Daycare / Child Care Center Permit Requirements in Davenport, IA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

   Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Iowa. The state rate is 6%, and local option sales tax of up to 1% may apply. Iowa taxes about 75 enumerated services, so check whether your service is taxable before assuming you need a permit. Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue online.

   Official government source

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit·Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

   Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permit

   Register online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

2. Iowa Background Check Requirement

   All staff, volunteers, and household members (for family daycares) in Iowa child care facilities must undergo criminal history, Iowa Sex Offender Registry, and Iowa Child Abuse Registry checks. Iowa HHS covers record-check costs for Child Development Homes, homes with a Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement, and licensed center staff hired after March 16, 2020; only local fingerprinting rolling fees may apply out-of-pocket.

   Official government source

   Free for most licensed settings (state-covered); local fingerprinting fees may apply·1–4 weeks

   Free for most licensed settings (state-covered); local fingerprinting fees may apply

   1–4 weeks

1. Iowa HHS — Child Care Center License

   Child care centers in Iowa must be licensed by Iowa Health and Human Services (formerly the Department of Human Services, merged in 2023). A license is issued only after the center demonstrates compliance with state health and fire safety laws and HHS rules covering staff-to-child ratios, staff background checks, and program standards; HHS may inspect a licensed center at any time.

   Official government source

   Tiered regulatory fee based on capacity, capped by statute at $150 for a center (Iowa Code 237A.4A)·A license is valid for 24 months from issuance; allow time for the fire safety report and background checks before opening

   Tiered regulatory fee based on capacity, capped by statute at $150 for a center (Iowa Code 237A.4A)

   A license is valid for 24 months from issuance; allow time for the fire safety report and background checks before opening

2. No General Business License Required in Davenport

   Davenport does not require a general, citywide business license. The Revenue Division licenses only specific categories, each with its own fee: alarm businesses ($50-$100), auctioneers ($150), billboards and signs, bicycles ($5), tobacco/nicotine ($25-$100 by term), closing-out sales, vehicle-related businesses, mobile food units ($55), live entertainment ($50), metal recyclers ($300), and pawnbrokers/secondhand/junk/antique dealers ($50-$500). Most professional and personal-service businesses — pest control, barbering, tutoring, insurance, cleaning, photography — are not licensed by the city at all. Check the category list, and call the Revenue Division at 563-326-7715 if unsure.

   Official government source

   $0 for most business types; listed categories carry their own published fees·Not applicable unless your activity is one of the listed categories

   $0 for most business types; listed categories carry their own published fees

   Not applicable unless your activity is one of the listed categories

3. Davenport Building and Fire Safety Inspection (part of Iowa HHS child care licensing)

   Child care centers in Iowa are licensed by Iowa HHS, and local building and fire safety inspections are part of qualifying. In Davenport that runs through Building and Land Development, the city's one-stop office for development review, permits, inspections, and the certificate of occupancy, with the Fire Department inspecting for fire code compliance. It is not a separately sold city license, so any cost comes from the buildout permits themselves.

   Official government source

   No standalone inspection fee; buildout permits are charged from the city's building and land development fee schedule·Allow roughly 2-6 weeks alongside the buildout permit, timed with the HHS licensing visit

   No standalone inspection fee; buildout permits are charged from the city's building and land development fee schedule

   Allow roughly 2-6 weeks alongside the buildout permit, timed with the HHS licensing visit

Official Sources

• Iowa Department of Human Services — Child Care Center License
• City of Davenport Finance Department

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