Reviewed November 2026 N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.3(c) · view rule N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.3(c) (PDF) N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.5(b)2 · view rule N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.5(b)2 (PDF)
New Jersey child care centers caring for six or more children under 13 are licensed by the Department of Children and Families' Office of Licensing under the Child Care Center Licensing Act (N.J.S.A. 30:5B-1 et seq.) and the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers, N.J.A.C. 3A:52, readopted effective December 20, 2023. Family child care for up to five children is not licensed: providers may register voluntarily with their county's sponsoring organization under N.J.A.C. 3A:54. Centers hold three-year licenses with annual monitoring inspections, and their inspection reports are posted on DCF's Child Care Explorer.
Licensing agency: New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Licensing; county sponsoring organizations register family child care providers · public license lookup
Inspection findings public? Yes, the state publishes licensing inspection results.
License types
- Child care center (6 or more children under 13, less than 24 hours a day) — N.J.A.C. 3A:52; N.J.S.A. 30:5B-1 et seq. (Child Care Center Licensing Act)
- Registered family child care home (up to 5 children in the provider's residence; voluntary registration) — N.J.A.C. 3A:54; N.J.S.A. 30:5B-16 et seq. (Family Day Care Provider Registration Act)
- Certificate of Life/Safety Approval (seasonal programs of 8 weeks or less; certain church aid-society centers) — N.J.A.C. 3A:52-1.1(c), 3A:52-2.8
- Programs exempt from licensing (public schools, private K-6 schools, religious instruction, single activities, youth camps) — N.J.A.C. 3A:52-1.3
Show rules for:
Recent and pending changes (2023–2026)
Both New Jersey child care rule books were readopted without new requirements in late 2023 and early 2024, so the rules on this page have been stable. The one pending change is a 2025 proposal on classroom space for new centers.
Center rules readopted until 2030
DCF readopted the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers effective December 20, 2023, with a new expiration date of December 20, 2030. The chapter had been due to expire January 31, 2024. The readoption notice describes the existing subchapters and does not add new requirements; the current manual on DCF's site carries the same dates.
Family child care registration rules readopted until 2031
DCF readopted the Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration effective January 19, 2024, with a new expiration date of January 19, 2031.
Proposed: 42 square feet per child for new centers
In July 2025 DCF reproposed raising the indoor activity space for centers first licensed six months or more after adoption from 35 to 42 square feet per child, to match the Department of Education's preschool standard. The Department of Education's FAQ says existing licensed centers that do not take Preschool Education Aid keep the 35 square foot rule, while classrooms serving state-funded preschool need 42. As of November 2026, DCF's list of rule adoptions (updated through March 2026) shows no adoption of this amendment, and the rule text still reads 30 and 35 square feet. Check DCF's rule notices before you size a new center.
Who needs a license, and who registers
The Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Licensing (OOL), licenses child care centers under the Child Care Center Licensing Act, N.J.S.A. 30:5B-1 et seq. Family child care in a provider's home is different: New Jersey does not license it. A provider caring for up to five children may choose to register with the sponsoring organization for their county under the Family Day Care Provider Registration Act, N.J.S.A. 30:5B-16 et seq. Sponsoring organizations work under contract with the Department of Human Services (often the county Child Care Resource and Referral agency); OOL approves them and can inspect registered homes at random.
Child care center: 6 or more children under 13
Any home or facility caring for six or more children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day is a child care center and needs an OOL license. If the center is in the sponsor's home, the sponsor's own resident children are not counted. Operating without a license, or advertising services the license does not cover, is a crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 30:5B-13). Programs serving fewer than six children, drop-in care of up to two hours with the parent in the building, and registered family day care homes are not centers.
Programs exempt from licensing
Exempt: programs run by a public school board; kindergartens, pre-K and child care that are an integral part of a private K-6 school; religious instruction (for children under 6, no more than two hours a day) and care during religious services; single-activity programs such as sports, art or music (under 6, no more than two hours a day); qualifying homework or tutoring programs; youth camps licensed by the Department of Health; DCF regional schools; and private special education preschools approved by the Department of Education.
Application, fees and the three-year license
Apply at least 45 days before opening or before the license expires. The fee covers three years: $110 (6-15 children), $140 (16-30), $165 (31-60), $195 (61-100), $220 (101-180) or $250 (181 and up); Head Start and free school-age programs pay $110. OOL issues a regular license for full compliance, or a temporary license of up to six months for substantial compliance with no serious hazard, but never more than 18 months of temporary licenses. Each licensing period is three years. Post the license in every building of the center. A center with no children for six months is treated as closed.
Building approvals before licensing
A center needs a municipal Certificate of Occupancy in use group I-4 (any child under 2½), E (2½ and older) or A-3 (school-age only), a fire safety inspection certificate from within the last 12 months, a posted Life Hazard Use Registration, and a Sanitary Inspection Certificate if it prepares meals. New construction or renovation plans go to OOL for approval before work starts. OOL also offers prospective centers a free courtesy inspection.
Registered family child care home: up to 5 children, voluntary
A family child care home is the provider's own residence, caring for three to five children at one time for at least 15 hours a week (homes with fewer than three may still register). The provider must be 18 or older and live there. The limit is five children at one time, or up to eight if the extra children are the provider's own children under 6 (resident children 6 and older are not counted), or children of the assistant, alternate or substitute who are cared for free with that person present. Registration is voluntary: the rule sets standards for homes that choose to register. Caring for six or more unrelated children is a center and needs a license.
How a home registers
Apply to your county's sponsoring organization with references, health statements and Mantoux (TB) results for the adults who will be around the children, conviction disclosures, and child abuse record (CARI) consents for everyone 14 or older in the household. Finish pre-service training and current CPR and first aid, and pass a home evaluation visit. The sponsoring organization issues a Certificate of Registration for three years (temporary certificates of up to six months, one year at most) for a $25 fee. Missing documents for 90 days counts as withdrawing the application. Renewal papers are due 45 days before expiration, and a move voids the certificate.
