Sarasota County
Sarasota County Child Care Licensing (Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County)
In short
Sarasota County Child Care Licensing (Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County) issues 2 permits we publish for Sarasota County, last verified 2026-10-15. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Care Facility License (Sarasota County Child Care Licensing, County Code Ch. 62, Art. V) | Sarasota County Child Care Licensing (Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County) | License fees are those authorized and required by the Board of County Commissioners (County Code s. 62-139(a)(2)); on a change of operator a new license is required at one-half of the established fee. The fee amount is not published in the County Code or on the DOH-Sarasota Group Care Facilities page; contact DOH-Sarasota (941-861-6133) for the current fee. | annual; County Code s. 62-139(a)(5) states that licenses automatically expire on December 31 each year | 2026-10-15 |
| Family Child Care Home License (County Code Ch. 62, Art. VI) | Sarasota County Child Care Licensing (Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County) | The Board of County Commissioners sets the license fee by resolution under County Code s. 62-176(b); the amount is not published in the County Code or on the DOH-Sarasota Group Care Facilities page. Contact DOH-Sarasota (941-861-6133) for the current fee. | annual; County Code s. 62-176(c) states that an operator's license shall be renewed annually | 2026-10-15 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
About each permit
Child Care Facility License (Sarasota County Child Care Licensing, County Code Ch. 62, Art. V)
The Department of Children and Families' About Child Care Licensure page states that four counties have elected to regulate licensing of child-care facilities and homes under s. 402.306, Fla. Stat.: Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota. In Sarasota, County Code s. 62-143 designates Sarasota County Child Care Licensing as the local licensing agency for child care facilities under Laws of Fla. Ch. 74-113, and the ordinance defines the Department as the Sarasota County Health Department; the DOH-Sarasota Group Care Facilities page states that DOH-Sarasota inspects child care facilities and links the ordinance. Per the ordinance, operating a child care facility without a license from the Department is prohibited; the owner or designated representative must complete the required training; a license is issued for a specific address and operator, is not transferable, and expires on December 31 each year; and a change of operator needs a new license at one-half of the established fee. Under s. 62-141 the article does not apply inside a municipality enforcing its own equal or stricter ordinance.
Family Child Care Home License (County Code Ch. 62, Art. VI)
County Code s. 62-176(a) makes it unlawful to operate a family child care home within Sarasota County without first obtaining a valid license from the Director, and the DOH-Sarasota Group Care Facilities page links the county's Family Child Care Homes Ordinance. Under s. 62-176(b) a license is issued or renewed only after an inspection of the home shows compliance with F.A.C. ch. 65C-20, the article and other applicable laws, and after payment of the fee the Board sets by resolution. Section 62-176(c) requires annual renewal and requires the current license and latest Health Department inspection report to be displayed in full view in the home; the license is not transferable to another person or location, and hours and days of operation are documented on it. The Department of Children and Families' licensure page lists Sarasota among the four counties that license child care locally under s. 402.306, Fla. Stat. Under s. 62-173 the article does not apply inside a municipality enforcing its own equal or stricter ordinance.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Sarasota County
- Phone
- 941-861-6133
Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.
Sources
Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- About Child Care Licensure — current list of counties with their own local licensing agency under Fla. Stat. §402.306Florida Department of Children and Families · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
- Group Care Facilities (inspections of child care facilities; child care ordinances)Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Sarasota County Code Ch. 62, Art. V, Child Care Facilities (ss. 62-131 to 62-145) (Supp. 98)Sarasota County, Florida (Municode Library) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Sarasota County Code Ch. 62, Art. VI, Family Child Care Homes (Supp. 98)Sarasota County, Florida (Municode Library) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
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