9 permits · verified 2026-10-06
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Thurston County Wa?
In short
A childcare centre in Thurston County Wa, WA has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division charges $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online for the articles of incorporation. 5 of the 9 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 Thurston County Wa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Use Permit (TCC 20.54) — day-care centers, family day care, veterinary clinics, athletic facilities and home-based industryonly if it applies to you | Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development, Building Development Center | Set by the 2026 Land Use Fee Schedule (Resolution #16559) under its Special Use heading, by the approval type (administrative or quasi-judicial, residential or non-residential) that Table 1 of TCC 20.54 assigns to the use in the site's zoning district; contact the Permit Assistance Center, 360-786-5490, for the figure that applies to a specific site | one-time land-use approval | 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 Thurston County Wa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking Water Program — Well Site Review and Public Water System Permits (Sanitary Code Article III)only if it applies to you | Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, Environmental Health Division | Varies — formula on the Thurston County Wa page | per review; public water supply permit annual | 2026-10-06 |
| Building Permit and Plan Review (commercial and residential)only if it applies to you | Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development, Building Development Center | Varies — formula on the Thurston County Wa page | per permit | 2026-10-06 |
| Public Works Development Review — Commercial/Industrial Site Plan, Site Work and Drivewayonly if it applies to you | Thurston County Public Works, Development Review Division | Varies — formula on the Thurston County Wa page | per project | 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 Thurston County Wa?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 9 records listed for a childcare centre in Thurston County Wa, WA, 2 apply to every business of this type and 7 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 9 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:
Special Use Permit (TCC 20.54) — day-care centers, family day care, veterinary clinics, athletic facilities and home-based industry: Set by the 2026 Land Use Fee Schedule (Resolution #16559) under its Special Use heading, by the approval type (administrative or quasi-judicial, residential or non-residential) that Table 1 of TCC 20.54 assigns to the use in the site's zoning district; contact the Permit Assistance Center, 360-786-5490, for the figure that applies to a specific site
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 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Thurston County Wa permits page and the WA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Thurston County Wa?
Permits for a childcare centre in Thurston County Wa, WA come from 6 separate offices: Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, Environmental Health Division, Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development, Building Development Center, Thurston County Public Works, Development Review Division, 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.
- Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, Environmental Health DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Drinking Water Program — Well Site Review and Public Water System Permits (Sanitary Code Article III)The Atrium, 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Suite 225, Olympia, WA 98501 · 360-867-2685www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/public-health-and-social-services/environmental-health/environmental-health-codes-regulations-and-hearing-requests
- Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development, Building Development CenterIssues 2 permits on this page: Building Permit and Plan Review (commercial and residential), Special Use Permit (TCC 20.54) — day-care centers, family day care, veterinary clinics, athletic facilities and home-based industry360-786-5490 (Permit Assistance Center)www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/community-planning-and-economic-development/permitting/permits-fees-forms/permit-fees
- Thurston County Public Works, Development Review DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Public Works Development Review — Commercial/Industrial Site Plan, Site Work and Driveway360-786-5490 (Permit Assistance Center)www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/community-planning-and-economic-development/permitting/permits-fees-forms/permit-fees
- 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 Thurston County Wa that other businesses do not?
1 of the 2 permits particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in Thurston 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 Thurston County Wa
- Special Use Permit (TCC 20.54) — day-care centers, family day care, veterinary clinics, athletic facilities and home-based industry — Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development, Building Development Center, Set by the 2026 Land Use Fee Schedule (Resolution #16559) under its Special Use heading, by the approval type (administrative or quasi-judicial, residential or non-residential) that Table 1 of TCC 20.54 assigns to the use in the site's zoning district; contact the Permit Assistance Center, 360-786-5490, for the figure that applies to a specific site, one-time land-use approval. Also required for veterinary clinics, fitness studios, auto repair shops, restaurants and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the veterinary clinics page.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Thurston County Wa, WA; what each one involves is set out on the Thurston 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 Thurston County Wa?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs 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 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 7 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Coffee shops | 6 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Retail stores | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 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 veterinary clinics page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Thurston 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.