for age 3 to school-age automatically updated to 2.5-to-school-age without an amendment application – facilities began operating under the new structure August 2, 2024 and will receive updated licenses at renewal.

Annual training reduced from 16 to 10 hours. Effective July 1, 2025, K.A.R. 28-4 requires 10 hours of annual training per provider, down from 16. This is a recognition that workforce supply is tight – the legislature lowered the floor to keep providers in the field.

Step 6: Plan Your Indoor and Outdoor Space

K.A.R. 28-4 requires:

• Indoor space: 35 square feet per child of usable activity space, exclusive of bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and storage
• Outdoor space: 75 square feet per child for the largest group using the space at one time, fenced for safety
• Toilet facilities: Minimum 1 toilet per 15 children for centers; FCCH uses residential bathrooms
• Diapering area: Sanitized changing surface, separated from food prep
• Sleep space: Cribs for infants meeting CPSC standards; cots/mats for older children with 18-inch separation
• Severe weather shelter: Identified and posted; written plan filed with the application; tornado drills required quarterly

The tornado shelter requirement is meaningful in Kansas – severe weather drills are part of standard operating procedure, not an afterthought. If your facility is in a manufactured home, modular building, or above-grade structure without an interior windowless room, you must identify a permanent shelter and the route to reach it within minutes.

Step 7: Enroll in Links to Quality (Kansas QRIS)

Once you have a permanent license, enroll in Links to Quality (L2Q), the Kansas Quality Recognition and Improvement System administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas (CCKS) and funded by DCF. Participation is voluntary and free. The four foundational links are:

1. Program Administration
2. Family Partnerships
3. Learning and Development
4. Health and Safety

L2Q-rated programs receive coaching, mentoring, technical assistance, free resources, and visibility on the CCKS provider directory. Many parents searching for daycare filter by L2Q rating, and the program is increasingly tied to higher subsidy reimbursement levels under the Child Care Assistance Program. Enrollment is your highest-leverage post-license growth move.

Step 8: Become a DCF Child Care Assistance Program Provider

The Child Care Assistance Program (the Kansas subsidy) is administered by DCF Economic and Employment Services and pays daycare providers on behalf of qualifying low-income working families. Eligibility expanded to 250% of the federal poverty level in 2024 – a family of four can earn nearly $70,000 and qualify. Reimbursement rates were updated effective October 1, 2024 based on the 2024 market analysis and pay providers at approximately the 75th percentile of market rates – meaning that 75% of Kansas providers charge rates at or below what DCF will pay.

To become a DCF-approved provider, complete the provider enrollment after obtaining your KDHE license. The application is free. DCF pays providers electronically twice a month after submission of attendance. For a small daycare, having even 25-30% of revenue from CCAP families stabilizes cash flow during enrollment swings.

Note: CCAP and licensing transition to OEC by July 1, 2026, so the agency split between DCF (pays you) and KDHE (regulates you) collapses into a single OEC contact.

Kansas Daycare Cost: What Parents Pay vs What You Charge

Setting tuition is a regional decision in Kansas. The 2024 market analysis published by DCF, combined with current market data, shows average monthly tuition for full-time care:

Region	Infant (full-time, monthly)	Toddler	Preschool
Johnson County (Overland Park / Olathe / Lenexa)	$900-$1,300	$800-$1,100	$700-$950
Sedgwick County (Wichita)	$550-$900	$500-$800	$450-$700
Wyandotte County (KCK)	$700-$1,100	$650-$900	$550-$800
Shawnee County (Topeka)	$650-$900	$575-$800	$500-$700
Douglas County (Lawrence)	$700-$1,000	$650-$850	$550-$750
Rural Western Kansas	$350-$550	$300-$475	$275-$400

Statewide average runs about $1,257/month for infant care across centers, with Johnson County roughly 60% above the statewide average and rural western Kansas 50% below. Family Child Care Homes in residences run about 20-30% below comparable Center pricing. Build your tuition table from the regional benchmark, not the state average.

Kansas Daycare Market: Where the Demand Is

Three demand drivers shape the Kansas daycare market:

Aviation manufacturing shift work in Wichita. Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation employ tens of thousands of shift workers across early-morning, late-afternoon, and overnight schedules. Daycare options for non-traditional hours – 5:30 AM drop-off, weekend care, second-shift availability – are scarce and command premium pricing. A small operator who can run a 6 AM-6 PM schedule (rather than 7-5) captures aviation-shift parents that mainstream centers cannot serve.

Affluent suburban demand in Johnson County. Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, and surrounding cities have median household incomes among the highest in the Midwest. Demand for Center-based care with a strong curriculum, all-day full-time programs, and L2Q ratings is consistently above supply. Waitlists of 6-12 months are common at established centers. New entrants who can pass licensing and earn an L2Q rating quickly find tuition pricing power and full enrollment.

