Find Child Care Providers in New York State

Types of child care:

Child care programs outside of New York City are regulated by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). Programs in New York City are regulated by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

• Day Care Centers: Provide care for seven or more children in a non-home setting.
• Small Day Care Centers: Provide care for up to six children in a non-home setting.
• Family Day Care Homes: Provide care for three to six children in a home. May also care for one or two school-age children. At least one caregiver is required for every two children under age two.
• Group Family Day Care Homes: Provide care for seven to 12 children in a home. May also include up to four school-age children. These programs must have a provider and assistant if more than eight children are present, as well as at least one caregiver for every two children under age two.

Note: These programs above generally serve children ages six weeks through 12 years.

To learn more about the other types of child care available in New York State, please visit the Office of Children and Family Services website.

Benefits of regulated child care:

Parents play a key role in quality child care. Some of the benefits to participating in regulated child care are:

• You can visit or observe the program at any time.
• Providers must be licensed or registered (with limited exceptions).
• Staff and adults in home-based programs must pass fingerprinting and background checks.
• Programs must follow rules for:
  • Adult-to-child ratios
  • Staff training in safety, health, and child development
  • Regular inspections for health and safety compliance

Refer to this step-by-step process to find a child care provider in New York State:

1. Go to the Child Care Look-Up on the OCFS website.
2. Enter one or more criteria to search by.
3. Click “Find Day Care”
4. Click the “i” next to each program for additional information about the facility.

Ready? Have with you one or more of the below listed items to complete your search:

• Name of the facility
• Facility type you are interested in
• County the facility is located in
• Facility zip code
• License/registration ID

Find Child Care

Need Help Finding Child Care?

• If you need help choosing or finding a provider, you can contact a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. These agencies can help you:
  • Search for child care near you
  • Understand your options
  • Get help with next steps and questions
• Find a local agency: Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies

If you find a provider you are interested in, you will need to contact them to find out if:

• They have space for your child
• You can set up an appointment to visit

Facility Complaints

If you visit a facility and have a complaint, please call 1-800-732-5207 Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM. New York City residents can call 212-676-2444 Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM.

An official will inspect the facility within 24 hours if there's suspected imminent danger to children, or within 15 days for other regulatory complaints. If the complaint is serious, but children are not in danger, an official will inspect within five days.

If you suspect child abuse or maltreatment, call the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment, 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-800-342-3720. If you believe that a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department.