Licensed daycare in California, near you
10,350 centers and 11,622 family child care homes from the state licensing records, with capacity, license status and visit history.
Popular cities
All 260 citiesKinds of licensed care
Compare themChild care centers
Preschool-age care in a center, often with separate rooms by age.
Infant centers
Licensed for babies and toddlers under two.
School-age centers
Before- and after-school and summer programs.
Family child care homes
Small groups in the provider's home, up to 8 or 14 children.
Read a license record in three steps
Full guideFind the facility number
It is on every center page here and on the official Care Facility Search.
Check the status
Licensed, or On Probation. We list both and say which one applies.
Open the visits
Inspection and complaint visits, citations and reports, as CDSS publishes them.
Turning four by September 1?
Transitional kindergarten is free for every four-year-old in a California public school. It may change the care you need next year.
How TK worksfree
Daycare by city
All citiesQuestions
How many licensed daycares are there in California?
The CDSS Community Care Licensing data of November 6, 2026 lists 13,263 licensed child care centers (including infant and school-age centers) and 14,925 family child care homes with status Licensed or On Probation.
How do I check if a California daycare is licensed?
Look up its facility number on the CDSS Care Facility Search. Every center page on this site shows the facility number, status, capacity, last visit and citations, with a link to the official record.
Who qualifies for free TK in California?
Since 2025–26, every child who turns four on or before September 1 can attend transitional kindergarten at a public school, free of charge.
Can I get help paying for child care in California?
Yes. CalWORKs Child Care, the Alternative Payment Program, General Child Care and Migrant Child Care serve families with income at or below 85% of the state median income and children under 13. State Preschool serves ages 3 and 4.
Is this the official California daycare search?
No. It is an independent guide built from CDSS public data. The official tool is the CDSS Care Facility Search.
Facilities: CDSS Community Care Licensing Division, Care Facility Search data download (November 6, 2026). TK: California Department of Education. Independent guide, not a government website.