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The short answer
An unlicensed home daycare in Ontario may care for at most 5 children under 13, no more than 3 of them under age 2, counting your own children under 4. To care for up to 6 children under 13, you must be overseen by a licensed home child care agency. Unlicensed providers must tell parents in writing that the programme is not licensed and keep proof for 2 years.
The two legal routes
In Ontario you cannot get a licence for your own home as an individual. The Ministry of Education licenses home child care agencies, and agencies contract and oversee individual providers in their homes. So a Nigerian parent or ECE graduate in Ontario has two routes: run unlicensed care within the limits, or join a licensed agency as a home child care provider.
| Unlicensed home child care | Agency-overseen (licensed) home child care | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum children under 13 | 5 | 6 |
| Of whom under age 2 | no more than 3 | no more than 3 |
| Your own children | under 4 count toward the total | under 4 count toward the total |
| Who oversees | Ministry inspections and complaint investigations | the licensed agency, plus the Ministry |
| Can offer CWELCC reduced fees | no | yes, if the agency takes part |
These limits are from Ontario's page on how many children are allowed, last updated 9 May 2025. Note the own-children rule: a mother with a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old of her own can take only 3 more children in unlicensed care.
Rules for unlicensed care
Ontario's child care rules page, updated 28 October 2025, adds duties beyond the head count:
- tell every parent in writing, on paper or electronically, "This child care program is not licensed by the Government of Ontario";
- keep proof of that disclosure for 2 years;
- operate from one location only; and
- stay within the 5-child and 3-under-2 limits at all times, including before and after school.
The Ministry inspects and investigates complaints. The tools it lists include compliance orders, administrative penalties and protection orders, which appear in a public registry. Nannies hired directly by parents and relatives caring for children are outside the Act altogether.
Joining a licensed home child care agency
With an agency you can care for 6 children, receive referrals, and, where the agency is in the Canada-wide early learning and child care (CWELCC) system, offer families the reduced fee. Ontario's rules say base fees for eligible children in CWELCC programmes must be $22 a day or less, and programmes that charged more had to cut to $22 from 1 January 2025. The agency sets your contract terms and pays you; ask what share of the daily fee you receive and how often a home visitor will come.
Police checks
In agency-overseen home child care, criminal reference checks with vulnerable sector screening apply not only to you but also to other people in the home, such as a spouse, plus students and volunteers. They are renewed every 5 years, with offence declarations in the years between. A Nigerian-born adult who arrived recently can get the Canadian check from local police; agencies may also ask about police certificates from countries lived in.
Costs to plan for
Ontario does not charge an individual a licence fee because there is no individual licence. Your costs are practical ones:
- home safety items an agency inspection will expect (gates, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, outlet covers, a first aid kit);
- standard first aid and CPR training for infants and children, if the agency requires it;
- liability insurance; check whether your home policy excludes business use, which many do; and
- food, toys and outdoor play equipment.
Income from home child care is self-employment income. Keep receipts and a log of the share of your home used for the business; our guide to home office expenses explains the records.
Contracts with parents
Whichever route you take, put the arrangement in writing: hours, the daily or weekly fee, what happens on public holidays and sick days, late pick-up charges, notice to leave, and who may collect the child. In unlicensed care the written "not licensed" notice can sit at the top of the same agreement, and you keep the signed copy for the 2 years the rules require. In agency care, the agency usually holds the parent contract and you follow its policies.
Worked example
Example: Funmi has a 1-year-old of her own. Unlicensed, she can take 4 more children, and only 2 more under 2 (her baby uses one of the 3 under-2 places). If an agency takes her on, she can take 5 more children, still with only 2 more under 2.
What to check first
- Count your own children under 4 into every limit.
- Decide unlicensed or agency route; list the agencies serving your area and ask about their provider terms.
- Ask your home insurer in writing whether childcare is covered.
- Prepare the written "not licensed" notice if you start unlicensed.
- Book police checks for every adult in the home.
Families looking for a place rather than offering one can read finding a $10-a-day childcare space as a newcomer.
Where Pryme fits
Some providers also pay school fees or support relatives in Nigeria. A Pryme account opened from Canada holds naira and dollars, and verifiable receipts with VerifyDoc.ai give parents and your accountant a document they can check is unaltered.
Questions people ask
How many children can I watch at home without a licence in Ontario?
Up to 5 children under 13, with no more than 3 under age 2. Your own children under 4 count.
Can I get my own home daycare licence in Ontario?
No. The Ministry licenses home child care agencies; individual providers work under an agency to care for up to 6 children.
Do I have to tell parents I am unlicensed?
Yes, in writing, using the wording "This child care program is not licensed by the Government of Ontario", and keep proof for 2 years.
Does my husband need a police check if I run a home daycare?
In agency-overseen home child care, checks with vulnerable sector screening extend to other household members such as a spouse.
Sources
- Ontario: Number of children allowed in home and unlicensed child care programs (updated 9 May 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Ontario: Child care rules in Ontario (updated 28 Oct 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.