Childcare Center Director states
51
Top quartile, highest
Occupational licensing · Education · 51 state boards
Childcare Center Director Licensing Requirements by State
Childcare Center Director licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
Childcare Center Director across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Elementary School Teacher, School Counselor, School Librarian / Media Specialist.
- States regulated
- 51
- Avg initial fee
- $105
- Avg education hours
- 55
Board Pathway Strip
Childcare Center Director: 51 boards · ~55 avg pre-licensure hrs · background check on 100% · avg first fee $105. Same-lane boards: Elementary School Teacher, School Counselor, School Librarian / Media Specialist.
- Elementary School Teacher
- School Counselor
- School Librarian / Media Specialist
- Secondary School Teacher
- Substitute Teacher
Childcare Center Director vs. every tracked profession
Average confirmed pre-licensure education hours, board-sourced state requirements
55 38th of 47 higher than 9 of 47 professions
professions with confirmed education-hour requirements, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more professions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCredential NCSL and state-board corpus · 2026
Manages childcare facilities providing care for young children.
Childcare Center Director initial fees swing $25 (NH) to $198 (CA), a $173 spread across 51 boards ; Elementary School Teacher often lands on a different fee band.
Board thresholds for Childcare Center Director drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Elementary School Teacher and School Counselor in education. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
Childcare Center Director edu hrs
55 hrs
Bottom quartile, lowest
Childcare Center Director first fee
$105
Bottom quartile, lowest
Childcare Center Director renewal
$82
Bottom quartile, lowest
Board gates for Childcare Center Director: exam on 0/51 (0%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , CE on 51/51 (avg 24 hrs/cycle) . Stack that against Elementary School Teacher / School Counselor before calling this license soft or hard.
Other licenses near Childcare Center Director's board count
Coverage band
- Security Alarm Installer · 51 states
- Amusement Ride Operator · 51 states
- Animal Breeder · 51 states
- Arborist / Tree Surgeon · 51 states
Hour load
- Insurance Agent · 48 avg hrs
- Armed Security Guard · 41 avg hrs
- School Bus Driver · 77 avg hrs
- Process Server · 26 avg hrs
Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for Childcare Center Director
A $173 fee spread for the same credential
Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 25) and California ($ 198) bracket the field, a 7.9× spread for identical practice rights.
NH
New Hampshire
$25 initial licensing fee
CA
California
$198 initial licensing fee
Childcare Center Director boards vs Elementary School Teacher / School Counselor - state table
51 statesWhat to do with this
Childcare Center Director is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Childcare Center Director ranks #38 of 47 professions by average pre-licensure education hours -- see how it compares to similar roles. Browse all professions
- #15 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Initial fees for Childcare Center Director range from $25 (NH) to $198 (CA) -- check whether your license transfers before assuming you'd need to pay again. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Childcare Center Director requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.