Section 10 of the Education and Training Act 2020 defines an early childhood education and care centre as a premises that is used regularly for the education or care of 3 or more children (not being children of the persons providing the education or care or children enrolled at a school who are being provided with education or care before or after school) under the age of 6 years by day (or part of a day) but not for any continuous period of more than 7 days.

Education and Training Act 2020, Section 10 – New Zealand Legislation

Centre-based early learning services include:

• Playcentre
• Te Kōhanga Reo
• Kindergarten
• education and care services
• puna reo
• reo rua education and care
• leo o fanau moana immersion
• leo o fanau moana bilingual.

Early learning services are sometimes referred to as a:

• childcare centre
• preschool
• crèche
• a’oga amata
• early childhood centre.

They can have a variety of different operating structures, philosophies and affiliations such as Montessori or Rudolf Steiner.

These centres are licensed in accordance with the Education and Training Act 2020 under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, which prescribe minimum standards that each licensed service must meet. Licensing criteria are used to assess how the centres meet the minimum standards required by the regulations.

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 – New Zealand Legislation

For each criterion there is guidance to help centres meet the required standards.

The publication of the criteria on its own can be downloaded and printed.

The licensing criteria were last updated in April 2026.

Until the new criteria come into effect on 20 April 2026, the existing criteria remain in place.

Licensing criteria for centre-based ECE services