Missouri rulebook · checked October 2026

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

In Missouri, you may watch up to 6 counted children before a license is required — and Missouri counts your own children (not yet eligible for school) in that number.

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The Missouri line, in facts

Licensing agency: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Childhood, Child Care Licensing

The line: In Missouri, you may watch up to 6 counted children before a license is required — and Missouri counts your own children (not yet eligible for school) in that number.

Your own children: counted — Missouri includes your own children (not yet eligible for school) in the numbers that decide your category.

The categories above the line

Category	Capacity	What it means
Family Child Care Home (licensed)	up to 10	No more than 10 children for any part of the 24-hour day (5 CSR 25-400). Missouri's group child care homes (11–20) sit outside the provider's own living quarters — past 10 in your home, you are in group/center territory.

What comes with the license

Ratios: Family home chart (5 CSR 25-400.105): 1 caregiver — up to 4 children (4 under 2 allowed), 5–6 children (max 3 under 2), or 7–10 children (max 2 under 2); 2 caregivers — up to 8 (8 under 2) or up to 10 (max 4 under 2). Headline: one adult alone tops out at 10 children and just 2 under age 2 at that size.
Training before you open:
Training to stay open: At least 12 approved clock hours of child-care-related training each calendar year for the provider and every caregiver or volunteer counted in ratio.
State fees:
Realistic timeline:

What catches people in Missouri

Missouri counts the ADDRESS, not the paperwork: the exempt 6 is every child at the home at once — but children who live there and are old enough for school are not counted.
Beware the ghost rule: older Missouri manuals exempt 'four or fewer UNRELATED children.' That version of §210.211 is superseded — the current line is 6 total with the under-2 cap.
Once licensed, up to 2 children age 5+ who are related to you (or in your legal custody) drop out of the capacity count (5 CSR 25-400.105).

Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: RSMo § 210.211 (current text: six or fewer children, max 3 under age 2, no license and no reporting required); RSMo § 210.201 (definitions; resident school-eligible children not counted); 5 CSR 25-400.105 (licensed family home capacity and ratios); DESE Office of Childhood. This page reads the published rules; it is not legal advice, and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Childhood, Child Care Licensing is the final word.

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