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14 permits · verified 2026-09-28

What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Hillsborough County?

In short

A childcare centre in Hillsborough County, FL has 7 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Hillsborough County Development Services (Zoning, Building, Land Use Hearing Officer) charges $250.92 one-time, per zoning verification request for the zoning verification / sign-off. 7 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-28 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a childcare centre in Hillsborough County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Regulated-Industry Pre-Clearance for the Local Business Tax Receiptonly if it applies to youHillsborough County Tax Collector, Business Tax ServicesNo feenot applicable — a pass-through documentation check tied to the LBT's own annual cycle2026-09-28
Hillsborough County Childcare Licensing (local licensing agency under Fla. Stat. §402.306)Hillsborough County Department of Childcare LicensingThe statewide-standard framework published for Florida's local licensing agencies is $1.00 per child of licensed capacity, minimum $25.00 and maximum $100.00, for both the initial license and each annual renewal. Confirm with the Hillsborough County Department of Childcare Licensing whether the county charges exactly this figure or a separately set county amount.1 year, following the statewide licensing-cycle rule at Fla. Admin. Code 65C-22.001; a renewal application is due at least 45 days before expiration2026-09-28
Child Care Facility LicenseFlorida Department of Children and Families, Child Care Licensure$1 per child of licensed capacity, subject to a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $100 per facility — so 25 children or fewer costs $25, and 100 or more costs $100annual2026-09-03

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 Hillsborough County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Local Business Tax Receipt (LBT)Hillsborough County Tax Collector, Business Tax ServicesVaries — formula on the Hillsborough County pageannual, fiscal year October 1-September 30; renewal window July 1-September 30; delinquent October 1, with penalties escalating to a 25% maximum2026-09-28
Certificate of Occupancy (via building permit process)Hillsborough County Development Services (Zoning, Building, Land Use Hearing Officer)No feepermanent once issued, tied to the building's certificate rather than renewed annually2026-09-28
Sign PermitHillsborough County Development Services (Zoning, Building, Land Use Hearing Officer)Varies — formula on the Hillsborough County page30-day administrative review/decision period; issued per project, not renewed annually2026-09-28
Fire Marshal Plan Review & InspectionsHillsborough County Fire Rescue, Fire Marshal's OfficeVaries — formula on the Hillsborough County pagetied to the construction/occupancy lifecycle rather than a fixed annual term, except for per-event operational permits2026-09-28
Zoning Verification / Sign-Offonly if it applies to youHillsborough County Development Services (Zoning, Building, Land Use Hearing Officer)$250.92 one-time, per zoning verification requestone-time; the verification confirms the zoning designation and permitted use as of the request date and is not renewed2026-09-28

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

FL registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of Corporations$125 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of Corporations$70 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May2026-09-03
Annual Report (LLC)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsVaries — formula on the FL pageannual, due by 1 May2026-09-03
Annual Report (Corporation)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsVaries — formula on the FL pageannual, due by 1 May2026-09-03
Business Tax Application (Sales and Use Tax)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of RevenueNo fee — no fee to registerno fixed expiry2026-09-03
Local Business Tax ReceiptFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsNo feeannual — every receipt expires on 30 September2026-09-03

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 Hillsborough County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a childcare centre in Hillsborough County, FL, 7 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.

7 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Hillsborough County Childcare Licensing (local licensing agency under Fla. Stat. §402.306): The statewide-standard framework published for Florida's local licensing agencies is $1.00 per child of licensed capacity, minimum $25.00 and maximum $100.00, for both the initial license and each annual renewal. Confirm with the Hillsborough County Department of Childcare Licensing whether the county charges exactly this figure or a separately set county amount.

Child Care Facility License: $1 per child of licensed capacity, subject to a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $100 per facility — so 25 children or fewer costs $25, and 100 or more costs $100

The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Hillsborough County permits page and the FL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Hillsborough County?

Permits for a childcare centre in Hillsborough County, FL come from 7 separate offices: Hillsborough County Tax Collector, Business Tax Services, Hillsborough County Development Services (Zoning, Building, Land Use Hearing Officer), Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Fire Marshal's Office, Hillsborough County Department of Childcare Licensing, Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Florida Department of Revenue, Florida Department of Children and Families, Child Care Licensure. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a childcare centre need in Hillsborough County that other businesses do not?

2 of the 3 permits particular to a childcare centre here apply to no other business type we cover in Hillsborough County: Hillsborough County Childcare Licensing (local licensing agency under Fla. Stat. §402.306) and Child Care Facility License.

