In short
- Permit fees in the Handbook table: application $20 (listed) or $35 (registered, licensed), and an annual fee of $20, $35 or $35 plus $1 per unit of capacity (licensed).
- Each background check costs the operation $2. Fingerprints are extra: $40 for a paid position, $38 for an unpaid one.
- The licensed home numbers are a closest match: the Handbook table has no licensed-home column.
- Do not pay any fee until CCR contacts you with your operation number and sends an invoice.
On this page
This Texas home child care permit fee calculator adds up the fees HHSC Child Care Regulation (CCR) lists for a listed, registered or licensed child-care home. It uses the Child Care Regulation Handbook fee table and HHSC's background check pages, as we read them on 25 October 2026. Confirm every amount with CCR before you pay.
| Line | How it is figured | Amount |
|---|
Confirm with CCR before you pay. Do not pay any fee until CCR contacts you with your operation number and sends an invoice. The licensed column is the Handbook's closest match, not a licensed-home column, so your invoice may differ. The Handbook's own introduction mentions a $1 background check fee; its table and HHSC's fees page say $2, and we use $2. This is not legal advice.
The fee table the calculator uses
From Child Care Regulation Handbook Section 5210, read 25 October 2026. The licensed column is labelled by the Handbook as licensed operations.
| Fee | Listed | Registered | Licensed (closest match) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | $20 | $35 | $35 |
| Initial license | N/A | N/A | $35 |
| Full license | N/A | N/A | $35 + $1 per unit of capacity |
| Annual | $20 | $35 | $35 + $1 per unit of capacity |
| Background check | $2 each | $2 each | $2 each |
Not in the calculator total: an initial license renewal ($35, licensed) and a capacity increase ($1 per unit added, licensed). Neither applies to most first-year budgets.
What the total leaves out
- The pre-application class. Required for registered and licensed homes, optional for listed. We do not know its price: the HHSC scheduling page could not be read when the source guide was prepared.
- Liability insurance. Proof of coverage is required before a permit is issued. The registered and licensed standard describes $300,000 for each occurrence. The premium depends on your insurer, so get a quote.
- Training and certificates. Registered and licensed caregivers need current pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR and proof of the listed training topics. Course prices are not in our sources.
- Safety items and furnishings. What you add after reading the standards. Your cost depends on your home.
- Local costs. City zoning, home-business and fire rules, and any HOA or lease limits are separate from HHSC.
- Later invoices. The book states no late-fee amount, but an unpaid invoice can stop CCR from accepting an application or issuing, amending or renewing a permit.
Listed, registered and licensed homes side by side
| What | Listed | Registered | Licensed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children in care | Up to 3 unrelated | Up to 6 unrelated in school hours, plus up to 6 school-age after school | 7 to 12 |
| Total at once | Up to 12 incl. related | No more than 12 incl. related | No more than 12 incl. related |
| Inspections | Not routinely inspected; inspected after certain reports | At least one unannounced every 1 to 2 years | At least one unannounced per year |
| Pre-application class | Optional | Required, certificate within 1 year before applying | Required, certificate within 1 year before applying |
| Caregiver age | At least 18 | At least 21 (narrow exception) | At least 21 |
| Standards | 26 TAC Chapter 742 | 26 TAC Chapter 747 | 26 TAC Chapter 747 |
When each fee is due
- Wait for the call and the invoice
After you submit the eApplication, HHSC says not to pay fees until CCR contacts you with your operation number and sends an invoice.
- Application fee
Due before Licensing accepts the application; invoiced when the eApplication is submitted or CCR first saves it.
- Initial and full license fees (licensed)
The initial fee is invoiced after the application inspection and eligibility determination. The full license fee is due before a full license is issued; an initial license is valid six months.
- Background check fees
$2 per check submitted, invoiced quarterly. Fingerprints are paid by each person at the IdentoGO appointment.
- Annual fee
Due by the anniversary of permit issuance, invoiced 35 days before.
Application, annual and background check fees are nonrefundable. Fingerprint amounts are built from a DPS fee, an FBI fee and a $10 vendor fee, and the HHSC page shows no effective date, so confirm when you schedule.
Official sources to check
- CCR Handbook, 5200 Fees, the fee table behind the calculator.
- HHSC Background Check Fees, the $2 check and fingerprint amounts.
- Become a Child Care Home Provider, the HHSC application steps.
- HHSC Fingerprinting, the IdentoGO steps.
Next: find your type with the Texas child care license type checker, then follow the Texas child care license checklist.
Not legal advice. This page does arithmetic on fees published by HHSC. Your type, capacity and invoice are decided by CCR.
Frequently asked questions
Who sets these fees?
HHSC Child Care Regulation (CCR). The amounts here come from the CCR Handbook fee table (Section 5210) as we read it on 25 October 2026, plus HHSC's Background Check Fees page for the $2 check and the fingerprint amounts. HHSC's home provider page lists no amounts, so confirm with CCR.
Why is the licensed home column marked as a closest match?
The Handbook fee table has no separate column for licensed child-care homes. The licensed operations column is the closest match, so the licensed numbers are an estimate. Ask CCR what your invoice will be.
Is the background check fee $1 or $2?
$2. The Handbook's introduction to its fees section mentions a $1 per background check fee, but its own table and HHSC's Background Check Fees page both say $2. The calculator uses $2. Confirm with CCR.
When do I pay?
Do not pay any fee until CCR contacts you with your operation number and sends an invoice. Per the Handbook, application fees are invoiced when the eApplication is submitted, the annual fee is invoiced 35 days before the anniversary of permit issuance, and background check fees are invoiced quarterly. Fingerprint fees are paid by the person to the vendor at the appointment.
Are the fees refundable?
Application, annual and background check fees are nonrefundable. Initial license fees are refundable if the application is withdrawn or the initial license is not issued, and full license fees are refundable if the initial license expires without a full license being issued.
Can any home skip the fees?
The Handbook says certain listed homes that care only for related children in the child's own home can be exempt from all fees when HHSC receives a Texas Workforce Commission Listed Home Fee Waiver Authorization certificate. Ask CCR if that is your situation.
What does the pre-application class cost?
We do not know. The HHSC scheduling page could not be read when the source guide was prepared, so format, price and schedule are unstated. Open the HHSC class page and write down what it shows today.