Daycare / Child Care Center Permit Requirements in Huntsville, AL

Complete permit and license guide for starting a daycare / child care center in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama.

Verified 2026-09-03 6 stops $500–$2,000 est. 8–16 weeks to obtain all licenses and pass inspections
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Not legal advice. Requirements may change — always verify with your local government authority before applying. Key agencies and fees on this page were re-checked against official government sources on .

Federal — start here

1 stop

  1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

    Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online application)

State of Alabama

2 stops

  1. Alabama Department of Revenue - Sales Tax License

    Required for businesses making retail sales of tangible personal property in Alabama. Alabama sales tax is a privilege tax on retail sales; most services are not taxable, so service-only businesses may not need to register. Local city and county sales taxes are also due on top of the state rate and vary by jurisdiction - use ADOR's local tax rate lookup for your address. Register with the Alabama Department of Revenue via My Alabama Taxes (MAT); state and local returns are filed together through ONE SPOT.

    Official government source

    No registration fee is published by ADOR; registration is made through the My Alabama Taxes portalNot published by ADOR; confirm current processing time with the Department of Revenue

  2. Alabama Background Check Requirement

    All staff, volunteers, and household members (for family daycares) in Alabama child care facilities must undergo criminal background checks through the state and FBI as part of DHR Child Care Services licensing.

    Official government source

    Per-person background check fees are not published on DHR's site; confirm current amounts with DHR Child Care ServicesNot published; confirm current processing time with DHR Child Care Services

City of Huntsville / Madison County

3 stops

  1. Alabama Department of Human Resources — Child Care Services Division Facility License

    Child care centers in Alabama must be licensed by the Alabama Department of Human Resources Child Care Services Division, which monitors and licenses child care centers and homes for compliance with state performance standards. Licensing includes criminal background checks and fire and health inspections, and centers must meet staff-to-child ratio standards.

    Official government source

    License fees are not published on DHR's site; confirm current amounts with DHR Child Care ServicesNot published; confirm current processing time with DHR Child Care Services

  2. City of Huntsville Finance Department, Revenue Division — Business License

    Huntsville requires a business license (privilege license tax) for all businesses within city limits. Most licenses are issued by the Finance Department's Revenue Division (256-427-5080); licenses for contractors, subcontractors and building permits are issued through the Inspection Division. The license tax is graduated by annual gross receipts under one of roughly 92 numbered category schedules in the city's License Fees by Schedule — for example Service schedule (77) minimum $35, Profession and vocation schedule (67) minimum $65, Contractor general building schedule (26) minimum $75, and Barbershop or beauty shop schedule (7) at $50 for the first chair/station plus $20 for each additional chair/station — rather than a single flat range. Must be renewed annually and displayed at your place of business.

    Official government source

    Graduated by gross receipts and business category (minimum tiers start at $35 and rise by schedule); see the city's License Fees by ScheduleNot published; confirm with the Revenue Division (256-427-5080)

  3. Madison County / Huntsville Building and Fire Safety Inspection

    Child care centers must pass inspections by the City of Huntsville Inspection Division and, for fire code compliance, the Fire Marshal, covering egress, ADA accessibility, and general building/fire code before DHR licensing is completed. Costs and timeline depend on the scope of any required build-out; confirm exact fees and scheduling with the Inspection Division (256-427-5331).

    Official government source

    Varies with scope; the city calculates permit fees as contract price x .0055 rather than a flat inspection fee — confirm with the Inspection DivisionVaries with scope; confirm with the Inspection Division

Terminus

Open for business — est. $500–$2,000 · 8–16 weeks to obtain all licenses and pass inspections

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