Home Daycare Enrollment Agreement Template (Free, Editable)

Almost every daycare-parent dispute you've ever heard about — the one where a family swears they were told drop-off started at 7, or insists no one ever mentioned a late fee, or shows up with a sick kid because "you said mild colds were fine" — traces back to the same root cause. Nothing was ever put in writing. Or something was said out loud at enrollment, and six months later, the provider remembers it one way and the parent remembers it another. Neither person is necessarily lying. Memory just isn't a contract.

A signed enrollment agreement fixes this before it starts. It's not about distrust — it's about giving both sides a document to point to instead of a memory to argue over. "Let's check what we both signed" ends more disputes than any conversation ever will.

Do you actually need one?

In most states, a written admission or enrollment agreement is either explicitly required as part of your license or so strongly expected in practice that licensors treat it as standard. Even in states where it isn't a hard requirement, it's simply good business — the agreement is what makes your late fee, your closure policy, and your withdrawal notice period actually enforceable instead of just something you mentioned once at drop-off. One clause worth leaving out entirely: a line banning families from leaving a bad review. See our guide to non-disparagement clauses for why that one can backfire legally.

Because the required disclosures can differ by state — some require specific illness-exclusion language, some require a state-mandated notice about subsidy payments, some require specific discipline-policy disclosures — treat what follows as a strong starting point, not a finished legal document for your state. Check DaycareFlow's home daycare licensing hub for what your state specifically expects an admission agreement to include before you finalize yours.

What a complete enrollment agreement should cover

A thorough agreement touches every area where a misunderstanding could later turn into an argument or a lost week of unpaid tuition:

• Child and family information — full legal name, date of birth, parents/guardians, addresses, phone numbers
• Start date and schedule — the days and hours the child is enrolled for
• Tuition rate and due date — the dollar amount and exactly when it's owed (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)
• Payment methods accepted — cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, etc., and any instructions specific to that method
• Late fee / payment policy — grace period, fee amount or structure, and what happens if payment is chronically late
• Holiday, closure, and vacation policy — paid holidays you're closed, your own vacation weeks, and whether tuition is still owed during a family's vacation (a snow day or your own sick day is one thing; a government-ordered closure is a different enough risk that it deserves its own clause, written before you need it)
• Sick-child policy — symptoms that mean a child can't attend, and when they can return
• Discipline policy — how behavior is handled, in plain language
• Termination / withdrawal notice period — how much written notice either side owes before ending care
• Emergency contacts and authorized pickup people — who can be called and who can collect the child
• Allergy, medical information, and medication consent — conditions to be aware of and permission to administer medication if needed
• Photo / media release — whether the child's photo can be used for daily updates, social media, or marketing
• Signature line with date — for both the provider and the parent/guardian

The template

Copy everything below, fill in the brackets, and adjust any clause that doesn't fit how you actually run things. This is meant to be a real starting document, not a token gesture at one.

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Home Daycare Enrollment Agreement

Provider: [PROVIDER NAME] — [BUSINESS NAME, IF ANY] License Number: [LICENSE NUMBER] Address: [DAYCARE ADDRESS] Phone / Email: [PROVIDER PHONE] / [PROVIDER EMAIL]

Child's Name: [CHILD NAME] Date of Birth: [DOB] Parent/Guardian 1: [NAME] — [PHONE] — [EMAIL] Parent/Guardian 2: [NAME] — [PHONE] — [EMAIL] Home Address: [FAMILY ADDRESS]

1. Enrollment & Schedule

Child care begins on [START DATE]. The child is enrolled for the following days and hours: [DAYS/HOURS, e.g., Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–5:30 PM]. Schedule changes must be requested in writing at least [NUMBER] days in advance and are subject to availability.

2. Tuition & Payment

Tuition is $[WEEKLY RATE] per [week/two weeks/month], due on [DUE DAY, e.g., "every Monday" or "the 1st of the month"]. Accepted payment methods: [CASH / CHECK / VENMO / ZELLE / OTHER]. Tuition is charged whether or not the child attends, except as noted under Holidays & Closures below.

3. Late Payment Policy

Payments not received by [GRACE PERIOD, e.g., "3 days"] after the due date are subject to a late fee of [FLAT AMOUNT or PERCENTAGE/DAY]. Continued late or missed payment may result in termination of care per Section 9.

