10 permits · verified 2026-09-08
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Birmingham?
In short
A childcare centre in Birmingham, AL has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits charges $150 flat; a new Certificate of Use and Occupancy triggered by a change of occupancy or tenant is a $300 inspection fee instead for the certificate of occupancy. 5 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-08 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Birmingham
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Care Centre Food Service Permitonly if it applies to you | Jefferson County Department of Health, Food Protection Division | $150–$350 a year, by enrolment — under 20 children $150, 21 to 40 $200, 41 or more $350 | annual | 2026-09-08 |
| Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License | Alabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services Division | No fee | 2 years, for centres and homes alike | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Birmingham
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits | $150 flat; a new Certificate of Use and Occupancy triggered by a change of occupancy or tenant is a $300 inspection fee instead | one-time, per issuance | 2026-09-08 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits | Varies — formula on the Birmingham page | one-time, per project | 2026-09-08 |
| Zoning Certificate or Information Letteronly if it applies to you | City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits | Varies — formula on the Birmingham page | one-time, per request | 2026-09-08 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
AL registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State and County Business Privilege Licenseonly if it applies to you | Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division | Varies — formula on the AL page | annual — 1 October to 30 September, delinquent 1 November | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services | $200 one-time filing | perpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 2024 | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services | $200 one-time filing | perpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 2024 | 2026-09-03 |
| Corporation Annual Report (abolished)only if it applies to you | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services | No fee | not applicable — the filing no longer exists | 2026-09-03 |
| Business Privilege Taxonly if it applies to you | Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division | Varies — formula on the AL page | annual — due when the matching federal return is due | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a childcare centre in Birmingham?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a childcare centre in Birmingham, AL, 3 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $150.00. That is a floor, not a total. 5 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Day Care Centre Food Service Permit: $150–$350 a year, by enrolment — under 20 children $150, 21 to 40 $200, 41 or more $350
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Birmingham permits page and the AL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Birmingham?
Permits for a childcare centre in Birmingham, AL come from 6 separate offices: Jefferson County Department of Health, Food Protection Division, City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits, Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division, Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services, Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division, Alabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Jefferson County Department of Health, Food Protection DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Day Care Centre Food Service Permit(205) 930-1260www.jcdh.org/SitePages/Programs-Services/EnvironmentalHealth/FoodProtection/FoodProt.aspx
- City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and PermitsIssues 3 permits on this page: Certificate of Occupancy, Commercial Building Permit, Zoning Certificate or Information Letter(205) 254-2478www.birminghamal.gov/government/city-departments/planning-engineering-permits
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: State and County Business Privilege License2545 Taylor Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 · (334) 353-7827www.revenue.alabama.gov/business-license
- Alabama Secretary of State, Business ServicesIssues 3 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation (LLC), Certificate of Incorporation, Corporation Annual Report (abolished)770 Washington Avenue, Suite 580, Montgomery, AL 36104 · (334) 242-5324www.sos.alabama.gov/business-entities
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Business Privilege TaxPO Box 327710, Montgomery, AL 36132-7710 · (334) 242-1490www.revenue.alabama.gov/sales-use/business-tax-online-registration-system
- Alabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License50 North Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36130 · (866) 528-1694dhr.alabama.gov/child-care/child-care-licensing
What does a childcare centre need in Birmingham that other businesses do not?
2 of the 2 permits particular to a childcare centre here apply to no other business type we cover in Birmingham: Day Care Centre Food Service Permit and Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License.
Day Care Centre Food Service Permit
This is a health-department kitchen/food-service permit for a day care centre, additional to and separate from the state Department of Human Resources day care license recorded at the state layer — it is easy to miss because it is filed with the county health department rather than with the childcare licensing agency.
Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License
No fee, and this is a genuine zero rather than a gap: the two licensing chapters contain no dollar figure at all except the criminal penalties for operating without a license, and the application form names no fee beyond the criminal history check. The license runs two years for every category — a day care centre, a nighttime centre, a day care home taking up to six children, or a group day care home taking seven to twelve with at least two adults supervising. A six-month permit is available where standards are not yet fully met. One large exemption to know about: a preschool that is an integral part of a local church ministry or a religious nonprofit elementary school need not be licensed, but must notify the department thirty days before opening, submit to inspection, carry a million dollars of liability cover per occurrence, and post publicly that it is not regulated or licensed by the department.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Birmingham, AL; what each one involves is set out on the Birmingham permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across AL and are covered on the AL state page.
How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Birmingham?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Day Care Centre Food Service Permit and Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License. A auto repair shop needs Sign Permit, Municipal Business License — Automotive Repair Shop, Garage and Repair Shop Privilege License and Store License, which a childcare centre does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a childcare centre | Only a childcare centre needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Coffee shops | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Restaurants | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Birmingham permits page and the AL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Jefferson County Department of Health — Food and Lodging Fee CodesJefferson County Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
- Alabama Administrative Code chapter 660-5-26 — day care centre and nighttime centre licensing, with the two-year termAlabama Department of Human Resources · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Alabama Administrative Code chapter 660-5-27 — day care home and group day care home licensingAlabama Department of Human Resources · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.