Child Care Licensing

Children's Centers 

Pinellas County licenses and regulates over 400 children's centers. Children two months of age through school age children attend centers providing early care and education and school age activities. Children may be in attendance each day for up to 12 hours. Although overnight care is not permitted in Pinellas County children's centers, a Family Child Care Home can provide that service. Unique to Pinellas County, children's centers are regulated by category which includes:

• a day nursery or a day nursery that may be licensed as:
  • a drop in care center
  • an indoor recreational facility
  • a teenage parenting program
  • specialized children's centers for mildly ill children
• nursery school
• school age center
• religiously exempt from licensure
• non-public pre-kindergarten program
•  
• Children's Centers Forms

Procedure to Open a Children's Center 

Download the procedure to open a Children's Center

To open a children's center, call 727-507-4857.

Technical assistance and consultation are provided in the form of individual conferences, on site inspections, written material and group training.

Child Care Resource and Referral of Pinellas 

Child Care Resource and Referral services are provided by the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County. To access these services a parent can call (727) 400-4411 or they can access services electronically at any time through the following link: https://elcpinellas.net/for-families/child-care-resources-and-referrals/

The public can review a children's center licensing history (file review) by appointment at the PCLB office or by accessing Inspection Reports for Centers and Homes.

Training Available for Early Childhood Professionals 

The Early Learning Coalition offers a wide variety of training opportunities.

Access the 40-Hour Introductory Child Care Training for schedule and registration information.