General Information

The purpose of Palm Beach County’s child care licensing program is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the children of Palm Beach County and promote their emotional and intellectual development and care.

While the Department of Children and Families is responsible for licensing child care in most of Florida, however, the Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County, Florida, acting as the Child Care Facilities Board, is the local licensing agency for child care facilities in Palm Beach County. The Board has appointed a seven-member Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC) to act on the Board's behalf for approving, denying, or revoking licenses, and for recommending revisions to local child care rules and regulations. The CCAC meets monthly, and the meeting is open to the public.

Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County serves as staff to the CCAC, and is responsible for administering the child care licensing program. This includes conducting inspections of child care centers and family day care facilities to ensure that minimum standards are met and maintained for issuing and renewing licenses. The Department’s child care inspectors also provide information, consultations, and technical assistance to licensed facilities and prospective facility owners and operators.

There are 3 types of child care programs, as defined by Florida statutes and Chapter 2010-249, Laws of Florida, which are licensed or certified by the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County:

• Child Care Facility
• Family Child Care Home
• Large Family Child Care Home