How to start a daycare in Tennessee.

Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) licenses child care centers in Tennessee. These are the steps, each with the state's own page.

Steps checked on the state's own pages, November 4, 2026.

Opening a child care center in Tennessee, step by step

Contact the Pre-Licensure Unit
Start by contacting the TDHS Pre-Licensure Unit.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Create your eLicensing account
Create an account in the eLicensing system. Then register for orientation.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Attend orientation
Attend the orientation and intake session. After that, you can fill out the pre-application screen.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Begin Small Business Academy
Once orientation is done, begin the Small Business Academy.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Complete your application
Fill in your application information in the eLicensing system.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Have your space measured
A Program Specialist visits to measure your space for capacity and look for safety hazards.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Get inspections and a zoning letter
The specialist asks for state fire and environmental inspections. You get a clearance letter from codes and zoning.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Pass the walk-through visits
If you meet every rule, the Program Specialist recommends you for a provisional license.
Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency

Who licenses centers: Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS), Child Care Licensing. Licenses child care centers across Tennessee.Source: Types of Regulated Child Care
What counts as a center: 13 or more childrenSource: Types of Regulated Child Care
License needed for: 5 or more unrelated children for 3 or more hours a daySource: How to Become a Licensed Child Care Provider
First license: A provisional license, then monitoring visits beginSource: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency
Monitoring visits: At least 4 a year, 2 of them unannouncedSource: Child Care Rules and Regulations
Background checks: Owners and operators, no more than 90 days before they have accessSource: Background Checks for Child Care Employees

Running a child care agency without a required license is a Class A misdemeanor.Source: How to Become a Licensed Child Care Provider
Child care run by a school is licensed by the Tennessee Department of Education, not TDHS.Source: Find Child Care
A drop-in center cares for 15 or more children, for no more than 14 hours a week.Source: Types of Regulated Child Care
Some programs that need no license must still register with TDHS, such as camps and Parent's Day Out.Source: How to Become a Licensed Child Care Provider

Run a program in Tennessee? Bloomily handles enrollment, billing, check-in and family messages. See how it works

How to start a home daycare in Tennessee
The kinds of home daycare the state allows, and the steps.
Tennessee licensing guide
Ratios, trainings and the checklist the state asks for.
Child care grants in Tennessee
Grants the state runs for providers.
Daycare startup costs in Tennessee
Revenue, staff pay and rent from your own numbers.
Daycare business plan
How to write a plan for funding and licensing.
Tuition calculator
Typical rates by state and age group.
Ratio calculator
Staff needed for each age group, by state.

How do I start a daycare in Tennessee?

The first step: Contact the Pre-Licensure Unit. All 8 steps are on this page, each with the state's own link.

Who licenses child care centers in Tennessee?

Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS), Child Care Licensing. Licenses child care centers across Tennessee.

Steps checked on the state's own pages, November 4, 2026.

This page is a summary of the state's own pages. It is not legal advice, and rules change.

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