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State Exemption for Military-Certified Family Child Care Homes

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Key Message

In many cases, in-home childcare providers certified by the military and who live off a military installation must also be licensed by the state, even when only caring for eligible military children. By exempting in-home childcare providers certified by the military from state licensure requirements, states can improve access to family childcare for military families.

Analysis

By exempting Family Child Care providers from licensure and registration that is duplicative of the certification they receive from the military services, states enhance the quality of life and economic security of both the providers and military families seeking qualified childcare options.

Insights

There were 847 certified Family Child Care providers as of December 2025. The military services are seeking to increase the number of providers to help meet the childcare demands of military communities.

Supporting Resources

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