Certificate of Life/Safety Approval
Seasonal or short-term programs running eight weeks or less, and church aid-society centers that were operating by May 16, 1984, get a Certificate of Life/Safety Approval instead of a license ($110). They must still meet the rules on the physical facility, ratios and supervision, background checks, discipline, medication, sanitation, communicable disease reporting and transportation.
Staff-to-child ratios
Centers count staff who directly care for children, room by room, against the children actually present. Registered family homes have a five-child cap with limits on infants and toddlers instead of a ratio table.
Center ratios by age
Under 18 months 1:4. 18 months up to 2½ years 1:6. 2½ up to 4 years 1:10. 4 years 1:12. 5 years and older 1:15. Children must be directly supervised by a staff member at all times, including outdoors, at rest and in hallways.
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 New Jersey's number for that room's ages. SafePass's built-in defaults (infants 1:4, toddlers 1:6, two-year-olds 1:8, school-age 1:15) look like New Jersey's infant, toddler and school-age numbers (check that your room age cutoffs are 18 months and 2½ years), but New Jersey allows 1:10 from 2½ to 4 and 1:12 for 4-year-olds, so with the defaults SafePass would flag preschool rooms New Jersey considers in ratio. SafePass does not apply the mixed-age tenth-of-a-staff calculation, the nap-time ratios, group size limits or the two-staff minimum for you.
How to count staff, including mixed ages
Apply the ratio to the children in attendance in each room, or each divided area of a large room, and add the rooms up. Any fraction above a whole number needs another staff member. In a mixed-age room, work out each age group's share to the nearest tenth and add them: eight 4-year-olds (0.7) plus seven 5- and 6-year-olds (0.5) is 1.2, so two staff. Only staff involved in direct care and supervision count.
Ratios at nap time
During rest or sleep: under 18 months 1:10, 18 months to under 2½ 1:12, 2½ and older 1:20, but only if a staff member is in the nap room and can call for help without leaving, enough staff are in the building to meet the awake ratios, nap preparations are done, every child under 18 months is asleep and every older child is resting or sleeping.
Centers serving many children with special needs
Where 50 percent or more of the children have special needs from a cognitive, socio-emotional or physical disability: under 2½ 1:3, 2½ and older who can't walk 1:3, 2½ and older who can walk 1:5.
Two-staff minimums and staff ages
Early childhood programs need at least two staff, one 18 or older, whenever six or more children under 6 are present. Field trips always need at least two staff. Staff under 18 must be supervised by and visible to an adult staff member. Staff count toward the ratio from age 14 in early childhood programs (14- and 15-year-olds only when school is out or in a school work program) and from 16 in school-age programs. One adult may walk up to 12 school-age children to and from school.
Family homes: infants and toddlers
Without a second caregiver, a provider may care for no more than three children under 1, or four children under 2 of whom no more than two are under 1. A second caregiver (alternate, substitute or provider assistant) must be present if any other child under 6 is there in addition to those limits, counting the provider's own children under 6.
SafePass tip: SafePass Kiosk check-ins give a running count of who is in care, by child and age. Add your own young children as enrolled children if you want them in the count. SafePass does not check New Jersey's infant and toddler limits for you.
Group size
New Jersey caps group size for centers; family homes are limited by the five-child cap.
Infants and toddlers: primary caregiver groups
Each infant (under 18 months) and toddler (18 months to 2½) group has an assigned primary caregiver: four infants or six toddlers per caregiver, who handles feeding, diapering, toilet training and telling parents about unusual incidents. If more than 12 infants or 20 toddlers share a room, areas of no more than 12 infants or 20 toddlers must be divided by barriers taller than the children's eye level.
Maximum groups: 20 preschoolers, 30 school-age
Groups of children 2½ and older in early childhood programs are limited to 20, except at meals, nap, outdoors, special events and daily circle time of no more than 15 minutes. School-age groups are limited to 30, except at meals, outdoors and special events. A group is the children in one room or partitioned area, or doing one activity together.
Staff qualifications
Center staffing depends on licensed capacity. Larger early childhood centers need a director with a degree, a qualified head teacher and group teachers; school-age programs need program supervisors. DCF keeps the education documents on the Staff Records Checklist.
Required positions and time on site
Every center has a sponsor (or sponsor representative), a director and qualified teaching staff set by capacity: for example, one head teacher at 31-60 children and one head teacher plus one group teacher at 61-120; a consulting head teacher (two visits a month) may serve centers of 6-30. School-age programs need one program supervisor per 180 children. The director must be scheduled at least 50 percent of operating hours, and the director or a designee must be on site at all times. Head and group teachers work at least 75 percent of daily hours or six hours, whichever is less.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff profiles store certifications and documents with expiration dates, so diplomas, transcripts, Mantoux results and training certificates are in one place for the licensing inspector. SafePass does not update the NJ Workforce Registry (NJCCIS) for you.
Director
For early childhood programs licensed for more than 30 children: a master's degree in a field related to children or business, or a bachelor's degree plus one year of managerial or supervisory experience. For 30 or fewer, the director meets the group teacher qualifications. School-age programs: program supervisor qualifications.
Head teacher and group teacher
Head teacher: one of seven options, such as a bachelor's degree in education or a child-related field (or a P-3 or elementary teaching certificate) plus six early childhood credits and two years of experience, a master's degree plus credits and one year, Montessori training equivalent to a bachelor's plus two years, or a Professional Impact NJ head teacher endorsement. Conditional approval lasts at most two years and requires a consulting head teacher. Group teacher: one year of experience with children under 6 plus an associate's degree in early childhood, 15 qualifying credits, a CDA, a CCP, a Professional Impact NJ group teacher endorsement or the NJ Infant/Toddler Credential.
