Texas has 15,889 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 845 cities, with about 1.2 million licensed seats at the 15,188 centers that report capacity. Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation handles licensing. Ratios and rules here are quoted from Texas Administrative Code, Title 26, Chapter 746 (Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers). This guide covers the rules that apply, how to check a license, quality ratings, how subsidy works, and how to find a center in your city.
Data updated October 30, 2026 · Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →
Centers and homes listed per city, of 15,889 in Texas.
All 845 Texas citiesJump to a letter, or open a group below.
Care for seven or more children ages 13 or younger, for less than 24 hours a day, at a location other than the license holder's home. Source: Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation (opens in a new tab)
Care in the caregiver's home for up to six unrelated children ages 13 or younger during school hours, plus up to six more school-age children after school. No more than 12 children can be in care at once. Source: Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation (opens in a new tab)
Care in the primary caregiver's home for seven to 12 children ages 13 or younger. Source: Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation (opens in a new tab)
Care in the caregiver's home for up to three unrelated children. The state lists these homes; it is a listing, not a license or registration. Source: Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation (opens in a new tab)
Residential care, not day care: 24-hour care and supervision for seven or more children ages 17 and younger. Source: Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation (opens in a new tab)
An organization that places children, or plans their placement, in foster care, adoption, or other residential child care settings. It is not a place where children are cared for during the day. Source: Texas Health and Human Services, Child Care Regulation (opens in a new tab)
| Age | Staff : children | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 0–11 months | 1:4 | 26 TAC §746.1601 (0-11 months); group size §746.1609 (opens in a new tab) |
| 12–17 months | 1:5 | 26 TAC §746.1601 (12-17 months); group size §746.1609 (opens in a new tab) |
| 18–23 months | 1:9 | 26 TAC §746.1601 (18-23 months); group size §746.1609 (opens in a new tab) |
| 2 years | 1:11 | 26 TAC §746.1601 (2 years); group size §746.1609 (opens in a new tab) |
| 3 years | 1:15 | 26 TAC §746.1601 (3 years); group size §746.1609 (opens in a new tab) |
| 4 years | 1:18 | 26 TAC §746.1601 (4 years); group size §746.1609 (opens in a new tab) |
| 5 years | 1:22 | 26 TAC §746.1601 (5 years); group size §746.1609 (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 Search Texas 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.
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 Texaslinks to that center’s state record when the state publishes one, so step 3 starts one click from step 1.
Texas Rising Star (opens in a new tab) is Texas’s own quality rating program for child care. The level a center holds comes from the state.
This is the state’s rating, shown as the state’s. Clear Day does not rate or review centers.
Share of 15,192 Texas centers in the directory, by Texas Rising Star level.
Texas child care subsidy. Administered by: Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), through local Workforce Development Boards
40%are current subsidy providers6,132 of 15,190 centers reporting
About Child Care Services child care scholarships (opens in a new tab)
Texas pre-K. Administered by: Texas Education Agency (TEA); enrollment is through school districts and charters
Federal programs for families with low incomes, from pregnancy through age five.
99%accept Head Start160 of 161 centers reporting
99%accept Early Head Start144 of 145 centers reporting
centers have at least one inspection on record
Each state records inspections its own way, so compare a center with others in the same state.
Texas has 15,889 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 845 cities. Houston has the most, with 1,680, followed by San Antonio (812) and Austin (624).
For children 0–11 months in licensed child care centers, Texas allows up to 4 children per staff member, a ratio of 1:4 under 26 TAC §746.1601 (0-11 months); group size §746.1609. For 12–17 months it is 1:5. The full table is on this page.
Look the center up in Search Texas 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.
Yes. Texas's child care subsidy program is Child Care Services (CCS) child care scholarships. 6,132 of the 15,190 centers in our directory that report subsidy status (40%) are current providers. Public pre-K is a separate option: Texas public prekindergarten.
Texas Rising Star is Texas's quality rating program for child care. 5,492 of 15,192 centers in the Clear Day directory carry a rating. The ratings are the state's. Clear Day does not rate or review centers.
Center records come from Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation 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 30, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.
Your center is already listed here, built from state records. Claim it free and get a free enrollment website built from your listing.
Texas is one of 36 states in the directory: 174,784 centers and homes across 14,127 cities. Each state has its own guide with its own rules, agency and license lookup.
Center records come from Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of Texas centers it is counted over. Requirements are quoted from Texas Administrative Code, Title 26, Chapter 746 (Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers) and cited beside each one. 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 Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.
Data updated Oct 30, 2026 · Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation public records · Texas license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →