Georgia Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)

Georgia requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.13(1)(a) for homes and R. 591-1-1-.19 for centers, which excludes kitchens, bathrooms, closets, halls, storage, offices, and staff/single-use areas)

Ga

centers must also provide outdoor play area equal to 100 square feet times one-third of licensed capacity (for centers licensed for 19+) with at least 100 square feet available per child occupying the play area at any one time (R. 591-1-1-.26), while family homes have no specified per-child outdoor square-footage minimum.

R. 591-1-1-.26

A Family Child Care Learning Home may care for at least three but no more than six unrelated children under 13 (plus up to two additional children age 3 or older for two designated one-hour periods daily with Department approval)

plus up to two additional children age 3 or older for two designated one-hour periods daily with Department approval

when related children or children residing in the home are also present, the total number of children present under 13 may not exceed twelve

Ga

an employee (at least 16) is required whenever more than three children under 12 months, more than six under 3 years, or more than eight under 5 years are present (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.03(k), 290-2-3-.07(16)-(17), and 290-2-3-.07(19)).

Ga

Child Care Learning Centers must observe maximum group sizes of 12 for infants under 1 (or under 18 months not walking), 16 for one-year-olds, 20 for two-year-olds, 30 for three-year-olds, 36 for four-year-olds, 40 for five-year-olds, and 50 for children six and older

or under 18 months not walking

these group-size caps do not apply to centers licensed for 18 or fewer children or to outdoor/playground time and special activities under two hours (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 591-1-1-.32).

Ga

How much indoor space per child does Georgia require?

Georgia requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.13(1)(a) for homes and R. 591-1-1-.19 for centers, which excludes kitchens, bathrooms, closets, halls, storage, offices, and staff/single-use areas); centers must also provide outdoor play area equal to 100 square feet times one-third of licensed capacity (for centers licensed for 19+) with at least 100 square feet available per child occupying the play area at any one time (R. 591-1-1-.26), while family homes have no specified per-child outdoor square-footage minimum.

Does Georgia require outdoor play space too?

Georgia requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.13(1)(a) for homes and R. 591-1-1-.19 for centers, which excludes kitchens, bathrooms, closets, halls, storage, offices, and staff/single-use areas); centers must also provide outdoor play area equal to 100 square feet times one-third of licensed capacity (for centers licensed for 19+) with at least 100 square feet available per child occupying the play area at any one time (R. 591-1-1-.26), while family homes have no specified per-child outdoor square-footage minimum.

What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Georgia?

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 Georgia rule above.