Reviewed November 2026 s. 402.305(4), F.S. · view rule s. 402.305(4), F.S. s. 402.302(8), F.S.; FCCH/LFCCH Handbook § 2.2, effective September 2026 · view rule s. 402.302(8), F.S.; FCCH/LFCCH Handbook § 2.2
Florida child care is licensed by the Department of Children and Families in 63 counties and by local licensing agencies in Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota. The law is Florida Statutes ss. 402.301–402.319, and the rules (chapters 65C-22 for centers and 65C-20 for family and large family homes) adopt two handbooks that hold most of the standards. New December 2025 handbooks took effect September 1, 2026, after 2025 and 2026 laws changed training, screening and home names; the center ratios in statute did not change. Effective months shown are the latest official amendment dates of the rule, handbook or law cited.
Licensing agency: Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Child Care Licensing; local licensing agencies in Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties · public license lookup
Inspection findings public? Yes, the state publishes licensing inspection results.
License types
- Child care facility (center): more than 5 unrelated children — s. 402.305, F.S.; R. 65C-22.001, F.A.C.; Child Care Facility Handbook
- School-age child care facility — R. 65C-22.008, F.A.C.; School-Age Child Care Facility Handbook
- Family child care home (licensed or registered), up to 10 children by age mix — s. 402.313, F.S.; R. 65C-20.008, F.A.C.; FCCH/LFCCH Handbook
- Large family child care home: up to 12 children, 2 full-time staff — s. 402.3131, F.S.; R. 65C-20.008, F.A.C.; FCCH/LFCCH Handbook
Show rules for:
Recent changes (2025–2026)
Florida's staff-to-child ratios in s. 402.305(4), F.S. did not change in the 2025 or 2026 sessions. What did change: a 2025 law (ch. 2025-181) rewrote several training, screening and inspection rules; a 2026 law (ch. 2026-140) renamed "family day care homes" to "family child care homes"; and DCF adopted new December 2025 handbooks that took effect September 1, 2026. Some DCF web pages still use the old names and still list the repealed mildly-ill-care rules.
New handbooks in force September 1, 2026
DCF amended its center and home rules effective September 1, 2026. The amendments adopt a new Child Care Facility Handbook and a new Family Child Care Home and Large Family Child Care Home Handbook (both dated December 2025), new violation classification summaries and new enforcement sections. DCF's rule notice says the changes carry out the 2025 laws on screening, training and safe-school officers, add online applications through DCF's CARES system, and amend disciplinary sanctions. If you printed the old 2021-era handbook, replace it.
CPR training must be in person
Since July 1, 2025, the person who must be on site whenever children are present must be trained in CPR in person. The handbook accepts an online course only with an on-site, instructor-led skills check by a certified CPR instructor (CCF Handbook § 4.2.4).
Screening results in 3 business days, or 45-day provisional hire
DCF must finish a new hire's Level 2 screening and send the result within 3 business days after it receives the criminal history. If it can't, it issues a 45-day provisional-hire status while out-of-state records are pending, unless it has reason to think a disqualifying factor exists. During those 45 days the person must be directly supervised by screened and trained staff whenever they are with children.
Free online training and exams; new course topics
The 40-hour introductory course now must cover developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome, and DCF must offer the online coursework at no cost. The Senate staff analysis says the law also requires DCF to offer the competency exams online.
Mildly-ill child care rules repealed
The 2025 law removed the statutory standards for specialized child care facilities for mildly ill children, and DCF repealed the last of chapter 65C-25 on October 23, 2025. The same law dropped the requirement that centers give parents flu information each August–September and "distracted adult" hot-car information each April and September, and the drop-in pager rule.
Shorter inspections for strong compliance records
Centers, family homes and large family homes can get an abbreviated inspection if they have been licensed 2 years in a row, had no Class 1 violation and no more than three of the same Class 2 violation for 2 years, had two full renewal inspections in the last 2 years, and have no uncorrected violations, open complaints or active child protective investigations. DCF must review the key-indicator standards it checks every 5 years.
Optional safe-school officers
Since July 1, 2025 a center may partner with a law enforcement or security agency to have a safe-school officer, including a trained school guardian, at its own cost. Officers may not count toward ratio or provide direct supervision, unless the person is a staff member who volunteers as a school guardian. The center must notify all families in writing (CCF Handbook § 3.2.2). A 2026 law (ch. 2026-80) amended the guardian program statute again; s. 30.15 still lets sheriffs train child care facility guardians. Confirm current details with your sheriff and DCF.
2026 law: new name, exemption notice
From July 1, 2026 the statutes call these homes "family child care homes" (formerly "family day care homes"). Family and large family homes no longer must hand parents flu and hot-car information each year. A church-school or other license-exempt facility under s. 402.316(1) or (2) must state on its website, ads and family forms that it operates under an exemption and is not licensed or regulated by DCF. Residential property insurers may not cancel or refuse a policy only because the home runs a large family child care home (with exceptions), and those policies do not cover the home business's liability.
Local licensing counties; Hillsborough back with DCF
A county that runs its own child care licensing must re-affirm that choice by majority vote of the county commission every year. Hillsborough County returned licensing to DCF on July 1, 2023 (the county's agreement ended June 30, 2023), so four counties now license locally: Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota.
