Start Your In Home Daycare in South Carolina

This page is INFORMATIONAL ONLY and we strongly recommend that you contact the Licensing Agency for South Carolina directly. Please visit the South Carolina Childcare Licensing Website today!

Type
Exempt
Registered Family
Licensed Family
Group Family
Max Children
see below
5 or less (some counties 6)
6 or less
12 or less

Where should you start?

The hardest part of starting a daycare is figuring out how to begin the process. Right?

Maybe you have searched around already and are puzzled by the state requirements. Don’t worry. We have been there and can simplify this process for you.

Below you will find 5 easy steps get your in-home South Carolina daycare going.

Step 1: Contact the Child Care Resource and Referral Center for your county
Use the form provided in our “How to Start Your Daycare” program to get all the important questions answered

Step 2: Decide if you can start small and be an exempt provider (see the details below for South Carolina Exempt Family Child Care)
You can always apply to be a licensed provider when you have enough students to necessitate it. Remember, the process for getting students won’t happen overnight. Why increase your costs right away?

Step 3: Begin the setup process for your daycare
See our setup suggestions in the How to Start Your Daycare WITH NO MONEY program

Step 4: Open your small daycare
Everyday management is explained and outlined for you in our program – accounting suggestions and fully customizable forms, contracts, and templates are included with our program.

Step 5: When you are ready, move to the licensed status
Let us know that you want to get registered or licensed and we can help you to do it quickly and affordably.

South Carolina Exempt Childcare

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This is the easiest level to go with.

If you fall into this exempt status, you do not have to register with the state, have home inspections, take the orientation classes, etc.

You can be exempt from licensing if:

  • You care for only one family of unrelated kids in your home OR
  • You care for students no more than 4 hours a day and 2 days a week (preschools are often exempt but you can still have lots of students. We can show you how)

There are benefits to registering with the state though… we will go into those in the next section. However, its great to stay small and grow as you go so there isn’t so much of a financial burden.

SC Registered Family Childcare

This is the next step up as far as licensing goes.

There are some benefits to being registered. Families do feel that there is more reliability there. The homes are inspected regularly and rules and regulations must be adhered to.

To review the Family Chilcare rules and reglations, visit the South Carolina Website.

Maximum number of children:

If you provide care in your home, you can have 5 or less children (not including your children) depending on your county regulations for the type of home you live in. Some counties allow 6 children.

Ages:
The exact number of children you can have is based on their ages. By default the number of allowed children will go down the younger the children in your group are.

General Requirements

Max # of Children: 5 (possibly 6 depending on your county rules) or fewer children
Background Check: Required (on all people over 14 years old living in the home or regularly in the facility)

Training Required

Orientation Class: Yes (8 hours of free training)
Abuse and Neglect Class:
Adult / Infant First Aid and CPR: One person on site must have this (doesn’t have to be

Inspections Required

State Inspections: Every year (or sooner if a complaint is filed)
Sanitation Inspection Required for License: No

Costs

Application Fees: Depends on the number of children you want to have (typically around $25)
Sanitation Inspection: $60 (appox)
Background Check: $48 (approx)

SC Licensed Family Childcare

One more step us will allow you to have 6 students (depending on your county regulations for the type of home you live in)
To review the Family Chilcare rules and reglations, visit the South Carolina Website.

Maximum number of children:
If you provide care in your home, you can have 6 or less children (not including your children) depending on your county regulations for the type of home you live in. Some counties allow 6 children.

Ages:
The exact number of children you can have is based on their ages. By default the number of allowed children will go down the younger the children in your group are.

General Requirements

Max # of Children: 6 or fewer children
Background Check: Required (on all people over 14 years old living in the home or regularly in the facility)

Training Required

Orientation Class: Yes (8 hours of free training)
Abuse and Neglect Class: Yes
Adult / Infant First Aid and CPR: One person on site must have this (doesn’t have to be the provider)

Inspections Required

State Inspections: Every 2 years (or sooner if a complaint is filed)
Sanitation Inspection Required for License: Yes (Health & Safety Inspection and a Fire Inspection)

Costs

Application Fees: Depends on the number of children you want to have
Sanitation Inspection: $60 (appox)
Background Check: $48 (approx)

SC Group Family Childcare

To review the Family Chilcare rules and reglations, visit the South Carolina Website.

Maximum number of children:
If you provide care in your home, you can have 12 or less children (not including your children) depending on your county regulations for the type of home you live in.

Ages:
The exact number of children you can have is based on their ages. By default the number of allowed children will go down the younger the children in your group are.

General Requirements

Max # of Children: 12 or fewer children
Background Check: Required (on all people over 14 years old living in the home or regularly in the facility)

Training Required

Orientation Class: Yes (8 hours of free training)
Abuse and Neglect Class: Yes
Adult / Infant First Aid and CPR: Yes

Inspections Required

State Inspections: Every 2 years (or sooner if a complaint is filed)
Sanitation Inspection Required for License: Yes (Health & Safety Inspection and a Fire Inspection)

Costs

Application Fees: Depends on the number of children you want to have
Sanitation Inspection: $60 (appox)
Background Check: $48 (approx)