Registration fees for childminders, nannies and other childcare providers
Information about the fees that Ofsted charges to register as a childminder, nanny or other childcare provider.
Applies to England
When you must pay a fee
You must pay a fee when you apply:
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to register
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to get our approval for any additional premises
Once you’re registered, you need to pay the same fee annually on the anniversary of your registration or when your additional/different premises were approved.
We will cancel your registration if you do not pay your annual fee. This applies to all settings under your registration.
Types of childcare
Types of childcare include:
- Childminder based at home (‘childminder with domestic premises’) – up to 4 people (including you) looking after children, partly or always in someone’s home.
- Childminder based outside the home (‘childminder without domestic premises’) – up to 4 people (including you) looking after children somewhere that is not someone’s home.
- Childcare on domestic premises – 5 or more people looking after children, mostly or always in someone’s home.
- Childcare on non-domestic premises – any number of people looking after children somewhere that is not someone’s home.
- Nanny or au pair (sometimes also known as ‘home childcarers’)
If you provide certain types of childcare, you do not need to register with Ofsted. This means you are ‘exempt’ from registration.
Fees to register or get another premises approved
The fee depends on which register you want to join. Find out more about the early years and childcare registers.
| Type of childcare | Early Years Register | General Childcare Register | Both registers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childminder | £35 | £103 | £35 |
| Childcare on domestic/non-domestic premises | £220 | £114 | £220 |
| Nanny or au pair (home childcarer) | not applicable | £103 | not applicable |
| Reduced fee for childcare on domestic/non-domestic premises | £35 | £35 |
If you are a childcare provider on domestic or non-domestic premises, you pay a reduced application and annual fee of £35 for the Early Years Register if you work for less than any of the following:
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3 hours a day
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5 days a week
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45 weeks a year
Other costs
There may be other costs associated with your registration (for example, DBS checks or training costs).
Refunds
Ofsted cannot refund fees, even if you withdraw your application. This also applies if:
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we refuse to grant registration and/or approval for additional or different premises
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you’re disqualified from providing childcare
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you resign your registration
About our fees
The government decides on the fee amounts. Fees may change in the future.
For more information about which type of childcare provider to register as, see our early years and childcare registration page.