If you are a licensed, self-declared or in-home child care provider—or work as staff—you must complete training before you start and keep taking training each year.
Each year, your licensing specialist will check your training records to make sure you’ve completed all required training.

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Pre-Service Training Requirements
The online New Provider Orientation course explains the rules, steps, and expectations for licensed and self-declared providers.
New owners and operators must complete the course prior to license or self-declared approval.
New directors and supervisors must complete the course within 30 days of employment.
All child care providers and staff must complete Getting Started, a 15-hour basic child care course, within 3 months of becoming licensed or starting work at a child care.
This training is free and can be taken again every 3 years for credit toward annual training requirements.
All providers and staff must complete mandated reporter training every year.
This training is free and counts toward your yearly training requirements.
All staff who care for infants must complete 1 hour of department-approved safe sleep training before caring for infants and once each year after that.
This training is free and counts toward your yearly training requirements.
All staff members responsible for caring for or teaching children must be certified within 90 days of employment and prior to staff members having unsupervised access to children under care, in:
- Infant and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) by the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or other similar CPR/AED training programs that are approved by Early Childhood Licensing; and
- Pediatric first aid by a program approved by Early Childhood Licensing.
Online pediatric CPR/AED training courses are approved, however, trainees must also have completed a hands-on in-person skills test with a certified instructor.
This training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Ongoing Training Requirements
You must complete a minimum number of training hours each year. The number of hours depends on:
- Your provider type.
- How many hours you work.
You cannot repeat the same training within 3 years.
- Exceptions: safe sleep training and mandated reporter training must be taken every year.
Annual Training: 3 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Annual Training: 9 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Supervisor and Director
Annual Training: 10 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Staff
Work 30 to 40 hours/week
- Annual Training: 8 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Work 20 to 30 hours/week
- Annual Training: 6 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Work 10 to 20 hours/week
- Annual Training: 4 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Work Less than 10 hours/week
- Annual Training: 2 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Supervisor and Director
Annual Training: 13 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Staff
Work 30 to 40 hours/week
- Annual Training: 13 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Work 20 to 30 hours/week
- Annual Training: 11 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Work 10 to 20 hours/week
- Annual Training: 9 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Work Less than 10 hours/week
- Annual Training: 7 hours, including:
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
- Training does not count towards your annual training requirements.
Annual Training
- 1 hour on safe sleep prior to caring for infants.
- 1 hour on mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Current pediatric CPR/AED and pediatric First Aid certification.
Questions? Contact us.
Early Childhood
North Dakota Health and Human Services
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 325
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250
Phone: (701) 328-2115
Toll-Free: (800) 997-8516
Relay ND TTY: 711
Email: dhsec@nd.gov