10 permits · verified 2026-10-26
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Benton County Wa?
In short
A childcare centre in Benton County Wa, WA has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Benton County Community Development, Planning Division charges $800 non-refundable application fee (Planning Division fee page); an environmental checklist or addendum may also be required for the conditional use permit (bcc 11.50). 4 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-26 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Benton County Wa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-Home Child Day Care Special Inspection (Fire Marshal and Building Inspector)only if it applies to you | Benton County Fire Marshal | $65 special inspection permit fee covering both the Building Inspector and the Fire Marshal (Fire Marshal policy, December 29, 2014; the fee page effective 3-26-25 lists 'Special Inspection/ Extra Plan Review' at $65) | per inspection | 2026-10-26 |
| Child Day Care Land-Use Permit (Type A / Type B)only if it applies to you | Benton County Community Development, Planning Division | $120–$800 per application: Child Day Care - Type A $120; Child Day Care - Type B $800 (Planning Division fee page) | one-time land-use approval | 2026-10-26 |
| Child Care Centre License | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families | $125 a year for the first twelve children plus $12 for each additional child; a family home pays a flat $30 | an initial license of six months, extendable to two years, then a non-expiring license with an annual fee | 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 Benton County Wa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditional Use Permit (BCC 11.50)only if it applies to you | Benton County Community Development, Planning Division | $800 non-refundable application fee (Planning Division fee page); an environmental checklist or addendum may also be required | one-time land-use approval; transferable to a new holder after written notice to the Hearings Examiner if the use and location stay the same (BCC 11.50.040) | 2026-10-26 |
| Commercial On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permitonly if it applies to you | Benton-Franklin Health District | Varies — formula on the Benton County Wa page | per permit | 2026-10-26 |
| Commercial Building Permit and Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Benton County Community Development, Building Division | Varies — formula on the Benton County Wa page | expires 2 years from issuance; one extension of 1 year, requested in writing before expiry, at 25% of the original fee (BCC 3.04.039) | 2026-10-26 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
WA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | no expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | no expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $70 a year | annual — due the last day of the month the entity was formed or registered | 2026-09-03 |
| Washington State Business License | Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service | $50 to open, plus each endorsement's own fee; $5 a year to renew | annual — one expiration date governs every endorsement on the license | 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 Benton County Wa?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a childcare centre in Benton County Wa, WA, 2 apply to every business of this type and 8 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. 4 of the 10 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 Day Care Land-Use Permit (Type A / Type B): $120–$800 per application: Child Day Care - Type A $120; Child Day Care - Type B $800 (Planning Division fee page)
Child Care Centre License: $125 a year for the first twelve children plus $12 for each additional child; a family home pays a flat $30
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Benton County Wa permits page and the WA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Benton County Wa?
Permits for a childcare centre in Benton County Wa, WA come from 7 separate offices: Benton County Community Development, Planning Division, Benton-Franklin Health District, Benton County Community Development, Building Division, Benton County Fire Marshal, Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division, Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Benton County Community Development, Planning DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Conditional Use Permit (BCC 11.50), Child Day Care Land-Use Permit (Type A / Type B)www.bentoncountywa.gov/departments/community_development/planning_division/applications_and_fees.php
- Benton-Franklin Health DistrictIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit7102 W. Okanogan Place, Kennewick, WA 99336 · 509-460-4200 (Food Safety 509-460-4205)www.bfhd.wa.gov/programs_services/food_safety/applications
- Benton County Community Development, Building DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial Building Permit and Plan Review102206 E. Wiser Parkway, Kennewick, WA 99338 · 509-735-3500www.bentoncountywa.gov/departments/community_development/building_division/fee_schedule.php
- Benton County Fire MarshalIssues 1 permit on this page: In-Home Child Day Care Special Inspection (Fire Marshal and Building Inspector)102206 E. Wiser Parkway, Kennewick, WA 99338 · 509-735-3500www.bentoncountywa.gov/departments/community_development/building_division/fire_marshal/forms_and_application.php
- Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities DivisionIssues 3 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Formation (LLC), Annual ReportPO Box 40234, Olympia, WA 98504-0234 · (360) 725-0377www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/business-entities
- Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and FamiliesIssues 1 permit on this page: Child Care Centre License1500 Jefferson Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501 · (800) 723-4831dcyf.wa.gov/services/early-learning-providers/licensed-provider
- Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing ServiceIssues 1 permit on this page: Washington State Business LicensePO Box 9034, Olympia, WA 98507-9034 · (360) 705-6705dor.wa.gov/open-business/apply-business-license
What does a childcare centre need in Benton County Wa that other businesses do not?
