Free Daycare (Child Care) Contract Template

Use a daycare contract anytime child care services begin, change, or continue long-term. You might use one when:

• Starting paid home-based or small daycare services
• Agreeing on weekly or monthly payment amounts, due dates, and late fees
• Setting regular care hours, drop-off and pickup times, and holiday closures
• Adding services like meals, transportation, or extended care
• Changing rates, schedules, or policies after care has already started

Having these details written out makes daily care easier to handle for you and each family member. For example, a daycare contract might confirm a $250 weekly fee, care from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and a $10 late pickup fee for every 15 minutes past closing.

A daycare contract brings reassurance before care even begins. It covers the key details parents and providers rely on, including:

• Provider and parent contact details, including who can pick up the child
• Type of care and daily schedule, with the start date and whether care is ongoing or short-term
• Weekly or monthly cost, any deposit, and who covers related taxes or fees
• When payment is due, and any late fees, plus accepted payment methods, and late pickup charges
• Notice needed to end care, along with any final payment expectations
• Whether care can transfer to another caregiver under the same agreement
• Everyday daycare policies, such as illness rules, pickup permissions, meals, or behavior expectations
• Steps to handle missed payments or care concerns, if they come up

If pickup runs past closing or a payment is missed, both sides can point to the same written schedule, fee amount, and late charge already agreed to.

Many states require you to have a child care license before you can legally run a daycare. This license sets basic standards for health, safety, supervision, and training to help protect the children in your care.

The exact rules depend on where you live, and some small or in-home daycares may qualify for an exemption. This can depend on how many children you watch, how long care is provided, or your relationship to the family. Because requirements vary, families often ask about your licensing status before care begins so they understand how your daycare is regulated.

The daycare contract examples below show how a daycare services agreement might look once completed. They use common care schedules, payment terms, and pickup rules to help you picture how the template works in real situations.

Example 1

State of Texas

This Services Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the 1st day of March, 2026, by and among/between:

Service Provider(s):
Little Steps Home Daycare LLC, located at 214 Maple Street, Austin, TX 78702 (collectively “Service Provider”)

and

Buyer(s):
Emily Rodriguez, located at 982 Canyon Drive, Austin, TX 78704 (collectively “Buyer”).

Each Service Provider and Buyer may be referred to in this Agreement individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”

1. 1. Services.
      Service Provider agrees to provide and Buyer agrees to purchase the following services for the specific projects described below:

• • Full-time weekday child care (8:00 AM–5:30 PM) — $275/week
  • Daily lunch and snacks — Included
  • Early drop-off (7:30 AM) — $25/week
    

1. 1. Purchase Price.
      Buyer will pay to Service Provider and for all obligations specified in this Agreement, if any, as the full and complete purchase price, the sum of $300 per week.

Unless otherwise stated: Buyer shall be responsible for all taxes in connection with the purchase of Services in this Agreement.

1. 1. Payment.
      Payment for the Services will be made by cash or credit/debit card.

The next example shows a different setup, including part-time care and optional extended hours. This shows how the same agreement can work for different schedules and payment setups.

Example 2

State of California

This Services Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the 15th day of April, 2026, by and among/between:

Service Provider(s):
Bright Start Family Child Care, located at 455 Ocean View Blvd, San Diego, CA 92103 (collectively “Service Provider”)

and

Buyer(s):
Daniel Kim and Sarah Kim, located at 1120 Harbor Lane, San Diego, CA 92101 (collectively “Buyer”).

Each Service Provider and Buyer may be referred to in this Agreement individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”

1. 1. Services.
      Service Provider agrees to provide and Buyer agrees to purchase the following services for the specific projects described below:

• • Part-time child care (Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–1:00 PM) — $180/week
  • Morning snack and activities — Included
  • Occasional extended care — $20/day

1. 1. Purchase Price.
      Buyer will pay to Service Provider and for all obligations specified in this Agreement, if any, as the full and complete purchase price, the sum of $180 per week, plus any extended-care charges.

Unless otherwise stated: Service Provider shall be responsible for all taxes in connection with the purchase of Services in this Agreement.

1. 1. Payment.
      Payment for the Services will be made by personal check or credit/debit card.

These daycare contract examples are only a guide and may not match the exact rules where you live. You can adjust the template to fit your care schedule, pricing, and local requirements before signing.

Take a look at the sample daycare contract layout before filling in your own details. Customize and download the daycare contract template in Word or PDF.