How to start a home daycare in Tennessee.

Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) oversees home daycares in Tennessee. These are the kinds it allows and the steps, each with the state's own page.

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

The kinds of home daycare Tennessee allows

  • Family child care home

    5 to 7 unrelated children, plus up to 5 related children

    The extra children must be related to the primary caregiver.

    Source: Types of Regulated Child Care

  • Group child care home

    8 to 12 children, plus up to 3 school-age children

    The extra school-age children come before and after school and on school breaks.

    Source: Types of Regulated Child Care

Starting a home daycare in Tennessee, step by step

  1. Contact the Pre-Licensure Unit

    Start by contacting the TDHS Pre-Licensure Unit.

    Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency

  2. Create your eLicensing account

    Create an account in the eLicensing system. Then register for orientation.

    Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency

  3. 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

  4. Begin Small Business Academy

    Once orientation is done, begin the Small Business Academy.

    Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency

  5. Complete your application

    Fill in your application information in the eLicensing system.

    Source: Procedures for Becoming a Licensed Child Care Agency

  6. Get background checks

    Anyone 15 or older who lives in your home needs a background check.

    Source: Background Checks for Child Care Employees

  7. Get inspections and a zoning letter

    A Program 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

  8. 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

At a glance

Who oversees home daycares
Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS), Child Care Licensing. Licenses family child care homes across Tennessee.Source: 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
No license needed
Fewer than 5 unrelated childrenSource: Types of Regulated Child Care
Monitoring visits
At least 4 a year, 2 of them unannouncedSource: Child Care Rules and Regulations
Moving up to a group home
New background checks for all staff and residentsSource: Background Checks for Child Care Employees

Good to know

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Questions, answered

How do I start a home 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 oversees home daycares in Tennessee?

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

How many children can a home daycare in Tennessee care for?

Family child care home: 5 to 7 unrelated children, plus up to 5 related children. Group child care home: 8 to 12 children, plus up to 3 school-age children.

About this page

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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