Washington state guide

Childcare centers in Washington

Washington has 2,581 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 247 cities, with about 175,000 licensed seats at the 2,526 centers that report capacity. Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families handles licensing. 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 13, 2026 · Source: Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →

Largest cities for childcare in Washington

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 2,581 in Washington.

All 247 Washington cities

All 247 cities in Washington, A to Z

Jump to a letter, or open a group below.

Washington childcare centers by county

37 Washington counties have licensed centers or homes on file, ranked here by how many. King County has the most, with 934 centers and homes.

All 37 Washington counties, A to Z

License types in Washington

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

Child care center
1,852 listings
Child care provided in a building or facility for groups of children from birth to age 13, for less than 24 hours a day. Source: WA Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), licensing overview (opens in a new tab)
School-age child care
646 listings
Child care for children ages 5 to 13, provided when they are not in school, for less than 24 hours a day. Source: WA Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), licensing overview (opens in a new tab)
Outdoor nature-based child care
28 listings
Child care for preschool and school-age children that takes place mostly outdoors, for less than 24 hours a day. Source: WA Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), licensing overview (opens in a new tab)

Washington child care ratios

Washington 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.

Washington ratios by age

Maximum children per staff member in licensed child care centers, by age, under WAC 110-300-0356(5)(a)(ii); WAC 110-300-0356(5)(b)(ii); WAC 110-300-0356(5)(c)
Age	Staff : children	Rule
0–11 months	1:3	WAC 110-300-0356(5)(a)(ii) (opens in a new tab)
12–29 months	1:5	WAC 110-300-0356(5)(b)(ii) (opens in a new tab)
30–83 months	1:10	WAC 110-300-0356(5)(c) (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 Washington

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

Search the state’s site
Open Child Care Check (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 Child Care Check

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

Early Achievers quality ratings

Early Achievers (opens in a new tab) is Washington’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.

1,021 of 2,526 Washington centers have a Early Achievers rating

Share of 2,526 Washington centers in the directory, by Early Achievers level.

Level 2 1%34 centers
Level 3 25%622 centers
Level 4 9%231 centers
Level 5 5%134 centers
No rating on file 60%1,505 centers

Paying for childcare in Washington

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

Working Connections Child Care (WCCC)

Washington child care subsidy. Administered by: DCYF

About Working Connections Child Care (opens in a new tab)

Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)

Washington pre-K. Administered by: DCYF

About Early Childhood Education and 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 Start10 of 10 centers reporting

100%accept Early Head Start7 of 7 centers reporting

Head Start locator (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions about childcare in Washington

Answers use the numbers on this page, as of October 13, 2026.

How many childcare centers are in Washington?

Washington has 2,581 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 247 cities. Seattle has the most, with 346, followed by Spokane (118) and Bellevue (116).

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

For children 0–11 months in licensed child care centers, Washington allows up to 3 children per staff member, a ratio of 1:3 under WAC 110-300-0356(5)(a)(ii). For 12–29 months it is 1:5. The full table is on this page.

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

Look the center up in Child Care Check, 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 Washington help pay for childcare?

Yes. Washington's child care subsidy program is Working Connections Child Care (WCCC). Public pre-K is a separate option: Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program.

What is Early Achievers?

Early Achievers is Washington's quality rating program for child care. 1,021 of 2,526 centers in the Clear Day directory carry a rating. The ratings are the state's. Clear Day does not rate or review centers.

Where does this data come from?

Center records come from Washington State 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 October 13, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.

How we compile the data →

For center directors

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Other state guides

Washington is one of 36 states in the directory: 174,646 centers and homes across 14,122 cities. Each state has its own guide with its own rules, agency and license lookup.

Where this data comes from

Center records come from Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of Washington 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 13, 2026
Agency: Washington State 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 Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.

Data updated Oct 13, 2026 · Source: Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families public records · Washington license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →

Childcare centers in Washington

Largest cities for childcare in Washington

All 247 cities in Washington, A to Z

A · 7 cities

B · 20 cities

C · 25 cities

D · 7 cities

E · 12 cities

F · 10 cities

G · 7 cities

H · 3 cities

I · 3 cities

J · 1 city

K · 11 cities

L · 18 cities

M · 21 cities

N · 8 cities

O · 10 cities

P · 15 cities

Q · 1 city

R · 12 cities

S · 24 cities

T · 11 cities

U · 2 cities

V · 5 cities

W · 12 cities

Y · 2 cities

Washington childcare centers by county

License types in Washington