Reviewed November 2026 DCF 251.055(2), Table 251.055, effective July 2025 · view rule DCF 251.055(2), Table 251.055 DCF 250.055(2), Table 250.055, effective August 2026 · view rule DCF 250.055(2), Table 250.055
Wisconsin child care is licensed by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) under Wis. Stat. § 48.65. Since August 1, 2026, family child care centers may serve 4 to 12 children (DCF 250) and group centers serve 13 or more (DCF 251), while counties and tribes certify smaller providers under DCF 202. The 2025 state budget temporarily loosened the group center toddler ratio to 1:7 for 18 to 30 months until July 31, 2027, and allowed 16-year-old assistant teachers. DCF posts each program's violations on Child Care Finder.
Licensing agency: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Bureau of Early Care Regulation · public license lookup
Inspection findings public? Yes, the state publishes licensing inspection results.
License types
- Licensed family child care center (4 to 12 children, usually in the provider's home; up to 8 before Aug. 1, 2026) — DCF 250; DCF 13; Wis. Stat. §§ 48.65, 48.67(2m)
- Licensed group child care center (13 or more children; 9 or more before Aug. 1, 2026), including school-age programs — DCF 251; DCF 13; Wis. Stat. § 48.65
- Licensed day camp (seasonal, 4 or more children aged 3 and up) — DCF 252; DCF 13
- Certified family or in-home child care (1 to 3 unrelated children; needed only for Wisconsin Shares payments) — DCF 202; DCF 13; Wis. Stat. § 48.651
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Recent and upcoming changes (2024–2026)
Wisconsin changed a lot of rules between July 2025 and August 2026. The 2025–27 state budget (2025 Wisconsin Act 15) loosened the toddler ratio for a limited time, allowed 16-year-old assistant teachers, and created a 4-to-12-child family center. DCF then rewrote DCF 250, 251 and 252 through two permanent rules that took effect August 1, 2026. Wisconsin did not use emergency rules for these changes. The only emergency rule in the current chapter histories is EmR1918 from 2019.
Toddler ratio loosened until July 31, 2027
The state budget act (Senate Bill 45, enacted July 3, 2025) rewrote the group center ratio table. Children 18 months to 2½ years can now be cared for at 1:7 with a group of up to 14, and the infant band (1:4, group of 8) now ends at 18 months instead of age 2. Before, children under 2 were at 1:4 and children 2 to 2½ were at 1:6 (group of 12). The official text says the table goes back to the old numbers on August 1, 2027 (Act 15, section 361b).
SafePass tip: If you use the 1:7 toddler ratio, mark the room's ratio in SafePass and put a reminder on your calendar to change it back before August 1, 2027.
Group centers using 1:7 must certify with DCF
DCF runs the 1:7 toddler ratio as the "Ratios Pilot." A group center can use 1:7 for children 18 to 30 months in a classroom if it also meets the space (35 square feet per child), staffing, capacity and equipment rules. From January 19, 2026, every group center using the pilot ratio must certify that once in the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP), and tell DCF if it stops. A related Enhanced Payments Pilot pays per-child amounts for infants and toddlers with Wisconsin Shares from January 2026 to June 2027. The Ratios Pilot ends July 31, 2027.
Assistant teachers at 16, sole supervision at 18
Act 15 put the assistant child care teacher position into the statute. An assistant can be 16 and must finish 2 credits of early childhood education, one DCF-approved non-credit course, or a DPI-approved assistant teacher program within 6 months. Under the old wording of DCF 251.05(3)(g), the credit and course routes were only open to assistants who were 18, and CR 26-010 updated the rule to match the statute on August 1, 2026. An 18-year-old trained assistant may supervise a group alone in a full-day center during the first 2 and last 2 hours of the day and during naptime (up to 2 hours), as long as a child care teacher is on the premises. In a school-age program, that is up to 45 minutes with a school-age program leader or teacher on site. CR 26-010 also lowered the minimum age of a school-age group leader to 16.
Family child care centers can now serve up to 12 children
Effective August 1, 2026, a licensed family child care center may care for 4 to 12 children (it was 4 to 8), with no more than 2 providers caring for children at one time. A new weighted ratio decides when the second provider is needed. A group child care center is now a program for 13 or more children (it was 9 or more). CR 26-010 also created an assistant provider position (age 16 and up) in family centers and an assistant counselor position in day camps.
Federal health and safety updates (pediatric first aid, drills, continuity)
Effective August 1, 2026, to match federal Child Care and Development Fund rules: staff in family and group centers and certified programs must complete pediatric first aid training within 3 months of hire or licensure. Emergency plans must cover continuity of operations, and drills must be practiced with volunteers as well as staff and children. Hazard rules now name bodies of water and vehicle traffic. Certified programs must practice fire and tornado plans at least once a year. Day camp staff have a new continuing education requirement.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff profiles track certifications with expiration dates, so you can record the new pediatric first aid training next to CPR.
More wording reverts on August 1, 2027
Two parts of CR 26-010 take effect August 1, 2027, when the Act 15 ratio table expires. The mixed-age rule in DCF 251.055(2)(d) goes back to capping any group that includes infants or toddlers (under age 2) at 8, instead of only groups with children under 18 months. Other references to 18 months go back to age 2.
Pandemic-era payments have ended
Child Care Counts paid Wisconsin providers monthly through Round 5 (July 2024 to June 2025). The state budget then paid for Child Care Bridge Payments ($110 million, July 2025 to June 2026). DCF lists that program as closed, and the last application week was June 20–28, 2026. June 2026 payments must be spent by November 14, 2026.