Who needs a license, and what kind
Florida licenses child care facilities (centers) under s. 402.305, F.S. and R. 65C-22.001, F.A.C., family child care homes under s. 402.313 and R. 65C-20.008, and large family child care homes under s. 402.3131 and the same rule. Most of the actual standards are in two handbooks the rules incorporate by reference: the Child Care Facility Handbook ("CCF Handbook") and the Family Child Care Home and Large Family Child Care Home Handbook ("FCCH/LFCCH Handbook"), both dated December 2025 and in force since September 1, 2026. School-age-only programs follow a separate School-Age Child Care Facility Handbook (R. 65C-22.008). DCF licenses in 63 of 67 counties. Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties have local licensing agencies that apply their own ordinances, which must meet or exceed the state standards; three of the four use the county health department. Check your county's agency if you are in one of them.
What counts as a child care facility
"Child care" is care, protection and supervision for less than 24 hours a day on a regular basis, for a payment, fee or grant. A child care facility cares for more than five children who are not related to the operator, for pay, wherever it operates and whether or not for profit. Public and nonpublic schools and their integral programs, summer camps and summer day camps, vacation Bible schools, and hotel/resort child care for guests (with Level 2 screened staff) are not included.
Family and large family child care homes
A family child care home is an occupied residence where child care is regularly provided for children from at least two unrelated families for pay. A large family child care home is the same, but with at least two full-time child care personnel on the premises during operating hours, one of whom must be the owner or occupant. Before licensing a large home, the operator must have run a licensed family home for 2 years and held a child development associate credential or equivalent for 1 year.
Licensed vs. registered family homes
Family homes must be licensed if their county requires it by ordinance or commission resolution. Elsewhere they register with DCF every year instead, giving the home's name, operator, number of children, a substitute plan, proof of screening, proof of the 30-hour course and literacy course, current immunization records, and annual training hours. Any home may choose to be licensed. DCF's inspection guide says registered homes are not routinely inspected.
Annual license, posting, and advertising
Every license is renewed every year, and a new owner needs a new license before taking over. Post the license in a conspicuous place. Any citation that led to disciplinary action must be posted next to it for 1 year, with a plain-language explanation and the corrective action you took. Every advertisement must include your license or registration number; leaving it out is a first-degree misdemeanor.
Renew at least 45 days early
Apply on DCF's form (online through CARES is allowed) every year. A renewal application filed less than 45 days before the license expires is a violation with a $100 late fine that must be paid before the license is renewed. Unpaid fines block renewal.
Exempt programs
Child care that is an integral part of an accredited church or parochial school, and facilities serving only certain eligible children under s. 402.261, are exempt from licensing but must still meet the background screening rules and local health, sanitation and safety requirements; failing screening ends the exemption. Since July 1, 2026 they must say they are exempt and not regulated by DCF on their website, ads and family forms. Programs certified by the U.S. Department of Defense or Coast Guard are exempt unless they serve children who are not eligible for military child care.
Staff-to-child ratios
Center ratios are set in statute, s. 402.305(4), F.S., and apply at all times children are in care, including in vehicles and on field trips. For groups of children 2 and older, the ratio follows the age group with the most children in the group, but if any child under 1 is in a mixed group the ratio is 1:4, and if any 1-year-old is in it the ratio is 1:6. Family homes don't use ratios; they use fixed capacity limits that count the operator's own children under 13.
Center ratios by age
One child care personnel for every: 4 children from birth to 1 year; 6 children age 1; 11 children age 2; 15 children age 3; 20 children age 4; and 25 children age 5 and older. People in community service or work-experience activities don't count toward ratio. Someone under 16 may work only under direct supervision and never counts toward ratio (s. 402.305(2)(c)).
SafePass tip: SafePass shows a live count for each room: children checked in against staff clocked in, with an alert to directors when a room goes over ratio. Set each room's ratio to Florida's number for that room's age group. SafePass's built-in defaults are not Florida's; its toddler default of 1:6 happens to match Florida's 1-year-old ratio, but check every room. SafePass does not apply Florida's "largest age group" rule or the 1:4/1:6 override for mixed groups.
Mixed-age groups
In any mixed-age group that includes a child under 1, one staff member may have no more than 4 children of any age. In a mixed group that includes a 1-year-old (and no infant), the limit is 6. For groups of children 2 and older, use the age group with the largest number of children (s. 402.305(4)(a)7.).
Field trips and vehicles
One extra adult beyond ratio must go on every field trip away from the facility; a parent volunteer may fill that role if directly supervised by screened and trained staff. Ratios must be kept in vehicles. The driver counts toward ratio only if screened and trained.
Swimming and wading ratios
While children swim or wade: 1:1 for infants and children under 3, 1:4 for ages 3–4, 1:10 for age 5 and older; mixed groups use the youngest child's ratio. A certified lifeguard must be present at pools more than 3 feet deep and at beaches and lakes. Children 1 to 5 must be within arm's reach.
Family child care home capacity
A family child care home may care for one of these groups, counting the operator's and household's children under 13: up to 4 children under 12 months; or up to 3 under 12 months plus others, 6 total; or up to 6 preschoolers if all are over 12 months; or up to 10 children if no more than 5 are preschool age and no more than 2 of those are under 12 months.
SafePass tip: SafePass Kiosk check-ins give you a running count of who is in care right now, by child and age. Add your own children under 13 as enrolled children if you want them in the count.
