North Carolina Daycare Inspection Checklist
By Jayesh Parayali, Founder, CareCam · 15+ years building daycare camera systems · checked against state sources 2026-10-19
What the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education looks at when it inspects a licensed child care center, written as a walk-through you can do the day before. The Division of Child Development and Early Education makes at least one unannounced visit to each licensed program every year. It also makes unannounced visits to investigate complaints.
North Carolina at a glance
- Licensing agency
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education
- Inspections
- The Division of Child Development and Early Education makes at least one unannounced visit to each licensed program every year. It also makes unannounced visits to investigate complaints. Source
- Ratio rule
- 10A NCAC 09 .0713 and G.S. 110-91(7)
- Public inspection reports
- State lookup
Ratios the inspector counts against
| Age group | Staff : children | Max group |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 12 months (birth to 12 months) | 1:5 | 15 |
| 12 to 24 months (12 to 24 months) | 1:6 | 18 |
| 2 to 3 years (2 to 3 years) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 3 to 4 years (3 to 4 years) | 1:15 | 25 |
| 4 to 5 years (4 to 5 years) | 1:20 | 25 |
| 5 years and older (5 years and older) | 1:25 | 25 |
Need the staffing number for the children in the building right now? Use the calculator on the North Carolina daycare ratios page.
The walk-through
North Carolina · North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education 0 of 48 checked
Posted where parents and the licensor can see them
The first thing a licensor does is look at the walls by the entrance. Everything here should be visible without asking.
Children's files
The licensor pulls a sample of files. One missing immunization record is the most common citation in most states.
Staff files
Every adult who counts toward the ratio needs a complete file. Volunteers and substitutes too.
Health and sanitation
Walk every room the way the licensor does: sinks, changing tables, kitchen, then the medicine cabinet.
Building, fire and outdoor safety
Most building citations are small and fixable in an hour. Check them the week before and the morning of.
Supervision, ratios and the daily routine
Ratios are checked at the moment the licensor walks into each room, which is why the arrival and the last hour matter most.
The question that follows a complaint
An inspection checks the room at one moment. A complaint asks what the room looked like at a different one. CareCam runs on the cameras a center already has, keeps the recording on your own recorder, and gives parents a live, video-only view of their own child's room during the hours you set, so most of those questions never get asked.
North Carolina inspection FAQ
How often are daycare centers inspected in North Carolina?
Where can I find a North Carolina daycare's inspection reports?
What ratios does a North Carolina inspector check?
Do I have to tell parents about cameras in North Carolina?
See how CareCam fits your center
Run a North Carolina center? See if your cameras can do double duty
Tell us your camera brand and we'll confirm whether the cameras you already have can give parents a secure, live, video-only view of their own child's room. We reply within one business day.