Ohio rulebook · checked October 2026
Watching Kids at Home in Ohio: How Many Before You Need a License?
In Ohio, you may watch up to 7 counted children before a license is required — and Ohio counts your own children (under 6) in that number.
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The Ohio line, in facts
Licensing agency: Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) — your county Department of Job and Family Services inspects and recommends
The line: In Ohio, you may watch up to 7 counted children before a license is required — and Ohio counts your own children (under 6) in that number.
Your own children: counted — Ohio includes your own children (under 6) in the numbers that decide your category.
Even below the line: One big exception: a Type B-size home that cares for publicly funded (subsidy) children MUST be licensed. The unlicensed path is for private-pay care only.
The categories above the line
| Category | Capacity | What it means |
|---|
| Type B Family Child Care Home | up to 7 | 1 to 7 children at one time, no more than 3 under age 2. A license is required only if you take publicly funded children; otherwise it is voluntary. |
| Type A Family Child Care Home | up to 14 | 8 to 14 children at one time — or 4 to 14 when 4 or more are under age 2. A second adult is required above 7 children (each staff member: max 7 children, max 3 under 2). |
What comes with the license
- Ratios: Each child care staff member may care for no more than 7 children at one time, and no more than 3 of them under age 2 (OAC 5180:2-13-18).
- Training before you open: Register in the Ohio Professional Registry and complete the Family Child Care Pre-Licensing Training (within the 5 years before applying), plus the health trainings: current First Aid, CPR, communicable-disease management, and child abuse recognition and prevention.
- Training to stay open: At least 6 clock hours of professional development per state fiscal year (the health trainings do not count toward the 6).
- State fees: Application fee: $25 (OAC 5180:2-13-02). After the provisional period the license is continuous — the rule sets no renewal fee.
- Realistic timeline: Published in the rule: the county agency starts reviewing within 10 business days, completes the prelicensing inspection within 10 business days of a complete file, and recommends approval or denial to DCY within 90 days. Your first license is provisional for at least 12 months.
Your path in Ohio, step by step
- Create your profile in the Ohio Professional Registry (OPR).
- Register through the OPR and complete the Family Child Care Pre-Licensing Training.
- Apply online in the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS) and pay the $25 fee to DCY.
- Submit with the application: background-check verification for everyone required, proof of high school education, and a labeled site plan (indoor floor plan plus outdoor play space). Type A adds building and fire inspections and written zoning approval.
- The county agency reviews your documents, then inspects your home and sends its recommendation to DCY within 90 days.
- DCY issues a provisional license (at least 12 months); after at least two inspections, including one with children present, it converts to a continuous license.
What catches people in Ohio
- Ohio's numbers changed for 2026: Type B is now 1–7 children (it was 1–6) and Type A is 8–14 (it was 7–12). Older guides and PDFs still show the old caps.
- The whole process is online — OPR profile plus OCLQS application; the rule has no paper route.
- DCY issues the license, but your COUNTY agency inspects and recommends — the timelines run against the county.
- One family child care license per address, and the provider must live in the home.
If you skip the line
Violating the licensing mandate is fined $100–$500 multiplied by the number of children over the Type B limit (ORC § 5104.99(A)), with a court order to reduce your numbers; a repeat offense can be ordered to stop providing care until licensed.
Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: Ohio Rev. Code § 5104.02(A)–(B) (license mandate reaches centers and Type A homes; exemptions); Ohio Rev. Code § 5104.01 (Type A / Type B definitions; counting related children under 6); Ohio Admin. Code 5180:2-13-02 (application, $25 fee, county timelines), 5180:2-13-18 (ratios), 5180:2-13-10 (training); Ohio Rev. Code § 5104.99(A) (penalty formula). This page reads the published rules; it is not legal advice, and the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) — your county Department of Job and Family Services inspects and recommends is the final word.
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