Who needs a license, and what kind
Child care in Wisconsin is regulated by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Licensing is done by the Bureau of Early Care Regulation (BECR) in DCF's Division of Early Care and Education. The licensing law is Wis. Stat. § 48.65. As of November 6, 2026, DCF's directory listed about 2,245 licensed group centers, 1,596 licensed family centers, 123 day camps and 191 public-school programs. Certified family child care (1 to 3 children) is a separate, county- or tribe-run system under DCF 202.
When a license is required
No one may, for pay, care for 4 or more children under age 7 for less than 24 hours a day without a DCF license. DCF counts by location: two people can't each watch 3 children at the same premises to stay under the limit. The law does not cover relatives (parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, first cousins and others) or guardians caring for their own family's children, public, parochial and tribal schools, nannies in the child's own home, or local-government and library programs that are mainly recreational. Running a center without a license can bring a fine of up to $500, up to a year in county jail, or both (§ 48.76).
Programs that don't need a license
The rules also exclude programs open 4 hours a week or less, lessons and group athletics, care while parents shop on site, seasonal programs of 10 days or less in any 3 months (such as vacation Bible school), emergency care, and care of an employee's child on site for no more than 3 hours a day.
The three license types
A licensed family child care center serves 4 to 12 children (usually in the provider's home). A licensed group child care center serves 13 or more children. A licensed day camp is a seasonal program for 4 or more children aged 3 and up (DCF 252). These limits took effect August 1, 2026. Before that, family centers were 4 to 8 children and group centers 9 or more. A licensee may hold no more than 2 family center licenses, unless both were issued before March 1, 2023 (DCF 250.11(2)(ar)).
Applying, probationary license and continuation
Applicants must complete pre-licensing technical assistance with DCF and apply at least 60 days before opening. DCF must decide within 60 working days of a complete application. A new center first gets a 6-month probationary license, which can be renewed once. A regular license is valid until it is suspended, revoked or surrendered. DCF reviews it every 2 years, and continuation materials and fees are due at least 30 days before the continuation date. If the materials are not in by the date, DCF treats the license as surrendered.
License fees
Family centers (4 to 8 or 4 to 12 children) pay $60.50 every 2 years. Group centers (13 or more) pay $30.25 plus $16.94 per licensed child every 2 years. Paying late costs $5 a day. Eligible veterans can get the fee waived.
Certified child care (1 to 3 children)
Certification is for providers who care for 1 to 3 unrelated children under 7 and want Wisconsin Shares subsidy payments. Providers that don't get Wisconsin Shares are not required to be certified. Certification is done by county human or social services agencies, tribes or their contractors. In Milwaukee County (population over 750,000), DCF does it. A certified family operator may have no more than 3 unrelated children under 7 and no more than 6 children in all, including their own (5 if 3 are under age 2, 4 if 4 are under 2) (DCF 202.08(6)).
YoungStar quality ratings
DCF rates the quality of licensed programs that take Wisconsin Shares, and of programs that volunteer, through YoungStar. The rating (1 to 5 stars) is shown on Child Care Finder. YoungStar technical assistance counts toward continuing education (DCF 251.05(4)(c)6.h.).
Staff-to-child ratios
Wisconsin sets group center ratios in Table DCF 251.055 and family center limits in Table DCF 250.055. The group center table was changed by the 2025 budget act and goes back to the old numbers on August 1, 2027. Mixed-age groups are prorated, and staff members' own children count toward ratios.
Group center ratios and group sizes by age
Birth to 18 months: 1:4, group of 8. 18 months to 2½ years: 1:7, group of 14. 2½ to 3 years: 1:8, group of 16. 3 to 4 years: 1:10, group of 20. 4 to 5 years: 1:13, group of 26. 5 years and older: 1:18, group of 36. This table has been in force since July 3, 2025, under 2025 Wis. Act 15. From August 1, 2027, the first two rows go back to birth to 2 years 1:4 (group of 8) and 2 to 2½ years 1:6 (group of 12). Centers using 1:7 for toddlers must certify in DCF's Ratios Pilot (see Recent changes). For mixed ages, ratios are prorated, and DCF's Staff-to-Child Ratio calculators can work it out.
SafePass tip: SafePass shows a live count for each room: children checked in against staff clocked in, and directors get an alert when a room goes over ratio. Set each room's ratio to Wisconsin's numbers. SafePass's built-in defaults (infants 1:4, toddlers 1:6, two-year-olds 1:8, school-age 1:15) use different age bands from Wisconsin's (the infant band here runs to 18 months), and they are stricter than Wisconsin's current 1:7 for 18 to 30 months and 1:18 for age 5 and up. Set the rooms to your own numbers, and change them again on August 1, 2027, when the table goes back. SafePass does not check group size or teacher qualifications.
Family center ratio: the 1.2 weighting
A family center may have no more than 12 children at any time. That counts all children under 7, including the provider's own, plus non-family children 7 and older. Each child gets a weight: birth to 17 months 0.25; 18 to 23 months 0.187; 2 to 4 years 0.125; 5 and older 0.056. If the weights add up to 1.2 or less, one provider may care for the group. Above 1.2, two providers are required. If one provider has 4 children under 18 months (or two providers have 8), only children 5 and older may be added. When care is more than 6 feet above or below ground level, each provider may have no more than 2 children under 18 months.
