Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) requires child care facility personnel to complete introductory training totaling 45 hours, broken into a core 40-hour curriculum and an additional 5-hour special needs course. You must begin this training within 90 days of starting work in child care and finish the full 40-hour core portion within one year of when you started training. Here’s how to get through the process step by step.
What the 45 Hours Cover
The training is split into two main parts plus one standalone course. Part 1 is a 30-hour block that covers foundational child care topics: child development, health and safety, nutrition, identifying child abuse, and behavioral observation. Part 2 is a 10-hour block that dives deeper into developmentally appropriate practices for the age groups you’ll be working with. The remaining 5 hours come from a Special Needs Appropriate Practices course, which covers working with children who have disabilities or developmental delays.
You don’t have to take all three components at the same time, but the 40-hour core (Parts 1 and 2) must be completed within one year of the date you began training. The 5-hour special needs course is also required but is sometimes completed on a slightly different timeline depending on your employer’s expectations and local licensing requirements.
How to Register
All DCF child care training is managed through the Florida DCF training system. Your first step is to get a training transcript number, which acts as your unique ID throughout the process. You can obtain this through your local child care resource and referral agency or through the DCF training portal. Once you have your transcript number, you can enroll in courses.
Courses are available both online and through instructor-led sessions in your area. Online options give you more scheduling flexibility, which is useful if you’re already working at a child care facility during the day. Instructor-led classes are offered through community colleges, vocational schools, and approved private training providers across the state. The DCF website lists available training classes by region so you can find sessions near you.
Taking Competency Exams Instead
You don’t necessarily have to sit through every hour of coursework. Florida allows you to demonstrate competency by passing exams for individual courses. If you already have experience or relevant education, this can save significant time. Exam fees are straightforward: $1 per instructional hour of the course the exam covers. A 10-hour course exam costs $10, a 30-hour course exam costs $30, and so on. Payment is required at the time of registration to secure your exam session.
If you pass the competency exam for a particular course, you get credit for those hours without completing the coursework. If you don’t pass, you’ll need to take the course the traditional way. This option is especially worth considering for Part 1 if you’ve worked in child care before or studied child development in school.
Educational Exemptions
Certain degrees and credentials can exempt you from some or all of the introductory training. Florida statute allows exemptions based on the following:
- Active Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC) or National Early Childhood Credential (NECC)
- Associate degree or higher with at least 6 college credit hours in early childhood education or child growth and development
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Early Childhood Education or Preschool Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with certification to teach any age from birth through 6th grade
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Elementary Education (general)
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Exceptional Student Education
If you hold one of these credentials, contact your local DCF training office or child care resource and referral agency to apply for an exemption. You’ll need to provide documentation such as transcripts or copies of your degree. The exemption is noted on your training transcript, and you won’t need to complete or test out of the courses it covers. Even with an exemption, you may still need to complete specific components like the special needs course, so confirm exactly which hours are waived.
Timeline and Deadlines
The clock starts ticking from your first day of employment in child care. Within 90 days, you must take at least one concrete step: start a Part 1 or Part 2 course, sit for a competency exam, or file for an educational exemption. Simply registering for a future course may not satisfy this requirement, so plan to actually begin coursework or testing within that window.
From the date you start training, you have one year to complete all 40 hours of the core curriculum. Most people finish well before that deadline, especially if they take courses online at their own pace. If you’re working full time at a facility, many employers will build training time into your schedule or allow you to complete online modules during nap times or after hours.
Costs and What to Expect
Training costs vary depending on the provider and format. Online courses from approved providers typically charge per course or per hour, and prices can range from roughly $5 to $15 per instructional hour. Instructor-led courses at community colleges may have their own tuition structure. Some employers cover training costs, so ask before paying out of pocket.
If you go the competency exam route, the pricing is simple and relatively affordable at $1 per course hour. Taking exams for all 40 core hours would cost $40 total, making it the least expensive path if you’re confident in the material.
Once you’ve completed all required hours (through coursework, exams, exemptions, or a combination), your training transcript is updated to reflect compliance. Your employer and DCF licensing staff can verify your completion status through the system. Keep copies of any certificates or exam results you receive, as these serve as your personal backup in case of any discrepancies on your transcript.