5 permits · verified 2026-08-25
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in South Plains?
In short
A childcare centre in South Plains, TX has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 2 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Texas Secretary of State charges $300 one-time filing for the certificate of formation. 2 of the 5 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-25 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in South Plains
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare Facility Inspection | South Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services | $50–$150 by facility type | not stated in the published schedule | 2026-08-25 |
| Child Care License | Texas Health and Human Services | $35 application, then an annual fee of $35 plus $1 per child of licensed capacity | annual | 2026-08-20 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
TX registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $300 one-time filing | no expiry | 2026-08-20 |
| Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $25 one-time filing | up to ten years, renewable | 2026-08-21 |
| Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | No fee — there is no fee for this permit | no expiry while actively engaged in business | 2026-08-21 |
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 South Plains?
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 South Plains, TX, 3 apply to every business of this type and 2 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. 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 ones particular to this business that vary:
Childcare Facility Inspection: $50–$150 by facility type
Child Care License: $35 application, then an annual fee of $35 plus $1 per child of licensed capacity
Which offices issue these permits in South Plains?
Permits for a childcare centre in South Plains, TX come from 4 separate offices: South Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services, 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.
- South Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health ServicesIssues 1 permit on this page: Childcare Facility Inspectionsouthplainshealth.org
- Texas Secretary of StateIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation, Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)www.sos.state.tx.us
- Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsIssues 1 permit on this page: Texas Sales and Use Tax Permitcomptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit
- Texas Health and Human ServicesIssues 1 permit on this page: Child Care Licensewww.hhs.texas.gov
What does a childcare centre need in South Plains that other businesses do not?
2 of the 2 permits particular to a childcare centre here apply to no other business type we cover in South Plains: Childcare Facility Inspection and Child Care License.
Childcare Facility Inspection
$150 for a licensed day care and $50 for foster care. Both are district environmental health inspections and neither replaces the license a child care operation holds from Texas Health and Human Services. At $150 this sits below Amarillo's $350 and level with Brazos County.
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 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 South Plains?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Childcare Facility Inspection and Child Care License. A coffee shop needs Temporary Event Permit, Food Service Establishment Permit and Food Establishment Re-inspection Fee, which a childcare centre does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a childcare centre | Only a childcare centre needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Restaurants | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
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 South Plains permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- South Plains Public Health District Fee Schedule for Environmental Health Services, 2025 (filed with Texas DSHS 15 October 2025)South Plains Public Health District, filed with Texas Department of State Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-25
- 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.