Large family child care home capacity
A large family child care home may care for up to 8 children under 24 months, or up to 12 children with no more than 4 under 24 months, counting household children under 13. It must have at least two full-time child care personnel on site during operating hours. On field trips with more than 6 preschoolers, add one adult per 6 preschoolers beyond ratio (Handbook § 6).
Group size and space
Florida has no statewide maximum group size for centers. Instead, the licensing authority sets each center's capacity from indoor and outdoor square footage, sewer or septic capacity and the number of toilets and sinks, using the most restrictive factor, and posts a capacity for each room. Ratios still apply inside every room.
Indoor and outdoor space
Centers need 35 square feet of usable indoor floor space per child (20 square feet for a center continuously licensed at the same site since October 1, 1992), measured room by room, and 45 square feet of outdoor play area per child age 1 and older, enough for at least half the licensed capacity. The capacity set by the licensing authority must be posted in each room, and the number of children on site and on field trips may never exceed licensed capacity.
Toilets and sinks
At least one toilet and one sink for 1 to 15 children, plus one more of each for every 30 children after that. A center with only diapered infants needs one toilet and two sinks per 30 infants. Potty chairs don't count toward the requirement.
Large family home space
A large family child care home needs 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, not counting bedrooms unless they are used as activity rooms, and at least 270 square feet of usable outdoor play area on the property.
Director and staff qualifications
Age requirements
A center operator must be at least 21, and a staff member at least 21 must be in charge and on the premises at all times the center is open. Staff under 16 must be directly supervised and don't count toward ratio.
Director Credential
Every center needs a director with an active Florida Director Credential (valid 5 years), on site for the majority of operating hours (excluding weekends and evenings), with records proving it. One person can't direct centers whose hours overlap. If the center loses its credentialed director, the owner must tell the licensing authority within 5 working days, and the center gets a provisional license for up to 6 months.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff profiles store certifications and documents with expiration dates, so the director's credential and its 5-year renewal date are in one place for the licensor.
One credentialed staff per 20 children
Centers open 8 or more hours a week with 20 or more children must have one staff member with a staff credential (a CDA, a Florida Birth Through Five or School-Age credential, or qualifying education) for every 20 children: one for 20–39, two for 40–59, and so on. Credentialed staff must work at least 20 hours a week (not counting naptime). Kindergartners and older school-age children are not counted. Keep 12 months of credentialed staff work schedules.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff time clock records give you dated hours for each person who worked, and staff profiles track each credential's expiration.
Home operators, substitutes and employees
A family home operator must be at least 18 (21 for a large family home), must live in the home, and may not work outside the home while it is open. Every home needs a written plan naming at least one substitute age 18 or older; changes must be reported within 5 working days, and a designated substitute may average no more than 40 hours a month over 6 months. Large family home employees must be at least 18.
Large family home operator credential
A large family home operator must have held an active staff credential (CDA/NECC, Florida Birth Through Five or School-Age credential, or qualifying education) for at least one year before licensure, documented on the DCF Training Transcript, and must keep it active.
Background screening
Florida uses Level 2 screening under chapter 435, F.S., run through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. It covers owners, operators, employees and volunteers who count as child care personnel, and in home-based programs household members over 12.
Level 2 screening before contact with children
Each person needs FBI and FDLE fingerprint checks, sex offender registry searches and child abuse and neglect registry checks for every state lived in during the past 5 years, plus documented employment history checks covering the past 5 years. Start the screening in the Clearinghouse before fingerprinting. Before an eligible result, a new hire may only train and attend orientation, not be with children, unless DCF grants 45-day provisional-hire status (then direct supervision is required). Add each new hire to your Clearinghouse roster within 5 days, and add an end date within 5 days of separation; you'll be emailed if a rostered employee is arrested for a disqualifying offense.
SafePass tip: SafePass stores each staff member's background check date and flags checks more than five years old on the Compliance page. It is not connected to the Clearinghouse, so keep the eligibility results and roster there.
Re-screening every 5 years
Screening is valid for 5 years, then a full re-screen is required. Anyone who leaves the child care industry for more than 90 days must be re-screened before having unsupervised contact with children.
SafePass tip: SafePass flags staff whose recorded background check date is more than five years old.
Home operators and household members
In family and large family homes, the operator, substitutes, employees and every household member over 12 must be screened. Household members aged 12 to 17 get a juvenile delinquency records check instead of fingerprints. A license application is not complete until screening for the operator, substitutes and household members is received (R. 65C-20.008(5)).
Application questions and attestation
Your job application must ask whether the applicant ever worked at a facility that had a license denied, revoked or suspended, or was disciplined or fined, with the answer attested under penalty of perjury; review any "yes" before hiring. Each personnel file also needs the CF-FSP 5131 checklist and the CF 1649A Attestation of Good Moral Character.
Training, first aid and CPR
Florida's DCF Training Transcript is the only accepted proof of DCF-required coursework. Since July 2025 the online courses are free.
40-hour introductory training for center staff
Staff and volunteers working 10 or more hours a month must begin DCF training within 90 days of starting in the industry and finish within 12 months of beginning, passing competency exams with a weighted score of 70 or better. The 40 hours are Part I (30 hours: rules and regulations; health, safety and nutrition; child abuse reporting; child growth and development; behavioral observation and screening) and Part II (10 hours: Special Needs Appropriate Practices, or Understanding Developmentally Appropriate Practices plus an age-group course). Some degrees and credentials exempt parts.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps dated training records in each staff profile, so you can see who still needs to begin or finish.
