Home Daycare

Home Daycare Inspections

Any home with a licensed daycare or group daycare must be inspected once during the lifetime of the daycare. In addition, basements and second floors must be approved prior to use. Inspections will be done by Grant County Fire Department. We recommend that home daycares be inspected once each year. If the daycare has moved to a different home, that home must be inspected as well. At the bottom of the page are links to some of the needed forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Fire and Life Safety Agreement looks new. When was it built?

In August 2010, KSFM consolidated the Home Daycare Checklist and the Fire and Life Safety Agreement into one form called the Fire and Life Safety Agreement. Each year you must renew the Fire and Life Safety Agreement which includes a self-inspection of your home in compliance with the fire codes. Each year, you must sign and date that you have reviewed the document and conducted the inspection. There is also a date on the form for you to place the date of the original fire official inspection.

What do I need to renew my license?

Some local fire departments may inspect your home each year when you renew your license. For the KSFMO, make sure you complete the Fire / Life Safety Agreement annually (to include a self-inspection checklist that you must sign-off on) and that the current year is posted. Additionally you need to make sure you keep your original fire inspection report that was conducted by a fire official. If you need a new Fire / Life Safety Agreement or new Fire and Tornado Drill records, you can download them above.

Is there a fee for your inspection?

There is no charge by Grant County Fire Department for the inspection

Can I lock my front and back door?

According to NFPA, “a lock that functions as a latch or other fastening device so as to require not tools/keys and only one operation to release” is permitted. With this in mind Grant County Fire will allow the following:

  • Locks on front and back doors can be engaged while daycare is in session, if the locks don’t require keys and only require one operation to release
  • Locks can be placed above the reach of children, as long as the lock is within 60 inches of the finished floor

I have stairs and small infants, can I use a baby gate?

Baby gates are a “necessary evil”. If the baby gates open with not much more difficulty than a standard door, then it will be judged to be ok. Grant County Fire recommends using the hinged baby gates so it won’t become an obstruction by falling on the floor or becoming displaced.

Should I have hook-and-eye closures on closet doors?

KSFM will allow hook-and-eye closures only IF the mechanism is well out of reach of children and there are no immediate means that would allow a child to reach it.

Additional Resources