Licensed child care in California
How child care licensing works in California, where to verify a license and the cities we cover with the state's official data.
Who licenses child care
California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing Division.
California publishes license status (including probation), capacity, visit dates and citation counts for every facility, and shows family child care home addresses as unavailable.
CDSS Care Facility SearchLicense types in the data
| Type (as named by the state) | Programs |
|---|---|
| Family Day Care Home | 14,925 |
| Day Care Center | 8,192 |
| Infant Center | 1,969 |
| Single Licensed Child Care Center | 1,574 |
| School Age Day Care Center | 1,524 |
| Day Care Center - Ill Center | 4 |
Source: CDSS Care Facility Search data download, data of November 6, 2026.
California cities
Help paying
CalWORKs Child Care and the Alternative Payment Program, CDSS. See child care assistance by state and daycare costs.
Questions
Who licenses child care in California?
California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing Division. Its official search is "CDSS Care Facility Search".
How many licensed child care programs are in California?
The state data we use (November 6, 2026) lists 13,263 centers and programs and 14,925 family child care homes with an active license.
Is there help paying for child care in California?
Yes. The main program is CalWORKs Child Care and the Alternative Payment Program, CDSS. Eligibility depends on income, family size and work or school hours.