Literacy, safe sleep and fire extinguisher training
Every staff member needs a one-time 5-hour early literacy course within 12 months of employment. Staff in a facility that serves infants must complete safe sleep and shaken baby syndrome training within 30 days of hire. All staff must be trained on the fire extinguisher at each facility within 30 days of hire.
First aid and pediatric CPR on site
At all times children are in care, at least one staff member with current first aid and one with current in-person pediatric CPR must be present (one person can do both), and at least one must be on every field trip and transport. Larger programs need more trained staff on site, per the chart in § 4.2.4. Certificates last as long as the course provider says, up to 3 years. Online CPR counts only with an on-site, instructor-based skills assessment.
SafePass tip: SafePass tracks each staff certification's expiration date. Staff get a reminder 30 days out, and directors are alerted when one expires.
10 hours of in-service training every year
After the introductory training, each staff member needs 10 clock hours (1 CEU) of in-service training every state fiscal year (July 1–June 30), recorded on CF-FSP Form 5268. The literacy course counts for 5 of those hours in the year it is taken. Staff found short have 30 days to make up the hours, which can't count toward the current year.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps staff training records with dates in each staff profile.
Home operator training
Before licensure and before caring for children, family home operators and substitutes must pass DCF's 30-hour Family Child Care Home course, complete the 5-hour literacy course, and hold current pediatric CPR and first aid. Large family home operators also complete 10 hours of Part II courses within 6 months of licensure; their employees begin the 30-hour course within 90 days. Operators need 10 hours (1 CEU) of in-service training each licensing year.
SafePass tip: SafePass tracks training and certification expiration dates for each caregiver you add as staff.
Supervision, health and safety
Direct supervision at all times
Each staff member is assigned to a specific group and stays with it. Children may never be left without staff supervision inside or outside, in a vehicle or on a field trip, and must be accounted for while toileting and bathing. School-age staff must know where children are and what they are doing at all times. No one may work while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
SafePass tip: SafePass shows staff a live list of children checked in to each room, so a caregiver can confirm names and headcount at a glance.
Supervision in homes
The operator is responsible for supervising children by sight and sound, indoors and out, at all times. In a large family home, direct supervision is required during all operating hours.
Communicable disease and exclusion
Watch children daily for signs of illness. Remove or isolate anyone with signs such as fever of 101°F or higher with other symptoms, severe cough, difficult breathing, stiff neck, diarrhea, pink eye, open lesions or yellow skin or eyes until a medical release or symptoms are gone. Keep an isolation area within sight and hearing of staff. Report a suspected outbreak (two or more people with similar symptoms within 72 hours, or a reportable disease) to the county health department right away.
SafePass tip: SafePass can run an optional health check at check-in (temperature and symptoms) and notifies directors and parents when a child doesn't pass.
Emergency care plans and allergies
A child with a chronic condition or allergy needs a current emergency care plan from the parent or physician in the file, and staff caring for the child must be trained to follow it. Notify parents right away of any suspected allergic reaction or exposure, and call 911 whenever epinephrine is given.
SafePass tip: SafePass registration packets collect allergies and medical notes, and they show on the child's profile for staff.
Incident reports
Document every accident, incident or unusual occurrence that threatens a child's health or safety on the day it happens, share it with the parent the same day, and keep it 12 months. Include the child's name, date and time, what happened, actions taken and by whom, and signatures of staff and the parent. Report any serious injury or death to the licensing authority immediately.
SafePass tip: SafePass incident reports record what happened, the action taken and first aid, notify the parent, and capture the parent's e-signature.
Abuse reporting
Acts or omissions that meet Florida's definition of child abuse or neglect violate the licensing standards, and so does failing to report suspected abuse to the Florida Abuse Hotline as a mandatory reporter. Each facility and home must file an annual affidavit of compliance with the reporting law (s. 402.319(3)).
Facility, furniture, equipment and hazards
Secure heavy furniture
Bookshelves, televisions and other heavy furnishings must be stable and secured so they can't fall over. Keep chairs and other furniture away from cabinets and shelves so children can't climb to dangerous heights or reach hazards. Arrange furniture so staff can directly supervise children from every part of the room, and follow a written cleaning and sanitizing schedule for toys and furnishings.
Daily safety checks and building hazards
Inspect indoor play areas every day and keep the log for 12 months; check outdoor play areas daily and fix problems before use. Accessible outlets must be tamper-resistant or covered. Guard any drop of more than 30 inches with rails or gates. Keep cords and strings that could encircle a neck out of reach. Install carbon monoxide detectors where state or local law requires them and keep 12 months of testing records. No smoking or vaping on the premises or in vehicles.
Toxics, firearms and drugs
Store cleaning products, chemicals, knives and sharp tools locked or out of children's reach, labeled and used as directed. Firearms and weapons are prohibited on the premises except for law enforcement and authorized safe-school officers. No alcohol, narcotics or impairing drugs on the premises or in vehicles.
Lighting, temperature and fencing
Provide at least 20 foot-candles of light (50 at close-work surfaces) and keep indoor temperature between 65°F and 82°F. Outdoor play areas need shade and a continuous fence or wall at least 4 feet high with no gaps over 3½ inches, at least two exits, and must keep children away from pools, ditches and ponds.
