12 steps · typically 3–6 months
Opening a New Daycare
From the first phone call to the day your certificate arrives. Nothing skipped, nothing buried.
Begin the path →Free · Nonprofit · Anne Arundel County, Maryland
The rules are complicated. Your next step doesn't have to be.
ProviderPath turns Maryland's family child care requirements into one clear list, in order, in plain language. Free, and always will be.
Draft copy from official sources, last checked 4 September 2026. Not reviewed yet.
Trackers · Deadlines · Training
Keep my registration current
Continuing registration, inspections, hours, EXCELS. Know what's due before it's late.
See what's due →Not sure where you fall? Start with your zip code.
Anne Arundel County is first. Other Maryland counties get the official office link.
Tools that answer one question fast
No account, no sign-up, no waiting.
How many children can I care for?
Counts your own children under 6, and the 2-under-2 rule, the way the regulation does.
Open the calculator →Find required training
Core of Knowledge, the 24-hour pre-service, CPR and First Aid — then the official calendar.
Open the list →Find my regional office
Region 1 in Annapolis, the orientation schedule, and a real phone number.
Look it up →My application packet
Date each form and document as you get it. Print a cover sheet for Region 1.
Open the checklist →Free coaching
Most providers who make it had help
GOFCC pairs you with coaching through Maryland Family Network. It costs nothing. Ask about it before you get lost in the packet.
How GOFCC works
We will put a real Anne Arundel provider's words here after Wendy's review.