Licensed Or Not? (Legally, Of Course)

[Beach Baby]

If you are unlicensed (legally), what made you decide to not get licensed? I live in PA and have the option of remaining unlicensed. Right now, 3 kids or less suits me just fine. Once I am finished with school, I may want to take on more kids (more income). What have you found to be some of the cons to being licensed? Those who had the option to be unlicensed but chose to be licensed, what were your main motivators?

[AfterSchoolMom]

I have a big problem with the state telling me what I can and cannot do or have in my own home and with my own children. I would'nt want to keep even as many as I'm legally allowed to have anyway, so it works out. Plus, in my case it would end up being VERY expensive.

[Beach Baby]

That's one of my issues as well. Why would it end up being very expensive for you to be licensed? I could be licensed for up to 6 kids as opposed to 3 unlicensed. Not sure I would take that many, but it would be nice to have the option to take more and make more money if I wanted to. On the other hand, it is nice to have a small group and to not have anyone telling me what to do in my own home. I do follow most, if not all, of the regulations anyway, so maybe it would be worth getting licensed? Most people are low income here and by being licensed I could take on subsidy clients, but from what I've been reading, it may not be worth it!

[JenNJ]

I am legally unlicensed. I chose this for a few reasons:

1. I do NOT want my address and phone number to be listed online or in the directory for my county. I feel it is unsafe for myself, my home, and my daycare children. I only advertise when I have space. Otherwise I remove my listings from websites. This means no naptime wake up calls and middle of the night phone calls which make my blood run cold.

2. I like having a flexible schedule. If we eat a little earlier, nap a little later, snack outside on a picnic blanket, or decide to go on a walk I don't want to get into "trouble" for not following the clock to the minute. I think flexibility in routine is one of the prime benefits of a small home based daycare. Being licensed would make my place more like a center.

3. I am happy with the size of my group. I don't need or want any more kids, so there would be no financial benefit of me becoming licensed.

4. I am happy knowing that parents did enough of their own research on me. They didn't just point to a name and assume I was "safe." They have inspected my daycare, myself, and my family. They are choosing me because of my program, personality, and track record.

[MarinaVanessa]

I'm in CA and here you're allowed to do license-exempt child care as long as either all of the children are somehow related to you or you only take care of the children of one families childrhilden (unrelated to you). We have no capacity limits for license-exempt care.

Before becoming licensed I did license-exempt care. It worked for me because I could do it while holding a part-time job or while going to school. Later as I worked more I mostly worked as a Nanny but eventually I just had to face the fact that I enjoyed child care WAY more than anything else I ever did. That's when I became licensed.

For me being licence-exempt meant that I could do it when I wanted and still have time to do anything else, I also didn't have to worry about unannounced visits, follow all of the regulations, I didn't have capacity limits, etc.

The plus side of being licensed is that I can earn a FT income and still make more than I ever did working FT anywhere else, I qualify for free trainings and workshops, I earn more income because of the food program, the tax deductions etc.

[JenNJ]

The plus side of being licensed is that I can earn a FT income and still make more than I ever did working FT anywhere else, I qualify for free trainings and workshops, I earn more income because of the food program, the tax deductions etc.

But remember that anyone operating legally, unlicensed or licensed, can claim work related deductions at tax time and use the Standard Meal Allowance Rates. You cannot be in the food program, but remember to take those deductions!!

[AfterSchoolMom]

That's one of my issues as well. Why would it end up being very expensive for you to be licensed?

I'd be required to fence in my yard, which we can't afford (we've looked into it, it'd be a couple of thousand dollars) and which my HOA won't approve.

[MarinaVanessa]

But remember that anyone operating legally, unlicensed or licensed, can claim work related deductions at tax time and use the Standard Meal Allowance Rates. You cannot be in the food program, but remember to take those deductions!!

Of course, I guess I meant to say that if you're licensed you get the extra income from the food program AND can also claim the standard meal allowance. That's twice the benefits. I just claim the money I get from the food program as other income.

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

I chose to be unlicensed for the following reasons:


1. I am allowed to have 6 kids NOT including my own.

2. I dont have to lock up my animals.

3. No suprise visits from anyone.

4. I refuse to pay those money grubbing licensing departments any of MY hard earned money.

[MarinaVanessa]

I chose to be unlicensed for the following reasons:


1. I am allowed to have 6 kids NOT including my own.

2. I dont have to lock up my animals.

3. No suprise visits from anyone.

4. I refuse to pay those money grubbing licensing departments any of MY hard earned money.

I suppose that the state you live in makes all of the difference. Using mrsp'slilpeeps quote as a reference and my state's regulations as an example I think it benefits people in CA more to become licensed than to work license-exempt.