Playgrounds
Anchor playground equipment unless it is portable by design, inspect supports, connectors and moving parts monthly, and keep those records 12 months. Stationary equipment needs a 6-foot fall zone with at least 6 inches of loose fill or tested unitary surfacing (ASTM F1292). Cover sandboxes nightly. Wading pools and inflatable water slides that collect water are prohibited.
Home hazards, fencing and pools
Keep the home and play areas in good repair and free of hazards, with cords out of reach and buckets emptied. Outdoor play areas need a 4-foot fence with no gaps over 3½ inches; inspect them before daily use. Pools more than a foot deep need a 4-foot barrier on all four sides or an operating pool alarm, locked gates and locked doors to the pool area while children are in care, and removed ladders on above-ground pools.
Fire safety, drills and emergency plans
Florida requires fire drills every month, which is more often than many states.
Annual fire inspection and monthly fire drills
Centers need an annual fire inspection (or fire marshal-approved alternative plan) on file and 2A:10BC extinguishers within 75 feet of every room children use. Hold a fire drill every month at different times, using the alarm, with everyone evacuating. Over the license year, include one drill on an alternate route, one during nap time and one requested by the licensing authority. Take the attendance record and parent contacts out on every drill. Record the date, number of children and staff, route and evacuation time, and keep records 12 months.
SafePass tip: SafePass's checked-in list shows who is in care right now, which is the attendance record you take out the door. SafePass does not keep a fire drill log.
Written emergency plan and drills
Have a written plan for fire, evacuation, relocation, shelter in place, lockdown and severe weather such as hurricanes and tornadoes, including how you will notify parents and reunite families on and off site and meet each child's needs. Hold at least one lockdown and one severe-weather drill a year (each may replace a monthly fire drill, no more than three times a year), post the drill record, and post an evacuation diagram in every room except restrooms. Drill records produced after an inspection don't count.
SafePass tip: SafePass parent messaging and announcements can reach every family at once during a relocation or reunification.
After a disaster; incident plan; generators
After a fire or a natural or man-made disaster, tell the licensing authority your operating status within 24 hours. Keep a written plan for reporting a lost or missing child, suspected maltreatment, hospitalization, death and a threatening intruder. A generator must be permanently installed, above flood risk, with a carbon monoxide detector if gas-powered.
Homes: smoke detectors, drills and plans
Homes need working smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher with a current tag. Run a fire drill every month using the smoke detector, including one at nap time, one on an alternate route and one for the licensing counselor, and keep records 12 months. Write an emergency plan for fire, evacuation, relocation, shelter in place, lockdown and weather, and practice each non-fire drill at least once a year. Large family homes must meet the State Fire Marshal's child care standards, have an annual fire inspection, and post an evacuation diagram.
Medication
Programs don't have to give medication, but if they do these rules apply.
Written authorization and original containers
Get a dated authorization signed by the custodial parent with the child's name, the medication, and the date, time and amount of each dose. As-needed medication also needs the symptoms that call for it. Medicine must be in its original container; prescriptions need the pharmacy label with the child's name and directions. Never give one child's prescription to another. Sunscreen, diaper cream and insect repellent need written parent permission but not a log entry unless prescribed.
SafePass tip: SafePass collects the parent's signed medication request electronically. Staff approve it, and the parent gets a notification at each dose.
Medication log, storage and staff training
Log every dose with the child's full name, medication, date and time, amount, and the name and signature or initials of the person who gave it; keep the record 12 months after the last dose. Store medicine locked or out of reach with child-resistant caps. Staff must be trained in giving medication before they do it, with documentation in their personnel file.
SafePass tip: SafePass logs each dose with the time, amount and staff name. Keep the staff medication-training record yourself.
Immunizations and health exams
Florida immunization form within 30 days
Get a completed Florida Certification of Immunization (DH 680) or Religious Exemption from Immunization (DH 681) for each child. Out-of-state shots must be transferred onto the DH 680 and signed by a Florida physician. If it isn't provided within 30 days of enrollment, the child may not stay. A child who is behind and not exempt must show a scheduled appointment. Your parent handbook must say some enrolled children may not be fully immunized. School-age children enrolled in school are exempt from this file requirement.
SafePass tip: SafePass lets parents upload vaccine records. Staff verify them, and the dashboard lists overdue and due-soon doses, with an exemption field.
Student Health Examination
Each child needs a Student Health Examination (DH 3040) or equivalent signed statement within 30 days of enrollment. It is valid for 2 years and must be kept current while the child is enrolled.
Food and nutrition
Meals, menus and choking hazards
If you serve food, meals and snacks must follow USDA MyPlate and at least the Child Care Food Program meal patterns. Don't serve choking-risk foods such as whole hot dogs, popcorn, whole grapes, nuts or cheese cubes to children under 4. Post dated weekly menus at the start of each week, note substitutions, and keep menus 12 months. Keep a physician's order and meal plan on file for special diets, and written documentation of known food allergies.
SafePass tip: SafePass weekly menus and meal logs show parents what was served and how much their child ate.
Infant feeding
Hold infants for bottle feedings until they can sit up with good head control; never prop bottles. Label all formula, breast milk and food from home with the child's first and last name. Never microwave bottles. Warm a bottle only once, discard what is left within an hour, and use refrigerated prepared bottles within 24 hours. No solids before 4 months, and no cereal in bottles, unless a physician authorizes it. If a child is given the wrong breast milk or formula, tell both families right away.
