Choosing child care in New York City comes with plenty of homework, and one of the most reassuring pieces is also one of the simplest: confirming that a program holds the right permit and reading its inspection history. Every licensed center leaves a public record, and a few minutes with the right city and state tools can tell you more than any brochure. This guide walks NYC parents through who licenses daycares, how to look up a center's permit and safety record, the staff-to-child ratios the law requires for babies and toddlers, and the licensing questions worth asking on every tour.
Who Licenses Child Care in New York City
In the five boroughs, the NYC Health Department regulates group child care centers. A program needs a city permit when it cares for three or more children under age 6 for five or more hours a week anywhere other than a private home, and that permit must be renewed every two years. The rules these centers follow are set out in Article 47 of the NYC Health Code, which covers supervision, staffing, background checks, safe sleep and much more.
Home-based programs follow a different path. Family day care homes are regulated by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), and OCFS notes that day care centers in New York City are regulated by the city rather than the state. In practice, that means a center like Playto appears in the city's records, while a home daycare appears in the state's.
How to Look Up a Daycare's Permit and Inspection History
For a group child care center, start with NYC Child Care Connect, the Health Department's search tool. You can look up a program by name or neighborhood, read its inspection records and compare it with other centers across the city. Once you have a shortlist, you can also sign up for text or email notices so you hear about new inspection reports for the locations you care about.
When you read an inspection history, look at the pattern rather than a single visit. A minor issue that was corrected quickly tells a very different story from the same problem appearing again and again. Pay closest attention to anything involving supervision, safe sleep, staff clearances or building safety, and ask the director about any item you do not understand. A confident program will be glad to walk you through it.
For a home-based program, use the state's Regulated Child Care Search. It shows a provider's capacity, when it opened and the current status of its license or registration, and OCFS makes inspection results available through the same search. The state also publishes a list of licensed and registered programs subject to enforcement action.
Read the Card by the Front Door
Every permitted group child care center in the city must post a Child Care Performance Summary Card within two feet of its main entrance. The card lists the program's recent inspection dates and the number of children it is allowed to care for at one time. If the Health Department has ever closed a program, the closure report must stay posted for at least 12 months, so the card is worth a quick look on your way in.
Staff-to-Child Ratios for Infants and Toddlers in NYC
Ratios matter most in the youngest rooms, where every baby needs an attentive adult close by. Under Section 47.23 of the NYC Health Code, group child care centers must meet these minimums:
| Age | Minimum staff-to-child ratio | Maximum group size |
|---|---|---|
| Under 12 months | 1 adult for every 4 children | 8 |
| 12 to 24 months | 1 adult for every 5 children | 10 |
| 2 to under 3 years | 1 adult for every 6 children | 12 |
| 3 to under 4 years | 1 adult for every 10 children | 15 |
Centers that staff infant rooms at one adult to four babies must also show in their written safety plan how they would keep one adult for every three babies during an emergency evacuation. These numbers are a floor, not a goal. On a tour, ask how many adults are in the room at different points in the day, including early drop-off, nap and late pickup, and how the center covers breaks and staff absences without slipping below the required ratio.
Background Checks for Every Staff Member
The Health Code also requires centers to complete fingerprinting, a review of criminal records and a check of the State Central Register of child abuse and maltreatment before a new employee begins work, and to repeat the State Central Register check for every employee every two years (Section 47.19). It is completely reasonable to ask how a center tracks those clearances and who is responsible for keeping them current.
Licensing Questions to Ask on a Daycare Tour
A permit tells you a center has met the city's baseline. A tour tells you how it lives up to that baseline on an ordinary weekday. Ask to see the current permit and the Performance Summary Card, and invite the director to talk you through the most recent inspection, including what was found and how it was resolved. It is also fair to ask how often fire drills happen, how visitors are screened at the door and who checks on sleeping babies during nap time.
Licensing and accreditation are not the same thing. A permit is required by law, while accreditation from a professional organization is voluntary and looks at program quality beyond the legal minimum. If a center mentions accreditation, ask which organization granted it and when it was last renewed.
Finally, remember that an inspection report is a snapshot. It is an important part of your research, and it works best alongside your own visit, conversations with the teachers who would care for your child and a feel for how calm and attentive the room is.
How Playto's Safe and Snug® Protocol Fits In
At Playto, meeting the Health Code is where safety starts, not where it ends. Our Safe and Snug® protocol layers daily checks on top of the city's requirements, from how a visitor gets past the second door and how cribs are checked during nap, to how each child's allergy list reaches the kitchen and how every pickup is verified. When you visit, we are happy to show you our permit and posted card, walk you through the checks behind the classroom door and answer any question about our inspection history.
Book a tour of Playto and see how the rules on paper come to life in a real infant room.
If Something Doesn't Feel Right
If you believe a child care program is unsanitary, unsafe or operating without a permit, the Health Department asks families to call 311, and you can also file a child care complaint online. If a child may be in immediate danger, call 911.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I find out if a daycare is licensed in New York City?
Search for the program on NYC Child Care Connect, which lists permitted group child care centers along with their inspection records. For a home daycare, use the state's Regulated Child Care Search. You can also ask to see the permit and the Performance Summary Card posted by the entrance.
Who regulates daycares in NYC?
The NYC Health Department permits and inspects group child care centers under Article 47 of the Health Code, while the state's Office of Children and Family Services oversees home-based programs such as family day care.
What is the staff-to-child ratio for daycare in New York State?
In New York City group child care centers, the Health Code requires at least one adult for every four babies under 12 months, one for every five children aged 12 to 24 months and one for every six 2-year-olds. Home-based programs follow state rules, which you can explore through OCFS.
How do I check a daycare's accreditation?
Accreditation is voluntary and separate from a city permit, so ask the center which organization accredited it and when it was last renewed, then confirm the program's permit and inspection history on NYC Child Care Connect.
Do you need a license to run a daycare in New York?
Yes. In New York City, a program that cares for three or more children under 6 for five or more hours a week outside a private home needs a group child care permit from the Health Department. If you think a program is operating without one, you can report it through 311.