10 permits · verified 2026-10-06
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Clark County Wa?
In short
A childcare centre in Clark 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. Clark County Public Health, Environmental Public Health charges $13.87 a year per property with an on-site septic system (2026 fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026) for the on-site septic system annual operating permit. 5 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-06 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Clark County Wa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Business Permit (Type I minor / Type II major) — Planning Reviewonly if it applies to you | Clark County Community Development, Permit Center | $221–$1,990 per application, planning portion only: Type I review $221, Type II review $1,990, each plus a $53 issuance fee (Table 6.110A.010, row I) | one-time per application | 2026-10-06 |
| On-Site Septic System Plan Review and Permitonly if it applies to you | Clark County Public Health, Environmental Public Health | Plan review and permit: conventional gravity system $632; alternative system $718; large system over 1,000 gallons per day $1,506; repair of a failure under 1,000 gallons per day $804 (site, plan and permit). | one-time per system installation or repair | 2026-10-06 |
| On-Site Septic System Annual Operating Permitonly if it applies to you | Clark County Public Health, Environmental Public Health | $13.87 a year per property with an on-site septic system (2026 fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026) | annual | 2026-10-06 |
| 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 Clark County Wa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit, Plan Review and Certificate of Occupancy Feesonly if it applies to you | Clark County Community Development, Permit Center | Varies — formula on the Clark County Wa page | one-time per permit | 2026-10-06 |
| Fire Marshal Plan Review, Inspection and Operational Permit Inspection Feesonly if it applies to you | Clark County Fire Marshal (Community Development) | Varies — formula on the Clark County Wa page | per review or inspection; operational permit inspection fee paid before the operational permit is issued | 2026-10-06 |
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 Clark 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 Clark 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. 5 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:
Home Business Permit (Type I minor / Type II major) — Planning Review: $221–$1,990 per application, planning portion only: Type I review $221, Type II review $1,990, each plus a $53 issuance fee (Table 6.110A.010, row I)
On-Site Septic System Plan Review and Permit: Plan review and permit: conventional gravity system $632; alternative system $718; large system over 1,000 gallons per day $1,506; repair of a failure under 1,000 gallons per day $804 (site, plan and permit).
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 Clark County Wa permits page and the WA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Clark County Wa?
Permits for a childcare centre in Clark County Wa, WA come from 6 separate offices: Clark County Community Development, Permit Center, Clark County Public Health, Environmental Public Health, Clark County Fire Marshal (Community Development), 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.
- Clark County Community Development, Permit CenterIssues 2 permits on this page: Home Business Permit (Type I minor / Type II major) — Planning Review, Commercial Building Permit, Plan Review and Certificate of Occupancy FeesPublic Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, third floor, Vancouver, WA 98660 · 564.397.4078clark.wa.gov/community-development/permit-center
- Clark County Public Health, Environmental Public HealthIssues 2 permits on this page: On-Site Septic System Plan Review and Permit, On-Site Septic System Annual Operating PermitCenter for Community Health, 1601 E Fourth Plain Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661 · 564.397.8482 (food safety); 564.397.8428 (environmental services)clark.wa.gov/public-health/food-service-permitting-information
- Clark County Fire Marshal (Community Development)Issues 1 permit on this page: Fire Marshal Plan Review, Inspection and Operational Permit Inspection FeesPublic Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98660clark.wa.gov/community-development/fire-prevention
- 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 Clark County Wa that other businesses do not?
1 of the 4 permits particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in Clark County Wa: Child Care Centre License.
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.
Shared with other businesses in Clark County Wa
- Home Business Permit (Type I minor / Type II major) — Planning Review — Clark County Community Development, Permit Center, $221–$1,990 per application, planning portion only: Type I review $221, Type II review $1,990, each plus a $53 issuance fee (Table 6.110A.010, row I), one-time per application. Also required for contractors and trades, auto repair shops and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
- On-Site Septic System Plan Review and Permit — Clark County Public Health, Environmental Public Health, Plan review and permit: conventional gravity system $632; alternative system $718; large system over 1,000 gallons per day $1,506; repair of a failure under 1,000 gallons per day $804 (site, plan and permit)., one-time per system installation or repair. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, veterinary clinics, salons and barbers and auto repair shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- On-Site Septic System Annual Operating Permit — Clark County Public Health, Environmental Public Health, $13.87 a year per property with an on-site septic system (2026 fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026), annual. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, veterinary clinics, salons and barbers and auto repair shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Clark County Wa, WA; what each one involves is set out on the Clark 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 Clark County Wa?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Child Care Centre License. A auto repair shop needs Sign Permit (Planning Review and Building Sign Permit) and 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 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 8 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Restaurants | 10 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 6 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
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 shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the auto repair shops page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Clark County Wa permits page and the WA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- 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.