Inspection records · North Carolina
What North Carolina daycare inspectors cite
North Carolina inspectors cited at least one rule at 92% of the 5,036 daycares they visited since October 2023. Paperwork, safety, health and staff training rules are cited most, and the rule cited at the most daycares, 1,286 of them, is about storing cleaning products and other hazards.
- Daycares visited
- 5,036
- Visits in the records
- 43,539
- Had at least one rule cited
- 92%
- Median cited rules per daycare
- 9
How it works
How daycare inspections work in North Carolina
The North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education licenses child care centers and family child care homes and inspects them. Visits come without notice, and the records list each visit along with the rules found out of compliance.
North Carolina lists visits with no findings as well, so a daycare's record shows every visit, not only the ones with problems. The state also records when a cited rule was corrected, though only 23% of the cited rules in these records have a correction noted.
- Who inspects: North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education.
- Routine visits: North Carolina reported inspecting licensed centers twice a year, without notice (national survey of state licensing agencies, 2017).
- Visits in the records since October 2023: 43,538 inspections, 1 follow-up visits, at 5,036 daycares (4,064 centers and 972 home daycares).
- Records on each listing go back to: 2023.
How common
How often inspectors cite a rule
- of the 5,036 daycares visited had at least one rule cited
- 92%
- cited rules for the middle daycare over three years
- 9
- of cited rules have a correction on record
- 23%
These figures describe North Carolina's own inspection records since October 2023. States write and cite their rules in different ways, so a figure here cannot be compared with another state's. A cited rule is one finding at one visit, not a rating of a daycare.
What gets cited
What North Carolina's cited rules are about
Share of the 65,115 rules cited since October 2023, sorted into plain groups.
Records and paperwork rules are the largest group, at 19.6% of everything North Carolina inspectors cited, and they reached 68% of the daycares visited. These are things like drill logs, posted plans and staff files: worth a question, but usually not a sign a child was in danger.
Staff training (16.1%), health (15.8%) and safety (15.6%) come next, and each reached about 60% or more of daycares. Supervision and ratio rules are a small share of citations in North Carolina (4.3%), but they still reached 29% of the daycares visited.
Most cited
The rule areas North Carolina cites most
Ordered by how many daycares had the rule cited since October 2023. The wording is the state's rule; no daycare is named here.
- Safety and hazards1,286 daycares (25.5% of those visited)
Cleaning products and chemicals out of children's reach
The state's rule: All corrosive agents, pesticides, bleaches, detergents, cleansers, polishes, any product which is under pressure in an aerosol dispenser, and any substance which may be hazardous to a child if ingested, inhaled, or handl
Bleach, detergents, pesticides, aerosol sprays and anything harmful if swallowed, breathed in or touched must be stored where children cannot get to them. A citation means an inspector found such a product within reach or stored the wrong way.
Ask on a tour: Where are cleaning products and sprays kept in my child's room, and are they locked?
- Staff training and qualifications1,225 daycares (24.3% of those visited)
First aid training for every staff member
The state's rule: All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the
All staff must hold a current first aid certificate suited to the ages of the children they care for, from an approved trainer, with proof on file. A citation means a staff member's certificate was missing, out of date or not on record.
Ask on a tour: Do all the teachers in my child's room have current first aid training?
- Staff training and qualifications1,181 daycares (23.5% of those visited)
CPR training for every staff member
The state's rule: All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in t
All staff must complete CPR training for the ages in their care, from an approved trainer, with proof kept at the center. A citation means someone's CPR certification was missing or had lapsed when the inspector checked.
Ask on a tour: How many staff on site right now hold current infant and child CPR?
- Safety and hazards1,065 daycares (21.1% of those visited)
A safe indoor and outdoor space
The state's rule: A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children.
The daycare must keep its rooms and outdoor areas safe for children. North Carolina uses this rule for many hazards, from broken equipment and trip hazards to unsafe items left where children play.
Ask on a tour: Can I see the playground and the rooms my child would use?
- Safety and hazards951 daycares (18.9% of those visited)
A yearly fire inspection
The state's rule: Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provi
A daycare must have a fire inspection within 12 months of the last one and send the approved report to the state shortly after. A citation can mean the inspection was overdue or the report was not sent in time.
Ask on a tour: When was your last fire inspection, and can I see the report?
- Records and paperwork905 daycares (18% of those visited)
Lockdown and shelter-in-place drills
The state's rule: Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete.
Daycares must practice shelter-in-place or lockdown drills every three months and keep a complete record of each one. A citation means a drill was missed or the log was incomplete.
Ask on a tour: When did you last practice a lockdown drill, and what do the children do?
- Staff training and qualifications890 daycares (17.7% of those visited)
Training to spot and report child abuse
The state's rule: The child care administrator and all staff did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment.
The administrator and all staff must complete training on recognizing and responding to suspected child maltreatment soon after they are hired. A citation means one or more staff had not finished it in time.
Ask on a tour: What training do your staff have on spotting and reporting abuse or neglect?
- Discipline and child guidance838 daycares (16.6% of those visited)
A posted activity plan for each group
The state's rule: A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference.
Each group of children must have a current activity plan posted where staff and parents can see it. A citation means the plan was missing or out of date; it is about planning, not a danger in the room.
Ask on a tour: Can I see this week's activity plan for my child's group?
On the tour
What to ask when you visit
Training rules are cited at a large share of North Carolina daycares, so ask how many staff in your child's room hold current CPR and first aid, and how the center tracks renewals. Then look around the room for cleaning products and sprays, since storage of hazards is the rule cited at the most daycares here.
Ask too about drills and plans: when the last lockdown drill was, and whether you can see the posted activity plan for your child's group. If something on the daycare's record concerns you, ask the director what happened and what changed.
The full tour checklist for North Carolina puts these questions on one printable page.
On each listing
How to read a daycare's record
Each North Carolina listing on DaycarePal shows the visits the state made to that daycare, the rules cited at each one and, where the state recorded it, when a cited rule was corrected. With 9 cited rules for the middle daycare over three years, a handful of paperwork or training citations is common.
Look at which rules were cited and when. A missing drill log from two years ago says little about today; a hazard or supervision rule cited at the last two visits says more. If something on the record worries you, bring it up on the tour and listen to how the director explains it.
More detail: how to read a daycare inspection report. Find a daycare's record on its listing from daycares in North Carolina, or search the state's records.
Questions
Questions about North Carolina daycare inspections
How often are North Carolina daycares inspected?
North Carolina reported inspecting licensed centers twice a year, without notice, in a 2017 national survey of state licensing agencies. Since October 2023, the state made 43,539 visits to the 5,036 daycares listed here.
How do I look up a North Carolina daycare's inspection report?
Open the daycare's listing on DaycarePal and go to its inspection section, or search the North Carolina child care records by name, county or ZIP code.
How many cited rules does a typical North Carolina daycare have?
The middle North Carolina daycare had 9 cited rules over three years, and records, staff training and health rules make up about half of all citations. Look at what was cited rather than the count alone.
Does a cited rule mean a daycare is unsafe?
No. A cited rule is one finding at one visit, and 92% of the North Carolina daycares inspectors visited had at least one. Look at the kind of rule, how recent it is and whether it was corrected.
Can I compare North Carolina's numbers with another state's?
No. Each state sets its own rules and records citations its own way, so North Carolina counts do not line up with counts elsewhere. Compare North Carolina daycares with each other instead.
Source: North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education, inspection records October 2023 to October 2026, for the daycares listed on DaycarePal. Inspection schedule: National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations (ACF), from a 2017 survey of state licensing agencies.