California Code § 101212(b): Director Change Notification

Director Change Notification is the mandatory requirement to inform the Department of Social Services within 10 calendar days whenever your center director changes or when you designate new qualified teachers to act in the director's absence. This regulation applies to both permanent director changes and modifications to your backup/designee list. The notification must include the names of all newly designated individuals and applies even for temporary director changes. This requirement ensures that licensing always knows who is legally responsible for running your childcare center.

As of November 23, 2025, 22 facilities have been cited for this violation in the past 90 days. This represents about 1 in 343 facilities statewide (0.29% of the 7,551 facilities inspected). The citations have occurred across 9 counties, with San Bernardino County leading with 8 citations, followed by Riverside and Sacramento counties with 4 citations each. While the overall percentage is low, the concentration of violations in certain counties suggests that some facilities struggle with understanding or meeting the notification timeline requirements.

Inspectors cite this regulation when they discover unreported director changes during facility visits or through documentation reviews. Common triggers include: promoting someone to acting director for 'just a few weeks' without notifying licensing, forgetting to report when a backup teacher becomes the permanent director, failing to update the designated backup list when staff changes occur, missing the 10-day notification deadline even if you eventually report the change, or thinking that temporary director changes don't require notification. Inspectors verify current director information against licensing records, and any discrepancy - even a few days past the deadline - can result in a citation.

Set a calendar reminder the day you make any director changes - don't rely on memory. Keep licensing's contact information and notification forms easily accessible, as many notifications can be submitted electronically for faster processing. Understand that ALL director changes require notification, whether permanent, temporary, or just updating backup designees. Submit your notification within the 10-day window - if you make a change on Monday, count 10 calendar days from that date as your deadline. When promoting internal staff to director roles, notify licensing immediately rather than waiting to 'make sure it works out.' Document all notification submissions with confirmation receipts or email records. Train your administrative staff on this requirement so notification happens even if you're unavailable.

Immediately submit the required notification to licensing, including the current director's name and all designated backup staff, even though you've missed the 10-day deadline. Provide the exact date when the director change occurred to document the timeline. If the director change was temporary and that person is no longer in the role, still report what happened and clarify the current situation. Review your internal procedures for tracking staff position changes and implement a system to trigger automatic licensing notifications. Consider designating a specific staff member responsible for monitoring and submitting these notifications. Submit a written plan of correction explaining how you'll ensure timely reporting of future director changes, and follow through with those procedural improvements.