Legislative changes for licensed and certified programs

Current requirements

The following rules and statutes guide licensing and certification activities:

• Licensed Child Care Centers: Minnesota Rules, Chapter 9503
• Certified License-Exempt Child Care Centers: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 142C
• Children, Youth, and Families Licensing: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 142B
• Human Services Background Studies Act: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 245C
• Maltreatment of Minors Act: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 260E

Minnesota Statutes, Laws and Rules are published by the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. The website is updated after each legislative session, as updates or changes to requirements occur.

Implementation plans and updates

Licensed child care centers

• 2025 Implementation Plan for Legislative Changes (PDF) (updated June 2026)
• DCYF/DHS licensing statute crosswalk (PDF)
• 2024 Implementation Plan for Legislative Changes (PDF)
• 2023 Implementation Plan for Legislative Changes (PDF)
• 2020 Implementation Plan for Legislative Changes (PDF)
• 2019 Implementation Plan for Legislative Changes (PDF)

Certified license-exempt child care centers

• Implementation plan for 2025 legislative changes for certified child care centers
• Renumbered statutes for certified child care centers (PDF)
• Implementation plan for 2024 legislative changes for certified child care centers (PDF)
• Implementation plan for 2023 legislative changes for certified child care centers (PDF)
• Implementation plan for 2020 legislative changes for certified child care centers (PDF)

Family child care

• 2025 legislative session implementation plan (PDF) (updated June 2026)
• DCYF/DHS licensing statute crosswalk (PDF)
• 2024 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)
• 2023 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)
• 2022 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)
• 2021 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)
• 2020 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)
• 2019 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)
• 2018 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)
• 2017 legislative session Implementation Plan (PDF)

Child foster care

• Implementation plan for 2026 legislative changes
• Implementation plan for 2025 legislative changes
• Licensed Child and Adult Foster Care: Implementation plan for 2024 legislative changes
• Licensed Child and Adult Foster Care: Implementation Plan for 2023 Legislative Changes

Revised child care licensing standards

The Child Care Regulation Modernization project began in 2021 with the directive to create updated, modernized licensing standards and other licensing tools for the state's licensed child care programs.

In May 2026 the revised licensing standards for family child care and child care centers were passed into law. The updated requirements will take effect July 1, 2027.  

The work now turns to preparing to implement the revised standards. Visit the Revised Child Care Licensing Standards page for more information and updates.