Become an LNL Provider

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Not live in the same home as the child whose family is applying for or receiving child care assistance
• Meet background study requirements
• Meet training requirements
• You cannot care for more than one unrelated family at a time. Related means you are the sibling, grandparent, aunt, or uncle of the child.
• You must meet group size and age limits. You can care for up to eight children age 12 and younger at one time.

What you need to know about becoming a legal nonlicensed provider 

Watch video — 6:21 minutes >>

The Child Care Assistance Program pays LNL providers an hourly rate. The exact rate depends on the county where care is provided, age of the child, and if the LNL provider has any credentials or accreditations.

For a provider with no credentials or accreditations:

• For example, hourly rates for toddlers vary from $2.43-$3.87 an hour
• Standard Maximum Rates – No Quality Differential
  • Child Care Rates – Standard Maximum Rates – effective 10/30/2023 (state.mn.us)

For a provider with credentials or accreditations, such as a Child Development Associate credential or education in child development or early childhood education:

• For example, quality differential hourly rates for toddlers vary from $2.79-$4.45 an hour
• 15% Quality Differential Maximum Rates
  • Child Care Rates – 15% Quality Differential Maximum Rates – effective 10/30/2023 (state.mn.us)

The legal nonlicnesed provider and each household member age 13 and over must have a background study done as part of the registration process. Currently, DHS is paying the background study fees for all child care providers, including legal nonlicensed providers.

This document describes the training requirements for LNL providers: https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-6419-ENG

All LNL providers must take pediatric CPR and pediatric first aid. This training typically costs money.

Other training requirements depend on whether the LNL is related to the child they care for, and how old the child is. Those trainings are available for free on www.developtoolmn.org.

If a legal nonlicensed provider is unrelated to the child they are caring for, the CCAP Agency will schedule a home monitoring visit with the LNL provider within 12 months of when the child care was authorized to start.

For CCAP, “related” means the provider is the child’s sibling, grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, or uncle of the child, based on blood relationship, marriage, or court decree.

No, a legal nonlicensed provider could provide an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security Number.

As part of the CCAP registration process, a legal nonlicensed provider must submit a W-9 form. Requirements of the W-9 include:

• Providing either a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
• Certifying you are a U.S. person. A U.S. person means you are a U.S. citizen, or a resident alien.
• For more information on what it means to be a resident alien:
  • https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc851
  • https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/resident-aliens

There are three ways to apply for child care assistance:

• Fill out the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program Application DHS-3550 (PDF). Mail or bring the completed form to the county or tribal human services office, or local contracted agency. The application is available in Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.
• Fill out the Combined Application – Child Care Addendum DHS-5223D (PDF) form if also applying for cash, and/or food assistance. Mail or bring the completed form to the county or tribal human services office, or local contracted agency.
• Apply online at MNbenefits.mn.gov.

FFN navigators can help you with the LNL registration process! To register as an LNL:  

• Reach out to an FFN Navigator who will walk you through the process and benefits
• Contact the family’s local county or tribal social service agency and request a provider registration packet
• You can also contact the family’s CCAP caseworker to begin the process
• https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-5192-ENG-pform

What you need to know about becoming a legal nonlicensed provider 

Watch video — 6:21 minutes >>

Yes. To support an infrastructure of for family, friend and neighbor providers, read about lessons from the Department of Human Services’ investment in care care in Minnesota.