Becoming an early childhood provider

Learn about approvals and requirements for starting and operating an early childhood service.

If you are interested in entering the early childhood sector for the first time, please read: Opening a childcare service.

This page explains the approval process for operating an early childhood service regulated under the:

Education and Care Services National Law (National Law)
Education and Care Services National Regulations (National Regulations).

This includes the following care types:

long day care (LDC)
standalone kindergarten
family day care (FDC)
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
vacation care.

If you wish to operate an occasional care or limited hours service, please refer to Children’s services regulated under Victorian law.

Early childhood provider approval

You must be approved to operate an early childhood service. Learn how to become an approved provider.

Provider approval is recognised across Australia. You must apply to the relevant Regulatory Authority before operating a service.
You do not need to apply for a separate provider approval in each state or territory.
To become an approved provider, you must:
- be familiar with the National Law and National Regulations
- know your legal entity and have the right governance in place
- be able to provide a quality education and care service
- provide your experience, finances and compliance history.
Your legal requirements
To understand your legal responsibilities and how to comply, read: Early childhood provider approval.

Early childhood service approval

Information about how to apply for service approval.

Service approval relates to the premises where children receive education and care.
There are 2 types of service approval, centre-based services and family day care.
If you already have provider approval in another state or territory you can apply for service approval in Victoria.
Service approval:
- is required to operate an education and care service in Victoria
- cannot be granted until you have provider approval.
Your legal requirements
To understand your legal responsibilities and how to comply, read: Early childhood service approval.

Space requirements

All services must meet indoor and outdoor space requirements.

Services must allocate indoor and outdoor space for each approved place.
Space measurement form
You must use the following form to verify the indoor and outdoor space:
- Space measurement form (PDF, 1.3MB)
- Space measurement form (DOCX, 120KB).
Approval by building practitioner
Approved providers must submit calculations completed by a building practitioner.
Under the NQF this includes:
- a registered building surveyor, inspector or draftsperson in Victoria
- a registered architect in Victoria
- a licensed surveyor in Victoria
- a licensed or registered building certifier
- an accredited building designer for education and care services.
Your legal requirements
Read the information below to understand your legal responsibilities and how to comply.
- Indoor space requirements (Guide to the NQF) – operational information on indoor space requirements for all centre-based services and FDC venues (not residences)
- Outdoor space requirements (Guide to the NQF) – operational information on outdoor space requirements for all centre-based services and FDC venues (not residences)
- Application to use indoor space as outdoor space (Guide to the NQF) – applications and approvals
- Application to use a verandah as indoor space (Guide to the NQF) – applications and approvals

Multi-storey buildings

Design considerations for services operating in multi-storey buildings.

There are specific design considerations for multi-storey buildings. This is due to the higher risk involved in evacuating young children.
Babies and young children are especially vulnerable as they rely on educators in an emergency.
Early childhood services operating in multi-storey buildings must:
- be able to safely and quickly evacuate babies and young children
- ensure safe access to exits and stairways that can be used in an emergency
- comply with building and safety requirements
- meet the National Quality Framework (NQF).
Your legal requirements  
Read the information below to understand your legal responsibilities and how to comply.
- Multi-storey buildings: evacuations and approvals – information sheet
- NQF design considerations for centre-based early childhood and care services in multi-storey buildings – information sheets
- Emergency and evacuation (PDF) – policy and procedure guidelines

Approval in principle

Information about the approval in principle process in Victoria.

An approval in principle (AIP) is an optional process in Victoria. It only applies to centre-based services that plan to operate from a new or existing premises in a multi-storey building.
The purpose of the AIP process is to:
- help services in multi-storey buildings meet requirements, including children’s safety during emergencies
- ensure your proposed premises – if built as agreed – will meet legal and regulatory requirements for service approval.
Your legal requirements
To understand your legal responsibilities and how to comply, read: Approval in principle.

Early childhood

Updated 1 June 2026