11 permits · verified 2026-10-09
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Washoe County?
In short
A childcare centre in Washoe County, NV has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Washoe County Community Services Department, Building Division charges $50 per inspection for the building division business license inspection (unincorporated area). 7 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-09 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Washoe County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NNPH Child Care Facility Inspection | Northern Nevada Public Health, Environmental Health Services | $348 per inspection (NNPH EHS Fees FY27, effective July 1, 2026) | annual; NNPH's Child Care Program page states that facilities 'are inspected annually' | 2026-10-09 |
| NNPH Food Establishment Permit (fixed and mobile food units, countywide) | Northern Nevada Public Health, Environmental Health Services | Application / change of service area / change of ownership $706. Annual permit: Risk Level 1 $338 ($1,044 with application); Risk Level 2 $469 ($1,175 with application); Risk Level 3 $1,334 ($2,040 with application). Construction plan review: base $601 plus $572 (under 1,000 sq ft), $967 (1,000-2,999 sq ft) or $1,363 (3,000 sq ft or more); remodel plan review base $601 plus $836. Late payment 25% of the annual permit; reinspection $273 (NNPH EHS Fees FY27, effective July 1, 2026). | annual (fiscal year) | 2026-10-09 |
| Child Care License | Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, Child Care Licensing | $20 for a family care home of up to six children, $60 for a group home up to twelve, and $100 to $300 for a centre of thirteen or more | issued for not more than one year | 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 Washoe County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washoe County Building Permit (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Washoe County Community Services Department, Building Division | Varies — formula on the Washoe County page | per project | 2026-10-09 |
| Building Division Business License Inspection (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Washoe County Community Services Department, Building Division | $50 per inspection | per business license application, where an inspection is required | 2026-10-09 |
| Fire Business License Inspection and Operational Permits — Truckee Meadows Fire Protection Districtonly if it applies to you | Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District | Varies — formula on the Washoe County page | per inspection; operational permits annual; temporary permits per event | 2026-10-09 |
| Washoe County General Business License (unincorporated area; includes home-based and mobile businesses) | Washoe County Community Services Department, Business License Division | Varies — formula on the Washoe County page | annual; expires on the last day of the anniversary month (WCC 25.029) | 2026-10-09 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
NV registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Listonly if it applies to you | Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division | Varies — formula on the NV page | annual, filed alongside the state business license renewal | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division | Varies — formula on the NV page | perpetual, but an annual list and the state business license are both due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| State Business License | Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division | $200 a year for most entity types; a corporation pays $500 | annual — due on the last day of the anniversary month the license was first filed | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division | $225 $75 to file plus a $150 initial list, filed together | perpetual, but an annual list and the state business license are both due every year | 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 Washoe County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a childcare centre in Washoe County, NV, 5 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 5 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $548.00. That is a floor, not a total. 7 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
NNPH Food Establishment Permit (fixed and mobile food units, countywide): Application / change of service area / change of ownership $706. Annual permit: Risk Level 1 $338 ($1,044 with application); Risk Level 2 $469 ($1,175 with application); Risk Level 3 $1,334 ($2,040 with application). Construction plan review: base $601 plus $572 (under 1,000 sq ft), $967 (1,000-2,999 sq ft) or $1,363 (3,000 sq ft or more); remodel plan review base $601 plus $836. Late payment 25% of the annual permit; reinspection $273 (NNPH EHS Fees FY27, effective July 1, 2026).
Child Care License: $20 for a family care home of up to six children, $60 for a group home up to twelve, and $100 to $300 for a centre of thirteen or more
The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Washoe County permits page and the NV state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Washoe County?