School-age program supervisor
Requirements scale with capacity, from a high school diploma or GED plus 6 hours of child care training and two years of school-age experience (6-15 children) to a degree or certification plus program management training for 31 or more. Training must be finished within nine months of approval. A Professional Impact NJ school-age endorsement also qualifies.
Family home provider and helpers
The provider is at least 18, lives in the home and must be scheduled to care for the children at least 75 percent of operating hours (50 percent when sharing with an alternate provider). Alternate and substitute providers are 18 or older and get a documented orientation before caring for children. A provider assistant may be 14 or older but is never left alone with the children if under 18. No caregiver works more than 16 hours in a row.
Background checks
Centers run two checks on staff: a Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) check through DCF for everyone, and a Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) fingerprint check for staff 18 and older. The family child care registration rule requires CARI checks and conviction disclosures. Programs paid through the state's Child Care Subsidy Program have additional federal comprehensive-check requirements set by the Department of Human Services.
Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) checks
The sponsor and every staff member who works at the center on a regular schedule, of any age, consent to a CARI check of DCF's records of substantiated child abuse or neglect. Submit the consent form ($10 each) within two weeks of a new hire's start; until results arrive, the new person is overseen by another staff member and never left alone with children. DCF replies within 45 working days. A staff member with a substantiated finding, or who refuses consent, must be let go. Results are confidential.
SafePass tip: SafePass stores each staff member's background check date and flags checks more than five years old on the Compliance page. It does not submit CARI consent forms or schedule fingerprinting, and New Jersey's center rule does not set a five-year recheck, so treat that flag as a reminder only.
Fingerprint (CHRI) checks and disqualifying offenses
The sponsor and all staff 18 or older who work on a regular schedule complete electronic fingerprinting through the State's vendor (State Police and FBI records) within two weeks of starting, with oversight until results arrive. Convictions for crimes against children, child abuse or neglect, sexual offenses, murder or manslaughter, stalking, kidnapping and related offenses, arson, terroristic threats, or attempts or conspiracies to commit them, in New Jersey or elsewhere, permanently disqualify. Other convictions may be allowed if the person shows clear and convincing evidence of rehabilitation. Tell OOL promptly if you learn a staff member has pending charges.
Disclosures and references
Before hiring, the center completes DCF's Staff Records Checklist for each person: contact details, education and experience, a disclosure of any convictions, CARI and CHRI results, TB test and physical, signed receipt of the discipline policy and Information to Parents document, and two references. Report any conviction or guilty plea of the sponsor, director or a staff member to OOL by the next working day.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff profiles store certifications and documents with expiration dates, so diplomas, transcripts, Mantoux results and training certificates are in one place for the licensing inspector. SafePass does not update the NJ Workforce Registry (NJCCIS) for you.
Family homes: CARI checks and conviction disclosures
The provider, substitute, alternate, provider assistant, every household member 14 or older, and anyone else who works in the home regularly consent to a CARI check, and they disclose any criminal convictions, including people who stay more than 15 consecutive days or visit often. New household members 14 and older are added during the registration period. DCF replies within 30 working days. A substantiated finding or a refusal leads to denial or revocation unless the person (if not the provider) leaves the home. A conviction is not an automatic bar; it is judged case by case. New convictions are reported to the sponsoring organization by its next business day.
Comprehensive checks for subsidy providers
The Department of Health's NJCCIS page states that providers receiving Child Care Subsidy Program funding must complete five checks on all current and prospective staff: an FBI fingerprint check, the National Sex Offender Registry, the state criminal history repository, the state sex offender registry, and state child abuse and neglect registries. The Department of Human Services' childcarenj.gov site, which describes fingerprinting for registered family child care homes and recheck notices, blocks automated access, so we could not verify those details. Ask your sponsoring organization or Child Care Resource and Referral agency which checks apply to you.
Training
Center staff get orientation before working alone and yearly continuing education. Registered family child care providers take pre-service training from their sponsoring organization and keep CPR and first aid current.
Orientation within two weeks, repeated every year
New staff receive orientation within two weeks of hire and are never alone with children until it is done. Topics: tracking children, center policies, group size and primary caregiving, recognizing and reporting abuse, evacuation and fire alarms, the release policy, discipline, health practices including medication, safe sleep and SIDS, preventing shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, injuries and food allergy emergencies, and including children with special needs. Every staff member is retrained in these topics each year and signs for it.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps dated training records in each staff profile, so you can total each person's hours for the year. It tracks certification expiration dates (CPR, first aid), reminds staff 30 days out and alerts directors when one expires.
12 or 20 hours of staff development a year
All staff complete 12 clock hours of continuing development each year; the director, head teachers, group teachers and program supervisors complete 20. Orientation can count for 6 of those hours. Directors take OOL's training on understanding the licensing rules within 90 days of hire. Keep the date, time, topic, presenter and attendance for every session.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps dated training records in each staff profile, so you can total each person's hours for the year. It tracks certification expiration dates (CPR, first aid), reminds staff 30 days out and alerts directors when one expires.
Infant and toddler training
Everyone who works with children under 2½ needs training specific to that age group, such as the NJ Infant/Toddler Credential or an Infant-Toddler CDA, started within 90 days of hire and completed within one year.
First aid and CPR on site
At least two staff members with current first aid and CPR certification, including a hands-on component, are in the center whenever children are present. Keep a first aid kit restocked within 24 hours of use and a first aid manual.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps dated training records in each staff profile, so you can total each person's hours for the year. It tracks certification expiration dates (CPR, first aid), reminds staff 30 days out and alerts directors when one expires.