Safe sleep
Infants sleep on their backs with nothing in the crib
Follow AAP safe sleep practice. Infants who can't roll over are placed on their backs on a firm surface unless a physician authorizes another position in writing. Cribs and play yards have only a tight-fitted sheet: no bumpers, blankets, pillows or stuffed toys, and nothing over the top. Fitted sleep sacks are allowed; swaddling requires written physician authorization. Keep cribs at least 18 inches from blinds and cords.
Cribs, mats and spacing
Children under 1 nap in a crib or play yard that meets federal standards (16 CFR parts 1219–1221), with slats no more than 2⅜ inches apart. Air and foam mattresses are prohibited; floor mats must be at least 1 inch thick with a washable cover. Keep 18 inches around each nap space, with at most two sides against a wall, and never under furniture or in an exit path. No stacked cribs, cots or beds.
Naptime supervision in centers
During naps, staff must be within sight and hearing of all children, with the rest of the staff needed for ratio in the building on the same floor. Children up to 24 months must have direct supervision at all times.
SafePass tip: SafePass nap logs record when each child went down and woke up, and parents see them. SafePass does not run timed sleep-check logs.
Sleep checks every 10–15 minutes in homes
In family and large family homes, bedroom doors must stay open while children nap or sleep. Supervise by sound, with visual checks every 10 to 15 minutes to make sure each child's head is uncovered and to check an infant's breathing and color. A baby monitor doesn't replace the checks.
SafePass tip: SafePass nap logs record nap start and end times. It does not log the 10–15 minute visual checks, so track those separately.
Safe sleep training
Staff in any program serving infants must complete safe sleep and shaken baby syndrome training within 30 days of hire, and the program needs a written policy to prevent shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma (§ 2.8).
Discipline and guidance
What discipline is banned
Discipline may not be severe, humiliating or frightening, or tied to food, rest or toileting. Spanking and all physical punishment are prohibited, as are isolating a child where they can't be seen, binding or taping, withholding food, punishing toilet accidents, emotional abuse, threats or derogatory language, and using a crib for time-out. Active play may not be completely withheld; time-outs need an age-appropriate time limit.
Written policy signed by parents
Have a written discipline and expulsion policy, give parents a copy before admission, and get the parent's signature on the enrollment form confirming they received it. Staff and volunteers must follow it.
Records
Records must be kept at the program and available whenever it is open. Copies and electronic records are acceptable if the licensor can review them during the inspection.
Enrollment information
Before a child starts, get enrollment information on CF-FSP Form 5219 or an equivalent, including the names, addresses and phone numbers of everyone authorized to pick up the child and consent for staff to see the child's records. Get signed statements that the parent received DCF's brochure (Know Your Child Care Facility, or Selecting a Family Day Care Home Provider for homes), your discipline and expulsion policies, and (for centers) your food and nutrition policies.
SafePass tip: SafePass registration packets collect guardians, emergency contacts, authorized pickups, physician and allergy information, with a parent signature.
Records kept 12 months
Centers keep at least 12 months of attendance, transportation logs, field trip and food activity permissions, fire and emergency drill records, accident and incident reports, medication records, menus, daily indoor inspection logs, playground maintenance checks, carbon monoxide testing and volunteer hours, plus current immunization and health forms for each child.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps records with dates and times, and it exports attendance reports as PDF for a licensor.
Personnel records
For each staff member keep the employment application with the s. 402.3055 attestation, position and start date, DCF Training Transcript and credentials, in-service record, screening documents, and, for drivers, the license, physical and first aid/CPR certificates. Volunteers sign CF-FSP 5217 before starting.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff profiles hold certifications, training records and the background check date for each person.
Attendance and release of children
Daily attendance with arrival and departure times
Record the time each child arrives and leaves every day. Parents may sign in and out, but the program is responsible for complete, accurate records. Attendance devices are allowed if staff ensure accuracy. In centers, each classroom keeps a roster that travels with the group. Keep attendance 12 months.
SafePass tip: SafePass Kiosk records each check-in and check-out with a timestamp and who dropped off or picked up, and it exports attendance reports as PDF.
Release only to authorized people, with photo ID
Release a child only to people the custodial parent authorized in writing in advance, or in the manner the parent authorized, and verify the person's identity with a picture ID. Children dropped off by the program must be released at the agreed location to an authorized person.
SafePass tip: At check-out, SafePass shows staff the child's guardians and authorized pickups, with photos, and records who picked the child up. Staff still need to check the person's picture ID.
When a child doesn't show up for pickup
If a program is supposed to pick up a child (for example from school or a bus stop) and the child isn't there, staff must notify the facility and the parent. Homes must call the parent right away when an expected child doesn't arrive and there was no notice of an absence, call emergency contacts if they can't reach the parent, and note every attempt on the attendance roster.
SafePass tip: SafePass parent messaging lets staff reach a family quickly, and gives you a dated record of the message.
Transportation and field trips
A center must be approved by the licensing authority before it transports children.
Transportation log and two-person vehicle sweep
Log every child transported by vehicle or on foot: name, date and departure time, arrival time, and the driver's and a second staff member's signatures. On arrival the driver marks each child off as they leave, checks the whole vehicle, and signs; a second staff member does a second sweep and signs. Keep logs 12 months.
Vehicle alarm and inspections
Every vehicle used by a center or large family home must have a DCF-approved alarm that sounds within one minute of turning off the ignition unless the driver walks to the back of the vehicle to shut it off. Vehicles need an annual mechanic's inspection kept in the vehicle, insurance, no more passengers than seat belts, and an interior kept between 65°F and 82°F.
