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7 permits · verified 2026-08-22

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

In short

A childcare centre in Houston, TX has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 4 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Houston Public Works charges $94 one-time for the temporary certificate of occupancy. 3 of the 7 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-22 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a childcare centre in Houston

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Child Care LicenseTexas Health and Human Services$35 application, then an annual fee of $35 plus $1 per child of licensed capacityannual2026-08-20

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 Houston

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Certificate of OccupancyHouston Public WorksVaries — formula on the Houston pageone-time2026-08-22
Fire Alarm Permitonly if it applies to youHouston Fire DepartmentVaries — formula on the Houston pagenot stated in the published fee schedule2026-08-22
Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to youHouston Public Works$94 one-timemaximum of 30 calendar days2026-08-22

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

TX 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
Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$300 one-time filingno expiry2026-08-20
Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$25 one-time filingup to ten years, renewable2026-08-21
Texas Sales and Use Tax PermitTexas Comptroller of Public AccountsNo fee — there is no fee for this permitno expiry while actively engaged in business2026-08-21

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 Houston?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 7 records listed for a childcare centre in Houston, TX, 3 apply to every business of this type and 4 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 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $0.00. That is a floor, not a total. 3 of the 7 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Child Care License: $35 application, then an annual fee of $35 plus $1 per child of licensed capacity

The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Houston permits page and the TX state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Houston?

Permits for a childcare centre in Houston, TX come from 5 separate offices: Houston Public Works, Houston Fire Department, Texas Secretary of State, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas Health and Human Services. 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 Houston 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 Houston: Child Care License.

Child Care License

Worked example: a centre licensed for 100 children pays $135 a year ($35 + $1 x 100). The annual fee falls on the anniversary of the date the initial license was issued, not on a calendar date.

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

How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Houston?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Child Care License. A auto repair shop needs Industrial Waste Permit, which a childcare centre does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Houston, TX, compared with a childcare centre
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a childcare centreOnly a childcare centre needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops1011
Coffee shops7017
Contractors and trades1011
Fitness studios4014
Food trucks7017
Restaurants160116
Retail stores8018
Salons and barbers2012
Veterinary clinics1011

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 Houston permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. 5200, Fees — Child Care Regulation HandbookTexas Health and Human Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-20

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.