Family homes: pre-service, CPR and renewal hours
The sponsoring organization provides pre-service training on 22 topics, including safe sleep, abusive head trauma, medication, allergies, emergency preparedness, CPR and first aid. Rule 3A:54-4.2(a) and DCF's FAQ say 18 hours, while 3A:54-5.2(g) says applicants attend eight hours, so ask your sponsoring organization which applies. The provider, substitute and alternate keep current CPR (American Heart Association, Red Cross, National Safety Council or Medic) and first aid with an in-person component. To renew, the provider and alternate show 20 hours of in-service training over the three years, not counting CPR or first aid; up to 10 may be distance learning.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps dated training records in each staff profile, so you can total each person's hours for the year. It tracks certification expiration dates (CPR, first aid), reminds staff 30 days out and alerts directors when one expires.
Supervision, illness, injuries and reporting
These rules cover day-to-day safety: knowing where every child is, sending sick children home, and who to call.
Tracking every child
The center develops and uses an Office of Licensing-approved method to keep track of where every child is at all times, including handoffs to and from parents at arrival and departure and trips to playgrounds and field trips. Every staff member is trained in it and knows how many children they have.
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. Ask your inspector whether it can be part of your approved tracking method.
Sending sick children home
A center for well children does not admit, and separates until pickup, a child with severe pain, acute diarrhea, two or more vomiting episodes in 24 hours, a temperature of 101.5°F oral or 100.5°F axillary with behavior changes, unusual lethargy, jaundice, red eyes with discharge, untreated infected skin patches, difficult breathing or severe cough, rash with fever, untreated weeping lesions, mouth sores with drooling or stiff neck, unless a health care provider says the child poses no serious risk. Children and staff with excludable diseases stay out until cleared. Early childhood programs keep an illness log.
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. Keep New Jersey's illness log fields as well.
Injuries: when to call parents
Notify the parent immediately for a bite that breaks the skin, any head or facial injury (including a bump on the head), a fall from higher than the child's height, or any injury needing professional medical care, and keep a written report. Tell parents about other bites and injuries by the end of the day, and give a written description by the end of the next operating day if asked.
SafePass tip: SafePass incident reports record what happened, the action taken and first aid, notify the parent, and capture the parent's e-signature. You still phone the Office of Licensing yourself and send its documentation within a week.
Reporting to the Office of Licensing
Report to OOL by the next working day, with documentation within one week, any injury or illness in care that leads to an emergency room visit, hospital admission, a 911 call, on-site or transported emergency care or urgent care, and any death of a child. Also report closing, fire or storm damage, emergency relocation and staff convictions. Report suspected reportable diseases to the local health department by the next working day.
SafePass tip: SafePass incident reports record what happened, the action taken and first aid, notify the parent, and capture the parent's e-signature. You still phone the Office of Licensing yourself and send its documentation within a week.
Reporting suspected abuse
Anyone at a center or home who has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected calls the State Central Registry at 1-877-NJ ABUSE (1-877-652-2873) immediately. Centers also tell parents the same day about unusual incidents that might indicate abuse, and may not punish staff for good-faith reports or for photographing injuries to support them (3A:52-6.7(f)).
Family homes: injuries and reporting
Notify parents immediately if an injury needs professional medical attention, otherwise by the end of the day. Keep a record of injuries that received medical attention and give the parent a copy by the end of the next working day. Report hospital or medical-facility care, a death, home damage, convictions, a move or closing to the sponsoring organization by its next working day. Keep a stocked first aid kit and post emergency numbers.
SafePass tip: SafePass incident reports record what happened, the action taken and first aid, notify the parent, and capture the parent's e-signature. You still phone the Office of Licensing yourself and send its documentation within a week.
Building, furniture and hazards
Center rules cover the building inside and out, environmental testing and playgrounds. Family home rules focus on household hazards, including securing furniture that can tip.
Indoor hazards, including securing TVs and shelving
All televisions and computers are secured on a stable surface, and shelving is secured and not overloaded. Cleaning products, aerosols and other toxic products are in a locked cabinet or out of reach. Non-safety glass within 36 inches of the floor has guards, windows have guards or another way to prevent falls, blind cords are out of reach, guardrail gaps are no more than four inches, and microwaves and toaster ovens are out of reach and not in use near children. No pesticides are applied during operating hours.
Lighting, heat, outlets and hot water
At least 20 foot-candles of light in children's rooms, a minimum of 68°F, guarded radiators and fans, and no space heaters. Early childhood programs cover outlets, pad lally columns to 48 inches, screen windows and keep hot tap water at no more than 110°F (120°F in school-age programs).
Indoor space
At least 35 square feet of usable activity space per child for centers that began operating on or after July 1, 1989 and serve 16 or more children, or 30 square feet for older or smaller centers, not counting hallways, bathrooms, offices, storage, kitchens or fixed equipment. Never exceed the licensed capacity of the center or any room, and keep unapproved rooms off limits. A 42 square foot standard for new centers has been proposed (see recent changes).
Radon, lead, water and site history
Test for radon on the lowest floor every five years and post the results. Buildings from before 1978 need a lead paint inspection by a certified inspector unless already cleared. At each application and renewal the operator certifies whether the site ever housed a factory, dry cleaner, nail salon, gas station, funeral home or similar use (with Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health follow-up), and tests drinking water for lead and copper. New or relocating centers may not use a former dry cleaner or funeral home (3A:52-2.3(e)).
Playgrounds, outdoor space and pools
Playgrounds, including community playgrounds the center uses, must meet the Playground Safety Subcode (N.J.A.C. 5:23-11). Equipment must be sturdy and non-toxic, used as the manufacturer intends, and outdoor equipment is not used indoors. Early childhood centers licensed since September 1, 2013 need at least 350 square feet of outdoor space plus 35 square feet for each child over 10 using it at once (older centers 150 plus 30 for each child over 5), fenced from hazards. Portable wading pools are banned; pools 24 inches and deeper follow state bathing rules.