Drivers and child restraints
Drivers need a valid Florida license with the proper endorsement, an annual physical approving them to drive, and current first aid and pediatric CPR. Children ride in the back seat: rear-facing seats under 1, a carrier or built-in seat for ages 1–3, a carrier or booster for age 4, and seat belts from 5.
Field trip notice and permission
Tell parents about each field trip in advance and post the date, time and place at least two working days before. Get written permission (general or trip-specific) and keep it 12 months. Take emergency contacts, a phone and a first aid kit on every trip, including walks.
Inspections and enforcement
Licensors inspect unannounced, and inspection reports are public on DCF's CARES provider search. Violations are classed by severity: Class I (most serious, imminent threat), Class II (could threaten health or safety), and Class III (low potential for harm; by statute, the same noncompliance repeated at least three times in 2 years).
How often programs are inspected
Licensors may enter at reasonable times to inspect the premises, staff and required records, and may copy records and photograph conditions (CCF Handbook § 8.1). DCF's inspection guide says licensed centers are inspected three times during the license year (about every four months) and licensed family and large family homes twice a year. Registered homes and exempt programs are not routinely inspected unless they hold Gold Seal or School Readiness contracts. Eligible programs may get abbreviated inspections (s. 402.3115).
Fines by class and repeat count
Every violation gets technical assistance. Class I: $100–$500 per day per violation for the first and second; the third leads to suspension, denial or revocation. Class II: $50 for the second violation of the same standard, $60/day for the third, probation plus $75/day for the fourth, and suspension, denial or revocation plus $100/day from the fifth. Class III: $25 at the third, $30/day at the fourth, probation plus $40/day at the fifth, and suspension, denial or revocation plus $50/day from the sixth (health and immunization standards get probation instead). Violations of the same standard more than 2 years apart don't count toward progression.
Maximum penalties
By statute, fines may not exceed $100 per violation per day, or $500 if the violation could cause or did cause death or serious harm. Probation-status licenses last up to 6 months and can't be renewed. DCF may also deny, suspend or revoke, seek an injunction, or issue an emergency suspension order to close a program that is an imminent threat.
Know each standard's class
DCF's classification summaries list every standard with its violation class and the wording licensors use, for example ratio (Class 2) and leaving a child unsupervised in a vehicle (Class 1). They are the best checklist for preparing for an inspection. Homes have their own summaries (CF-FSP 5318 and 5317).
Contesting a violation or sanction
Hearings
When DCF proposes a fine, probation, denial, suspension or revocation, it issues an administrative complaint and you can request a hearing under chapter 120, F.S.; follow the deadline in the notice of rights. In a local licensing county, you must request a hearing in writing within 15 days or the action takes effect; the hearing is held within 30 days before a county-designated officer, and you can then appeal to DCF.
Inspection reports themselves aren't appealable
DCF's issuing or publishing an inspection report is not agency action subject to chapter 120, so you can't request a hearing on the report itself; challenges come when a sanction is proposed. Fix cited items by the corrective action due date and keep proof.
Staff screening disqualifications
If a licensing agency finds a staff member fails screening, it notifies the program and the person in writing. They may challenge the record or seek an exemption from disqualification; for a local agency the request is due within 15 days. Keeping a disqualified person on staff leads to automatic denial or revocation.
Most common citations
Period: State fiscal year 2023–24 (July 2023 – June 2024)
How it was counted: These are official aggregate figures reported by DCF to the Legislature, not our own count. DCF reported 16,405 licensing violations in FY 2023-24 by severity class only: 145 Class 1, 3,908 Class 2 and 12,352 Class 3 (75%), and 803 programs had more than five Class 3 violations. No breakdown by rule or handbook section was published, so 'rule' is empty. The analysis does not say whether the four local-licensing counties are included. DCF publishes each provider's inspection reports on the CARES public search, but it offers no bulk download of violations, and its downloadable provider list has no violation data, so we could not count the most-cited standards.
| Topic | Citations | Share of citations | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 3 violations (low potential for harm, such as missing paperwork) | 12,352 | 75.3% | Class 3 standards are low-harm items, many of them records and documentation. Do a monthly file check against the Classification Summary: immunization (DH 680/681) and health exam (DH 3040) forms within 30 days of enrollment, Training Transcripts, in-service records, drill and inspection logs. |
| Class 2 violations (could threaten health or safety) | 3,908 | 23.8% | Ratio, supervision, background screening, first aid/CPR coverage and many safety items are Class 2. Check ratios room by room through the day, keep Clearinghouse results and the roster current, and make sure trained staff are on site at all times. |
| Class 1 violations (imminent threat, death or serious harm) | 145 | 0.9% | Class 1 covers things like a child left alone in a vehicle or wandering off, an unscreened person alone with children, or releasing a child to an unknown person who wasn't authorized. Use the two-person vehicle sweep, keep rosters with each group, and check picture ID at pickup. |
Frequently asked questions
What are the daycare ratios in Florida?
In a Florida child care center, one staff member may care for at most 4 infants under 1, 6 one-year-olds, 11 two-year-olds, 15 three-year-olds, 20 four-year-olds, or 25 children 5 and older. In a mixed group with an infant the limit is 4; with a 1-year-old it is 6; otherwise it follows the age group with the most children. (s. 402.305(4), F.S.; CCF Handbook § 2.3.1)
How many kids can you watch in your home without a license in Florida?
