How to start a home daycare in Utah.

Utah Department of Health and Human Services oversees home daycares in Utah. 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 Utah allows

Starting a home daycare in Utah, step by step

  1. Count the children you will care for

    Care for nine or more children in your home needs a license.

    Source: Utah Code 26B-2-403: Licensure requirements, expiration, renewal

  2. Check local zoning

    Your home must meet the zoning rules of your city or county.

    Source: Utah Code 15A-5-202: Amendments and additions to IFC related to administration, permits, definitions, and general and emergency planning

  3. Follow the day care fire rules

    Child care in a home must follow the Utah Fire Prevention Board day care rules, R710-8.

    Source: Utah Code 15A-5-202: Amendments and additions to IFC related to administration, permits, definitions, and general and emergency planning

  4. Put smoke detectors on every level

    Keep a working smoke detector on each level of your home.

    Source: Utah Code 15A-3-103: Amendments to Chapters 4 through 6 of IBC (Section 429, Day Care)

  5. Apply on the state form

    For a certificate, apply on the form the department sets.

    Source: Utah Code 26B-2-404: Residential Child Care Certificate

  6. Submit background checks

    For a certificate or a license, send names and fingerprints for background checks.

    Source: Utah Code 26B-2-406: Disqualified individuals, criminal history checks, payment of costs

  7. Pass the home inspection

    A certificate home gets a first inspection, then one each year. It checks each child's shot record.

    Source: Utah Code 26B-2-404: Residential Child Care Certificate

  8. Take training every year

    For a certificate, take 10 hours of approved training each year. Keep CPR and first aid current.

    Source: Utah Code 26B-2-404: Residential Child Care Certificate

At a glance

Who oversees home daycares
Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Approves child care in a home under the state child care licensing law.Source: Utah Code 15A-5-202: Amendments and additions to IFC related to administration, permits, definitions, and general and emergency planning
Who gets a background check
Every adult, and every teen age 12 to 17, living in your homeSource: Utah Code 26B-2-404: Residential Child Care Certificate
Fire drills
Every three months, with everyone leaving the buildingSource: Utah Code 15A-3-103: Amendments to Chapters 4 through 6 of IBC (Section 429, Day Care)
Highest floor for care
No more than two stories above the groundSource: Utah Code 15A-3-103: Amendments to Chapters 4 through 6 of IBC (Section 429, Day Care)

Good to know

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Questions, answered

How do I start a home daycare in Utah?

The first step: Count the children you will care for. All 8 steps are on this page, each with the state's own link.

Who oversees home daycares in Utah?

Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Approves child care in a home under the state child care licensing law.

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

Residential Child Care Certificate: 8 or fewer children. Licensed Family Child Care: 9 or more unrelated 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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