Washington State Childcare Licensing Guide

The licensing agency: Washington DCYF

Washington childcare centers are licensed by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), the dedicated child- and family-focused agency created in 2018. The regulations are in Washington Administrative Code 110-300 (Child Care Center Licensing). DCYF regional offices handle licensing applications, inspections, and complaint investigations.

Washington has one of the more integrated childcare compliance systems in the country. The MERIT system — which tracks background checks, training records, and professional development for every childcare worker in the state — gives DCYF visibility into the workforce across all licensed facilities. Understanding MERIT is as important as understanding WAC 110-300 for Washington providers.

Staff-to-child ratio requirements

Washington’s required ratios under WAC 110-300 by age group:

• Infants (0–12 months): 1 staff to 4 children
• 13–29 months: 1 staff to 5 children
• 30–35 months: 1 staff to 7 children
• 36 months and older (preschool): 1 staff to 10 children
• School-age: 1 staff to 15 children

Washington does not set separate group size caps as a distinct regulation — the ratios govern group composition directly. Mixed-age groups use the ratio for the youngest age present.

The 30-35 month transition is worth noting: a child who was in a 1:5 group at 29 months moves to the 1:7 group at 30 months, and to the 1:10 group at 36 months. Washington’s relatively tight preschool ratio (1:10) compared to states that permit 1:12-1:15 affects staffing costs significantly.

Staff qualifications

Washington WAC 110-300 establishes a qualification framework tied to role and age group:

Initial training: All childcare staff must complete DCYF-required training within 30 days of hire: a mandatory reporter training covering child abuse and neglect identification and reporting, and a safe sleep training for staff working with infants. Both are completed through MERIT-tracked training.

Annual training: Staff working with children must complete at least 10 hours of approved professional development annually. Training records are maintained in MERIT. DCYF inspectors verify training compliance through MERIT record review.

Director: Must be at least 18 years of age and have completed at minimum an approved child care director training. Washington’s director qualification requirements are less prescriptive about formal degrees than many states — instead, DCYF provides an approved director training curriculum that covers licensing requirements, program administration, and staff supervision. Directors are responsible for maintaining the center’s licensing compliance.

Washington’s Early Achievers quality rating system has its own professional development requirements for staff and directors that go beyond the WAC 110-300 minimums — particularly at levels 3 through 5, where coursework and degree requirements apply.

CPR and first aid: at least one staff member per group must hold a current pediatric CPR and first aid certification. Documentation is maintained in MERIT.

The MERIT background check system

MERIT is Washington’s unified workforce management system for childcare and early learning. Every person who works in a DCYF-licensed childcare facility must have a MERIT account and a completed background check on file.

Background check requirements:

• Washington State Patrol (WSP) criminal history check
• FBI national fingerprint check
• DCYF background check for child abuse and neglect findings

Background checks are initiated through MERIT by the individual (not the employer). The center can view the status of each employee’s background check through MERIT but does not receive detailed results — only a clearance status. Background checks must be initiated before employment begins. DCYF allows a supervised provisional start period of up to 30 days while an initial background check is in process, but this period is tightly managed and requires documentation of supervision.

Background checks through MERIT expire and must be renewed every five years. MERIT tracks expiration dates, so centers can monitor upcoming renewals proactively.

Facility requirements

Washington requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor activity space per child in the licensed capacity. Outdoor space: 75 square feet per child for the children using outdoor space at one time. Centers without adjacent outdoor space must document access to an appropriate alternative outdoor area within a reasonable distance.

Bathroom requirements: one toilet and one sink per 15 children. Infant and toddler diaper changing areas must have sanitizable surfaces with handwashing within arm’s reach.

Washington requires facilities to meet local fire safety standards and obtain a fire clearance before initial licensure. Any significant structural changes or changes to licensed capacity require DCYF approval.

Health and safety documentation

WAC 110-300 requires centers to maintain:

• Enrollment records with emergency contacts, authorized pickups, and health and dietary information for each child
• Immunization records per Washington State Department of Health requirements, verified at enrollment
• Medication authorization forms for any medications administered
• Incident/accident reports for injuries and illnesses occurring during care
• Daily attendance records with sign-in/sign-out times for each child
• Staff training records in MERIT — DCYF verifies these through MERIT during inspections

Emergency evacuation drill documentation: required monthly, with records retained for one year.

The initial licensing process

Washington’s licensing application is submitted through the DCYF online portal:

1. Facility preparation: Verify the facility meets WAC 110-300 physical plant requirements. Local fire authority clearance is required.
2. MERIT setup: All designated staff must create MERIT accounts and initiate background checks before the pre-licensing inspection.
3. Application submission: Submit the online application with facility floor plan, lease or ownership documentation, and director qualifications.
4. Pre-licensing inspection: A DCYF licensor visits the facility to verify compliance with WAC 110-300 and confirms MERIT status for staff. Deficiencies must be corrected before the license is issued.
5. License issuance: DCYF issues the license with a specified licensed capacity. Washington licenses are renewed annually.

License renewal and ongoing compliance

Washington licenses are renewed annually. DCYF conducts at least one unannounced inspection per year and investigates all complaints. Inspection findings are documented and available through DCYF’s public-facing lookup tool.

Serious violations may result in a corrective action plan, license conditions, or license suspension. Centers with patterns of ratio or background check violations face escalating enforcement.

Early Achievers and Working Connections Child Care

Early Achievers is Washington’s QRIS. Level 2 is the minimum required to accept WCCC-subsidized children. Levels 3 through 5 require progressively higher staff qualifications, environmental quality assessments (CLASS, ITERS, ECERS), and professional development plans. Higher Early Achievers levels receive higher WCCC reimbursement rates.

WCCC billing requires electronic attendance documentation through DEL eJournals or an approved equivalent. Paper attendance records alone do not satisfy WCCC billing requirements. The combination of MERIT compliance (background checks and training), Early Achievers participation, and eJournals billing means Washington providers are managing three interconnected digital systems as a normal part of operations.