Family homes: tip-overs, gates and weapons
Furniture, appliances and equipment that can tip, such as chests, bookshelves and televisions, are secured. Medicines, poisonous plants, chemicals, tobacco, matches and sharp objects are out of reach; outlets are capped; stairs have gates top and bottom where infants and toddlers are (the top gate mounted to the wall); firearms, other weapons and ammunition are locked; trampolines are off limits; unfinished attics and basements are not used; and there is no flaking lead paint. Rooms used by children are at least 65°F.
Family homes: outdoor play and water
Have a safe outdoor play area at or within walking distance of the home. Pools and bodies of water are physically inaccessible except during supervised use with written parent consent: in water 24 inches or deeper, one adult per two children (two people, one an adult, for three or more), a rescue device and a CPR-certified supervisor. Hot tubs, spas and wading pools are prohibited. Helmets for bikes, skates and skateboards.
Emergency preparedness and drills
Both centers and registered homes need written emergency plans, local police or emergency management notice, and regular drills.
Written emergency procedures and lockdown drills
Written procedures list the first aid kit, the emergency physician or health facility and hospital, emergency numbers including Poison Control (800-222-1222), where parents' emergency medical consents are kept, an evacuation diagram for every room and the playground, an alternate indoor location, and how children will be kept safe and parents informed in an evacuation, lockdown or disaster. Give the local police or emergency management office the center's details, enrollment and special needs, evacuation site, lockdown plan and reunification plan. Hold two lockdown drills a year during each session.
SafePass tip: SafePass's checked-in list shows who is in care right now, and parent messaging can reach every family at once during an evacuation, lockdown or reunification. SafePass does not log fire or lockdown drills, so keep the drill record separately.
Fire drills and evacuation
Hold a fire drill at least monthly during each session, one a year at nap time, and evacuate everyone within three minutes. Record the date, time, weather, number of children and staff, and evacuation time. Keep three-foot aisles between cribs and cots, provide one evacuation crib for every four children who can't walk, and inspect fire extinguishers monthly. New centers since September 1, 2013 keep children under 2½ on the exit floor.
SafePass tip: SafePass's checked-in list shows who is in care right now, and parent messaging can reach every family at once during an evacuation, lockdown or reunification. SafePass does not log fire or lockdown drills, so keep the drill record separately.
Family homes: emergency plan, drills and detectors
Post a written plan for evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place and lockdown, including a relocation site, parent communication and reunification, and give it to local police or emergency management. Practice evacuation and relocation monthly and shelter-in-place and lockdown twice a year, at varied times including nap time, getting everyone out within three minutes in fire drills, and record each drill. Keep a 72-hour supply of food, water and first aid, working smoke detectors on every floor and carbon monoxide detectors on every level, two ways out of every child care room, and no space heaters while children are in care.
SafePass tip: SafePass's checked-in list shows who is in care right now, and parent messaging can reach every family at once during an evacuation, lockdown or reunification. SafePass does not log fire or lockdown drills, so keep the drill record separately.
Medication
Giving medication at a center
Medication and health care procedures are given only with the parent's written approval, by designated, trained staff. Keep it locked or out of reach, in the original container, prescription medicine labeled for that child. Over-the-counter medicine is limited to antihistamines, cough suppressants, decongestants, non-aspirin fever and pain relievers, and topical products such as sunscreen, given as the label directs unless a health care provider authorizes otherwise in writing. Log the medicine, condition, dose instructions, date, time and staff initials, and any adverse effect, and tell the parent immediately about a reaction. Long-term medication needs a health care provider's statement, procedures such as EpiPens or nebulizers need two trained staff on site, and EpiPens stay in their original boxes with the care plan.
SafePass tip: SafePass collects the parent's signed medication request electronically. Staff approve it, and each dose is logged with the time, amount and staff name, with a notification to the parent. Keep the health care provider's statement for long-term medication on file too.
Family homes
Providers tell parents and the sponsoring organization whether they give medication and follow the sponsoring organization's procedures if they do. The guidelines require the original container, the parent's written authorization kept at the home, and a record of the date and time each dose was given and by whom.
SafePass tip: SafePass collects the parent's signed medication request electronically. Staff approve it, and each dose is logged with the time, amount and staff name, with a notification to the parent. Keep the health care provider's statement for long-term medication on file too.
Health records and immunizations
Children's health exams and immunizations (centers)
Children not yet in school need a health exam within six months before admission (2½ and younger) or within a year (older), and the center keeps a Universal Child Health Record (Department of Health form CH-14) updated every year, with an immunization record and any special care plan. A 30-day grace period applies for children arriving from another state or country and for children in foster care or experiencing homelessness. Medical exemptions need a health care provider's statement with the reason and time period, and religious exemptions a signed parent statement; exempt children may be excluded during an outbreak. School-age children need a parent statement on their health.
SafePass tip: SafePass lets parents upload vaccine records. Staff verify them, and the dashboard lists overdue and due-soon doses, with an exemption field. Keep the Universal Child Health Record (CH-14) itself on file.
Staff TB test and physical
Staff with child contact for at least 20 percent of weekly hours take a Mantoux TB skin test before or on starting (chest x-ray if previously positive) and give a health care provider's statement of good health based on an exam within the previous six months. Staff who are ill or appear impaired are sent home.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff profiles store certifications and documents with expiration dates, so diplomas, transcripts, Mantoux results and training certificates are in one place for the licensing inspector. SafePass does not update the NJ Workforce Registry (NJCCIS) for you.
Family homes
Each child has a health exam within six months before or one month after admission (2½ and younger), or within a year before or one month after (older), then once a year, with an up-to-date immunization record that follows the ACIP schedule. Keep a CH-14 for children not in school. Medical and religious exemptions work as in centers. Children in foster care or experiencing homelessness may start while catching up.
SafePass tip: SafePass lets parents upload vaccine records. Staff verify them, and the dashboard lists overdue and due-soon doses, with an exemption field. Keep the Universal Child Health Record (CH-14) itself on file.
