Shelby County, Tennessee
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Memphis?
In short
A childcare centre in Memphis, TN needs 5 permits to open, including a child care agency licence ($450, renewed annually) issued by TN Dept. of Human Services. Filing fees total $1,040, and a typical opening runs 12–20 weeks from first application to trading.
Pre-launch build. The permit records on this page are sample data used to build the site structure. None has yet been verified against a primary source, so nothing here should be relied on.
The permits at a glance
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Care Agency Licence | TN Dept. of Human Services | $450 | annually | 07 Aug 2026 |
| Staff Background Check Clearance | TN Dept. of Human Services | $35 per person | every 5 years | 07 Aug 2026 |
| Fire Safety Inspection — Educational Use | Nashville Fire Marshal | $140 | annually | Re-check due · 101 days |
| Certificate of Use & Occupancy | Codes & Building Safety | $220 | once | 12 Aug 2026 |
| Food Service Permit — limited | Metro Public Health | $75 | annually | 12 Aug 2026 |
Verified 12 August 2026 against TN Dept. of Human Services published fee schedule
Every requirement in detail
Child Care Agency Licence
07 Aug 2026- Fee
- $450
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- TN Dept. of Human Services
Note: capacity-based; pre-licensing visit required.
Staff Background Check Clearance
07 Aug 2026- Fee
- $35 per person
- Renews
- every 5 years
- Issued by
- TN Dept. of Human Services
Note: required before unsupervised contact.
Fire Safety Inspection — Educational Use
Re-check due · 101 days- Fee
- $140
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Nashville Fire Marshal
Note: stricter than standard commercial occupancy.
Certificate of Use & Occupancy
12 Aug 2026- Fee
- $220
- Renews
- once
- Issued by
- Codes & Building Safety
Note: inspection required.
Food Service Permit — limited
12 Aug 2026- Fee
- $75
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Metro Public Health
Note: required where meals are prepared on site.
What order do you have to file these in?
Some permits cannot be applied for until another has been granted. In Memphis the dependency chain sets the floor on your timeline more than any single agency’s processing time.
- 01Zoning verification
- 02Certificate of Occupancy — educational use
- 03Fire safety inspection
- 04Pre-licensing visit and agency licence
How much does it cost to permit a childcare centre in Memphis?
Filing fees for a childcare centre in Memphis total $1,040 across 5 permits. That figure covers published permit fees only — plan review, re-inspection and per-face signage charges are billed separately and are the usual reason an outturn exceeds a forecast.
How long does it take to open a childcare centre in Memphis?
A typical childcare centre opening in Memphis runs 12–20 weeks. The constraint is sequencing rather than any individual agency: occupancy must be certified before the health permit can be issued, and the health permit must be in hand before trading.
Childcare centres in nearby cities
Sources
No sources are published for this page yet. Each requirement will cite the agency page, fee schedule or code section it was verified against, with the date it was retrieved — see how the data is verified.
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.