Permits for a childcare centre in Washoe County, NV come from 6 separate offices: Washoe County Community Services Department, Building Division, Northern Nevada Public Health, Environmental Health Services, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, Washoe County Community Services Department, Business License Division, Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division, Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, Child Care Licensing. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Washoe County Community Services Department, Building DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Washoe County Building Permit (unincorporated area), Building Division Business License Inspection (unincorporated area)1001 E. Ninth St., Reno, NV 89512 · 775-328-2020www.washoecounty.gov/building/getting_started/how_much_will_my_permit-cost.php
- Northern Nevada Public Health, Environmental Health ServicesIssues 2 permits on this page: NNPH Child Care Facility Inspection, NNPH Food Establishment Permit (fixed and mobile food units, countywide)1001 E. Ninth St., Bldg B, Reno, NV 89512 · 775-328-2434nnph.org/resources/fees/ehs-fees.php
- Truckee Meadows Fire Protection DistrictIssues 1 permit on this page: Fire Business License Inspection and Operational Permits — Truckee Meadows Fire Protection Districttmfpd.us/fire-code
- Washoe County Community Services Department, Business License DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Washoe County General Business License (unincorporated area; includes home-based and mobile businesses)1001 E. Ninth St., Bldg A, Reno, NV 89512 · 775-328-3733www.washoecounty.gov/csd/planning_and_development/business_license/bl_fees/bl_annual_renewals.php
- Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Annual List, Articles of Incorporation, State Business License, Articles of Organization (LLC)401 North Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701 · (775) 684-5708www.nvsos.gov
- Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, Child Care LicensingIssues 1 permit on this page: Child Care Licensedwss.nv.gov/Care/CCL/ccl-licensing-home
What does a childcare centre need in Washoe 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 Washoe County: NNPH Child Care Facility Inspection and Child Care License.
NNPH Child Care Facility Inspection
Northern Nevada Public Health inspects child-care facilities throughout Washoe County, and its Child Care Program page states that 'Facilities are inspected annually.' The inspection fee is $348 per inspection. The figures are from Northern Nevada Public Health's official 'EHS Fees FY27' schedule, the FY2026-27 schedule effective July 1, 2026. NNPH has scheduled a public hearing on proposed Environmental Health fees for December 17, 2026. The same page states that child cares 'may be required to maintain a kitchen permit, depending on the type of food activities conducted', in which case the NNPH food establishment permit (its own record) also applies. The operating license itself is a state license: WCC 45.096 (Ord. 1730) states that 'Any person desiring to provide child care in Washoe County must first obtain a license from the State of Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services as outlined in NRS 432A.024.' Apart from child care in private homes for six or fewer children, which WCC 25.015(2)(a) exempts, a child-care business in the unincorporated area also needs the county general business license; inside Reno or Sparks, the city's business license applies instead. Ask NNPH EHS at 775-328-2434.
Child Care License
Three clean tiers by size rather than one flat fee: a family care home caring for up to six children is $20, a group care home for up to twelve is $60, and a centre for thirteen or more runs from $100 to $300 depending on scale. Licensing sits with the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services rather than the health division — a recent agency move worth knowing if older material names a different department.
Shared with other businesses in Washoe County
- NNPH Food Establishment Permit (fixed and mobile food units, countywide) — Northern Nevada Public Health, Environmental Health Services, Application / change of service area / change of ownership $706. Annual permit: Risk Level 1 $338 ($1,044 with application); Risk Level 2 $469 ($1,175 with application); Risk Level 3 $1,334 ($2,040 with application). Construction plan review: base $601 plus $572 (under 1,000 sq ft), $967 (1,000-2,999 sq ft) or $1,363 (3,000 sq ft or more); remodel plan review base $601 plus $836. Late payment 25% of the annual permit; reinspection $273 (NNPH EHS Fees FY27, effective July 1, 2026)., annual (fiscal year). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Washoe County, NV; what each one involves is set out on the Washoe County permits page. The 4 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NV and are covered on the NV state page.
How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Washoe County?
The closest match is a retail store, which shares 1 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs NNPH Child Care Facility Inspection and Child Care License. A retail store needs Special Event / Temporary Sales or Service Business License (unincorporated area) and Washoe County Liquor License (unincorporated area), which a childcare centre does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a childcare centre | Only a childcare centre needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Restaurants | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Food trucks | 7 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 3 | 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 shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Washoe County permits page and the NV state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- EHS Fees FY27 (Environmental Health Services fee schedule, 'Effective 7/1/2026' column)Northern Nevada Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- Child Care Facilities Inspections (Child Care Program page)Northern Nevada Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- Washoe County Code Chapter 45, Public Welfare (§45.096, child care licensing by the State, Ord. 1730)Washoe County / Municode · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- Schedule of Fees page ('Sept. 23, 2026 Update': proposed EHS fees, public hearing December 17, 2026)Northern Nevada Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- Nevada child care licensing reference guide — application fees by facility sizeNevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services · 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.