Kentucky Childcare Licensing
Kentucky Childcare Training Hour Requirements (2026)
Kentucky childcare staff must complete both pre-service (orientation) training before working with children and ongoing annual training each year. Kentucky requires nine (9) hours of cabinet-approved early care and education training annually for family child-care home providers (three (3) hours in the first year) and fifteen (15) hours annually for child-care center staff (nine (9) hours in the first year), in both cases including one and one-half (1.5) hours of pediatric abusive head trauma training once every five (5) years (922 KAR 2:100 Section 10(1); 922 KAR 2:090 Section 11(16)(b),(c)).
Last updated: April 2026
Researched by the TotReady Research TeamKentucky Training Hour Requirements: The Specifics
Kentucky requires six (6) hours of cabinet-approved pre-service orientation training
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a family child-care home provider must complete it within three (3) months of application for certification, and child-care center staff must complete six (6) hours of cabinet-approved orientation within the first three (3) months of employment (922 KAR 2:100 Section 2(9)(a) and KRS 199.8982(1)(a)6
922 KAR 2
Kentucky requires nine (9) hours of cabinet-approved early care and education training annually for family child-care home providers (three (3) hours in the first year) and fifteen (15) hours annually for child-care center staff (nine (9) hours in the first year), in both cases including one and one-half (1.5) hours of pediatric abusive head trauma training once every five (5) years (922 KAR 2:100 Section 10(1)
922 KAR 2
Kentucky Training Hour Requirements at a Glance
| Pre-service training | Kentucky requires six (6) hours of cabinet-approved pre-service orientation training; a family child-care home provider must complete it within three (3) months of application for certification, and child-care center staff must complete six (6) hours of cabinet-approved orientation within the first three (3) months of employment (922 KAR 2:100 Section 2(9)(a) and KRS 199.8982(1)(a)6; 922 KAR 2:090 Section 11(16)(a)). |
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| Annual training | Kentucky requires nine (9) hours of cabinet-approved early care and education training annually for family child-care home providers (three (3) hours in the first year) and fifteen (15) hours annually for child-care center staff (nine (9) hours in the first year), in both cases including one and one-half (1.5) hours of pediatric abusive head trauma training once every five (5) years (922 KAR 2:100 Section 10(1); 922 KAR 2:090 Section 11(16)(b),(c)). |
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Kentucky Training Hour Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions
How many pre-service training hours does Kentucky require?
Kentucky requires six (6) hours of cabinet-approved pre-service orientation training; a family child-care home provider must complete it within three (3) months of application for certification, and child-care center staff must complete six (6) hours of cabinet-approved orientation within the first three (3) months of employment (922 KAR 2:100 Section 2(9)(a) and KRS 199.8982(1)(a)6; 922 KAR 2:090 Section 11(16)(a)).
How many annual training hours does Kentucky require?
Kentucky requires nine (9) hours of cabinet-approved early care and education training annually for family child-care home providers (three (3) hours in the first year) and fifteen (15) hours annually for child-care center staff (nine (9) hours in the first year), in both cases including one and one-half (1.5) hours of pediatric abusive head trauma training once every five (5) years (922 KAR 2:100 Section 10(1); 922 KAR 2:090 Section 11(16)(b),(c)).
Does CPR/First Aid count toward Kentucky training hours?
States differ on whether CPR and First Aid certification counts toward required training hours. Confirm with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General — Division of Regulated Child Care (DRCC), which licenses and investigates complaints against licensed child-care centers and certified family child-care homes; child-care standards developed in coordination with the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) Division of Child Care before relying on it for your annual total.
Kentucky childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published Kentucky administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General — Division of Regulated Child Care (DRCC), which licenses and investigates complaints against licensed child-care centers and certified family child-care homes; child-care standards developed in coordination with the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) Division of Child Care before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.