Daycare guide · opening a centre

Opening a daycare or mini-crèche in Luxembourg: the licence, step by step.

By the Kawi team · Updated 28 October 2026

Planning a daycare or a mini-crèche? In Luxembourg, everything goes through a licence from the Ministry of Education, and the conditions are precise: staffing, space, languages, good character. Here is what matters, in the order your project will meet it, based on the official guichet.lu pages. The educational side is covered in our guide to multilingual education in daycare.

Daycare or mini-crèche: two regimes

• The daycare centre (SEA, education and care service): a licence is required as soon as you care for more than 3 children during the day for payment (guichet.lu page).
• The mini-crèche: no more than 11 children at the same time, of whom no more than 4 under one year, and no more than 22 care contracts. The ratio is one adult for 6 children, whatever their age (guichet.lu page).

In both cases, the service must run at least 46 weeks a year, between 5 am and 11 pm, with rest, balanced meals and activities in line with the national framework for non-formal education.

Staffing: ratios to respect at all times

• 1 adult for 6 children under 2;
• 1 adult for 8 children aged 2 to 4;
• 1 adult for 11 children over 4.

The minimum number of carers is calculated from the children enrolled in each age group, rounded up. Management, care and kitchen staff must hold the required qualifications, and everyone, the operator included, must meet the good-character requirements (criminal record extracts no. 3 and no. 5, less than 2 months old, for Luxembourg nationals; foreign equivalents for others).

Languages: Luxembourgish, French and German

The team must be able to use all three of the country's languages in the service. Not everyone has to speak all three, but all three must be used, with at least level B1 in listening and A2 in speaking. The operator assesses and certifies these skills, unlike the multilingual education programme, which requires an official certificate.

Premises: space, light, garden

• 4 m² per child in the living areas (3 m² for school-age children), with direct natural light; corridors, toilets and cloakrooms do not count.
• Nap rooms of at least 2 m² per child under 2.
• In a daycare centre, groups of no more than 12 children under 2, 16 aged 2 to 4, 12 in mixed-age groups, and a private, adjoining outdoor play area of at least 5 m² per child.
• Safety, hygiene and food safety standards are certified by the Labour and Mines Inspectorate (ITM) and the health authorities.

Procedures and timelines

1. From the start of the project, the operating permit for a classified establishment from the ITM: allow 2 to 3 months.
2. The certificate of compliance with the general development plan (PAG), issued by the municipality.
3. The licence application online via eduAccueil, with supporting documents: the ministry has 3 months to process it once the file is complete.
4. To accept the childcare voucher (chèque-service accueil), a separate application for recognition as a provider, which can be made at the same time as the licence.

The childcare voucher comes with the multilingual education programme, and a multilingual education lead in the team.

FAQ