The long-running statewide shortage. Kansas has had a persistent child care shortage for the past decade. The 2024 market analysis estimated unmet demand at roughly 1 in 4 working families with young children. Rural counties have it worse – some have only 1-2 licensed providers serving the entire county. The state has tried several incentives (Child Care Workforce, expanded subsidy eligibility) but supply remains the binding constraint. If you can pass licensing, you have customers.

Cost to Start a Daycare in Kansas

Setup type	Estimated startup cost
Family Child Care Home in your residence (small)	$5,000-$15,000 (insurance, supplies, fencing, basic equipment, background checks, training)
Family Child Care Home expanded to 12 children with 2 providers	$15,000-$30,000
Small Child Care Center (13-30 children, leased space, 2-4 staff)	$50,000-$150,000 (lease deposits, build-out, equipment, staff training, marketing)
Larger Center (50+ children, owned or significant build-out)	$200,000-$500,000+

The biggest variable is space. KDHE inspectors will hold you to the 35 sq ft indoor / 75 sq ft outdoor minimums; if you have to build them in, costs climb fast. Many successful Kansas providers start as FCCH in their own home, build a waiting list, and then convert to a Center once revenue justifies a leased commercial space.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who licenses daycare in Kansas?

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Child Care Licensing program licenses all child care in Kansas under K.A.R. 28-4. KDHE delegates day-to-day inspection and licensing functions to local health departments in Sedgwick, Wyandotte, Shawnee, Johnson, Douglas, and several other populous counties. Licensing authority transfers to the new Kansas Office of Early Childhood (OEC) on July 1, 2026 under HB 2045 of 2025. Until then, applications go through KDHE.

What types of daycare licenses are available in Kansas?

Kansas K.A.R. 28-4 recognizes Family Child Care Home (FCCH, up to 12 children, single consolidated license since August 2, 2024), Child Care Center (13+), Preschool (limited hours), School Age Program, Drop-In Care, and Head Start. The 2024 regulation overhaul replaced the old separate “day care home” and “group day care home” license types with a single FCCH license whose capacity flexes with the ages of children present and the number of providers on shift.

What are the staff-to-child ratios in Kansas?

Updated August 2, 2024: Infant 1:3 (max 9 in group), Toddler 1:6 (max 12), Ages 2-3 1:7 (max 14), Preschool/2.5+ to school-age 1:12 (max 24), School-age 1:16 (max 32). Mixed-age groups follow the youngest child’s ratio. K.A.R. 28-4-428 governs staff requirements.

How much does it cost to start a daycare in Kansas?

A home-based Family Child Care Home with basic capacity costs $5,000-$15,000 to start (insurance, equipment, supplies, fencing, background checks, training). A small Child Care Center for 13-30 children runs $50,000-$150,000 after build-out, equipment, lease deposits, and staff hiring. Larger centers run $200,000-$500,000+. The biggest variable is space – the 35 sq ft indoor / 75 sq ft outdoor per child minimums often require build-out.

Are background checks required in Kansas, and what do they cost?

Yes. All staff, household members 14+, and regular volunteers must complete a comprehensive background check covering KBI criminal history, FBI fingerprint, Kansas Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry, and state-of-residence checks for the past 5 years. KDHE waived the $48 per person fee from 2023 through 2025; the fee resumes January 1, 2026. Rechecks every 5 years.

What is Links to Quality and should I enroll?

Links to Quality (L2Q) is the Kansas Quality Recognition and Improvement System (QRIS), administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas (CCKS) and funded by DCF. Enrollment is free, voluntary, and open to all licensed Kansas providers after permanent license. L2Q provides coaching, mentoring, free curriculum resources, and visibility on the CCKS directory. Higher L2Q levels are increasingly tied to higher Child Care Assistance Program reimbursement. Most permanent licensees enroll within their first 12 months.

Does Kansas have a child care subsidy program?

Yes. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), administered by DCF Economic and Employment Services, pays providers on behalf of qualifying working families. Eligibility expanded to 250% of the federal poverty level in 2024 (a family of four earning up to ~$70,000 qualifies). Reimbursement rates were updated October 1, 2024 based on the 2024 market analysis and pay at approximately the 75th percentile of market rates. CCAP transitions to the Office of Early Childhood with the rest of child care administration on July 1, 2026.

How much annual training does a Kansas provider need?

Effective July 1, 2025, the requirement dropped from 16 hours per year to 10 hours per year. Training is self-arranged through approved providers including the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities (KCCTO), Child Care Aware of Kansas (CCKS), Kansas State University Research and Extension, and approved third-party providers. Many trainings are free.

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