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8 permits · verified 2026-09-28

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

In short

A childcare centre in Franklin County, OH has 1 permit that applies to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division charges $99 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 2 of the 8 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 Franklin County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Child Care Center Licensing — State Department of Children and Youth (Franklin County)only if it applies to youFranklin County Department of Job and Family Services, Child Care Licensing UnitNo feenot applicable — child care centers are licensed by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth2026-09-28
Permanent Food Facility License (FCPH)only if it applies to youFranklin County Public HealthFY2023 FCPH cost-analysis calculated-maximum figures (board.myfcph.org 'Certification of Cost Analysis (M-2)'), the most recent available and closely matching FY2023 actual collected revenue: Level 1, under 25,000 sq ft: $216.00; Level 2, under 25,000 sq ft: $243.42; Level 3, under 25,000 sq ft: $466.02; Level 4, under 25,000 sq ft: $591.04; Level 1, 25,000 sq ft and over: $312.50; Level 2, 25,000 sq ft and over: $328.95; Level 3, 25,000 sq ft and over: $1,167.85; Level 4, 25,000 sq ft and over: $1,238.03. A separate vending-machine-location license under the same filing calculates to up to $16.56.annual; license year runs to February 28/29, renewal window opens February 1, expires March 1, with a 20% late fee on or after March 12026-09-28
Child Care Centre LicenseOhio Department of Children and Youth$50 one-time applicationcontinuous — no renewal cycle2026-09-03

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 Franklin County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Building Permit — State of Ohio Issues (Franklin County)only if it applies to youFranklin County Building DepartmentNo feenot applicable — per the county's Residential Building Permits page, the State of Ohio issues commercial building permits2026-09-28
Zoning Compliance Certificate (residential or commercial)only if it applies to youFranklin County Economic Development & Planning, Planning & Zoning DivisionVaries — formula on the Franklin County pageone-time, per project; typically obtained before or alongside a building permit application2026-09-28
General Business License — Franklin County Auditor positiononly if it applies to youFranklin County Auditor, Licensing SectionNo feenot applicable — the Auditor's Licensing Types page lists no general business license2026-09-28

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

OH 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 youOhio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filingno expiry — Ohio requires no annual report2026-09-03
Initial Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youOhio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filing, minimum — see notes on authorised sharesno expiry — Ohio requires no annual report2026-09-03

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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, OH, 1 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 1 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. 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 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Permanent Food Facility License (FCPH): FY2023 FCPH cost-analysis calculated-maximum figures (board.myfcph.org 'Certification of Cost Analysis (M-2)'), the most recent available and closely matching FY2023 actual collected revenue: Level 1, under 25,000 sq ft: $216.00; Level 2, under 25,000 sq ft: $243.42; Level 3, under 25,000 sq ft: $466.02; Level 4, under 25,000 sq ft: $591.04; Level 1, 25,000 sq ft and over: $312.50; Level 2, 25,000 sq ft and over: $328.95; Level 3, 25,000 sq ft and over: $1,167.85; Level 4, 25,000 sq ft and over: $1,238.03. A separate vending-machine-location license under the same filing calculates to up to $16.56.

The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Franklin County permits page and the OH state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Franklin County?

Permits for a childcare centre in Franklin County, OH come from 7 separate offices: Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services, Child Care Licensing Unit, Franklin County Building Department, Franklin County Economic Development & Planning, Planning & Zoning Division, Franklin County Auditor, Licensing Section, Franklin County Public Health, Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Ohio Department of Children and Youth. 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County: Child Care Center Licensing — State Department of Children and Youth (Franklin County) and Child Care Centre License.

Child Care Center Licensing — State Department of Children and Youth (Franklin County)

A licensed child care center — the commercial business type the 'childcare' industry covers — is licensed directly by the State of Ohio: the Ohio Department of Children and Youth's Licensing and Certification page publishes the center-licensing rules as OAC Chapter 5180:2-12 ('Licensing of Child Care Centers'), and childcare licensing transferred to that department from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services; this record carries no fee. The Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services (FCDJFS) does operate a Child Care Licensing Unit, but its own pages describe its role for Type B Family Child Care Homes — small, in-home providers — where FCDJFS receives applications, runs background checks and conducts home inspections, then forwards a licensure recommendation to the state, which keeps final licensing authority; that is a different provider category from a childcare center. FCDJFS also determines Publicly Funded Child Care eligibility and certifies In-Home Aides, which are subsidy and administrative functions, not commercial licensing. A childcare center serving food on-site separately needs an FCPH or Columbus Public Health food license, listed separately, from the food-safety regime.

Child Care Centre License

$50 once, and the license then runs indefinitely — Ohio issues a continuous license rather than one that expires, so there is no renewal fee. Oversight comes from inspection instead: at least one every state fiscal year. The $50 is charged again if the centre moves, which must be applied for thirty days ahead, or if the owner changes; it is never refunded or transferred. Note the agency changed: child care licensing moved from Job and Family Services to the Department of Children and Youth, and the rules were renumbered from OAC 5101:2-12 to 5180:2-12 on 2 January 2025, so older guidance names the wrong department. A family child care provider — types A and B alike, both now state-licensed rather than county-certified — pays $25 on the same continuous basis.

Shared with other businesses in Franklin County

  • Permanent Food Facility License (FCPH) — Franklin County Public Health, FY2023 FCPH cost-analysis calculated-maximum figures (board.myfcph.org 'Certification of Cost Analysis (M-2)'), the most recent available and closely matching FY2023 actual collected revenue: Level 1, under 25,000 sq ft: $216.00; Level 2, under 25,000 sq ft: $243.42; Level 3, under 25,000 sq ft: $466.02; Level 4, under 25,000 sq ft: $591.04; Level 1, 25,000 sq ft and over: $312.50; Level 2, 25,000 sq ft and over: $328.95; Level 3, 25,000 sq ft and over: $1,167.85; Level 4, 25,000 sq ft and over: $1,238.03. A separate vending-machine-location license under the same filing calculates to up to $16.56., annual; license year runs to February 28/29, renewal window opens February 1, expires March 1, with a 20% late fee on or after March 1. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.

The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Franklin County, OH; what each one involves is set out on the Franklin County permits page. The 2 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across OH and are covered on the OH state page.

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

The closest match is a retail store, which shares 1 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Child Care Center Licensing — State Department of Children and Youth (Franklin County) and Child Care Centre License. A retail store needs Vendor's License (County Vendor's License), Liquor Permits — State Division of Liquor Control (Franklin County), Vendor's License and Transient Vendor's License, which a childcare centre does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Franklin County, OH, compared with a childcare centre
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a childcare centreOnly a childcare centre needsOnly it needs
Retail stores5124
Coffee shops6125
Restaurants6125
Auto repair shops4034
Contractors and trades2032
Fitness studios3033
Food trucks6036
Salons and barbers5035
Veterinary clinics5035

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 retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Franklin County permits page and the OH state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Licensing and Certification — the state Department of Children and Youth's own page for direct state licensure of child care centersOhio Department of Children and Youth · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  2. Child Care Type B Home Provider Licensing and Training — FCDJFS's own page, describing its intermediary role for Type B in-home providers onlyFranklin County Department of Job and Family Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  3. Child Care Licensing – Family Child Care Providers — FCDJFS's own page confirming the state retains final licensing authorityFranklin County Department of Job and Family Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  4. Ohio Department of Children and Youth transmittal letter 48 — filed text of OAC 5180:2-12-02, child care centre licensingOhio Department of Children and Youth · 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.