Maine Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)

A minimum net area of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child is required for both family child care homes (10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §18.G, 'Minimum Usable Space'

usable indoor space per child is required for both family child care homes (10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §1

excludes hallways, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, and bathrooms) and Child Care Facilities/Centers (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.4.1, 'Minimum usable space'

148 CMR Ch.

excludes hallways, lockers, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, corridors, bathrooms, teachers' spaces, food preparation areas, and offices).

10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §18.G, 'Minimum Usable Space'

The rules require access to an outdoor play area with 'sufficient space for safe play' but specify no per-child outdoor square-footage figure (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.5

148 CMR Ch.

A licensed family child care home may care for up to 12 children total: 1 provider may care for 4 children ages 6 weeks to 2 years (or 8 children ages 2-5, or 12 children over age 5)

or 8 children ages 2-5, or 12 children over age 5

2 providers may care for 8 children under 2

10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §7.C, Staff-Child ratios table

and 3 providers may care for 12 children, with no more than 9 children under age 2 at any time (10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §7.C, Staff-Child ratios table).

10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §7.C, Staff-Child ratios table

Maine sets maximum group sizes for Child Care Centers (distinct from ratios): 8 for ages 6 weeks-1 year

distinct from ratios

12 or 10 for ages 1-2.5 years

10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §28.1, adult-to-child ratio / maximum group size table

21 for ages 2.5-3.5 years

10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §28.1, adult-to-child ratio / maximum group size table

24 or 20 for age 3 to not-yet-school-age (5)

5

and not applicable (no cap) for school-age 5-15 years (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §28.1, adult-to-child ratio / maximum group size table).

10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §28.1, adult-to-child ratio / maximum group size table

Family child care homes have no separate group-size cap beyond the 12-child capacity limit (10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §7.C).

10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §7.C

How much indoor space per child does Maine require?

A minimum net area of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child is required for both family child care homes (10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §18.G, 'Minimum Usable Space'; excludes hallways, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, and bathrooms) and Child Care Facilities/Centers (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.4.1, 'Minimum usable space'; excludes hallways, lockers, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, corridors, bathrooms, teachers' spaces, food preparation areas, and offices). The rules require access to an outdoor play area with 'sufficient space for safe play' but specify no per-child outdoor square-footage figure (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.5; Ch. 33 §18.H).

Does Maine require outdoor play space too?

A minimum net area of 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child is required for both family child care homes (10-148 CMR Ch. 33 §18.G, 'Minimum Usable Space'; excludes hallways, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, and bathrooms) and Child Care Facilities/Centers (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.4.1, 'Minimum usable space'; excludes hallways, lockers, cubbies, door swings, closets, supply cabinets, corridors, bathrooms, teachers' spaces, food preparation areas, and offices). The rules require access to an outdoor play area with 'sufficient space for safe play' but specify no per-child outdoor square-footage figure (10-148 CMR Ch. 32 §18.5; Ch. 33 §18.H).

What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Maine?

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 Maine rule above.