Home Daycare Permit Requirements in Portland, OR

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online)

   Free

   Immediate (online)

1. Oregon DELC — Family Child Care Home License (Registered or Certified)

   The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC), through its Child Care Licensing Division, licenses home-based child care. Caring for three or fewer children (not counting your own) is generally license-exempt; caring for four or more requires a license. Most home providers start with a Registered Family Child Care Home license (up to 10 children, in the provider's residence, OAR 414-205); a Certified Family Child Care Home license allows up to 16 children with stricter requirements (OAR 414-350). Licensing includes Central Background Registry enrollment for the provider and adult household members, health and safety training (CPR/first aid, food handler card, child abuse reporting), and a home inspection.

   Official government source

   Verify current application/background-check fees with DELC Child Care Licensing (1-800-556-6616)·8–16 weeks

   Verify current application/background-check fees with DELC Child Care Licensing (1-800-556-6616)

   8–16 weeks

2. Oregon Secretary of State Business Registration

   Family child care providers operating as a formal business entity in Oregon must register with the Oregon Secretary of State. Many home daycare providers operate as sole proprietors, but an LLC can provide additional liability protection.

   Official government source

   $100 (LLC filing fee, if applicable)·1–2 weeks

   $100 (LLC filing fee, if applicable)

   1–2 weeks

3. Oregon Department of Revenue Business Tax Registration

   Oregon has no general sales tax and no general Department of Revenue business registration — most businesses simply file Oregon income/excise tax returns. Register with DOR only for specific tax programs: payroll withholding (Business Identification Number) if you hire employees; the Corporate Activity Tax, which requires registration within 30 days once Oregon commercial activity exceeds $750,000 in a year (tax applies above $1 million); and, for self-employed individuals working in the Portland-area TriMet district (or Eugene-area Lane Transit District), the transit self-employment tax filed with DOR.

   Official government source

   Free (registration only; taxes vary)·1 week

   Free (registration only; taxes vary)

   1 week

1. Family Child Care Home - Zoning Protected by State Law (ORS 197.671)

   Under ORS 197.671, a family child care home (a certified or registered home caring for up to 16 children) is a residential use of property and a permitted use in ALL areas zoned residential or commercial in Portland - the city may not require special land-use approval, fees, or conditions beyond those applying to other homes in the zone. No Portland zoning permit is needed to run a qualifying family child care home; larger child care CENTERS are separately addressed by the statute and may involve land-use review.

   Official government source

   $0 - no city zoning approval or fee may be imposed on a qualifying family child care home·1–3 weeks

   $0 - no city zoning approval or fee may be imposed on a qualifying family child care home

   1–3 weeks

Official Sources

• Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care — Family Child Care
• City of Portland Bureau of Development Services — Land Use Review
• Oregon Secretary of State — Business Registration

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