North Carolina's Star Rated License is unusual: the state builds quality straight into the license, awarding every licensed program 1 to 5 stars. More stars reflect higher program and staff-education standards. Because the rating is part of licensing, you will see a star level on essentially every licensed daycare in the state.
If you are comparing daycares in North Carolina and see a the Star Rated License star rating, this guide explains what it measures, who runs and licenses programs, how to confirm it, and how it connects to cost and subsidy — so you can use it as one input, not the whole decision. The rating is issued by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, within the broader structure the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Care sets for states.
North Carolina's Star Rated License is the state's mandatory quality rating, built into the license itself and awarded from 1 to 5 stars. It is issued by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), per the State of North Carolina and the federal ACF Office of Child Care. Unlike voluntary systems in most states, nearly every licensed North Carolina program carries a star level.
A quality rating system does two jobs at once. It rates programs so families can compare them, and it improves programs by pairing higher levels with coaching, training, and resources. North Carolina built the Star Rated License with support from the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administered by the ACF Office of Child Care.
Licensing is the mandatory floor that every program must clear: the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) licenses child care programs, and licensed family child care homes also receive a star rating under the same system. the Star Rated License is the rating built into licensing measured on top of that floor. The table below sorts out what each label means.
| Label | What to know |
|---|---|
| the Star Rated License | North Carolina's mandatory star rating, built into the license. Issued by North Carolina DCDEE; nearly every licensed program carries one. |
| Licensing (North Carolina DCDEE) | The mandatory baseline every program must meet, issued by North Carolina DCDEE. The star rating is part of this license. Confirm current status and compliance history. |
| Accreditation | Optional national recognition, such as NAEYC (the National Association for the Education of Young Children), separate from the state and a useful extra signal. |
Because the rating is built into the license, you can expect to see a level on nearly every licensed North Carolina program — but confirm the current license status and compliance history before you read too much into the number.
Start with the license: confirm the program's status with North Carolina DCDEE and review any compliance history. Then look at the the Star Rated License star rating. Treat any rating as one verified data point alongside your own tour, because ratings can lag a program's real, day-to-day conditions by a year or more.
Honest tradeoff. Because the star rating is built into the license, it is convenient and easy to find — but a rating set on paper can lag what a room actually feels like day to day. A 5-star center can still have a weak classroom, and a newer 2-star program can be excellent. Use the stars to start, not to finish.
The rating does not set tuition, which each program decides on its own. But in North Carolina, the state ties subsidy participation and reimbursement to the Star Rated License, while the North Carolina Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program through DCDEE and county departments of social services helps eligible families pay, a structure the ACF Office of Child Care encourages under the federal Child Care and Development Fund. For national context, ChildCare Aware of America's 2024 Price of Child Care report put center-based care at roughly $8,000 to $24,000 per year depending on age and state.
For North Carolina-specific figures, see our daycare cost guide and estimate your own with the cost calculator. If you may qualify for help paying, the North Carolina Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program through the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) and county departments of social services is the place to start.
North Carolina's Star Rated License is the state's mandatory quality rating, built into the license itself and awarded from 1 to 5 stars. It is issued by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), per the State of North Carolina and the federal ACF Office of Child Care. Unlike voluntary systems in most states, nearly every licensed North Carolina program carries a star level.
North Carolina DCDEE licenses child care programs, per the State of North Carolina. Licensing is the mandatory baseline that every program must meet, while the Star Rated License is the quality layer measured on top of it. Confirm a program's current license and compliance history before you enroll.
Confirm the program's license and compliance history with North Carolina DCDEE, then ask about its current the Star Rated License star rating. Treat any rating as one verified data point alongside your own tour, because a rating can lag a program's real, day-to-day conditions.
But in North Carolina, the state ties subsidy participation and reimbursement to the Star Rated License, while the North Carolina Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program through DCDEE and county departments of social services helps eligible families pay, a structure the ACF Office of Child Care encourages under the federal Child Care and Development Fund. For national context, center-based care runs roughly $8,000 to $24,000 per year, per ChildCare Aware of America's 2024 Price of Child Care report.
For the full picture in your state, see the North Carolina daycare guide, which covers licensing, subsidy, and pre-K. Our daycare quality and safety pillar explains accreditation, ratios, and what to look for on a tour.
Comparing how other states rate quality? Read our explainers on Grow NJ Kids, Delaware Stars, and Maryland EXCELS.
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