4. Holidays, Closures & Vacation

[PROVIDER NAME] is closed on the following paid holidays each year: [LIST HOLIDAYS]. [PROVIDER NAME] takes [NUMBER] weeks of personal vacation per year, with at least [NUMBER] days' written notice. Tuition [IS / IS NOT] owed during provider vacation weeks. Tuition [IS / IS NOT] reduced for family vacation days or absences.

5. Illness Policy

A child may not attend if they have any of the following: fever of [TEMPERATURE]°F or higher, vomiting or diarrhea within the past [NUMBER] hours, or [OTHER SYMPTOMS PER YOUR POLICY]. A child may return [NUMBER] hours after symptoms resolve, or with a doctor's note if required. Tuition is due regardless of illness-related absence.

6. Discipline Policy

[PROVIDER NAME] uses the following approach to guide behavior: [DESCRIBE YOUR DISCIPLINE APPROACH — e.g., redirection, natural consequences, time-appropriate breaks]. Physical discipline of any kind is never used.

7. Emergency Contacts & Authorized Pickup

In addition to the parents/guardians listed above, the following people are authorized to pick up the child and may be contacted in an emergency:

1. [NAME] — [RELATIONSHIP] — [PHONE]
2. [NAME] — [RELATIONSHIP] — [PHONE] Child's physician: [PHYSICIAN NAME] — [PHONE]

8. Allergies, Medical Information & Medication Consent

Allergies / medical conditions: [LIST, OR "NONE"]. If medication must be administered during care hours, parent/guardian authorizes [PROVIDER NAME] to do so per the attached medication consent form, which will list the medication, dose, and time to be given.

9. Termination & Withdrawal

Either party may end this agreement with [NUMBER, e.g., "two weeks"] written notice. [PROVIDER NAME] may end care immediately in cases of non-payment, safety concerns, or violation of this agreement.

10. Photo & Media Release

Parent/guardian [DOES / DOES NOT] grant permission for [PROVIDER NAME] to photograph or video the child for daily updates to the family, and separately, [DOES / DOES NOT] grant permission for use in social media or marketing materials.

Signatures

By signing below, both parties agree to the terms above.

Provider signature: _______________________ Date: __________

Parent/Guardian signature: _______________________ Date: __________

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This is a starting point, not the finish line

This template covers the ground that shows up in nearly every home daycare enrollment agreement, but it is not a substitute for reviewing your own state's specific required disclosures. Some states require particular language around discipline policies, illness exclusion criteria, or subsidy/voucher payment terms that isn't optional. Before you start using this with real families, confirm what your state expects at DaycareFlow's home daycare licensing hub, and if you have any doubt about enforceability, a quick review by a local attorney is worth the cost once.

Where DaycareFlow fits

The agreement you sign at enrollment shouldn't just live in a drawer — it should be the source of truth for how your billing actually runs day to day. DaycareFlow stores each child's family information, tuition rate, and billing terms once, at enrollment, so the numbers and details from this agreement become exactly what the rest of the system runs on: the rate you charge, the schedule you track, the parent contacts you notify. No re-typing the same information into three different places, and no wondering later what you actually agreed to.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a written enrollment agreement for my home daycare?

In most states, yes — either as an explicit licensing requirement or as a strong best practice that licensors expect to see. Even where it's not strictly required, a written agreement is what makes your tuition, late fee, and closure policies actually enforceable instead of just verbally understood. Check your state's specific requirements.

What should a daycare enrollment agreement include?

At minimum: child and family information, schedule and start date, tuition rate and due date, accepted payment methods, late fee policy, holiday/closure and vacation terms, sick-child policy, discipline policy, termination notice period, emergency contacts and authorized pickup people, allergy/medical and medication consent, a photo/media release, and signatures from both provider and parent.

Can I use this template without a lawyer?

Many providers use a template like this as-is or with light edits. It covers the standard clauses that show up across most home daycare agreements. That said, if your state has specific required disclosures, or if you want extra protection on the enforceability of fees or termination terms, a one-time review by a local attorney is a reasonable investment before you roll it out broadly.

How do I update the agreement if my rates change?

Treat a rate change as a new signed addendum or a re-signed agreement, not a verbal heads-up at drop-off. Note the effective date of the new rate, have both parties sign or initial the change, and keep the old and new versions on file — this is exactly the kind of paper trail that prevents a "but you said" dispute later.

Does the enrollment agreement need to be state-specific?

The core structure — tuition, schedule, policies, consents, signatures — is largely the same everywhere. What varies is which disclosures your state requires you to include, such as specific illness-exclusion language or subsidy payment notices. Use this template as your base, then confirm the required additions for your state at DaycareFlow's home daycare licensing hub.