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10 permits · verified 2026-09-14

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

In short

A childcare centre in Bismarck, ND 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. Bismarck Fire Department charges $50 per inspection (a group home inspection is charged at the same $50.00) for the day care centre fire inspection (state childcare license applies, bismarck). 3 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-14 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a childcare centre in Bismarck

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Day Care Centre Fire Inspection (State Childcare License Applies, Bismarck)Bismarck Fire Department$50 per inspection (a group home inspection is charged at the same $50.00)per inspection2026-09-14
Child Care LicenseNorth Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services$20–$95 a year, by facility size — family child care $20, group child care $25, preschool $30, a licensed center $40, a multiple licensed program $50 — or nearly double for a two-year licenseup to 2 years, at the licensee's choice2026-09-04

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 Bismarck

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Special Use Permit / Zoning Varianceonly if it applies to youCity of Bismarck Community Development Department, Planning DivisionVaries — formula on the Bismarck pageone-time per application; fees are due at application or resubmittal and are not refundable2026-09-14
General Business License — City of Bismarck positiononly if it applies to youCity of Bismarck Administration Department (City Auditor as License Officer)No feenot applicable2026-09-14
Commercial Building PermitCity of Bismarck Community Development Department, Building InspectionsVaries — formula on the Bismarck pageone-time, per project; expiration not separately stated in the published schedule2026-09-14

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

ND 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 Incorporationonly if it applies to youNorth Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services Division$100 one-time filing, domesticperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Corporation Annual Reportonly if it applies to youNorth Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services Division$25 a year; late fees escalate to $45 within 90 days and $85 afterannual — domestic corporations due before August 2, foreign corporations before May 162026-09-04
LLC Annual Reportonly if it applies to youNorth Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services Division$50 a year; a late filing adds a further $50annual — due before November 16 every year2026-09-04
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youNorth Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services Division$135 one-time filingperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
General Business License — State of North Dakota positiononly if it applies to youNorth Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-04

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 Bismarck?

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 Bismarck, ND, 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 $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 3 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:

Child Care License: $20–$95 a year, by facility size — family child care $20, group child care $25, preschool $30, a licensed center $40, a multiple licensed program $50 — or nearly double for a two-year license

The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Bismarck permits page and the ND state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Bismarck?

Permits for a childcare centre in Bismarck, ND come from 6 separate offices: City of Bismarck Community Development Department, Planning Division, Bismarck Fire Department, City of Bismarck Administration Department (City Auditor as License Officer), City of Bismarck Community Development Department, Building Inspections, North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services Division, North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services. 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 Bismarck 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 Bismarck: Day Care Centre Fire Inspection (State Childcare License Applies, Bismarck) and Child Care License.

Day Care Centre Fire Inspection (State Childcare License Applies, Bismarck)

Under N.D.C.C. ch. 50-11.1 childcare programmes are licensed by the State, and North Dakota HHS's own Child Care Licensing page states that 'Early Childhood Licensing is responsible for licensing childcare programs in North Dakota.' What the City charges for is the fire inspection that supports that state license: the Fire Department's Day Care Inspections page states that 'The cost of a daycare center inspection is $50,' and a group home inspection is charged the same $50.00. A second, easily missed city obligation applies to any centre that prepares or serves food: Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health licenses childcare facility kitchens as Institutions Type 1 at $165.00 per license year, alongside schools, churches, fraternal clubs and non-profits, on the food schedule recorded on the Bismarck food establishment license record.

Child Care License

Every facility tier can choose a one- or a two-year license, but the two-year option costs nearly double the annual rate rather than offering a real discount for the longer commitment — a licensed center, for instance, pays $40 for one year or $75 for two. Applying less than 60 days before a current license expires doubles the standard fee, and operating unlicensed after written notice draws a $50-a-day civil penalty.

The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Bismarck, ND; what each one involves is set out on the Bismarck permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across ND and are covered on the ND state page.

How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Bismarck?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Day Care Centre Fire Inspection (State Childcare License Applies, Bismarck) and Child Care License. A auto repair shop needs Sign Permit (priced on the building permit valuation table), Auto Repair Shop Licensing — City of Bismarck position, Fire Permit and Inspection and Auto Repair Licensing — State of North Dakota position, which a childcare centre does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Bismarck, ND, compared with a childcare centre
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a childcare centreOnly a childcare centre needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops4024
Coffee shops5025
Contractors and trades4024
Fitness studios3023
Food trucks3023
Restaurants5025
Retail stores3023
Salons and barbers5025
Veterinary clinics4024

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 Bismarck permits page and the ND state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. City of Bismarck Fees and Charges, 2026 — the consolidated schedule carrying the Environmental Health food, mobile food, temporary food, body art and tanning fees, the fire permit and inspection fees, the mechanical contractor license fees and the alcoholic beverage license classesCity of Bismarck · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-14
  2. Day Care Inspections — the Bismarck Fire Department's own current page for day care centre and group home fire inspectionsBismarck Fire Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-14
  3. North Dakota Century Code section 50-11.1-03 — child care license fee schedule by facility type and by one- or two-year termNorth Dakota Legislative Branch · 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.