Permits for Early Childhood Centre

Below is an overview of the application process for an Educational Services Permit. For a full list of the required documents, please log in to the e-Service portal.
 

What are the prerequisites?

1. Complete the process with the concerned commercial authority to obtain an Initial Approval.
2. To secure a name for your centre, check its availability with the commercial authority and obtain a Trade Name Reservation certificate from them.
3. An Academic Plan following the Early Childhood Guide, outlining the details of the proposed location.  

Once you have satisfied the pre-requisites above, KHDA will review your application and provide an initial approval and NOC. This will allow you to obtain a commercial license from the commercial authority.

At this stage, the candidate for the manager position will be invited to interview with KHDA’s academic team.

The Educational Services Permit will be issued once the manager is appointed by KHDA and permit fees are paid.

You can then begin your marketing campaign, which requires prior approval from KHDA. Please review the Marketing and Advertising Guidelines.

The compliance team will schedule a final visit to verify the centre’s operational readiness.
 

What comes next?

1. The parent-centre contract
2. Child Registration

To help you fulfill these requirements, you’ll have the support of the relevant KHDA teams.

Permit issuance service fee: AED 10,000

Timeframe: This process requires 16 working days. Submissions that are incomplete or contain errors may take longer.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.

Please log in to the e-Service portal to renew   your annual education permit.

Permit renewal service fee: AED 5,000.

Timeframe: 3 working days.

Do not hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions.

In the unlikely event an early childhood centre cannot continue operation, the request for permit cancellation must be submitted taking into consideration adequate notice for parents, prior to the intended closure date.

Permit holders should:

1. Submit a closure plan (template available on the e-services) that covers the explanation of the closure, children transfer plan and the status of the building.
2. provide KHDA with a draft of the parent communication addressing the closure for KHDA review.

Once the cancellation process is complete, an NOC will be issued.

This process requires 5 working days.

Do not hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions.

Shareholder/s amendment

Please log in to the e-Service portal to request for shareholder amendment.

You need:

1. The reference number of the initial approval from the commercial authority.

Timeframe: 5 working days
 

Manager Appointment

Please log in to the e-Service portal to appoint a manager.

You need:

1. Valid passport copy
2. Curriculum Vitae (including two references).
3. Attested qualification of the manager.

Timeframe: 12 working days

Do not hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions.
 

Addition of age group

Please send an email to ECC@khda.gov.ae to request for addition of age group.

The following are the requirements:

1. A soft copy of the academic plan, if applicable.
2. Compliance visits to verify the readiness of the allocated facilities.

Timeframe: 15 working days.
 

Centre name amendment

Please send an email to ECC@khda.gov.ae to request for a name amendment.

The following are the requirements:

1. Tradename reservation certificate reference number from the relevant commercial authority.

Timeframe: 2 working days.
 

Premises Relocation

Please send an email to ECC@khda.gov.ae to request to relocate the centre.

Part of the review process, a compliance visit will take place to verify the readiness of the premises.

Timeframe: 5 working days.
 

Premises Expansion

Please send an email to ECC@khda.gov.ae to request to expand the centre’s premises.

Part of the review process, a compliance visit will take place to verify the readiness of the premises.

Timeframe: 5 working days
 

Curriculum amendment

Please send an email to ECC@khda.gov.ae to request to amend the centre’s curriculum

You need:

1. To submit a soft copy of the academic plan detailing the proposed curriculum amendment.

Timeframe: 15 working days

Education providers must have written approval from KHDA of any advertising or marketing materials before they are published or distributed. Read our KHDA guidelines for more information on the review process and the KHDA framework for approving adverts before they are published.

Timeframe: 2 working days