8 permits · verified 2026-10-12
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in New Castle County?
In short
A childcare centre in New Castle County, DE has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. New Castle County Department of Land Use charges $50 per certificate of use ("Certificate of Use Fee: $50", Certificate of Use Permit Requirements, REV. 04/25/2025; Chapter 6 Appendix 7 "Certificate of Use....$50*"); a site plan review fee applies if a zoning certification is required for the certificate of use (opening a business or changing the use of an existing structure without construction). 2 of the 8 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in New Castle County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Care License | Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing | No fee | confirm the license term for standard centers and family child care homes with the Office of Child Care Licensing | 2026-09-04 |
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 New Castle County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Permit with Zoning Review and Certificate of Occupancy (commercial fit-out, renovation, new construction; mechanical, plumbing and sign permits)only if it applies to you | New Castle County Department of Land Use | Varies — formula on the New Castle County page | §6.03 permit timetable: non-residential new construction and additions must start within 180 days and be completed within 1 year; non-residential tenant fit-outs must start within 45 days and be completed within 180 days; signs, HVAC and plumbing must start within 30 days and be completed within 90 days; work suspended or abandoned for 30 days voids the permit; written extensions of up to 180 days each may be granted ($80 per extension) | 2026-10-12 |
| Certificate of Use (opening a business or changing the use of an existing structure without construction)only if it applies to you | New Castle County Department of Land Use | $50 per certificate of use ("Certificate of Use Fee: $50", Certificate of Use Permit Requirements, REV. 04/25/2025; Chapter 6 Appendix 7 "Certificate of Use....$50*"); a site plan review fee applies if a zoning certification is required | one-time, for the use of the structure; a new certificate is needed when the business use changes | 2026-10-12 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
DE registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $110 one-time filing | perpetual, but a flat $300 tax is owed every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $109 minimum one-time filing; rises with a larger authorized-share structure | perpetual, but an annual report and franchise tax are due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| LLC Annual Taxonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $300 a year, flat | annual — due every June 1 | 2026-09-04 |
| Business License | Delaware Division of Revenue | $75 a year for most classifications, $90 for general retailers; each additional location adds $25 or $40 | annual, expiring December 31 — a 3-year license may be bought after the first year at exactly three times the annual fee | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Report and Franchise Taxonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | Varies — formula on the DE page | annual — due every March 1 | 2026-09-04 |
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 New Castle County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 8 records listed for a childcare centre in New Castle County, DE, 2 apply to every business of this type and 6 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 2 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $75.00. That is a floor, not a total. 2 of the 8 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all.
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the New Castle County permits page and the DE state page.
Which offices issue these permits in New Castle County?
Permits for a childcare centre in New Castle County, DE come from 4 separate offices: New Castle County Department of Land Use, Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing, Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations, Delaware Division of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- New Castle County Department of Land UseIssues 2 permits on this page: Building Permit with Zoning Review and Certificate of Occupancy (commercial fit-out, renovation, new construction; mechanical, plumbing and sign permits), Certificate of Use (opening a business or changing the use of an existing structure without construction)Government Center, 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720 · (302) 395-5400www.newcastlede.gov/193
- Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care LicensingIssues 1 permit on this page: Child Care License35 Commerce Way, Suite 3, Dover, DE 19904 · (302) 892-5800education.delaware.gov/families/birth-age-5/occl
- Delaware Department of State, Division of CorporationsIssues 4 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation (LLC), Certificate of Incorporation, LLC Annual Tax, Annual Report and Franchise TaxPO Box 898, Dover, DE 19903 · (302) 739-3073corp.delaware.gov
- Delaware Division of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Business License820 North French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 · (302) 577-8200revenue.delaware.gov
What does a childcare centre need in New Castle County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 1 permit particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in New Castle County: Child Care License.
Child Care License
No fee, because Delaware's own Office of Child Care Licensing states plainly that there is no charge for the license itself — the only costs involved come from third-party inspections the regulations still require, such as a fire marshal inspection, a lead-risk assessment or radon testing, each billed separately by the inspecting party rather than by the licensing office.
The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in New Castle County, DE; what each one involves is set out on the New Castle County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across DE and are covered on the DE state page.
How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in New Castle County?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Child Care License. A auto repair shop needs Auto Body Shop Air Quality Permit and Auto Repair Shop License — Delaware position (general business license applies), 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 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Contractors and trades | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Restaurants | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Retail stores | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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 New Castle County permits page and the DE state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing — FAQ confirming there is no fee for a child care licenseDelaware Department of Education · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.