Daycare / Child Care Center Permit Requirements in Fort Wayne, IN

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. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property at retail in Indiana. Indiana charges a flat 7% state sales tax with no additional local sales tax. Register online via INBiz.

   Official government source

   $25 one-time registration fee·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 one-time registration fee

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

2. Indiana Background Check Requirement

   All staff, volunteers, and household members (for family daycares) in Indiana child care facilities must undergo criminal background checks through the state and FBI.

   Official government source

   $25–$75 per person·1–4 weeks

   $25–$75 per person

   1–4 weeks

1. Indiana FSSA Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning — Child Care Center License

   Child care centers in Indiana must be licensed by the FSSA Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) — not the Division of Child Services, which handles child-welfare investigations. Licensing requires completing two provider orientations, submitting an application via I-LEAD, and passing an onsite OECOSL inspection.

   Official government source

   Contact OECOSL for the current fee schedule (no fee is published for standard licensing)·Several months (multi-step: orientation, application, inspection)

   Contact OECOSL for the current fee schedule (no fee is published for standard licensing)

   Several months (multi-step: orientation, application, inspection)

2. Fort Wayne — No General Business License

   Fort Wayne has no general city business license, and there is no "Department of Neighborhood Code Enforcement" business license. The city's official Starting a Business guide states: "The City of Fort Wayne does not currently require a general business license." What does apply: register your business name with the Allen County Recorder if it does not include the owner's last name, verify zoning with the Allen County Department of Planning Services, and obtain a Certificate of Occupancy from the Allen County Building Department after final inspection of any commercial space.

   Official government source

   $0 — no general business license exists. Related fees: Certificate of Assumed Business Name $25 (Allen County Recorder); Allen County Building Department permit and contractor license fees vary by project.·Not applicable — there is no general license to apply for. Certificate of Occupancy timing depends on Allen County Building Department plan review and final inspection.

   $0 — no general business license exists. Related fees: Certificate of Assumed Business Name $25 (Allen County Recorder); Allen County Building Department permit and contractor license fees vary by project.

   Not applicable — there is no general license to apply for. Certificate of Occupancy timing depends on Allen County Building Department plan review and final inspection.

3. Allen County Building Department — Commercial Building Permit, Inspections & Certificate of Occupancy

   A child care center in Fort Wayne must pass building and fire safety inspections before it can be occupied. Plans go to the State of Indiana for a construction design release (Allen County performs no plan review); the release number is then presented to the Allen County Building Department, which issues the permits and conducts inspections for structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. Fire safety is enforced through the state-adopted Indiana Fire Prevention Code (675 IAC 22). The Certificate of Occupancy is emailed once all inspections pass and fees are paid. Child care licensing itself is separate, through Indiana FSSA.

   Official government source

   Existing commercial remodel $0.06 per sq ft of gross floor area per floor, $60 minimum; electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits $0.03 per sq ft each, $60 minimum; commercial Certificate of Occupancy $50; re-inspection $60·2–6 weeks after the state design release

   Existing commercial remodel $0.06 per sq ft of gross floor area per floor, $60 minimum; electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits $0.03 per sq ft each, $60 minimum; commercial Certificate of Occupancy $50; re-inspection $60

   2–6 weeks after the state design release

Official Sources

• Indiana Family and Social Services Administration — Child Care Center License
• City of Fort Wayne Department of Neighborhood Code Enforcement

Related Guides