10 permits · verified 2026-09-04
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Yonkers?
In short
A childcare centre in Yonkers, NY has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Westchester County Department of Health charges $300 per inspection, effective May 1, 2026, up from $240 previously for the child day care facility inspection. 3 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-04 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Yonkers
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Day Care Facility Inspection | Westchester County Department of Health | $300 per inspection, effective May 1, 2026, up from $240 previously | tied to the underlying state license or registration cycle | 2026-09-04 |
| Child Day Care Centre License | New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services | No fee | up to 4 years | 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 Yonkers
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Yonkers Department of Housing and Buildings | Varies — formula on the Yonkers page | issued once per qualifying occupancy; a temporary certificate costs the same fee and runs up to 180 days, with that fee charged again for each further 30-day extension | 2026-09-04 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Yonkers Department of Housing and Buildings | Varies — formula on the Yonkers page | annual renewal required after the initial installation permit | 2026-09-04 |
| Commercial Building Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Yonkers Department of Housing and Buildings | Varies — formula on the Yonkers page | one-time, per project | 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.
NY registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but a biennial statement is due every two years | 2026-09-03 |
| Sales Tax Certificate of Authorityonly if it applies to you | New York State Department of Taxation and Finance | No fee — no fee — issued without charge by statute | a specified term of not less than three years, renewable at the Department's discretion | 2026-09-03 |
| Biennial Statementonly if it applies to you | New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code | $9 per filing, every two years | biennial | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code | $200 one-time filing | no expiry, but a biennial statement is due every two years | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Publication (LLC) | New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code | $50 state filing fee only | one-time, due within 120 days of formation | 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 Yonkers?
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 Yonkers, NY, 4 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 4 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $350.00. 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 1 has no fee published at all.
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Yonkers permits page and the NY state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Yonkers?
Permits for a childcare centre in Yonkers, NY come from 5 separate offices: City of Yonkers Department of Housing and Buildings, Westchester County Department of Health, New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Yonkers Department of Housing and BuildingsIssues 3 permits on this page: Certificate of Occupancy, Sign Permit, Commercial Building Permit20 South Broadway, 3rd Floor, Yonkers, NY 10701 · (914) 377-6500www.yonkersny.gov/217/Housing-Buildings
- Westchester County Department of HealthIssues 1 permit on this page: Child Day Care Facility Inspection148 Martine Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601 · (914) 864-7330health.westchestercountyny.gov/sanitation
- New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial CodeIssues 4 permits on this page: Certificate of Incorporation, Biennial Statement, Articles of Organization (LLC), Certificate of Publication (LLC)www.businessexpress.ny.gov
- New York State Department of Taxation and FinanceIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales Tax Certificate of Authoritywww.tax.ny.gov/bus/st/register.htm
- New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care ServicesIssues 1 permit on this page: Child Day Care Centre Licenseocfs.ny.gov/programs/childcare
What does a childcare centre need in Yonkers 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 Yonkers: Child Day Care Facility Inspection and Child Day Care Centre License.
Child Day Care Facility Inspection
Charged for the county's own inspection of any facility already licensed or registered by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services — a genuine local layer on top of the state credential rather than a substitute for it.
Child Day Care Centre License
Under New York Social Services Law §390 and 18 NYCRR Part 418-1, which contain no fee provision for a child day care centre license, there is no license fee — unusual against states charging into four figures. No official page states this in words, so no amount is recorded. The license runs up to four years, and from 5 June 2027 that becomes up to six. New York City is a different regime entirely: group child care there is permitted by the city health department under Article 47 of the city Health Code, for a two-year term with a $200 application fee. A centre caring for six or fewer children falls outside this license.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Yonkers, NY; what each one involves is set out on the Yonkers permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NY and are covered on the NY state page.
How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Yonkers?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Child Day Care Facility Inspection and Child Day Care Centre License. A auto repair shop needs Motor Vehicle Repair Shop Permit, 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 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Restaurants | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Retail stores | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 2 | 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 Yonkers permits page and the NY state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Westchester County Department of Health — environmental health fees effective May 1, 2026Westchester County Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Westchester County Sanitary Code Article XXI — food service establishment permit fee scheduleWestchester County Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- New York Social Services Law section 390 — child day care centre licences valid for up to four yearsNew York State 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.