SafePass tip: SafePass gives you a live list of who is checked in, with ages, but it does not calculate Wisconsin's 1.2 weighting. Use DCF's online family center calculator.
Supervision rules that go with the ratios
Every child must be within sight and sound of a child care worker, and each group needs a child care teacher (except the trained-assistant times at opening, closing and nap). No worker may care for children more than 12 hours in 24, and no child may be in care more than 14 hours in 24. No one under 18 may be left in sole charge. With 9 or more children present, 2 adults must be in the center. With 8 or fewer, a second adult must be able to arrive within 5 minutes and must sign a statement saying so. Support staff count only when they meet worker qualifications and give children their full attention, or at naptime.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff time clock records show which staff were clocked in at each moment, which helps you prove the 2-adult rule.
Naptime, field trips and swimming
At naptime, group size limits don't apply and one worker may be within sight or sound of sleeping children, but ratios must still be met in the center. On field trips with 9 or more children, at least 2 workers (one a child care teacher) must go and ratios apply. Off-site swimming needs workers who can swim at 1:1 for children under 3, 1:4 for 3-year-olds, 1:6 for ages 4 and 5, and 1:12 for 6 and older.
Certified family child care limits
No more than 3 unrelated children under 7, and no more than 6 children in all including the operator's own under 7. The maximum is 5 if 3 children are under 2 and 4 if 4 are under 2. The operator's own children 7 and older are not counted.
Group size and capacity
Group size limits apply in group centers only. Family centers are limited by the 12-child cap and the weighting.
Maximum group sizes and mixed-age groups
Group sizes follow Table 251.055 (8, 14, 16, 20, 26 and 36 by age). A mixed-age group with any child under 18 months may not exceed 8. Other mixed-age groups of children 18 months and older are capped at what 2 workers could care for at the prorated ratios. Group size limits don't apply on field trips, on outdoor play areas or in eating-only areas, but ratios do.
Licensed capacity and indoor space
The number of children present may never exceed licensed capacity, and the ages, hours, days and months must match the license. Indoor space must be at least 35 square feet per child, not counting halls, kitchens, bathrooms, offices, storage, nap-only or eating-only areas. For centers licensed since January 1, 2009, space taken by cribs is deducted too. Changes to capacity, ages or hours need written DCF approval first, and any change in how rooms are used must be reported 20 working days ahead.
SafePass tip: SafePass Kiosk check-ins show how many children are in the building at any time, which you can compare with your licensed capacity.
Staff qualifications
Wisconsin sets ages, education and experience for each group center role in DCF 251.05. It requires a Wisconsin Registry certificate once a teacher, director or administrator has been in the job for 6 months.
Directors and child care teachers
A center director must be 21 or older with a high school diploma and either 240 hours of experience (centers licensed for 50 or fewer children) or 2 years as a teacher or director (51 or more), plus preservice training from DCF's tables (for example, 4 credits in early childhood education, a CDA, or a Registry credential for smaller centers, and 8 credits or an associate degree for larger ones), and the Registry Administrator Credential coursework. One person may direct no more than 2 full-day or 4 part-day centers. A child care teacher must be 18 with a high school diploma, 240 hours of experience, and before starting, 4 credits in early childhood education, 2 DCF-approved non-credit courses (such as Introduction to the Child Care Profession and Skills and Strategies), or an equivalent listed credential.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff profiles store certifications and credentials with expiration dates, so your documents are in one place for the licensing specialist.
Administrators, assistants, aides, substitutes and volunteers
An administrator must be 21 with a high school diploma and management and child care experience or coursework, plus 10 hours of supervision training in the first year. Assistant child care teachers and program aides may be 16 and must finish entry training within 6 months. Program aides never count in ratio. Meal preparation staff must be 17 with 4 hours of food-safety training before they start. Substitutes must be 18, and volunteers counted in ratio must be 18. Both need an early childhood course before 240 cumulative hours.
Staff files
Each employee file needs personal and emergency information, DCF's background check eligibility, a health exam completed no more than 12 months before or 30 days after hire (free of illness including TB), Registry certificate or education records, a diploma if required, continuing education and orientation records, and documentation of the days, hours and classroom worked whenever the person counted toward ratio.
SafePass tip: SafePass staff time clock records give you the dated hours each person worked. DCF's own tip for the days-and-hours rule is a punch system. Classroom assignment still has to be recorded.
Family center providers
A lead provider must be 18 and, before working with children, complete either 3 credits or the DCF-approved early childhood course plus a child care business course (Fundamentals of Family Child Care or 2 business credits), or hold the Registry Family Child Care Credential or a family child care CDA. An assistant provider may be 16 and works under a lead provider. They must finish training within 6 months. A licensee must be an individual aged 18 or older (DCF 250.11(2)(am)). A provider must stay awake whenever children are in care and may not work more than 16 hours in 24.
Certified providers
Certified providers must be 18, show they are free of TB, and complete SIDS and abusive head trauma training before certification, then 2 credits or an approved course in caring for children, a business course, child abuse and neglect training, infant and child CPR, and pediatric first aid. Regular certification needs these done first. Provisional operators have 3 months.
Background checks
Wisconsin's caregiver background check law for child care is Wis. Stat. § 48.686, carried out through DCF 13. Checks are fingerprint-based and are requested through the Child Care Provider Portal.
Fingerprints before starting, again every 5 years
Caregivers, non-caregiver employees and household members 10 and older must submit a background check request and fingerprints before working or living at a child care program, and fingerprints again every 5 years. Licensees must send a request form by DCF's next business day when a household member turns 10 or 18, or a new board president or LLC designee is named.
