Child Development and Care
Michigan child care subsidy. Administered by: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP)
Michigan has 7,700 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 735 cities. Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau 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 27, 2026 · Source: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →
Centers and homes listed per city, of 7,700 in Michigan.
All 735 Michigan citiesJump to a letter, or open a group below.
A facility other than a private residence that cares for one or more children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day while parents are not immediately available. It includes day care centers, nursery schools, preschools and before- or after-school programs. Source: MCL §722.111, Michigan Child Care Organizations Act (opens in a new tab)
A private home where one to six children are cared for, for less than 24 hours a day, without a parent or legal guardian present. Children related to an adult household member are not counted. Source: MCL §722.111, Michigan Child Care Organizations Act (opens in a new tab)
A private home where more than six but not more than twelve children are cared for, for less than 24 hours a day, without a parent or legal guardian present. Children related to an adult household member are not counted. Source: MCL §722.111, Michigan Child Care Organizations Act (opens in a new tab)
| Age | Staff : children | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 0–29 months | 1:4 | Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8222(4)(a) (opens in a new tab) |
| 30–35 months | 1:8 | Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8222(4)(b) (opens in a new tab) |
| 3 years | 1:10 | Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8222(4)(c) (opens in a new tab) |
| 4 years | 1:12 | Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8222(4)(d) (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.
Open Child Care Hub Information Records Portal (opens in a new tab) and look the center up by name and city. Confirm the license type and that its status is active.
Open the center’s record and read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for it.
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.
Each Clear Day center page in Michigan links to that center’s state record when the state publishes one, so step 3 starts one click from step 1.
Michigan child care subsidy. Administered by: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP)
Michigan pre-K. Administered by: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP)
Federal programs for families with low incomes, from pregnancy through age five.
100%accept Head Start151 of 151 centers reporting
100%accept Early Head Start66 of 66 centers reporting
Michigan has 7,700 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 735 cities. Detroit has the most, with 505, followed by Grand Rapids (276) and Saginaw (172).
For children 0–29 months in licensed child care centers, Michigan allows up to 4 children per staff member, a ratio of 1:4 under Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8222(4)(a). For 30–35 months it is 1:8. The full table is on this page.
Look the center up in Child Care Hub Information Records Portal, 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.
Yes. Michigan's child care subsidy program is Child Development and Care. Public pre-K is a separate option: Great Start Readiness Program.
Great Start to Quality is Michigan's quality rating program for child care. The ratings are the state's. Clear Day does not rate or review centers.
Center records come from Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau public records. Every share on the page names the number of centers it is counted over, and the methodology page explains how.
The state records on this page were last imported October 27, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.
Tap Save on centers in any of Michigan’s 735 city lists as you go.A free Clear Day Family account keeps that shortlist on every device, with tour notes for each center, so the one you saw Tuesday doesn’t blur into Thursday’s.
Free. Sign in with a code we email you. On the web now, iPhone and Android apps coming soon.
Your center is already listed here, built from state records. Claim it free and get a free enrollment website built from your listing.
Michigan is one of 36 states in the directory: 174,936 centers and homes across 14,123 cities. Each state has its own guide with its own rules, agency and license lookup.
Center records come from Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of Michigan centers it is counted over. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Clear Day does not rate, rank or review centers.
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 Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.
Data updated Oct 27, 2026 · Source: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau public records · Michigan license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →