Daycare / Child Care Center Permit Requirements in Indianapolis, 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. Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services — Business License

   Indianapolis (Marion County) has no general business license and no product called a 'Commercial Zoning Certificate.' DBNS licenses only specific business types by ordinance (e.g., massage establishments $177, kennels/pet shops/stables $200, hotels, pawnbrokers). Most business types listed here do not require any Indianapolis business license — check DBNS's Business Licenses list for your specific type.

   Official government source

   N/A for most business types; specific licensed types have individual fees (e.g., $177–$200)·N/A

   N/A for most business types; specific licensed types have individual fees (e.g., $177–$200)

   N/A

3. Indianapolis — State Child Care Licensing and City Building/Fire Inspections

   Child care centers in Indianapolis are licensed by the State of Indiana's Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning, not by the city — Indianapolis explicitly does not license these locations and will provide a letter to that effect for the state application. The building must still meet city building and fire code: the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services inspects premises where municipally licensed activities are carried out, and any construction or change of use requires DBNS permits and inspections covering accessibility, egress, and life safety.

   Official government source

   DBNS fee schedule effective January 5, 2026: building inspection of premises used for municipally licensed activities $84 and fire inspection $84, each charged for the initial inspection and the annual reinspection; general construction inspection not otherwise specified $154; reinspection $175. Construction permit fees apply separately if the space is built out.·No fixed turnaround is published by DBNS. Request the city's "does not require a license" letter early, since the state's Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning requires it as part of the state licensing application.

   DBNS fee schedule effective January 5, 2026: building inspection of premises used for municipally licensed activities $84 and fire inspection $84, each charged for the initial inspection and the annual reinspection; general construction inspection not otherwise specified $154; reinspection $175. Construction permit fees apply separately if the space is built out.

   No fixed turnaround is published by DBNS. Request the city's "does not require a license" letter early, since the state's Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning requires it as part of the state licensing application.

Official Sources

• Indiana Family and Social Services Administration — Child Care Center License
• Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services

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