Daycare Licensing in Pennsylvania: Violations, Inspections & License Lookup
How child care licensing works in Pennsylvania: who regulates it, the rules providers answer to, how often they are inspected, and the exact steps to look up a daycare's violations and verify its license. Sourced from DHS, Office of Child Development and Early Learning.
Last verified 2026-08-03
How do I look up daycare violations in Pennsylvania?
- Open the COMPASS provider search at compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch.
- Search by the provider's name, address, city, or zip code.
- Open the provider's listing to view its Keystone STARS rating and recent Department of Human Services inspection information.
- For full inspection or violation detail not shown, check the DHS Quarterly Licensing Report at pa.gov, or contact the regional certification office.
- To request complete records, contact OCDEL's Bureau of Certification Services through the DHS website.
State portal: Pennsylvania child care search
How do I verify a Pennsylvaniadaycare's license?
- Go to compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch and search by provider name or location.
- Open the provider's listing to confirm it is certified and view its address and contact information.
- Check the certificate type; a provisional certificate is flagged with a colored indicator, showing the provider is still working toward full compliance.
- Review the Keystone STARS rating and confirm the program type matches what you are considering.
State portal: Pennsylvania license search
Who regulates daycares in Pennsylvania?
Child care licensing in Pennsylvania is administered by the DHS, Office of Child Development and Early Learning, under 55 Pa. Code Ch. 3270. It licenses providers, inspects them, and records the violations found.
How often are Pennsylvania daycares inspected?
Pennsylvania's Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Certification Services, completes at least one unannounced inspection each year for all licensed providers. The same annual requirement applies to child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes. Certification staff also conduct complaint investigations and follow-up visits, and new providers are inspected as part of initial certification.
Pennsylvania does not publish a public severity scale for its violations.
What our Pennsylvaniadata covers, and what it doesn't
We track Pennsylvania's licensed providers from the state's public records: license number, status, and capacity. For a provider's full inspection and violation history, follow the steps above at the state's own source.
| Pennsylvania child care data | On record |
|---|---|
| Licensed providers tracked | 7,477 |
| Independently scorable (Confidence Index) | Not yet scorable |
| Inspection history on this site | Roster only, use state source |
Pennsylvania daycare licensing: common questions
- How do I look up daycare inspections in Pennsylvania?
- Use the COMPASS provider search at compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch. Search for the provider and open its listing to see its Keystone STARS rating and recent Department of Human Services inspection information. For full inspection detail, you can also review the DHS Quarterly Licensing Report published at pa.gov.
- How often does Pennsylvania inspect licensed daycares?
- OCDEL's Bureau of Certification Services completes at least one unannounced inspection each year for every licensed provider. This applies to child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes alike. Staff also investigate complaints and conduct follow-up visits as needed.
- How do I know if a Pennsylvania daycare has a full or provisional license?
- On the COMPASS provider search, a provider with a provisional certificate is marked with a colored indicator icon. A provisional certificate means the provider is still working toward full compliance. A regular certificate of compliance indicates the provider met certification requirements.
- How do I verify a Pennsylvania daycare's license?
- Search the provider on COMPASS at compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch and open its listing. The listing confirms the provider is certified by OCDEL and shows its certificate status, address, and Keystone STARS rating. Providers are certified under 55 Pa. Code Chapters 3270, 3280, and 3290.
This page republishes the public licensing record and labels every absent field plainly. Primary source: https://www.compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.