SafePass tip: SafePass stores each staff member's background check date and flags any that are more than five years old on the Compliance page. That matches Wisconsin's 5-year fingerprint cycle.
Preliminary eligibility and supervision
A person may start work once DCF issues preliminary eligibility based on the FBI and Wisconsin DOJ fingerprint results. Until final eligibility, they must be supervised whenever children are present, with periodic direct observation, by someone who got final eligibility within the past 5 years. A final eligibility can move with the person to a new program if it is under 5 years old and the person left their last child care job less than 180 days ago.
Reporting offenses and staff changes
Programs must report pending serious-crime charges, convictions, delinquency findings and substantiated abuse findings for staff and household members as soon as they know. New hires, departures, name changes and new household members must be reported by DCF's next business day. Group center personnel policies must require staff to tell the licensee about a conviction or investigation, and the licensee must tell DCF, by the next business day.
What happens if someone is ineligible
If a person subject to the check is convicted of a serious crime or found ineligible, DCF must revoke the license immediately. A pending charge for a serious crime means an immediate suspension until the charge is resolved. DCF may also deny or revoke for offenses that substantially relate to caring for children, or a child care license revoked in the past 5 years.
Training hours
Training rules differ by license type. Group and family center staff need 15 hours of continuing education a year, and certified providers need 5.
Group center: before and soon after starting
Before working with children under 5: DCF-approved abusive head trauma training. Before the first day with infants: SIDS risk-reduction training. Within the first week: a documented orientation on 18 topics, including the rules, emergency plans, allergies, medication, illness, child tracking and hazards, plus child abuse and neglect reporting training (repeated every 2 years). Within 3 months: infant and child CPR with AED, and pediatric first aid (new August 2026). Infant and toddler teachers need 10 hours of infant-toddler training within 6 months (DCF 251.09(1)(e)).
SafePass tip: SafePass tracks each staff certification's expiration date. Staff get a reminder 30 days out, and directors are alerted when one expires.
Group center: 15 hours a year and staff meetings
Administrators, directors and child care workers need at least 15 hours of continuing education each training year (2 hours a month for staff who work less than 8 months a year). Extra hours carry over for 2 years. Each person keeps a fixed 12-month training year. Centers must hold in-person staff meetings at least 9 times a year (or monthly while open) and document them.
SafePass tip: SafePass keeps staff training records with dates in each staff profile.
Family center training
Before working with children: orientation, child abuse and neglect training (every 2 years), and abusive head trauma training for anyone caring for children under 5. Within 3 months: infant and child CPR with AED, and pediatric first aid. Within 6 months of caring for children under 2: 10 hours of infant-toddler training. Every year: 15 hours of continuing education.
Certified provider training
SIDS and abusive head trauma training before certification or before working with children, preservice training (within 3 months for provisional operators and new providers), and at least 5 hours of continuing education a year. CPR certification must be kept current.
Health and safety
Health rules for centers are in DCF 251.07(6) and for family centers in DCF 250.07(6).
Daily health check, illness and exclusion
Staff must look over each child on arrival for illness and injury. A child who becomes ill (vomiting, diarrhea, unusual lethargy, uncontrolled coughing) must be separated within sight and sound of staff until a parent picks them up. Children and adults with a reportable communicable disease stay out while it is contagious. Mildly ill children may stay only in a separate room under a physician-approved plan.
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.
The medical log book
Centers must keep a medical log book with stitched binding and lined, numbered pages. No pages may be removed or lines skipped, and entries must be in ink, dated and signed or initialed. Staff record unusual bruises or burns (even if they happened elsewhere), every injury in care, every medication given, and any incident that led to a medical evaluation. The director must review injury records with staff every 6 months and note the review in the log. That review was the 7th most-cited group center rule in 2023.
SafePass tip: SafePass incident reports record what happened and what was done, notify the parent and capture the parent's e-signature. They are useful for your 6-month injury review. Wisconsin requires a bound medical log book with stitched binding, numbered lines and entries in ink, so the paper book stays your licensing record.
Reporting incidents to DCF and parents
Report to DCF within 24 hours: injuries needing professional medical evaluation, a child's death, animal injuries, a missing child, suspected abuse or prohibited discipline by staff, law enforcement incidents, damage or utility loss, and confirmed reportable communicable diseases (also to the local health department). Phone reports need written follow-up within 5 business days. Parents must be told right away when a child becomes ill, needs medical evaluation, has a head injury or seizure, gets the wrong breastmilk or medication, eats an allergen, touches poison or goes missing.
SafePass tip: SafePass incident reports notify the parent right away and keep the record with time stamps. Reports to DCF are still made by phone, email or fax.
Animals and drinking water
Pets must be vaccinated against rabies, kept away from food areas, and parents told. Reptiles, amphibians, ferrets, parrot-family birds and wild animals may not be accessible to children. Drinking water must be available without shared cups. Centers on private wells test every year for coliform, E. coli and nitrate, and every 5 years for lead.
Facility, furniture and hazards
Wisconsin's rules don't have a specific tip-over anchoring rule for dressers or bookcases. They require indoor furnishings and equipment to be sturdy and "anchored when necessary," and premises to be free of hazards, including recalled products.
