Delaware state guide

Childcare centers in Delaware

Delaware has 1,267 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 46 cities, with about 71,000 licensed seats at the 1,267 centers that report capacity. Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing handles licensing. This guide covers the rules that apply, how to check a license, how subsidy works, and how to find a center in your city.

Data updated October 31, 2026 · Source: Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →

Largest cities for childcare in Delaware

Ranked by centers and homes on file. Each city page lists every center in that city.
  1. Wilmington324 centers and homes
  2. Newark147 centers and homes
  3. Dover111 centers and homes
  4. New Castle104 centers and homes
  5. Bear72 centers and homes
  6. Middletown70 centers and homes
Show 6 more
  1. Seaford49 centers and homes
  2. Smyrna36 centers and homes
  3. Georgetown30 centers and homes
  4. Milford28 centers and homes
  5. Millsboro24 centers and homes
  6. Laurel22 centers and homes

Centers and homes listed per city, of 1,267 in Delaware.

All 46 Delaware cities

All 46 cities in Delaware, A to Z

Jump to a letter, or open a group below.

B · 4 cities

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C · 5 cities

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D · 4 cities

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E · 1 city

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F · 4 cities

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G · 2 cities

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H · 5 cities

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L · 4 cities

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M · 5 cities

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N · 3 cities

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O · 2 cities

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R · 1 city

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S · 3 cities

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T · 1 city

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W · 2 cities

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Delaware childcare centers by county

3 Delaware counties have licensed centers or homes on file, ranked here by how many. New Castle County has the most, with 787 centers and homes.
  1. New Castle County787 centers and homes
  2. Sussex County253 centers and homes
  3. Kent County227 centers and homes

License types in Delaware

Delaware’s licensing records use these categories. Each listing shows which one applies.

Delaware child care ratios

Delaware sets a maximum number of children per staff member for each age in licensed child care centers. Each row cites the regulation it comes from.
Delaware ratios by age
Maximum children per staff member in licensed child care centers, by age, under 14 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.A
AgeStaff : childrenRule
0–11 months1:414 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.A (opens in a new tab)
12–23 months1:614 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.A (opens in a new tab)
2 years1:814 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.A (opens in a new tab)
3 years1:1014 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.A (opens in a new tab)
4–5 years1:1214 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.A (opens in a new tab)

These are the state’s minimums for licensed child care centers, and a center can staff richer. Read the linked rule text before relying on a figure: regulations change.

How to check a daycare license in Delaware

Every licensed center in Delaware has a public record with Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing. Here is how to read it.

  1. Search the state’s site

    Open Search for Licensed Child Care (opens in a new tab) and look the center up by name and city. Confirm the license type and that its status is active.

  2. Read the inspection information

    Open the center’s record and read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for it.

  3. Compare with Clear Day’s center page

    Our page shows the license type and capacity next to the hours and programs the center lists, so you can weigh the state’s record beside what the center offers.

Search for Licensed Child Care (opens in a new tab)

Each Clear Day center page in Delawarelinks to that center’s state record when the state publishes one, so step 3 starts one click from step 1.

Paying for childcare in Delaware

These programs help Delaware families pay for care. Which one fits depends on income, your child’s age and where you live.

Purchase of Care (POC)

Delaware child care subsidy. Administered by: Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Social Services (DSS)

84%are current subsidy providers970 of 1,151 centers reporting

About Purchase of Care (opens in a new tab)

Head Start and Early Head Start

Federal programs for families with low incomes, from pregnancy through age five.

100%accept Early Head Start7 of 7 centers reporting

Head Start locator (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions about childcare in Delaware

Answers use the numbers on this page, as of October 31, 2026.
How many childcare centers are in Delaware?

Delaware has 1,267 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 46 cities. Wilmington has the most, with 324, followed by Newark (147) and Dover (111).

What is the child-to-staff ratio for infants in Delaware?

For children 0–11 months in licensed child care centers, Delaware allows up to 4 children per staff member, a ratio of 1:4 under 14 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.A. For 12–23 months it is 1:6. The full table is on this page.

How do I check if a daycare is licensed in Delaware?

Look the center up in Search for Licensed Child Care, the state's public license lookup. Confirm the license is active, then read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for that center. Clear Day center pages link to the state's record for that center when the state publishes one.

Does Delaware help pay for childcare?

Yes. Delaware's child care subsidy program is Purchase of Care (POC). 970 of the 1,151 centers in our directory that report subsidy status (84%) are current providers. Public pre-K is a separate option: Early Childhood Assistance Program.

What is Delaware Stars for Early Success?

Delaware Stars for Early Success is Delaware's quality rating program for child care. The ratings are the state's. Clear Day does not rate or review centers.

Where does this data come from?

Center records come from Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing public records. Every share on the page names the number of centers it is counted over, and the methodology page explains how.

When was this data last updated?

The state records on this page were last imported October 31, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.

How we compile the data →

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Other state guides

Delaware is one of 36 states in the directory: 174,784 centers and homes across 14,128 cities. Each state has its own guide with its own rules, agency and license lookup.

Where this data comes from

Center records come from Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of Delaware centers it is counted over. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Clear Day does not rate, rank or review centers.

Read the full methodology →

Last updated
October 31, 2026
Agency
Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (opens in a new tab)

This information is sourced from public records and may be incomplete or out of date. For the most current and accurate details, please verify directly with Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.

Data updated Oct 31, 2026 · Source: Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing public records · Delaware license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →