Alabama rulebook · checked October 2026

Watching Kids at Home in Alabama: How Many Before You Need a License?

In Alabama, there is no unlicensed tier for regular paid care of unrelated children: the first child on a regular schedule already needs the state's permit. The only question is which tier.

Run the free Alabama check

The Alabama line, in facts

Licensing agency: Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) — Child Care Services Division

The line: In Alabama, there is no unlicensed tier for regular paid care of unrelated children: the first child on a regular schedule already needs the state's permit. The only question is which tier.

The categories above the line

Category	Capacity	What it means
Family Day Care Home	up to 6	Your residence, no more than 6 children for daytime care. (Parallel nighttime-home categories exist at the same sizes.)
Group Day Care Home	up to 12	7 to 12 children in a residence, with at least 2 adults present and supervising at all times. More than 12 children is a day care center.

What comes with the license

Ratios:
Training before you open:
Training to stay open:
State fees:
Realistic timeline:

What catches people in Alabama

Alabama has NO small-number exemption: the licensing rule reaches 'one or more children unrelated to the operator.' One unrelated child, regularly, for pay = apply for a license or approval.
DHR lists programs operating less than 4 hours a day among its exemptions — confirm with DHR that the exemption reaches your home arrangement before relying on it.
Certain church and religious nonprofit preschool programs are exempt when proper notice is filed.

Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: Ala. Admin. Code 660-5-25 (licensure: 'one or more children unrelated to the operator'); Ala. Admin. Code 660-5-25-.05 (related home care outside DHR approval); Ala. Code Title 38, Ch. 7 (§38-7-4 license); DHR Minimum Standards for Day Care Homes. This page reads the published rules; it is not legal advice, and the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) — Child Care Services Division is the final word.

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