Furniture and equipment
Indoor furnishings and equipment must be child-sized, sturdy, free of sharp, loose or pinching parts and entrapment spots, in good repair, anchored when necessary, and used according to the manufacturer's instructions. Equipment 4 feet or taller must sit over an energy-absorbing surface. Trampolines and inflatable bounce surfaces may not be used. Shelves should let children pick and put back materials.
Hazards, chemicals and firearms
Indoor and outdoor areas must be free of hazards, including recalled products. Radiators, fireplaces, outlets and hot pipes need guards. Cleaning supplies, medicines, power tools and other toxic items must be labeled and out of children's reach. In group centers, firearms and ammunition may not be kept on the premises at all. In family centers they must be in locked storage that children can't get to (including in vehicles). Smoking is banned on the premises and in vehicles while children are in care, and peeling paint isn't allowed where children go. Access to harmful materials was among the most-cited rules in both centers and family homes in 2023.
Radon testing
Centers must test the lowest level used by children 7 or more hours a week for radon (48 hours, windows closed). New centers test within 6 months before opening. Results above 4 picocuries per liter mean telling parents and installing mitigation. Re-test every 5 years in commercial buildings and every 2 years in homes.
Outdoor play, water and pools
Centers open more than 3 hours a day need outdoor space: 75 square feet per child 2 and older and 35 per child under 2, inside a permanent enclosure at least 4 feet high with no openings over 4 inches. Climbers, swings and slides 4 feet or taller need 9 inches of loose fill (or rubber installed to the manufacturer's specifications) in a 4-foot fall zone, with no concrete or asphalt under them. Hot water at children's sinks must be 120°F or less. Pools and beaches on the premises may not be used and must be locked off. Wading pools must be emptied and disinfected daily.
Emergency preparedness
Emergency plan and drill rules were updated on August 1, 2026 (CR 26-009) to add continuity of operations and volunteer participation.
Written emergency plan
Each center needs a written plan for fire, tornado, flood, extreme heat or cold, loss of heat, water, power or phone, human-caused threats, allergic reactions, lost children and vehicle accidents. It must cover evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place and lockdown, meeting the needs of infants, toddlers and children with disabilities or chronic conditions, communicating with parents, reuniting children with parents, and continuity of operations (how the center will reopen).
SafePass tip: SafePass parent messaging and announcements can reach every family at once during a relocation or reunification.
Monthly fire drills, tornado drills April to October
Practice the fire evacuation plan every month and the tornado plan every month from April through October, with all employees, volunteers and enrolled children, and keep a written record of the dates and times. Post evacuation routes and tornado shelter areas. Group centers must also test smoke detectors and alarms monthly unless they are monitored (DCF 251.06(4)(jm)). Missing drill records ("Emergency Plans – Practice") were the 3rd most-cited family center violation in 2023.
SafePass tip: SafePass does not keep a drill log, so keep the dated drill record on paper or in your own file.
Certified providers
Certified operators must have an emergency plan that includes continuity of operations. At least once a year they must review it and practice the fire and tornado plans with providers, volunteers and children, and keep a record.
Medication
Medication rules are in DCF 251.07(6)(f) and DCF 250.07(6)(f).
Parent authorization and the original container
Staff may give prescription or over-the-counter medicine (including pain relievers, teething gel and cough syrup) only with a written, dated parent authorization that gives the child's name and birthdate, the medicine, instructions, intervals and how long it lasts. Blanket authorizations longer than the label allows are not allowed. Medicine must be in its original container labeled with the child's name and directions, stored out of reach (refrigerated medicine in a separate labeled container), and given as labeled. Each dose is written in the medical log the same day: child, medicine, dose, time, date and staff initials.
SafePass tip: SafePass collects the parent's signed medication request. Staff approve it, then log each dose with time, amount and staff name, and the parent gets a notification. Wisconsin requires a bound medical log book with stitched binding, numbered lines and entries in ink, so the paper book stays your licensing record. Doses must still be written in that book.
Sunscreen, insect repellent and diaper creams
Sunscreen and insect repellent need written parent authorization that lists ingredient strength and is renewed every 6 months, but each application does not have to be recorded. Diaper lotions, powders and salves need written direction from a parent or physician posted in the diapering area.
Immunizations and health records
Wisconsin's school and child care immunization law is Wis. Stat. § 252.04, with the schedule set in DHS 144.
Shots, waivers and health exams
Within 30 school days of admission, each child must show the first dose of each required vaccine and be on schedule, or have a written waiver. Parents may waive for health, religious or personal-conviction reasons, and the center must tell parents in writing that they can. Group centers also need a health exam: children under 2 within 6 months before or 3 months after admission and every 6 months after that; children 2 to 5 within a year before or 3 months after and every 2 years. Children 5 and older don't need one. Immunization records were on DCF's January–March 2026 most-cited list.
SafePass tip: SafePass lets parents upload vaccine records. Staff verify them, and the dashboard lists overdue and due-soon doses, with an exemption field.
Nutrition
Meal rules are in DCF 251.07(5) and DCF 251.09(3).
Meals, snacks and menus
How much food the center serves depends on hours in care: 2½ to 4 hours, 1 snack; 4 to 8 hours, a snack and a meal; 8 to 10 hours, 2 snacks and a meal; 10 or more hours, 2 meals and 2 or 3 snacks. No child may go more than 3 hours without food. Meals must meet USDA CACFP patterns. Menus are planned a week ahead, posted for parents, kept 3 months, and the same daily menu can't be repeated within a week. Staff sit with the children at meals. Food-allergy diets need a written parent request, and other special diets need a physician's instructions.
