Daycare Background Check Requirements in Illinois

Updated November 2026.

In Illinois, every employee and volunteer at a licensed daycare must pass a background check. It includes a fingerprint criminal history check through the Illinois State Police and the FBI, a check of child abuse and neglect records, and a check of the Illinois and national sex offender registries. Daycare staff must renew the check every 5 years.

Here is what the rules require and what you can ask when you choose a daycare.

What an Illinois daycare background check includes

Under the Illinois background check rules for child care (23 Ill. Adm. Code 2010, formerly 89 Ill. Adm. Code 385), a background check means:

• A fingerprint criminal history check for people age 18 and over, submitted to the Illinois State Police and checked against state and FBI records.
• A child abuse and neglect check of the Illinois Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS), other states' child protection systems and the national registry, to see whether a person has been indicated for abuse or neglect.
• A sex offender registry check of both the Illinois and national registries.

Since July 1, 2026, child care licensing in Illinois is run by the Illinois Department of Early Childhood. See our guide to the Illinois Department of Early Childhood.

Who has to be checked

• The people applying for the daycare's license
• Every employee, including substitutes and assistants
• Every volunteer
• Anyone allowed to be alone with children outside the sight and hearing of staff

In licensed day care homes, the rules also cover household members age 13 and over. Under the rules, parent involvement in a program, such as helping at a class party, does not by itself require a background check.

New hires and probationary staff

Illinois law, Section 4.1 of the Child Care Act of 1969, lets a daycare hire someone on a probationary basis once they have a qualifying result from an FBI fingerprint check, or from an Illinois State Police fingerprint check plus a records check in each state where they lived in the past 5 years. Until every part of the background check is cleared, that person must be supervised at all times by someone who has passed all parts of the check.

Checks every 5 years

A background check is not a one-time event. Employees and volunteers of day care centers, day care homes and group day care homes must authorize a new investigation every 5 years, as required under the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant.

What parents can check and ask

You will not see staff background check results, but you can check the daycare itself. Look up its license and any violations, and ask the director direct questions. See our guide on how to check a daycare license and violations in Illinois.

Questions to ask on a tour:

• Have all staff in my child's room completed their full background checks?
• Are new staff ever alone with children before their checks clear?
• Who else comes into the classrooms, such as visiting teachers or volunteers, and are they checked?
• How do you handle visitors and pickup? See our guide on who can pick up your child from daycare.

Frequently asked questions

Do daycare workers need fingerprints in Illinois?

Yes. Employees and volunteers of licensed daycares must be fingerprinted for a criminal history check through the Illinois State Police and FBI.

How often are daycare background checks done in Illinois?

Staff at day care centers and homes must authorize a new check every 5 years.

Can a new teacher work before the background check clears?

Only on a probationary basis after certain fingerprint results, and only under constant supervision by fully cleared staff.

Do parent volunteers need a background check?

Under the rules, parent involvement in a program does not by itself require one. Ask your daycare about its own volunteer policy.

Safety at Children's Land

Children's Land staff complete background checks through local and state agencies, meet or exceed state requirements, and are CPR and First-Aid certified. A team member and cameras monitor the main entrance, and there are cameras in every room. Learn about our security and our infant program, find a location, or contact us.

Related reading: How to Check a Daycare License and Violations in Illinois.