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

Organized Camp / Campground License

A childcare business in Delaware County that operates as a multi-day outdoor group-living program — an organized camp or campground rather than an ordinary daytime center — needs this annual license from DCHD. The current Fee Schedule prices an Organized Camp license at $237 per year and a Campground license at $213 per year, with a $239 fee for a second follow-up inspection, a one-time $237 plan-review fee, and a one-time $47 fee for a change of ownership or turn-key operation. This is a narrow scope limited to multi-day outdoor programs; an ordinary daytime childcare center falls instead under the Child Day Care Center Certificate of Registration recorded separately for Delaware County.

Child Day Care Center Certificate of Registration

A facility caring for seven or more unrelated children at one time meets DCHD Rules and Regulations §406.3's definition of a 'Child Day Care Center' and needs this county-level Certificate of Registration in addition to, not instead of, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services' own statewide Certificate of Compliance — §406.4.1.1 requires the state certificate before a center begins operating, and §406.4.2.1 separately provides that 'a person shall not operate a child day care center without a Certificate of Registration issued by the Department,' naming two distinct certificates from two different agencies in consecutive sections. DCHD's current Fee Schedule prices the registration at $142 per year. The certificate runs for up to 12 months, is renewed annually with the fee due 30 days before expiration, and is not transferable on a change of ownership or lease, per §406.4.2.3–§406.4.2.6.

Child Care Certificate of Compliance

No fee — Pennsylvania charges nothing to certify a child care centre, and that is read from the regulation rather than inferred from a blank page: section 20.42 lists the facility types that do pay, child care is not among them, and subsection (b) says no fee is required for anything not listed. Watch one trap in the same section. It contains a capacity-banded fee table of $15 to $50, and that table applies to PERSONAL CARE HOMES, not to child care. Attaching those bands here would be wrong. The certificate runs for no more than twelve months, so it is renewed annually. A centre is seven or more unrelated children, a group home seven to twelve, and a family home four to six — all three are free and all three carry the same twelve-month term.

Shared with other businesses in Delaware County Pa

• Food Facility Plan Review — Delaware County Health Department, $47–$380 one-time, before opening/remodeling — standard plan review $237; facility over 10,000 sq ft $380; farmers' market vendor review $47; change of ownership/turn-key operation $47; operating without plan review approval $190; phased opening inspection $142, one-time, before opening or remodeling. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Retail Food Facility License & Inspection — Delaware County Health Department, $47–$570 annual, by facility type — under 50 seats $266; 50+ seats $380; over 10,000 sq ft $570; in conjunction with a PA liquor license $380; beverage manufactured on premises with tasting room, no food prep $142; take-out only $261; retail outlet $190; commissary/caterer $266; tax-exempt facility $47; mobile food facility $261; mobile retail outlet $190; school food facility with private/commercial vendor $332; duplicate license $28; late fee $47 ($19 tax-exempt), annual, not transferable. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Certified Food Manager (CFM) Certificate — Delaware County Health Department, $57 per certificate; duplicate certificate $28, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.