5 permits · verified 2026-10-27
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Licking County?
In short
A childcare centre in Licking County, OH has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 3 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 5 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-27 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Licking County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Care Centre License | Ohio Department of Children and Youth | $50 one-time application | continuous — no renewal cycle | 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 Licking County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit / Certificate of Plan Approval | Licking County Building Code Department | Varies — formula on the Licking County page | per project | 2026-10-27 |
| Development Review (Business/Commercial Use in Townships)only if it applies to you | Licking County Planning Commission | Varies — formula on the Licking County page | per project | 2026-10-27 |
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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $99 one-time filing | no expiry — Ohio requires no annual report | 2026-09-03 |
| Initial Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $99 one-time filing, minimum — see notes on authorised shares | no expiry — Ohio requires no annual report | 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 Licking County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 5 records listed for a childcare centre in Licking County, OH, 2 apply to every business of this type and 3 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 2 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 2 of the 5 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all.
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Licking County permits page and the OH state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Licking County?
Permits for a childcare centre in Licking County, OH come from 4 separate offices: Licking County Building Code Department, Licking County Planning Commission, 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.
- Licking County Building Code DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial Building Permit / Certificate of Plan Approval675 Price Rd., Newark, OH 43055 · (740) 349-6671lickingcounty.gov/depts/building/application.htm
- Licking County Planning CommissionIssues 1 permit on this page: Development Review (Business/Commercial Use in Townships)20 S. 2nd St., Newark, OH 43055 · (740) 670-5200lickingcounty.gov/depts/planning/zoninginfo/default.htm
- Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Initial Articles of Incorporation22 North Fourth Street, Columbus, OH 43215 · (877) 767-6446bsportal.ohiosos.gov
- Ohio Department of Children and YouthIssues 1 permit on this page: Child Care Centre Licenseoclqs.force.com
What does a childcare centre need in Licking County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 1 permit particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in Licking County: Child Care Centre License.
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.
The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Licking County, OH; what each one involves is set out on the Licking 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 Licking County?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Child Care Centre License. A auto repair shop needs Vendor's License, 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Restaurants | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
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 Licking County permits page and the OH state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- 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.