Licensed Daycare in Salt Lake City, Utah
70 licensed daycares in Salt Lake City, verified weekly. Compare cost, age groups, and Head Start spots in your ZIP — directly from official Utah licensing records.
Salt Lake City listings updated May 2026 from official Utah records.
Daycare in Salt Lake City: what parents should know
Salt Lake City has 70 licensed childcare providers in our directory. Every provider here holds a current Utah license at indexing time, sourced from Utah Department of Health and Human Services — Office of Child Care Licensing.
For age coverage, 10 centers in Salt Lake City report infant care (roughly 14% — infant slots are the scarcest and fill fastest, so start early), and 10 offer preschool programs for ages 3–5. 7 are Head Start programs, free for income-eligible families.
Licensed care in Salt Lake City spans 8+ ZIP codes, so families can usually find an option within a short commute. About 11% are family child care homes — typically smaller group sizes and 10–30% cheaper than centers, a good fit for infants and toddlers.
Combined, Salt Lake City's licensed centers hold about 4,766 licensed seats — a practical gauge of how much local supply competes for each opening.
Salt Lake City childcare by the numbers
The Salt Lake City childcare landscape
Utah has no universal pre-K, so Salt Lake City families rely on a clear set of state tools — Care About Childcare for finding and rating providers, a child-care subsidy, and some district preschool — plus Utah's unusual at-home preschool option. High demand from large families makes planning ahead especially important here.
Preschool options (including at-home)
Salt Lake City School District and others offer preschool for eligible children, and Utah funds High Quality School Readiness grants. Utah is also known for UPSTART, a state-funded at-home, technology-based preschool program — a genuinely unusual option for families without a center seat. Head Start serves income-eligible children across Salt Lake County.
Subsidies and quality (Care About Childcare)
Utah's childcare subsidy runs through the Office of Child Care for eligible working families. The state's Care About Childcare system is your one-stop tool to search providers, see quality information, and find help — start there when comparing options.
How licensing works
Child care in Utah is licensed and inspected by the Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care Licensing. Licensing status and inspection history are public — confirm a provider is licensed and in good standing before enrolling.
Neighborhoods and cost
Full-time infant care in Salt Lake City commonly runs $900–$1,300/month. The east-side neighborhoods (Sugar House, the Avenues) are family-dense and competitive; the west side and the suburbs of Sandy, Murray, and West Jordan add capacity. Utah's large family sizes keep demand for spots high.
When to start looking
Apply for district preschool, Head Start, or UPSTART ahead of the fall. For infant care, tour early and join waitlists — given high demand, infant rooms fill quickly.
Childcare costs in Salt Lake City
ChildCare Aware reports the Utah average full-time cost at $870/month for infant care and $680/month for preschool. City-level prices in Salt Lake City vary by ZIP code and program model — Head Start sites are free for eligible families, family daycare homes typically run 10-30% below center rates, and accredited centers run above the average.
The Child & Dependent Care Tax Credit and a Dependent Care FSA ($5,000 max) reduce effective cost regardless of program. Utah families may also qualify for Utah Office of Child Care Subsidy (intake: (801) 526-9675).
Full Utah licensing & cost overviewQuick facts
- State regulator
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services — Office of Child Care Licensing
- Infant ratio
- 1:4
- Toddler ratio
- 1:7
- Preschool ratio
- 1:15
- Avg capacity
- 68 kids
Largest licensed centers in Salt Lake City
By licensed capacity on file — bigger programs often mean more openings and age groups. Always verify the current license before enrolling.
All Salt Lake City licensed centers
Page 1 of 5Open a listing for the full state-registry record — capacity, age range, contact info, and license issue date.
Frequently asked questions from families searching for child care here.
How many licensed daycare centers are in Salt Lake City, Utah?
What's the average daycare cost in Salt Lake City?
What staff-to-child ratios apply in Salt Lake City daycares?
Are subsidies available for daycare in Salt Lake City?
How do I verify a Salt Lake City daycare's license?
Where to get childcare help in Salt Lake City
Free, official channels for finding licensed care, checking quality ratings, and applying for assistance — no account or fee required.
Child Care Resource & Referral counselors help you find vetted local options.
1-800-424-2246 · Find yoursUnited Way's free, confidential line connects you to local childcare, food, and family aid.
Call 211 · 211.orgFree early education for income-eligible families and pregnant women.
Find a programUtah Office of Child Care Subsidy can cover most of your childcare cost by income.
(801) 526-9675 · How to applyCheck NAEYC accreditation and your state's quality-rating (QRIS) for any provider.
Find quality careConfirm any provider's current license & inspection record with Utah Department of Health and Human Services — Office of Child Care Licensing.
Official license searchChildcare resources for Salt Lake City
Data and guidance on this page draw on official government and nonprofit sources.
How this data is sourced. Listings for Salt Lake City, Utah are compiled from official Utah Department of Health and Human Services — Office of Child Care Licensing licensing records and cross-checked for current license status — not paid placements or user star-ratings. Rankings never depend on advertising. Provider details change often, so always confirm directly before enrolling. Reviewed by the DaycareHub editorial team · May 2026 · methodology
Search 70 Licensed Centers in Salt Lake City
Free, no signup, verified directly with Utah Department of Health and Human Services — Office of Child Care Licensing.