Wyoming Childcare Licensing
Wyoming Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)
Indoor activity space is a measured Wyoming licensing requirement: a center's licensed capacity is capped by the usable indoor square footage available per child. Wyoming requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor play space per child (excluding hallways, stairways, closets, furnace rooms, storage, food-preparation areas, bathrooms, offices, and other areas not available to children; 50 sq ft per infant/toddler where play and sleep space are combined with standing cribs/pack-'n-plays) and a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026). NOTE: the current outdoor rule provides only a single reduced tier of 50 sq ft for spaces used solely by children 24 months and younger; the draft's three-tier 35/50/75 outdoor scheme reflects the superseded 2014 rules.
Last updated: April 2026
Researched by the TotReady Research TeamWyoming Square Footage Requirements: The Specifics
Wyoming requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor play space per child (excluding hallways, stairways, closets, furnace rooms, storage, food-preparation areas, bathrooms, offices, and other areas not available to children
WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026
50 sq ft per infant/toddler where play and sleep space are combined with standing cribs/pack-'n-plays) and a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026).
WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026
the draft's three-tier 35/50/75 outdoor scheme reflects the superseded 2014 rules.
WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026
A Wyoming Family Child Care Home is located in the owner's primary residence and may be licensed for up to 10 children (WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Section 2(a)(i), effective April 2026).
WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Section 2(a)(i), effective April 2026
Children of the home owner/director under five (5) years old are counted in capacity and ratios
5
the owner's own children 5+ are generally not counted (Sec.2(a)(vi)).
Sec.2(a)(vi)
Infant staff:child ratios are 1:4 (one staff), 2:8 (two staff), and 3:10 (three staff), giving a maximum infant group size of 10 (Sec.2(b) ratio table).
Sec.2(b) ratio table
NOTE: the draft's infant 'maximum group size of 8' reflects the superseded 2014 Table 6-1
Sec.2(a)(vi)
the current table permits up to 10 infants with three staff.
Sec.2(a)(vi)
The 10-child FCCH cap itself is confirmed unchanged.
Sec.2(a)(vi)
Under the current Wyoming staff:child ratio and group-size table (WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Section 2(b), effective April 2026): infants (birth-12 mo) 1:4 / 2:8 / 3:10 (max group 10)
max group 10
one-year-olds 1:5 / 2:10 / 3:12 (max group 12)
max group 12
two-year-olds 1:8 / 2:16 / 3:18 (max group 18)
max group 18
3- and 4-year-olds 1:12 / 2:24 / 3:30 (max group 30)
max group 30
school age (5+) 1:18 / 2:32 / 3:40 (max group 40)
max group 40
group size may be further limited by room/facility capacity.
all 8-10, from the 2014 Table 6-1
NOTE: the draft's group sizes (all 8-10, from the 2014 Table 6-1) are superseded by this revised table.
all 8-10, from the 2014 Table 6-1
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Wyoming Square Footage Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions
How much indoor space per child does Wyoming require?
Wyoming requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor play space per child (excluding hallways, stairways, closets, furnace rooms, storage, food-preparation areas, bathrooms, offices, and other areas not available to children; 50 sq ft per infant/toddler where play and sleep space are combined with standing cribs/pack-'n-plays) and a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026). NOTE: the current outdoor rule provides only a single reduced tier of 50 sq ft for spaces used solely by children 24 months and younger; the draft's three-tier 35/50/75 outdoor scheme reflects the superseded 2014 rules.
Does Wyoming require outdoor play space too?
Wyoming requires a minimum of 35 square feet of usable indoor play space per child (excluding hallways, stairways, closets, furnace rooms, storage, food-preparation areas, bathrooms, offices, and other areas not available to children; 50 sq ft per infant/toddler where play and sleep space are combined with standing cribs/pack-'n-plays) and a minimum of 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (WY Child Care Licensing Rules, Chapter 11, Sections 13 and 14, effective April 2026). NOTE: the current outdoor rule provides only a single reduced tier of 50 sq ft for spaces used solely by children 24 months and younger; the draft's three-tier 35/50/75 outdoor scheme reflects the superseded 2014 rules.
What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Wyoming?
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 Wyoming rule above.
Wyoming childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published Wyoming administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS), Child Care Licensing before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.