Child Care & Daycare Centers

Child daycare facilities that incorporate food services into the facility must be approved by Wake County. To initiate the process, obtain the child daycare facility checklist and application.

Child Daycare Sanitation Rules (.pdf)

Child care centers preparing infant bottles in the infant room, must provide an infant food service area. This area consists of the following:

1. a refrigerator maintaining 45º F or colder with an accurate thermometer inside.
2. Adequate counter space to prepare and warm bottles, protected from hand-sink splash.
3. A hand-sink, soap, paper towels and a hand wash sign indicating that the station shall only be used for handwashing prior to feeding.
4. If formula or cereal is to be prepared requiring water, then the water must be provided from a protected source, such as bottled water or water from a separate, designated food preparation sink.

Note: Eighteen (18) inches of horizontal separation between a hand-sink and food preparations, or splash-guarding between a hand-sink and a food preparation surface, provides acceptable splash protection.