GUIDE
Childminder registration: how to register with Ofsted
The most accessible way into childcare, with two registration types and a recent rule change worth understanding. Here is how to register, step by step.
Last reviewed: 05 June 2026
Who has to register as a childminder
You must register, with Ofsted or with a childminder agency, if you are paid to look after one or more children under the age of eight, for more than two hours a day, in a domestic setting. You need to be at least eighteen, and childminders are usually self-employed. Registering is not optional: caring for young children for payment without it, where registration is required, is against the law. If you also care for children aged five and over, you will need to be on the Childcare Register as well.
The two types of childminder registration, and the Rule of Five
Since the changes that took effect on 1 November 2024, there are two ways to register. The first is the standard childminder, working from a home, usually your own. The second is a childminder without domestic premises, a category introduced in November 2024 for those who work solely from somewhere other than a home, like a community or village hall; under this type you cannot work from any home at all. There is also an important threshold to understand. A single childminder registration now allows up to four people in total. The moment you want to work with four or more other adults, five or more of you in total, you are no longer a childminder; you must register as childcare on domestic premises instead. This is the rule that decides whether you register as a childminder or as a group provider.
Cared for more than 2 hours a day, for pay.
Childminder without domestic premises.
Five or more total means group provider.
What registration involves
The process has a clear set of steps. You set up a Government Gateway account to apply. You and everyone connected to your setting complete the required forms, connected adults complete an EY2 form. You need an enhanced DBS check for the childcare workforce, with a full five-year address history (and, if you work from home, checks for everyone in your household aged sixteen or over). You complete a health declaration signed by your GP, an introductory childminder course, a twelve-hour paediatric first aid course, and safeguarding training, and you must be able to demonstrate that you understand and can deliver the EYFS. Then Ofsted arranges a pre-registration visit to check your premises are safe and suitable.
The fee and how long it takes
The fee to register as a childminder is modest, around thirty-five pounds for the Early Years and Childcare Register, and it is non-refundable, paid when you apply. On timing, Ofsted applications take around twelve weeks on average, and you should allow longer overall, often four to six months, once you factor in your training, your DBS check, and the pre-registration visit. Registering through a childminder agency is an alternative route, with its own pathway and timescales.
Getting registered, the proper way
Whether you are registering as a childminder or building toward a larger setting, we handle the registration and the EYFS-compliant setup, so you can focus on the children.
Childminder questions, answered
Related guides
EYFS explained
The statutory framework every Ofsted-registered childcare provider must meet.
Read the guide →How much does it cost to open a nursery?
The honest 2026 breakdown, from childminder to full group nursery.
Read the guide →How long does Ofsted registration take?
The full timeline from application to your registration certificate.
Read the guide →