Minnesota state guide

Childcare centers in Minnesota

Name: Licensed childcare centers in Minnesota
Creator: Clear Day

Minnesota has 7,814 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 649 cities. Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families 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 November 9, 2026 · Source: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →

Largest cities for childcare in Minnesota

Ranked by centers and homes on file. Each city page lists every center in that city.

Show 6 more

Centers and homes listed per city, of 7,814 in Minnesota.

All 649 Minnesota cities

All 649 cities in Minnesota, A to Z

Jump to a letter, or open a group below.

License types in Minnesota

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

Family child care
5,420 listings
Care in a residence outside the child's own home. Family day care is for no more than ten children at one time, no more than six of them under school age, and group family day care is for no more than 14. Source: Minn. R. 9502.0315, MN Department of Human Services (opens in a new tab)
Child care center
1,792 listings
A facility, other than a family or group family day care home, where a child care program is run for children 12 years old or younger. Source: Minn. R. 9503.0005, MN Department of Human Services (opens in a new tab)

Minnesota child care ratios

Minnesota 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.

Minnesota ratios by age

Maximum children per staff member in licensed child care centers, by age, under Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 1
Age	Staff : children	Rule
0–15 months	1:4	Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 1 (opens in a new tab)
16–32 months	1:7	Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 1 (opens in a new tab)
33–59 months	1:10	Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 1 (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 Minnesota

Every licensed center in Minnesota has a public record with Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Here is how to read it.

Search the state’s site
Open Licensing Information Lookup (opens in a new tab) and look the center up by name and city. Confirm the license type and that its status is active.
Read the inspection information
Open the center’s record and read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for it.
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.

Open Licensing Information Lookup

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

Paying for childcare in Minnesota

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

Child Care Assistance Program

Minnesota child care subsidy. Administered by: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families

About Child Care Assistance Program (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 Head Start39 of 39 centers reporting

100%accept Early Head Start28 of 28 centers reporting

Head Start locator (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions about childcare in Minnesota

Answers use the numbers on this page, as of November 9, 2026.

How many childcare centers are in Minnesota?

Minnesota has 7,814 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 649 cities. Minneapolis has the most, with 383, followed by Saint Paul (287) and Rochester (227).

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

For children 0–15 months in licensed child care centers, Minnesota allows up to 4 children per staff member, a ratio of 1:4 under Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 1. For 16–32 months it is 1:7. The full table is on this page.

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

Look the center up in Licensing Information Lookup, 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 Minnesota help pay for childcare?

Yes. Minnesota's child care subsidy program is Child Care Assistance Program.

What is Parent Aware?

Parent Aware is Minnesota'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 Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families 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 November 9, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.

How we compile the data →

Clear Day Family

Making a shortlist in Minnesota?

Tap Save on centers in any of Minnesota’s 649 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.

Start free What is Clear Day Family?

Free. Sign in with a code we email you. On the web now, iPhone and Android apps coming soon.

Before you tour: what to ask, and why

For center directors

Run a center in Minnesota?

Your center is already listed here, built from state records. Claim it free and get a free enrollment website built from your listing.

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What claiming gets you

Your licensing record, linked to a free Clear Day account
A free website, built from your listing
A demo of Clear Day whenever you want one

Other state guides

Minnesota 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.

Where this data comes from

Center records come from Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of Minnesota 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: November 9, 2026
Agency: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (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 Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.

Data updated Nov 9, 2026 · Source: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families public records · Minnesota license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →

Childcare centers in Minnesota

Largest cities for childcare in Minnesota

All 649 cities in Minnesota, A to Z

A · 29 cities

B · 59 cities

C · 55 cities

D · 23 cities

E · 29 cities

F · 23 cities

G · 32 cities

H · 43 cities

I · 7 cities

J · 4 cities

K · 12 cities

L · 42 cities

M · 53 cities

N · 25 cities

O · 17 cities

P · 25 cities

R · 32 cities

S · 61 cities

T · 15 cities

U · 3 cities

V · 11 cities

W · 46 cities

Z · 3 cities

License types in Minnesota

Family child care