SafePass tip: SafePass weekly menus and meal logs show parents what was served and how much their child ate.
Infant and toddler feeding
Feed infants on their own schedule, label food and breast milk with name and date, hold babies who can't hold a bottle (no propping), throw away leftover milk or formula within 2 hours, never warm breast milk or formula in a microwave, and post heating procedures.
Safe sleep
Wisconsin's safe sleep rules are in DCF 251.09 for centers and DCF 250.09 for family centers. Staff caring for babies need SIDS training before they start.
Infant sleep
Babies under 1 sleep on their backs in a crib or playpen that meets 16 CFR 1219 or 1220, unless a physician says otherwise in writing. Once they can roll over on their own, they may stay in the position they choose. No soft items in the crib: no pillows, blankets, bumpers, bibs, stuffed animals or pacifiers with attached soft objects, and nothing hung on the sides. An audio monitor is required in any room where babies under 1 sleep, and waterbeds are not allowed for children under 2. Cribs must be 2 feet apart (or end-to-end with a solid partition).
SafePass tip: SafePass nap logs record when each child went down and woke up, and parents see them. SafePass does not run timed sleep checks.
Naps for older children
Children under 5 in care more than 4 hours get a nap or rest time. A child who isn't asleep after 30 minutes may get up for quiet activities. Each child 1 and older needs their own sleeping surface (bed, cot, mat, sleeping bag or crib) 2 feet from others and their own sheet and blanket, washed at least after every 5 uses.
Discipline and behavior
Wisconsin limits time-outs and bans physical and harsh punishment.
Positive guidance and time-out limits
Centers must have a written policy of positive guidance, redirection and clear limits. A time-out may be used only for children 3 and older, offered in a way that doesn't humiliate the child, no longer than 3 minutes, and the child may not be isolated or removed from the room. Banned: spanking, hitting, shaking or any corporal punishment, verbal abuse or threats, restraint or confinement, withholding or forcing food or naps, and anything cruel, frightening or humiliating. Children may not be punished for toileting accidents. Prohibited guidance must be reported to DCF within 24 hours and to the parent immediately.
SafePass tip: SafePass messaging gives you a dated record of parent notifications.
Mandated reporting
Licensees, employees and volunteers who suspect abuse or neglect must report it right away to the county social or human services department or law enforcement (in Milwaukee County, to DCF). Telling the director does not satisfy the duty.
Records and parent information
Wisconsin requires a complete child file before the first day, and postings parents can see.
Child files before the first day
Before a child's first day, the file must have: name, birthdate, parents' names, address and phone numbers, an emergency contact, the doctor or clinic, people other than parents allowed to pick up, the first day of attendance, written consent for emergency medical care, field-trip permission, any plan for coming and going alone, a health history with an emergency care plan for medical conditions, and immunization records. Incomplete enrollment information was among the 20 most-cited rules in 2023.
SafePass tip: SafePass registration packets collect guardians, emergency contacts, authorized pickups, physician and allergy information, with a parent signature.
What must be posted
Post the license near the entrance. Next to it, post the current statement of compliance (or the non-compliance statement and correction plan for violations not yet verified as fixed), any DCF warning letters or enforcement notices, and any conditions or exceptions. DCF publishes violation descriptions and corrections on Child Care Finder, and centers must show parents the past 2 years of reports on request.
Parent rights and information
Parents may visit and observe at any time during operating hours unless a court order says otherwise. Centers must offer parent conferences at least twice a year, give a summary of the licensing rules at enrollment, keep the rules and center policies where parents can see them, and give advance notice of field trips that aren't routine.
Infant and toddler intake and updates
Before admission, get the parent's written information on feeding, foods, diapering, sleep, how the child communicates and is comforted, and health history, and keep it in the child's room. Child care workers (not parents) must update it every 3 months after talking with the parent. This was among the 20 most-cited rules in 2023.
SafePass tip: SafePass daily activity logs (meals, naps, diapers) and the end-of-day summary push give parents the daily report automatically. The 3-month intake update is still a separate form.
Attendance and sign-in/sign-out
Attendance and child tracking rules are among Wisconsin's most-cited rules every year.
Daily attendance with arrival and departure times
Keep a current, accurate written daily attendance record with each child's birthdate for as long as the child is enrolled. Group centers must record actual arrival and departure times when children come and go at different hours. Family centers must always record them. For center transportation, record the actual pick-up and drop-off times. This rule was the most-cited family center violation in 2023. The rule allows the licensee's own form.
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. The rule allows the licensee's own form, so confirm with your licensing specialist that an electronic record is acceptable for your program.
Child tracking and authorized pickups
Have a procedure, and follow it, so that assigned staff always know the number, names and whereabouts of children in care, including during transport. Release children only to people the parent has authorized. Contact the parent if a child is absent without notice. Child tracking was the 5th most-cited group center rule in 2023 and is still on DCF's 2026 list.
SafePass tip: SafePass shows staff each child's authorized pickups, with photos, at check-out, and room-level check-ins show who is in each room.
Transportation and field trips
Transportation rules are in DCF 251.08 and DCF 250.08. A state law (Wis. Stat. § 48.658) requires child safety alarms in larger vehicles.
Permission, drivers and vehicles
Get signed parent permission and emergency information before transporting, and carry a list of children and their forms in the vehicle. Drivers must be 18 with a valid license, get training before their first trip and every year, and have their driving record checked each year. No phones while driving except for 911 or emergencies when stopped. Vehicles get a safety inspection report to DCF every 12 months. Children under 8 ride in proper car seats, no child under 13 may sit in the front seat, and an extra adult is needed when more than 3 children are under 2 or have disabilities that limit their response. No one-way trip may be longer than 60 minutes, and the center needs a procedure to make sure every child has left the vehicle.
