Montana Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)

Group and family day-care homes must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor play and learning space per child and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (ARM 37.95.705(1)).

ARM 37.95.705(1)

For child care centers, the required minimum 35 square feet of usable floor space per child is calculated excluding food preparation areas, bathrooms, toilets, offices, staff rooms, corridors, hallways, closets, lockers, laundry areas, furnace rooms, and storage spaces (ARM 37.95.610(2)-(3))

ARM 37.95.610(2)-(3)

the center space rule (37.95.610) does not set a 75-square-foot-per-child outdoor minimum like the homes rule does.

37.95.610

A family day-care home is a private residence in which day care is provided to three to eight children on a regular basis (52-2-703, MCA).

52-2-703, MCA

Except for approved overlap care, at least two caregivers are required at all times when more than eight children are present at the home (ARM 37.95.702(1)), and no more than three children under age two are allowed in a family day-care home at any time unless care is provided exclusively to children under two, in which case no more than four children under age two may be present (ARM 37.95.702(2)-(3)).

ARM 37.95.702(2)-(3)

Montana sets child-to-staff ratios and maximum group sizes for child care CENTERS by age: 4:1 with a maximum group size of 12 for children newborn through 23 months

three to eight and 9 to 15 children respectively under 52-2-703, MCA

8:1 with a maximum of 16 for two through three years

three to eight and 9 to 15 children respectively under 52-2-703, MCA

10:1 with a maximum of 24 for four years

three to eight and 9 to 15 children respectively under 52-2-703, MCA

and 14:1 with a maximum of 32 for five years and over (ARM 37.95.623(1)).

ARM 37.95.623(1)

When children of different ages are mixed, the ratio and group size for the youngest child in the group must be maintained (ARM 37.95.623(2)).

ARM 37.95.623(2)

Family and group day-care homes are governed by total registered capacity (three to eight and 9 to 15 children respectively under 52-2-703, MCA) rather than per-age group-size caps.

three to eight and 9 to 15 children respectively under 52-2-703, MCA

How much indoor space per child does Montana require?

Group and family day-care homes must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor play and learning space per child and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (ARM 37.95.705(1)). For child care centers, the required minimum 35 square feet of usable floor space per child is calculated excluding food preparation areas, bathrooms, toilets, offices, staff rooms, corridors, hallways, closets, lockers, laundry areas, furnace rooms, and storage spaces (ARM 37.95.610(2)-(3)); the center space rule (37.95.610) does not set a 75-square-foot-per-child outdoor minimum like the homes rule does.

Does Montana require outdoor play space too?

Group and family day-care homes must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor play and learning space per child and 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (ARM 37.95.705(1)). For child care centers, the required minimum 35 square feet of usable floor space per child is calculated excluding food preparation areas, bathrooms, toilets, offices, staff rooms, corridors, hallways, closets, lockers, laundry areas, furnace rooms, and storage spaces (ARM 37.95.610(2)-(3)); the center space rule (37.95.610) does not set a 75-square-foot-per-child outdoor minimum like the homes rule does.

What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Montana?

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 Montana rule above.