In CA:
1. licensed small FCC can have 8 kids total (2 infants, 4 toddlers, 2 SA), large FCC can have up tp 14. License-exempt childcare doesn't have ratio limitations BUT they either ALL have to be somehow related to you OR you can only take care of one families kids whether the family has 1 or 12.

2. Pets are ok and we don't have to lock our pets up either no matter the breed (not even pitt-bulls). We'd have a harder time I think finding clients if we had "dangerous breeds" and some insurances won't give you liability insurance if you own a "dangerous breed" animal but licensing itself does not regulate against it unless you're dealing with aquariums or turtles (which simply have to have a lid). I've had exotic animals (like snakes, spiders and rodents) and they don't care.

3. We do have unnanounced visits, however potential clients feel better here about licensing being able to make surprise visits. It's actually a demand in my area (I had a harder time finding clients when I was licence-exempt. My clients then were family, friends or referrals from other clients).

4. Becoming licensed here is not expensive at all. I think I pay $65 a year to renew my license and the cost to renew my CPR certification every two-years. That's pretty much it. The norm around here is to have a background check and CPR certification and a clean TB test anyway whether you babysit, nanny, or work in a center or FCC anyway.

I've heard that in other state's the fees and regulations are REDICULOUS. I don't know that I'd be as willing to be licensed if I lived in one of these states even that knowing that CA has got a TON of regulations. Most are common sense anyway.

[SunshineMama]

I am legally unlicensed.

I don't want to have to do the mandated trainings that come up every so often, and deal with all of the red tape involved.

If I had a hard time getting business because I was unlicensed I would definitely get licensed, but right now it is just more trouble than it's worth, and business is good.

[JenNJ]

I am legally unlicensed.

I don't want to have to do the mandated trainings that come up every so often, and deal with all of the red tape involved.

If I had a hard time getting business because I was unlicensed I would definitely get licensed, but right now it is just more trouble than it's worth, and business is good.

I agree. I have it good right now, but if business slows I would RUN to get licensed.

[Greenplasticwateringcans]

I am not because of the very high cost. Some places in the US might be only a $35 reg fee but where I am the cost is atrocious and licensing codes are extremely strick.

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

I suppose that the state you live in makes all of the difference. Using mrsp'slilpeeps quote as a reference and my state's regulations as an example I think it benefits people in CA more to become licensed than to work license-exempt.

In CA:
1. licensed small FCC can have 8 kids total (2 infants, 4 toddlers, 2 SA), large FCC can have up tp 14. License-exempt childcare doesn't have ratio limitations BUT they either ALL have to be somehow related to you OR you can only take care of one families kids whether the family has 1 or 12.

2. Pets are ok and we don't have to lock our pets up either no matter the breed (not even pitt-bulls). We'd have a harder time I think finding clients if we had "dangerous breeds" and some insurances won't give you liability insurance if you own a "dangerous breed" animal but licensing itself does not regulate against it unless you're dealing with aquariums or turtles (which simply have to have a lid). I've had exotic animals (like snakes, spiders and rodents) and they don't care.

3. We do have unnanounced visits, however potential clients feel better here about licensing being able to make surprise visits. It's actually a demand in my area (I had a harder time finding clients when I was licence-exempt. My clients then were family, friends or referrals from other clients).

4. Becoming licensed here is not expensive at all. I think I pay $65 a year to renew my license and the cost to renew my CPR certification every two-years. That's pretty much it. The norm around here is to have a background check and CPR certification and a clean TB test anyway whether you babysit, nanny, or work in a center or FCC anyway.

I've heard that in other state's the fees and regulations are REDICULOUS. I don't know that I'd be as willing to be licensed if I lived in one of these states even that knowing that CA has got a TON of regulations. Most are common sense anyway.

To quote #4, the parents pay the licensing department, they keep alot of it, the I get paid through the dept.

At least thats how it was 8 yrs ago. Maybe it has changed.

But I live in Canada and its alot different than America too!

[saved4always]

I am allowed to have up to 6 children in care being unliscensed. I have no desire to have more than that. In fact, I don't have any desire to have more than 3 or 4 kids at a time. I get all of my families through word or mouth/referalls so I have never had my name or address out in public. I also have no desire to venture out in the world of government vouchers. I only want private paid. I follow all the safety rules, but I have no desire to have someone come into my home unannounced and tell me what to do. None of my parents I have ever interviewed with even asked me if I was liscensed so I am thinking it is not a deal-breaker in my area. They do ask if I do taxes, which I do. Many in my area do childcare "under the table" so being able to get the credit without any drama is a selling point for my home childcare business. It works for me and in my area not to be liscensed but I could see the necessity for liscensing in stricter areas, especially where you cannot care for many kids without one.