Open For Business

LARA (The MI Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs), and its partners the City of Detroit and Hope Starts Here, are committed to the availability of quality child care and are looking to support people interested in opening any of the following childcare businesses:

• Family Home Care - Home-based childcare for 1-6 unrelated children for less than 24 hours a day
• Group Home Care - Home-based childcare for 1-12 unrelated children for less than 24 hours/day (requires conditional land use hearing, fees)
• Child Care Center - A facility in a commercial building that cares for 1 or more children under the age of 13 for more than 2 weeks in a row.

Learn about the 5 phases to opening any of these childcare businesses in Detroit at our Licensing Fairs! We’re holding fairs at two different times and locations for your convenience. Fairs will also have free childcare onsite and the Wayne Health Mobile Unit onsite providing COVID-19 vaccinations.

At these fairs, you will:

• Hear about what to consider before deciding what type of child care business to open.
• Map a journey designed to help get your business to the finish line. Each map has its own licensing and permitting path that includes different timelines, stakeholders, fees, and paperwork.
• Obtain licensing, permitting, and opening information specific to child care businesses by leveraging the city's Open for Business Guide. This guide provides direction with additional details on the LARA process.
• Gain a variety of support once you’ve become licensed – including up to $750 reimbursed for compliance startup costs for new businesses, free Hot Spots (with an AT&T contract), free radon test kits, free background checks, and free professional development.