Arizona Childcare Licensing
Arizona Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)
Indoor activity space is a measured Arizona licensing requirement: a center's licensed capacity is capped by the usable indoor square footage available per child. Arizona child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space for each infant and 1-year-old child and at least 25 square feet of indoor activity space for each child who is not an infant or 1-year-old, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor (or substituted indoor) activity area per child for at least 50% of the facility's licensed capacity (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-602, Supp. 25-2).
Last updated: April 2026
Researched by the TotReady Research TeamArizona Square Footage Requirements: The Specifics
Arizona child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space for each infant and 1-year-old child and at least 25 square feet of indoor activity space for each child who is not an infant or 1-year-old, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor (or substituted indoor) activity area per child for at least 50% of the facility's licensed capacity (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-602, Supp. 25-2).
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Arizona family child care homes are certified by the Department of Economic Security: a provider may care for a maximum of four children for compensation at one time (birth through age 12), or a maximum of six children total when no more than four are for compensation and no more than two of the children in care are younger than age 1 unless they are a sibling group (Ariz. Admin. Code R6-5-5220).
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Homes of five to ten children are instead certified as "child care group homes" by ADHS, which require two staff members present when six to ten children are in care (A.R.S. § 36-897.01).
A.R.S. § 36-897.01
No statewide maximum group-size cap: Arizona child care center rules establish minimum staff-to-children ratios by age (1:5 for infants, 1:6 for 1-year-olds, 1:8 for 2-year-olds, 1:13 for 3-year-olds, 1:15 for 4-year-olds, and 1:20 for 5-year-old not school-age and school-age children) but do not impose a separate maximum group-size limit (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-404, Supp. 25-2).
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Arizona Square Footage Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions
How much indoor space per child does Arizona require?
Arizona child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space for each infant and 1-year-old child and at least 25 square feet of indoor activity space for each child who is not an infant or 1-year-old, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor (or substituted indoor) activity area per child for at least 50% of the facility's licensed capacity (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-602, Supp. 25-2).
Does Arizona require outdoor play space too?
Arizona child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor activity space for each infant and 1-year-old child and at least 25 square feet of indoor activity space for each child who is not an infant or 1-year-old, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor (or substituted indoor) activity area per child for at least 50% of the facility's licensed capacity (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-602, Supp. 25-2).
What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Arizona?
Most states exclude hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, offices, and storage from the usable indoor activity space used to compute capacity. Confirm the exact exclusions in the cited Arizona rule above.
Arizona childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published Arizona administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Child Care before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.