Hillsborough County Childcare Licensing (local licensing agency under Fla. Stat. §402.306)

Hillsborough County is one of Florida's five counties that elected under Fla. Stat. §402.306 to run its own local child care licensing agency in place of direct state licensure by the Department of Children and Families — Broward, Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota. A Florida Department of Health/DCF program guide names all five directly, and Hillsborough County's own Tax Collector page states, independently and separately, 'Child Care Facilities must be registered by Hillsborough County Dept of Childcare Licensing (813-264-3925).' Any facility meeting Florida's 'child care facility' definition — caring for more than five unrelated children for pay — must hold this county license, not a state DCF license, before the county Local Business Tax Receipt can issue. Under §402.306's own design, a county's designation as a local licensing agency covers all child care facilities within the county, including those inside its incorporated cities, unless the designation itself carries a narrower carve-out; no Hillsborough-specific carve-out for Tampa, Plant City or Temple Terrace was found, so this requirement is treated here as countywide. Prerequisites include a pre-licensure inspection, an annual fire inspection report on file both before licensure and every year after, FBI/FDLE background screening for all personnel, Director Credential and staff credentialing, and local zoning approval. Call the Department directly at (813) 264-3925 to confirm current fee and application specifics; a second phone number circulating in secondary sources, (813) 272-5250, was never corroborated on a primary Hillsborough County page and is not published here.

Child Care Facility License

Cheap by national standards — capped at $100 however large the centre — but read the jurisdiction question before relying on it. Florida lets a county whose standards meet or exceed the state minimum license child care itself, and four have taken that up: Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota. In those four the county licenses and sets its own fee, so the $25 to $100 band does not apply. The Department of Children and Families licenses in the other 63 counties. The designation has to be re-affirmed by a majority vote of the county commission every year, so the list can move. Related statutory fees: a registered family day care home is $25, a licensed one $50, and a large family child care home $60.

Shared with other businesses in Hillsborough County

  • Regulated-Industry Pre-Clearance for the Local Business Tax Receipt — Hillsborough County Tax Collector, Business Tax Services, No fee, not applicable — a pass-through documentation check tied to the LBT's own annual cycle. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks, auto repair shops and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.

The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Hillsborough County, FL; what each one involves is set out on the Hillsborough County permits page. The 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across FL and are covered on the FL state page.

How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Hillsborough County?

The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 1 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Hillsborough County Childcare Licensing (local licensing agency under Fla. Stat. §402.306) and Child Care Facility License. A fitness studio needs Fitness Studio Licensing — General County Requirements Only (Hillsborough County), which a childcare centre does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Hillsborough County, FL, compared with a childcare centre
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a childcare centreOnly a childcare centre needsOnly it needs
Fitness studios2121
Coffee shops6125
Food trucks6125
Restaurants6125
Auto repair shops7126
Contractors and trades2032
Retail stores4034
Salons and barbers6036
Veterinary clinics4034

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 shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Hillsborough County permits page and the FL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Opening a Licensed Child Care Facility — names Broward, Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota as the five counties that 'have elected to designate a local licensing agency... to regulate child care licensing programs in their area,' in place of direct DCF licensureFlorida Department of Health / Department of Children and Families · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  2. Florida Statutes section 402.306 — counties may designate a local licensing agency, re-affirmed annually by the county commissionThe Florida Senate · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  3. Fla. Admin. Code Ch. 65C-22 — child care facility licensing-cycle and standards rules referenced by local licensing agenciesFlorida Department of State, Administrative Code · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  4. Hillsborough County Code of Ordinances (elaws.us mirror) — Ch. 46, Art. III (Business Tax, incl. §46-158 countywide requirement, §46-183/184/199/201 fee schedule, §46-186 dance hall Fire Marshal clearance); Ch. 28, Art. VI §§28-196-28-203 as amended by Ord. No. 19-6 (Family Child Care Homes) and Art. VII §§28-211-28-223 (Child Care Facilities Ordinance)Hillsborough County (codified, via elaws.us) · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  5. New Regulated Businesses — states 'Child Care Facilities must be registered by Hillsborough County Dept of Childcare Licensing (813-264-3925)' and lists other state/county pre-clearance requirements by industry; independently re-fetched and confirmed during this buildHillsborough County Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  6. Florida Statutes section 402.315 — child care licensing fee of $1 per child, minimum $25 and maximum $100 per facilityThe Florida Senate · 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.