3 of the 3 permits particular to a childcare centre here apply to no other business type we cover in Benton County Wa: In-Home Child Day Care Special Inspection (Fire Marshal and Building Inspector), Child Day Care Land-Use Permit (Type A / Type B) and Child Care Centre License.
In-Home Child Day Care Special Inspection (Fire Marshal and Building Inspector)
A child care business run from a home in unincorporated Benton County receives a combined Building Inspector and Fire Marshal inspection. The Benton County Fire Marshal's 'Policy: In Home Daycare', dated December 29, 2014, is 'applicable only to homes within the unincorporated areas of Benton County'. When the Planning Division receives a child care application, the Fire Marshal reviews it, and the policy states: 'A $65.00 Special Inspection Permit Fee is charged. This fee encompasses both the Building Inspector and the Fire Marshal.' After the permit is obtained from the Building or Planning Division, an inspection date is scheduled. The policy sets emergency escape window standards for rooms where children rest or sleep. The Building Division's current fee page (effective 3-26-25) lists 'Special Inspection/ Extra Plan Review' at the same $65. Call the Building Division at 509-735-3500.
Child Day Care Land-Use Permit (Type A / Type B)
A child care business in unincorporated Benton County applies to the Planning Division for a child day care land-use approval. The Planning Division's Applications and Fees page lists 'Child Day Care - Type A' at $120 and 'Child Day Care - Type B' at $800, and lists a Child Care Type B Addendum among the conditional use permit addenda. BCC 11.03(35) defines a Type A facility as 'a dwelling unit where a childcare provider cares for twelve (12) or fewer children for periods of less than 24 hours a day.' BCC 11.03(36) defines a Type B facility as a dwelling unit where a provider cares for thirteen or more children, or 'a building or structure other than a dwelling unit where a childcare provider cares for any number of children for periods of less than 24 hours a day.' A home-based day care is also inspected by the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector for a $65 special inspection fee (recorded separately).
Child Care Centre License
A centre pays $125 for the first twelve children and $12 for each one after, every year; a family home pays a flat $30 whatever its size. That flat-versus-scaled split is the whole structural difference between the two. The fee is non-refundable, due with the initial application and then thirty days before the license anniversary, and missing the anniversary is fatal rather than merely late — the license expires and a new application is required. The department publishes none of these amounts on its own pages; the administrative code is the only primary source. Child care is not one of the endorsements the statewide business license can carry, so it is a separate application.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Benton County Wa, WA; what each one involves is set out on the Benton County Wa permits page. The 4 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across WA and are covered on the WA state page.
How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Benton County Wa?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs In-Home Child Day Care Special Inspection (Fire Marshal and Building Inspector), Child Day Care Land-Use Permit (Type A / Type B) and Child Care Centre License. A auto repair shop needs Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Washington Auto Repair Act (RCW 46.71), 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 | 3 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 8 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Restaurants | 6 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
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 Benton County Wa permits page and the WA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Benton County Fire Marshal, Policy: In Home Daycare (December 29, 2014)Benton County Fire Marshal · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Building and FAS Permit Fee Schedule, as authorized by resolution of the Benton County Commissioners (Effective 3-26-25)Benton County Community Development, Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Planning Division — Applications and FeesBenton County Community Development, Planning Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Benton County Code ch. 11.03, Definitions (35) Child Day Care Facility - Type A, (36) Child Day Care Facility - Type BBenton County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- WAC 110-300-0401 — early learning programme license feesWashington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families · 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.