SafePass tip: SafePass does not keep transportation logs or a vehicle exit check, so keep the child list and exit check on paper.
Child safety alarms
A vehicle seating 6 or more passengers plus the driver that is owned or leased by the provider or its contractor must have a child safety alarm that makes the driver walk to the back and check for children. It must work every trip and is checked by DCF yearly. Knowingly transporting children without a working alarm can bring a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail. Tampering with an alarm, or shutting it off without checking the vehicle, is a Class I felony.
Inspections and enforcement
DCF licensing specialists make periodic, unannounced visits. In 2023, BECR made 10,678 visits and reviews, reviewed about 2.4 million rules (1.16% were violations) and issued 1,192 enforcement actions.
Inspections and complaints
DCF may visit any licensed center at any time during licensed hours and must have unrestricted access to the premises, children, staff and records. DCF investigates every complaint and gives the complainant a written report on request. A center can't fire an employee for reporting violations. When violations are found, the center gets a Statement of Non-Compliance and must file a plan of correction. Certified providers get at least one unannounced inspection a year from their certification agency (DCF 202.04(3)(b)).
Sanctions, forfeitures and revocation
DCF may order a center to stop violating, submit or follow a plan of correction, close intake of new children, or train staff. It can also impose a daily forfeiture of $10 to $1,000 per violation, suspend the license for up to 2 weeks, refuse to continue it, or revoke it. Revocation for repeated violations needs 30 days' notice and takes effect only if the problem isn't fixed. Revocation for a substantial violation or a direct threat to children can be immediate. In 2023 DCF issued 404 orders, 348 warning letters, 232 forfeitures and 175 revocations.
Summary suspension
DCF must summarily close a center when public health, safety or welfare requires emergency action, for example no heat or water, or a staff member charged with a crime against life or bodily security or under investigation for child abuse. The order can be verbal. Within 72 hours DCF must let the center reopen or move to revoke, and a preliminary hearing is held within 10 working days.
Disputing findings and appeals
Appeals of licensing decisions go to the Division of Hearings and Appeals in the Department of Administration.
Requesting a hearing
A center may request a contested-case hearing on a denial, refusal to continue, revocation, or any sanction or forfeiture under § 48.715. The written request must be sent within 10 days of the notice. For denials and revocations, DCF 251.11(10) says to send it to the Division of Hearings and Appeals. The hearing is held within 30 days unless the center agrees to more time, and judicial review follows under chapter 227. An ordinary revocation does not take effect while a timely appeal is pending (DCF 251.11(8)(a)), but summary suspensions and immediate revocations for background check reasons are not put on hold. Forfeitures are due 10 days after the final decision.
Enrollment during revocation
Once a center receives a notice of denial or revocation, it may not enroll new children while proceedings are pending without DCF's written approval.
Most common citations
Period: Calendar year 2023
How it was counted: These are DCF's own published counts, not our count. Attachment A lists the 20 most-cited rules across licensed family centers, group centers and day camps combined. The first 10 are shown here. DCF does not publish a total, so no share is given. We looked for bulk data and found none: DCF's Licensed Child Care Directory Excel file (the mail-merge file, refreshed 11/6/26) has 22 columns of provider, address, capacity, ages and YoungStar rating but no violations, and Child Care Finder shows violations one provider at a time with no download. DCF's reports page posts annual summaries only through 2023 (the 2024 and 2025 file names returned 404 on November 8, 2026), so 2023 is the latest full year with counts. DCF's "Most Frequently Cited" page for January–March 2026 (no counts) leads with the same staff-file rules: child abuse and neglect training, staff physical exam, CPR, background check, and days and hours worked. Rule numbers are as DCF cited them in 2023. No provider names are used.
| Rule | Topic | Citations | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF 251.05(2)(a)3.a. | Staff record: physical examination (group centers) | 476 | Get each new hire's health report (signed, showing free of TB) into the file within 30 days, and check files monthly. |
| DCF 251.05(3)(c) | Infant/child CPR and AED training (group centers) | 444 | Schedule CPR for new staff in their first 3 months and track expiration dates so no card lapses. |
| DCF 251.05(2)(a)2. | Staff record: completed background check | 438 | Don't let anyone start before DCF shows preliminary eligibility, file the letter, and act on the portal's 5-year renewal notices. |
| DCF 251.05(3)(cm) | Child abuse and neglect training every 2 years (group centers) | 370 | Train new staff in week one and put everyone's 2-year renewal on one shared training day. |
| DCF 251.055(1)(f) | Child tracking procedure | 357 | Do name-to-face counts at every transition (outdoors, bathroom, room changes, buses) and write the procedure down. |
| DCF 251.055(1)(a) | Supervision of children | 314 | Arrange rooms and playgrounds so staff can see and hear every child, and position staff to cover blind spots. |
| DCF 251.07(6)(dm)4. | Medical log: 6-month injury review | 269 | Put the 6-month injury review on the staff meeting calendar and have the director sign it in the log book. |
| DCF 250.04(6)(b) | Current, accurate daily attendance (family centers) | 235 | Write actual arrival and departure times for every child as it happens, not at the end of the day. |
| DCF 251.11(4)(b) | License continuation: application materials | 234 | Send the continuation application, fees and any forfeitures at least 30 days before the continuation date. |
| DCF 251.06(2)(gm) | Premises clean, well drained and in good repair | 232 | Do a weekly walk-through for litter, standing water, broken fixtures and pest signs, and fix them promptly. |
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses daycares in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), through the Bureau of Early Care Regulation in its Division of Early Care and Education. Licensing is required by Wis. Stat. § 48.65. The rules are DCF 250 (family centers), DCF 251 (group centers) and DCF 252 (day camps). Certified care for 1 to 3 children is run by counties and tribes under DCF 202, and by DCF in Milwaukee County.
