How to Report an Unlicensed or Unsafe Child Care Provider
If something about a child care provider worries you — whether it's operating without a required license or you've seen an unsafe situation at a licensed one — you can report it to the state, which is the agency that actually investigates. Here's how to tell the difference and where to turn.
Licensed, license-exempt, or illegal?
Not all unlicensed care is illegal — the distinction matters:
- Licensed / registered. The provider meets the state's health, safety, and staffing rules and is inspected. These are the providers Childcare Alerts indexes — search yours here.
- License-exempt. Some care is legally allowed without a license — often a relative, or care for very few children, depending on the state. Exempt isn't the same as unsafe, but it isn't inspected the way licensed care is.
- Illegally unlicensed. A provider that should be licensed for the number and ages of children it serves but isn't. This is what states most want to hear about — an illegal operation has never been inspected and may be over capacity or unsafe.
When to report
Consider reporting if you see or suspect:
- Care for more children than a person could legally watch without a license (rules vary by state).
- A provider who can't show a license and won't say whether they're exempt.
- Safety concerns at any provider — licensed or not: supervision, ratios, sanitation, or an injury.
- A provider still operating after a license was revoked, suspended, or denied.
You don't need proof to make a report — the state investigates. Reports can usually be made anonymously.
Where to report — by state
Reports go to the state licensing agency, not to us. Here's the official channel for each state we cover:
| State | Report a concern to |
|---|---|
| California | the California Department of Social Services (Community Care Licensing) |
| Colorado | Colorado Dept. of Early Childhood ↗ |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Office of Early Childhood ↗ |
| Delaware | Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing ↗ |
| Illinois | Illinois DCFS ↗ |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Dept. of Early Education & Care ↗ |
| Minnesota | Minnesota DHS Licensing Information Lookup ↗ |
| Nebraska | Nebraska License Lookup (LISSearch) ↗ |
| New Jersey | New Jersey DCF Child Care ↗ |
| New York | New York OCFS Child Care Search ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Find Child Care (COMPASS) ↗ |
| South Dakota | South Dakota DSS Child Care ↗ |
| Texas | Texas HHSC Child Care Search ↗ |
| Vermont | Vermont Child Development Division ↗ |
| Washington | Washington Child Care Check ↗ |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Child Care Finder ↗ |
Look for a “file a complaint,” “report a concern,” or “report illegal care” option on that page — most agencies also list a complaint phone line. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
What happens after you report
The state reviews the report and, where warranted, investigates — often with an unannounced visit. If a provider is operating illegally, the state can order it to stop or to become licensed; if a licensed provider is out of compliance, it can face a correction order, a fine, or license action. Outcomes for licensed providers become part of the public record — which is exactly what Childcare Alerts surfaces.
What Childcare Alerts does — and doesn't
We surface the public licensing records of licensed providers and link back to the official state source. We do not publish a directory of unlicensed providers or unverified accusations about individuals — that isn't our role, and unproven claims can harm the wrong people. The right path for a suspected illegal or unsafe provider is a report to the state, which can investigate and act.
See also: what violations mean · questions to ask on a tour · all guides.