Why You Should Always Verify
Before your child starts at any daycare, verify that the facility holds a current government licence. A licence means the centre has been inspected, meets regulated standards, and is subject to ongoing oversight.
This guide gives you direct links to every provincial and state licensing database so you can verify any daycare in minutes.
Canada: Province-by-Province Lookup
Ontario
Licensing body: Ministry of Education
Lookup tool: [Licensed Child Care Search](https://www.ontario.ca/page/licensed-child-care)
What you'll find: Licence number, licensee name, licensed capacity by age group, CWELCC participation status, and address.
How to search: Enter the daycare name or city. Results show all licensed centres matching your query.
British Columbia
Licensing body: Ministry of Children and Family Development
Lookup tool: [BC Child Care Map](https://www.gov.bc.ca/childcare)
What you'll find: Licence status, facility type, vacancy data by age group, and services offered (meals, extended hours, special needs support).
Alberta
Licensing body: Alberta Children's Services
Lookup tool: [Alberta Child Care Search](https://www.alberta.ca/child-care)
What you'll find: Program ID, program type, last inspection date, non-compliance findings, and enforcement actions.
Quebec
Licensing body: Ministère de la Famille
Lookup tool: [Localisateur de services de garde](https://www.mfa.gouv.qc.ca/)
What you'll find: Permit number, facility type (CPE, garderie, or milieu familial), capacity, and subsidy availability.
New Brunswick
Licensing body: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Lookup tool: [NB ELCC Portal](https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/education/elcc.html)
What you'll find: Licence number, facility type, language of service, capacity by age group, and designated facility status.
Nova Scotia
Licensing body: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Lookup tool: [NS Early Years](https://www.ednet.ns.ca/earlyyears)
What you'll find: Licence status, facility type, and capacity.
Manitoba
Licensing body: Early Learning and Child Care
Lookup tool: [Manitoba Child Care Search](https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/childcare/)
What you'll find: Licence status, facility type, and available spaces.
Saskatchewan
Licensing body: Ministry of Education
Lookup tool: [Saskatchewan Child Care](https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/education-and-learning/early-learning-and-child-care)
What you'll find: Licensed facilities by community.
Other Provinces and Territories
PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut each maintain their own registries. Search "[province name] licensed child care" to find the official lookup tool.
United States: State-by-State Lookup
California
Licensing body: Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing
Lookup tool: [CDSS Facility Search](https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing)
What you'll find: Licence type, capacity, inspection history, and any citations.
Texas
Licensing body: Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation
Lookup tool: [Texas CCR Search](https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/safety/child-care)
What you'll find: Operation type, capacity, inspection and investigation results.
New York
Licensing body: Office of Children and Family Services
Lookup tool: [OCFS Child Care Search](https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/childcare/)
What you'll find: Registration/licence status, modality, capacity, and inspection results.
Florida
Licensing body: Department of Children and Families
Lookup tool: [FL Child Care Search](https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-care)
What you'll find: Licence status, capacity, inspection findings.
Pennsylvania
Licensing body: Department of Human Services
Lookup tool: [PA Child Care Search](https://www.dhs.pa.gov/providers/Providers/Pages/Child-Care.aspx)
What you'll find: Certification status, STAR rating, capacity.
Washington
Licensing body: Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Lookup tool: [DCYF Provider Search](https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/early-learning-providers/licensed-child-care)
What you'll find: Licence status, type, capacity, and enforcement actions.
How to Read Licensing Records
When you pull up a daycare's record, check these five things:
- Licence status — Must say Active, Valid, or Licensed. "Provisional" or "Conditional" licences mean the centre has unresolved issues.
- Licensed capacity — Compare this to the number of children you see during a tour. If enrollment exceeds licensed capacity, report it to the licensing body.
- Inspection dates — At least one inspection per year is standard. Long gaps may indicate the centre is new or has lapsed compliance.
- Non-compliance findings — Read what was found. A missing poster is minor. Ratio violations or safety hazards are serious.
- Enforcement actions — Orders, fines, suspension, or revocation. These are public records for a reason.
Use DaycareLocator for Quick Verification
DaycareLocator aggregates licensing data from government registries across Canada and the US. You can search by name, address, or licence number and see results instantly — no need to visit multiple government websites.
Every profile includes the licence number (where available), licensing body, capacity, and a link to the official government registry for that province or state.
[Search 52,500+ licensed daycares →](https://www.daycarelocator.com/en/verify-daycare-license)