NOTICE: Changes to Denver Child Care Licensing Requirements Effective July 17, 2026, the City and County of Denver no longer requires a local child care business license to operate a child care center or child care home. This change follows a Denver City Council ordinance that aligns Denver's licensing requirements with Colorado state law. Child care providers must still maintain a valid state child care license issued by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. As part of the state licensing process, providers are still required to obtain applicable local approvals from Denver agencies, including the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment, the Denver Fire Department, and the Denver Department of Community Planning and Development. Please explore the information below to learn more about DDPHE's role in the local approval process for state child care licensing.
DDPHE’s Child Care Inspections Program conducts health inspections for licensed child care facilities in the City and County of Denver to ensure children are cared for in healthy and safe environments. To inquire about health and sanitation requirements or to schedule a health inspection, please contact us at PHIComments@denvergov.org.
View the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Regulations for the Health and Sanitation of Child Care Facilities.
The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) responds to communicable disease outbreaks in all school and child care settings. If your facility is experiencing an increase in staff and student illness, above your normal baseline, please contact the DDPHE Epidemiology and Disease Intervention team. You can report suspected outbreaks or increases in illness to DDPHE, even if there is no confirmatory testing or diagnosis. An epidemiologist will connect with you to share resources, provide disease specific control measures, and work with you to monitor the course of the outbreak.