How many children can I watch in Wisconsin without a license?
Up to 3 children under age 7 who aren't your relatives. Caring for 4 or more children under 7 for pay requires a license (Wis. Stat. § 48.65(1)), and DCF counts by location, not by caregiver. To get Wisconsin Shares subsidy payments for 1 to 3 children, you must be certified under DCF 202.
What are the staff-to-child ratios in Wisconsin group child care centers?
Under Table DCF 251.055 as of 2026: birth to 18 months 1:4 (group of 8); 18 months to 2½ years 1:7 (14); 2½ to 3 years 1:8 (16); 3 to 4 years 1:10 (20); 4 to 5 years 1:13 (26); 5 and older 1:18 (36). The 1:7 toddler ratio is temporary under 2025 Wis. Act 15, and centers using it must certify in DCF's Ratios Pilot. On August 1, 2027, the table goes back to 1:4 under age 2 and 1:6 for 2 to 2½.
How many children can a Wisconsin family child care center have?
Since August 1, 2026, up to 12 (it was 8), with no more than 2 providers at a time (Wis. Stat. § 48.67(2m); DCF 250.055). Children are weighted by age (0.25 under 18 months, 0.187 for 18 to 23 months, 0.125 for 2 to 4 years, 0.056 for 5 and up). One provider may care for a group whose weights add up to 1.2 or less.
Can a 16-year-old work in a Wisconsin daycare?
Yes. A group center may hire a 16-year-old assistant child care teacher who completes entry training within 6 months. 2025 Wis. Act 15 wrote this into the statute (Wis. Stat. § 48.65(4)) and opened every training route to 16-year-olds. Family centers can have 16-year-old assistant providers, and school-age group leaders can be 16. No one under 18 may be left alone in charge of children. Only trained assistants 18 and older may supervise a group alone, and only at opening, closing and naptime.
How often do Wisconsin child care staff need background checks?
Before starting work, and fingerprints again every 5 years (DCF 13.03). Household members 10 and older in a home-based program are checked too. New staff may start with preliminary eligibility but must be supervised whenever children are present until final eligibility (DCF 13.06).
How many training hours do Wisconsin child care workers need?
Group and family center staff need 15 hours of continuing education a year (DCF 251.05(4)(c); DCF 250.05(4)(c)), plus CPR with AED and pediatric first aid within 3 months of hire, child abuse and neglect training every 2 years, and abusive head trauma training before working with children under 5. Certified providers need 5 hours a year (DCF 202.08).
How often must Wisconsin daycares hold fire and tornado drills?
Fire drills every month and tornado drills every month from April through October, with all staff, volunteers and children, and a written record of dates and times (DCF 251.06(3)(b); DCF 250.06(3)(b)).
Where can I see a Wisconsin daycare's violations?
On DCF's Child Care Finder, which shows each licensed program's violations and how they were corrected, as Wis. Stat. § 48.657 requires. Centers must also post their compliance or non-compliance statement and any enforcement notices next to the license, and show parents the past 2 years of reports on request.
Are there still Child Care Counts payments in Wisconsin?
No. Child Care Counts ended with Round 5 (July 2024 to June 2025). The state-funded Child Care Bridge Payments ran from July 2025 to June 2026 and are now closed. DCF's Enhanced Payments Pilot (January 2026 to June 2027) pays group centers that use the 1:7 toddler ratio for infants and toddlers with Wisconsin Shares.
Sources
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 251, Group Child Care Centers (current through Register July 2026 No. 847) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 250, Family Child Care Centers (Register July 2026 No. 847) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 252, Day Camps for Children (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 202, Child Care Certification (Register July 2026 No. 847) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. DCF 13, Background Checks for Child Care Programs (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Wis. Stat. ch. 48 (updated through 2025 Wis. Act 247, published Nov. 4, 2026): §§ 48.65–48.76, 48.686 (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Wis. Stat. § 252.04, Immunization program (accessed November 8, 2026)
- 2025 Wisconsin Act 15 (2025–27 budget act, SB 45, enacted July 3, 2025) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Clearinghouse Rule CR 26-009, child care certification and licensing compliance with federal CCDF requirements (eff. Aug. 1, 2026) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- Clearinghouse Rule CR 26-010, large family child care centers and assistant child care teachers (eff. Aug. 1, 2026 / Aug. 1, 2027) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF, Child Care Licensing (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF, Ratios Pilot and Enhanced Payments Pilot (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF, Most Frequently Cited Rule Violations – Licensed Child Care (Jan.–Mar. 2026) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF BECR, Annual Report: Child Care Licensing and Certification Activity, 2023 (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF, Child Care Regulation reports (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF, Licensed Child Care Directories (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF, Child Care Bridge Payments (program closed) (accessed November 8, 2026)
- DCF, Child Care Finder (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: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Bureau of Early Care Regulation. How we handle your information: privacy policy.