Food and nutrition
What centers may serve
Unless a parent or health care provider says otherwise: no sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened drinks, no solid food before 6 months, no cow's milk before 12 months, whole milk from 12 to 24 months, skim or 1 percent after age 2, and food that meets federal CACFP meal pattern standards with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Water is always available, a snack is served after three hours in care, children are never forced to eat, and the center keeps food on hand for children who arrive hungry.
SafePass tip: SafePass weekly menus and meal logs show parents what was served and how much their child ate.
Infant feeding
Each infant has a written feeding plan made with the parent. Bottles are labeled and dated, breast milk is used within 24 hours of refrigeration and never shaken, nothing is warmed in a microwave, bottles are never propped and are removed when a child falls asleep, and infants too young to sit are held to feed.
SafePass tip: SafePass weekly menus and meal logs show parents what was served and how much their child ate.
Meal times
Serve lunch to children present from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. who are in care at least five hours and haven't eaten, and dinner to those present from 5 to 7 p.m. who stay past 7. Lunch and dinner include a protein, a fruit or vegetable, bread and a drink, and milk is served at least once a day.
SafePass tip: SafePass weekly menus and meal logs show parents what was served and how much their child ate.
Family homes
Serve breakfast to children present 7-10 a.m. who haven't eaten, lunch 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and dinner 5-7 p.m. for children in care five hours or more, and a snack after three hours or after school. Water is always available. Refrigerate formula and breast milk, label bottles and cups for each child, and never prop a bottle.
SafePass tip: SafePass weekly menus and meal logs show parents what was served and how much their child ate.
Rest and safe sleep
Family child care homes follow the center safe sleep rule (3A:54-6.13). Neither chapter sets a timed sleep-check interval; children must be supervised at all times, with a staff member in the nap room.
Back to sleep, no swaddling
Children 12 months and younger are placed to sleep on their backs unless their health care provider directs otherwise in writing. Swaddling is prohibited during rest and sleep. Children 18 months to 4 who are in care four or more hours get a daily rest, with a quiet activity after 30 minutes for those who don't need more.
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.
Cribs and bedding
Each child 12 months and younger has a crib meeting the federal standards (16 CFR 1219 and 1220), a playpen or approved equipment with a firm, tight-fitting mattress and sheet, and no pillows, bumper pads or soft bedding while asleep. Stackable cribs are banned. One child per crib, cot or mat; mats are at least an inch thick. No pacifiers with straps or clips.
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.
Family homes and overnight care
Registered homes must meet the center rule's rest and sleep requirements, including the crib standards. Children who are asleep must be within hearing and easy reach of a caregiver (3A:54-6.19(a)). For night care the caregiver stays awake, no child under 7 sleeps in a top bunk, and no child shares a room with an adult. Children may not sleep in a basement without two approved exits (3A:54-6.4(d)7).
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.
Discipline
Positive guidance only (centers)
Discipline must be positive, fit the child's age and build self-control. No hitting, shaking or other physical punishment; no abusive language, ridicule or frightening treatment; no punishing a child for not eating, not sleeping or soiling; no withholding food, rest or affection, or active play unless the child is a danger; and no long enforced silence. A child removed from the group stays supervised. Post the written discipline policy and get each staff member's signature.
SafePass tip: SafePass can send policies to every family and keeps a dated record of parent messages. Keep the signed receipts the rule requires.
Family homes
Positive methods agreed with parents. Prohibited: humiliating or frightening treatment, loud or abusive language, remarks about the child's family, spanking or any physical pain, denying food, sleep or the toilet, force-feeding, withholding attention, long enforced silence, physical or chemical restraints, and isolating a child where they can't be seen. Napping, toilet training and eating are never tied to punishment.
Records, parent information and policies
Children's records and how long to keep them
Complete DCF's Children's Records Checklist for every child: name, address, birth date and enrollment date; parent contact details and signatures; people authorized to pick up; the health care provider; signed emergency medical consent; receipt of the Information to Parents document; and health and immunization records. Keep children's records one year after the child leaves and staff records one year after the person leaves; other records one year.
SafePass tip: SafePass registration packets collect guardians, emergency contacts, authorized pickups, physician and allergy information, with a parent signature. Check the result against DCF's Children's Records Checklist.
Information to Parents document
Give every parent and staff member DCF's Information to Parents document and keep their signed receipts. It tells them, among other things, that they may visit any time the center is open without prior approval, may see OOL inspection and complaint reports on request, how to report concerns to OOL, that abuse must be reported to 1-877-NJ ABUSE, and that the center reviews the CPSC unsafe products list at least yearly.
SafePass tip: SafePass can send policies to every family and keeps a dated record of parent messages. Keep the signed receipts the rule requires.
Parent involvement and required policies
Early childhood centers offer an enrollment conference, parent-staff conferences twice a year, and either a board, advisory committee, annual meeting or open house. Centers keep written policies, signed for by parents, on expulsion (with notice and time to find other care, and no expulsion because a parent complained to OOL), social media (including no posting of other children's photos), communicable disease management and release of children, and give advance notice of closure.
SafePass tip: SafePass can send policies to every family and keeps a dated record of parent messages. Keep the signed receipts the rule requires.
Family homes
Keep a record for each child with parent and emergency contacts, health care provider, allergies, emergency medical consent, enrollment dates, health and immunization records, consents for transportation, water play and a school-age child leaving alone, injury records, and a log of visitors and volunteers during operating hours. Keep them at least one year after care ends. Give parents the Information to Parents statement (keep their signed receipt) and a signed social media policy, and tell them about pets, smoking in the home and who else cares for their child.
SafePass tip: SafePass registration packets collect guardians, emergency contacts, authorized pickups, physician and allergy information, with a parent signature. Check the result against DCF's Children's Records Checklist.
