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Inspection records

Daycare inspection reports by state

DaycarePal carries the inspection records of 26 states, covering 116,002 daycares that state inspectors visited since October 2023. Each state's report shows how its inspections work, which rules its inspectors cite most often and what that means for your child.

States with a report
26
Daycares visited since October 2023
116,002

What these are

What a state report shows

State licensing inspectors visit daycares to check them against the state's rules: how many adults watch the children, whether staff have cleared background checks, whether medicines and cleaning products are out of reach, and much more. When an inspector finds a rule not met, the state records it as a cited rule, often called a citation, deficiency or violation.

Each report on this page uses one state's own records for the daycares listed on DaycarePal. It groups the cited rules into plain categories, lists the rules cited at the most daycares with what each one means, and turns them into questions to ask on a tour. No daycare is named in a report; each daycare's own record is on its listing.

Each report covers one state's own records. States write and cite their rules in different ways, so the reports are not a ranking and should not be compared with each other.

A to Z

States with an inspection report

Each report covers the state's inspection visits to the daycares on DaycarePal since October 2023.

On each listing

How to read a daycare's record

A daycare's listing shows each inspection visit the state publishes, the rules cited at that visit and, where the state records it, how serious the state judged the problem and when it was corrected. One or two corrected paperwork citations say little; the same safety or supervision rule cited visit after visit says more.

For a step-by-step walk through a real record, see how to read a daycare inspection report.

Other states

States without a report here

We do not carry these states' inspection records yet. That says nothing about the daycares there; use the state's own search.

For 25 states, DaycarePal does not carry inspection records yet. Most of them publish inspection results on their own sites, and the table below links to each state agency. A state missing here says nothing about the daycares in it.

States without an inspection report on DaycarePal
StateWhere to look
AlabamaAlabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services DivisionPublishes inspection results on its own site
AlaskaAlaska Department of Health, Child Care Program OfficePublishes inspection results on its own site
ColoradoColorado Department of Early ChildhoodPublishes inspection results on its own site
FloridaFlorida Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care RegulationPublishes inspection results on its own site
HawaiiHawaii Department of Human Services, Child Care LicensingCheck with the state agency
IllinoisIllinois Department of Early ChildhoodPublishes inspection results on its own site
KansasKansas Office of Early ChildhoodPublishes inspection results on its own site
LouisianaLouisiana Department of EducationPublishes inspection results on its own site
MaineMaine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family ServicesPublishes inspection results on its own site
MassachusettsMassachusetts Department of Early Education and CarePublishes inspection results on its own site
MichiganMichigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing BureauPublishes inspection results on its own site
MinnesotaMinnesota Department of Children, Youth, and FamiliesPublishes inspection results on its own site
MississippiMississippi State Department of Health, Child Care Facilities LicensurePublishes inspection results on its own site
NebraskaNebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Services LicensingPublishes inspection results on its own site
New HampshireNew Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care Licensing UnitPublishes inspection results on its own site
New JerseyNew Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of LicensingPublishes inspection results on its own site
New MexicoNew Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care DepartmentPublishes inspection results on its own site
North DakotaNorth Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood LicensingPublishes inspection results on its own site
OregonOregon Department of Early Learning and Care, Child Care Licensing DivisionPublishes inspection results on its own site
Rhode IslandRhode Island Department of Human Services, Office of Child CarePublishes inspection results on its own site
TennesseeTennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care LicensingPublishes inspection results on its own site
WashingtonWashington State Department of Children, Youth, and FamiliesPublishes inspection results on its own site
West VirginiaWest Virginia Department of Human Services, Division of Early Care and EducationPublishes inspection results on its own site
WisconsinWisconsin Department of Children and FamiliesPublishes inspection results on its own site
WyomingWyoming Department of Family Services, Child Care LicensingCheck with the state agency

Questions

Questions about daycare inspections

How do I look up a daycare's inspection report?

Open the daycare's listing on DaycarePal: in the 26 states with a report here, the listing shows the state's inspection visits. Elsewhere, use the state agency's own search, linked in the table on this page.

What is a daycare citation?

A citation is a rule an inspector found not met at a visit. It can be serious, like a child left alone, or minor, like a form filed late. Read what was cited, how serious the state judged it and whether it was corrected.

Can I compare inspection numbers between states?

No. Each state writes its own rules and cites them in its own way, so a count from one state cannot be set beside another's. Compare daycares within the same state instead.

How often are daycares inspected?

It depends on the state. Most states inspect licensed centers at least once a year, often without notice, and visit again after a complaint. Each state's report gives its own schedule.

Sources: each state's child care licensing agency (inspection records for the daycares listed on DaycarePal, October 2023 onward); National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations (ACF).