If you regularly care for children from at least two unrelated families in your home for pay, you are a family child care home. You must be licensed if your county requires it, and otherwise register with DCF every year. Outside a home, a program caring for more than five unrelated children is a child care facility that needs a license. A family home may care for up to 4 infants, or 3 infants plus others to 6, or 6 preschoolers over 12 months, or up to 10 if no more than 5 are preschool age and no more than 2 are infants, counting your own children under 13. (s. 402.302(2), (8), F.S.; s. 402.313, F.S.)
How many children can a large family child care home have in Florida?
Up to 8 children under 24 months, or up to 12 children with no more than 4 under 24 months, counting household children under 13, with at least two full-time staff on site. The operator must first run a licensed family home for 2 years and hold a CDA or equivalent for 1 year. (s. 402.302(11), F.S.; s. 402.3131, F.S.)
Who licenses daycares in Florida?
The Department of Children and Families licenses child care in 63 of Florida's 67 counties. Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties have local licensing agencies whose standards must meet or exceed the state's. Hillsborough County returned licensing to DCF in July 2023. (s. 402.306, F.S.; CCF Handbook § 1)
What training do Florida child care workers need?
Center staff must begin DCF's 40-hour introductory training within 90 days and finish it within 12 months, take a 5-hour early literacy course, and then complete 10 hours of in-service training every fiscal year. Family home operators complete a 30-hour course before opening. Staff serving infants need safe sleep training within 30 days, and a staff member with in-person pediatric CPR must be present at all times. (s. 402.305(2)(d), F.S.; CCF Handbook § 4; s. 402.313, F.S.)
Do Florida daycare workers need fingerprints?
Yes. All child care personnel need Level 2 screening, which includes FBI and FDLE fingerprint checks, registry searches and abuse and neglect checks for every state lived in for 5 years, processed through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. It must be repeated every 5 years and after a break of more than 90 days. (s. 402.305(2), F.S.; CCF Handbook § 5)
How often are Florida daycares inspected?
DCF's inspection guide says licensed centers are inspected three times during each license year and licensed family and large family homes twice a year, unannounced. Programs with strong records can qualify for shorter abbreviated inspections. (s. 402.311, F.S.; s. 402.3115, F.S.; DCF Child Care Programs and Inspections Guide)
How do I look up a Florida daycare's inspection reports?
Search the provider on DCF's CARES public search (caressearch.myflfamilies.com). Centers must also post any citation that led to disciplinary action next to their license for one year, with an explanation and the corrective action. (s. 402.306(3), F.S.; s. 402.3125(1), F.S.)
Can a Florida daycare use time-out or spanking?
Spanking and all physical punishment are banned, as is discipline that is severe, humiliating, frightening, or tied to food, rest or toileting. Time-outs are allowed with an age-appropriate time limit, but not in a crib and not by isolating a child out of sight or withholding all active play. (s. 402.305(12), F.S.; CCF Handbook § 2.8)
Do Florida daycares have to keep sign-in and sign-out records?
Yes. Programs must record the time each child arrives and leaves every day and keep the records for 12 months. Parents may sign in and out, but the program is responsible for accuracy. Children may be released only to people the parent authorized in writing, after checking picture ID. (CCF Handbook §§ 2.4.1, 7.5; FCCH/LFCCH Handbook § 8.4)
Sources
- Florida Statutes ss. 402.301–402.319 (2026), Online Sunshine (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-22.001, General Requirements (child care facilities), effective 9/1/2026 (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Child Care Facility Handbook (December 2025), incorporated by R. 65C-22.001(6), F.A.C. (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-20.008, Application (family and large family child care homes), effective 9/1/2026 (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Family Child Care Home and Large Family Child Care Home Handbook (December 2025), incorporated by R. 65C-20.008(8), F.A.C. (accessed November 8, 2026)
- School-Age Child Care Facility Handbook, incorporated by R. 65C-22.008, F.A.C. (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-22.010, Enforcement (child care facilities), effective 9/1/2026 (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 65C-20.012, Enforcement (family and large family homes), effective 9/1/2026 (accessed November 8, 2026)
- CF-FSP 5316 Child Care Facility Standards Classification Summary (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Fla. Admin. Code ch. 65C-25 (specialized child care for mildly ill children), repealed (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Laws of Florida ch. 2025-181 (CS/SB 738), child care and early learning providers (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Laws of Florida ch. 2026-140 (CS/CS/CS/SB 1690), child care and early learning services (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Laws of Florida ch. 2025-58 (CS/SB 1470), school safety (child care guardian program) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Laws of Florida ch. 2025-186 (CS/SB 7012), child welfare (limited exemptions to personnel standards) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Florida Senate, Fiscal Policy bill analysis of CS/SB 738 (April 1, 2025) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Florida House, final bill analysis of CS/CS/HB 1155 (2023), noting Hillsborough's transfer to DCF (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Florida DCF, Child Care Licensure (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Florida DCF, Child Care Programs and Inspections Guide (March 2023) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Florida DCF, CARES public provider search (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Florida DCF, Child Care Laws and Requirements (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse (accessed November 8, 2026)
Educational information, not legal advice. Rules change and inspectors apply them to your specific program. Always confirm requirements with your state child care licensing agency: Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Child Care Licensing; local licensing agencies in Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. How we handle your information: privacy policy.