Attendance, sign-in/out and release of children
Daily attendance with arrival and departure times
The director maintains children's daily attendance records showing each child's time of arrival and departure, and staff attendance records showing the hours each person worked.
SafePass tip: SafePass Kiosk records each check-in and check-out to the minute with who dropped off or picked up, and exports attendance reports as PDF. The center rule asks for an Office of Licensing-approved method of tracking children, so ask your licensing inspector to confirm that an electronic record meets it for your center.
Release only to authorized people
A written release policy, signed for by parents and staff, says children go only to a parent or someone the parent authorized, and the center follows any court order limiting a parent's access. If no one comes, a staff member stays with the child and keeps calling; an hour or more after closing, if nothing else works, call the State Central Registry (1-877-NJ ABUSE) for help. Do not release a child to an adult who appears impaired; call the other parent or another authorized person, or the State Central Registry. School-age children leave alone only with written parent instructions.
SafePass tip: At check-out, SafePass shows staff the child's guardians and authorized pickups, with photos, and records who picked the child up. Keep court orders on file yourself.
Family homes
Keep daily attendance records with the hours each child attends, including arrival and departure times. Release children only to a parent or someone the parent designated in writing or by phone; if that adult appears impaired, try to stop the release and reach the other parent, and call the State Central Registry if that fails.
SafePass tip: SafePass Kiosk records each check-in and check-out to the minute with who dropped off or picked up, and exports attendance reports as PDF, which covers the arrival and departure times this rule asks for.
Transportation and field trips
Vehicles and drivers
Centers transport children in a Type I or Type II school bus or Type S school vehicle with MVC school plates and inspections, driven by someone with a Class B or C CDL with passenger endorsement. Staff or parents may use their own cars (nine or fewer seats, licensed, inspected and insured) only for field trips and medical trips. Vehicles carry reflectors, a fire extinguisher, a seat belt cutter and a first aid kit.
On the vehicle
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle. The driver checks the vehicle after every run to make sure no child is left behind. Use car seats and boosters as required, no standing, no smoking, and no child rides more than one hour at a time. One adult besides the driver is always on board, two when 13 or more children under 2½ are riding. Children under 6 are handed to a parent or designee. Hold two bus evacuation drills a year, and train drivers and aides on the written transportation policy before they start.
SafePass tip: SafePass doesn't keep vehicle or transport logs. Use the attendance list to count children on and off the vehicle and keep a separate trip and post-run check record.
Parent permission and records
Get written parent authorization before transporting a child, and tell parents ahead of any trip how children will travel and who will drive, with signed permission for each trip, a signed posted notice or a signed schedule. A blanket slip covers neighborhood walks only. Keep records of children transported, drivers' licenses, vehicles, insurance and MVC inspections (twice a year for school buses).
Family homes
When driving children, follow the car seat and seat belt laws and have a valid license, inspection and insurance. Tell parents about walks (a blanket slip covers neighborhood walks) and get signed permission for field trips.
Inspections, complaints and enforcement
DCF says OOL inspects centers for renewal every three years, makes annual monitoring inspections and investigates complaints, and posts center inspection reports and complaint investigation summaries on its Child Care Explorer. New Jersey does not publish violation data in bulk: the open data portal's licensed center dataset has not been updated since May 2019 and has no violation fields, and we found no DCF report ranking the most-cited rules, so this page has no most-cited list.
Unannounced inspections and complaint investigations
OOL may inspect the whole facility and all records without prior notice or an escort during operating hours, and may ask fire, health and building officials to inspect. Complaints are investigated promptly, and the center must cooperate with OOL, the Institutional Abuse Investigation Unit and other DCF investigators, including interviews of staff and children. Anyone can complain to OOL at 1-877-667-9845, anonymously if they wish.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps attendance, incident, medication and staff records with dates and times, and exports attendance reports as PDF for an inspector.
Public records
OOL's licensing files are public records under the Open Public Records Act, except restricted information. Centers must show parents OOL's inspection/violation and complaint investigation reports and any enforcement letters for the current licensing period on request. DCF also posts center inspection reports on Child Care Explorer.
Denial, suspension, revocation and non-renewal
OOL may deny, suspend, revoke or refuse to renew a license for good cause, including rule violations, fraud, refusing an inspection or records, conduct that endangers children, missing background checks, refusing to fire a staff member with a substantiated abuse finding, or smoking violations, and may require a written corrective action plan. Within 20 days of acting against a license, OOL notifies every enrolled family and the local Child Care Resource and Referral agency. A sponsor who is denied, revoked or not renewed waits one year to reapply.
Family homes: monitoring and complaints
The sponsoring organization visits each registered home at least once every two years, monitors at least 20 percent of its homes at random each year, inspects before each renewal, and investigates complaints (other than abuse, which goes to DCF) within 10 working days. OOL also makes random inspections of homes and reviews the sponsoring organizations every three years. Inspection reports kept by the sponsoring organization are public records, without children's names.
Contesting an action and appeals
Administrative hearing for centers
Before a denial, suspension, revocation or non-renewal takes effect, the center may request a hearing under the Administrative Procedure Act (N.J.S.A. 52:14B-1 et seq.) and the Uniform Administrative Procedure Rules (N.J.A.C. 1:1), heard at the Office of Administrative Law. If DCF finds the children are not at risk, the center may keep operating until the decision. Staff can challenge the accuracy of a criminal record (3A:52-4.11(f)).
Appeals for registered family homes
Notice of a denial, suspension, revocation or non-renewal comes by hand or certified mail. The provider may ask the sponsoring organization's appeals committee to review it (decided within 15 days, written findings within five working days), then appeal to OOL, which may refer the case to the Office of Administrative Law. Actions based on an abuse finding or a criminal conviction go straight to OOL. The final DCF decision can be appealed to the Appellate Division within 45 days. Parents are notified in writing within 10 days of an action, and a denied or revoked provider waits one year to reapply.
