What it takes to legally operate in Massachusetts. Add your city for local permits.
1 item below — add your city to check local permits, and we're still verifying. We show what we've confirmed and flag what we haven't rather than guess.
Formation & federal100% verified
Form an LLC (or operate as a sole proprietor)Depends on your situation
Massachusetts LLC filing fee ~$500
$500From our reference data — confirm on the official siteOfficial source ↗
Child care is one of the most heavily licensed small businesses — state licensing covers staff-to-child ratios, background checks, square footage, safety, training hours, and regular inspections. Requirements differ sharply between a home daycare and a center.
Verified against the official source · Sep 2026
Local permits0% verified
Local permitsNot yet verified
Local permits (zoning, home occupation, signage, health) are set by your city/county — tell us your city for specifics.
Not yet verified — check the official source
Insurance0% verified
General liability insuranceRecommended
General liability insurance is recommended for most service businesses.
Not yet verified — check the official source
Save this to your FirstBearing roadmap
Keep these requirements, track what you've done, get the filled-in paperwork and one next step every day. Free for 30 days — no card.