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses daycares in New Jersey?
The Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Licensing, licenses child care centers under N.J.S.A. 30:5B-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 3A:52. Family child care homes are not licensed; providers register voluntarily with a county sponsoring organization under contract with the Department of Human Services, and DCF's Office of Licensing approves those organizations (N.J.A.C. 3A:54). You can reach the Office of Licensing at 1-877-667-9845.
What are the staff-to-child ratios for New Jersey child care centers?
Under N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.3(c): under 18 months 1:4, 18 months to 2½ years 1:6, 2½ to 4 years 1:10, 4 years 1:12, and 5 years and older 1:15. At nap time the ratios are 1:10, 1:12 and 1:20 if the conditions in 4.3(d) are met. Mixed-age rooms add up each age group's share to the nearest tenth, and any fraction means another staff member.
How many children can I watch in my home without a license in New Jersey?
Caring for six or more children under 13, even in your own home, makes you a child care center that needs a DCF license (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-1.2; your own resident children are not counted toward the six when the center is in your home). Smaller home providers are not licensed but may register voluntarily: a registered family child care provider may care for up to five children at one time, or up to eight if the extra children are the provider's own children under 6, and no more than three under age 1 or four under age 2 without a second caregiver (N.J.A.C. 3A:54-6.1 and 6.2).
What is the difference between a licensed center and a registered family child care provider?
A center is licensed and inspected directly by DCF's Office of Licensing under N.J.A.C. 3A:52, with ratio tables, staff qualifications, fingerprinting and building approvals. Family child care registration under N.J.A.C. 3A:54 is voluntary: a county sponsoring organization checks the home, runs child abuse record checks, provides training, issues a three-year Certificate of Registration for $25 and monitors the home at least every two years, while DCF oversees the sponsoring organizations and inspects homes at random.
What background checks do New Jersey child care workers need?
Center staff of any age need a Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) check, and staff 18 and older need a fingerprint Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) check, both started within two weeks of hire, with supervision until results arrive (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.10 and 4.11). Registered family child care homes need CARI checks and conviction disclosures for the provider and everyone 14 or older in the household (N.J.A.C. 3A:54-5.3). Programs paid through the Child Care Subsidy Program must also complete the five-part federal comprehensive background check.
How many training hours do New Jersey child care staff need?
Center staff get orientation within two weeks of hire and retraining every year, plus 12 hours of staff development a year; directors, head teachers, group teachers and program supervisors need 20 (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.7 and 4.8). Registered family child care providers take pre-service training and need 20 in-service hours per three-year registration, plus current CPR and first aid (N.J.A.C. 3A:54-4.2 and 5.7).
How often are New Jersey child care centers inspected?
DCF says the Office of Licensing inspects each center for license renewal every three years, makes annual monitoring inspections and investigates complaints. Inspections can be unannounced (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-1.1(b)). Inspection reports and complaint investigation summaries are posted on DCF's Child Care Explorer and must be shown to parents on request (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-3.6).
How much space does a New Jersey child care center need per child?
N.J.A.C. 3A:52-5.3(q) requires 35 square feet of usable indoor activity space per child for centers that began operating on or after July 1, 1989 and serve 16 or more children, and 30 square feet for older or smaller centers. In 2025 DCF proposed 42 square feet for centers licensed in the future (57 N.J.R. 1407); as of November 2026 we found no notice that it had been adopted.
When must a New Jersey center call parents about an injury?
Immediately for a bite that breaks the skin, any head or facial injury, a fall from higher than the child's height, or an injury needing medical care; other injuries by the end of the day (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-7.6). Injuries leading to an ER visit, urgent care, a 911 call or hospital admission are also reported to the Office of Licensing by the next working day (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-7.10).
Where can I get the official New Jersey child care rules?
DCF posts the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (N.J.A.C. 3A:52) and the Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration (N.J.A.C. 3A:54) as PDFs; the working links are under nj.gov/dcf/documents/providers/licensing/laws/. Centers must keep a current copy for parents to review. Printed copies are available from the Office of Licensing ($5 for the center manual).
Sources
- N.J.A.C. 3A:52, Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (DCF PDF, effective December 20, 2023, expires December 20, 2030); rule links point to pages of this PDF (accessed November 8, 2026)
- N.J.A.C. 3A:54, Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration (DCF PDF, effective January 19, 2024, expires January 19, 2031) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF Office of Licensing (licensing overview, inspections, Child Care Explorer, contacts) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF Laws and Regulations page (statutes and manuals by program type; note its manual links under /dcf/providers/licensing/laws/ returned 404 when we checked, so we link the /dcf/documents/ copies) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF Licensing & Billing page (provider FAQs, center forms, how to register as a family child care provider) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF Rule Proposals and Adoptions (public notices) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Notice of Readoption, N.J.A.C. 3A:52 (56 N.J.R. 139) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Notice of Readoption, N.J.A.C. 3A:54 (56 N.J.R. 259) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Reproposed amendment N.J.A.C. 3A:52-5.3, PRN 2025-088 (57 N.J.R. 1407, July 7, 2025) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- NJ Department of Education, Square Footage FAQ (42 square feet per child proposal) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- NJ Department of Health, NJCCIS license comparison (comprehensive background check components for subsidy providers) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF Staff/Child Ratios & Grouping of Children (OOL handout, January 2017; the 2023 manual's nap ratio for 2½ and older governs) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Child Care Explorer, DCF center search and inspection reports (blocks automated access; not verified by us, linked from DCF's Office of Licensing page) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- NJ Open Data: Licensed Child Care Centers (DCF; frozen May 6, 2019, no violation fields) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- New Jersey Legislature (statutes, N.J.S.A. 30:5B; the official N.J.A.C. on LexisNexis was not checked because it blocks automated access) (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: New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Licensing; county sponsoring organizations register family child care providers. How we handle your information: privacy policy.