Wisconsin Daycare Self-Inspection Checklist (Printable)

Recent and upcoming changes (2024–2026)

Using 1:7 for 18–30 months? Ratios Pilot certification filed in the Child Care Provider Portal; plan to return to 1:4 (under 2) and 1:6 (2 to 2½) on Aug. 1, 2027 2025 Wis. Act 15; Table DCF 251.055 Centers
Group centers using 1:7 must certify with DCF DCF Ratios Pilot Centers 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.
Assistant teachers at 16, sole supervision at 18 Wis. Stat. § 48.65(4); DCF 251.05(3)(g); DCF 251.055(1)(c) Centers · School-age programs Act 15 put the assistant child care teacher position into the statute.
Family child care centers can now serve up to 12 children Wis. Stat. § 48.67(2m); CR 26-010 Family child care · Centers 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.
Pediatric first aid on file for every staff member within 3 months of hire (new Aug. 2026) CR 26-009 Centers · Family child care · Certified
More wording reverts on August 1, 2027 CR 26-010, sections 30 and 37 Centers Two parts of CR 26-010 take effect August 1, 2027, when the Act 15 ratio table expires.
Pandemic-era payments have ended Child Care Counts / Child Care Bridge Payments Centers · Family child care Child Care Counts paid Wisconsin providers monthly through Round 5 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Who needs a license, and what kind

License posted near the entrance where the public can see it Wis. Stat. § 48.65(1)–(2) Centers · Family child care
Programs that don't need a license DCF 251.02; DCF 250.02 Centers · Family child care 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…
The three license types DCF 251.11(1)(a); DCF 250.03(9); DCF 252 Centers · Family child care A licensed family child care center serves 4 to 12 children (usually in the provider's home).
Continuation application, fees and any forfeitures submitted at least 30 days before the continuation date DCF 251.11(2)–(4); Wis. Stat. § 48.66(5) Centers · Family child care
License fees Wis. Stat. § 48.65(3) Centers · Family child care Family centers (4 to 8 or 4 to 12 children) pay $60.50 every 2 years.
Certified child care (1 to 3 children) Wis. Stat. § 48.651; DCF 202.01, 202.04 Certified Certification is for providers who care for 1 to 3 unrelated children under 7 and want Wisconsin Shares subsidy payments.
YoungStar quality ratings Wis. Stat. § 48.659 Centers · Family child care DCF rates the quality of licensed programs that take Wisconsin Shares, and of programs that volunteer, through YoungStar.

Staff-to-child ratios

Ratios: under 18 mo 1:4 (8); 18 mo–2½ 1:7 (14); 2½–3 1:8 (16); 3–4 1:10 (20); 4–5 1:13 (26); 5+ 1:18 (36) DCF 251.055(2), Table 251.055 Centers · School-age programs
Family center: total weight 1.2 or less per provider, 12 children max, no more than 2 providers DCF 250.055(2), Table 250.055 Family child care
9+ children present: 2 adults in the building; 8 or fewer: signed 5-minute back-up statement on file DCF 251.055(1) Centers
Naptime, field trips and swimming DCF 251.055(2)(g), (j); DCF 251.06(12)(c) Centers 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.
Certified family child care limits DCF 202.08(6) Certified No more than 3 unrelated children under 7, and no more than 6 children in all including the operator's own under 7.

Group size and capacity

Maximum group sizes and mixed-age groups DCF 251.055(2)(a), (d)–(f) Centers Group sizes follow Table 251.055 (8, 14, 16, 20, 26 and 36 by age).
Licensed capacity and indoor space DCF 251.04(1); DCF 251.06(7)(a) Centers The number of children present may never exceed licensed capacity, and the ages, hours, days and months must match the license.

Staff qualifications

Directors and child care teachers DCF 251.05(3)(e)–(f), Tables 251.05A and B Centers 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…
Administrators, assistants, aides, substitutes and volunteers DCF 251.05(3)(d), (g)–(j) Centers 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.
Staff files: background check eligibility, health exam (12 mo before/30 days after hire), Registry certificate, days/hours/classroom worked DCF 251.05(2) Centers
Family center providers DCF 250.05(3)(b)–(cm) Family child care 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…
Certified providers DCF 202.08(1) Certified 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…

Background checks

Every caregiver, employee and household member 10+: eligibility letter on file; fingerprints renewed within 5 years Wis. Stat. § 48.686; DCF 13.03 Centers · Family child care · Certified
Preliminary eligibility and supervision DCF 13.06 Centers · Family child care · Certified A person may start work once DCF issues preliminary eligibility based on the FBI and Wisconsin DOJ fingerprint results.
Reporting offenses and staff changes DCF 13.07; DCF 251.04(2)(h)2., (3)(g) Centers · Family child care · Certified Programs must report pending serious-crime charges, convictions, delinquency findings and substantiated abuse findings for staff and household members as soon as they know.
What happens if someone is ineligible Wis. Stat. § 48.715(4g); DCF 251.11(7) Centers · Family child care If a person subject to the check is convicted of a serious crime or found ineligible, DCF must revoke the license immediately.

Training hours

Orientation done in first week; abuse and neglect training every 2 years; CPR/AED and pediatric first aid within 3 months DCF 251.05(3)(b)–(cm), (4)(a) Centers
Group center: 15 hours a year and staff meetings DCF 251.05(4)(b)–(c) Centers 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).
Family center training DCF 250.05(3)(e)–(g), (4) Family child care 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.
Certified provider training DCF 202.08(1)(b) Certified 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…

Health and safety

Daily health check, illness and exclusion DCF 251.07(6)(a)–(e) Centers Staff must look over each child on arrival for illness and injury.
Bound medical log: ink entries, no skipped lines; director's 6-month injury review signed in the log DCF 251.07(6)(dm) Centers
Reporting incidents to DCF and parents DCF 251.04(3)–(4) Centers 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…
Animals and drinking water DCF 251.07(7); DCF 251.06(6) Centers Pets must be vaccinated against rabies, kept away from food areas, and parents told.

Facility, furniture and hazards

Tall furniture and shelving anchored; no trampolines or bounce houses; climbers 4 ft+ over cushioning DCF 251.07(3); DCF 250.07(3) Centers · Family child care
Chemicals and medicines labeled and locked or out of reach; no firearms on group center premises DCF 251.06(2); DCF 250.06(2) Centers · Family child care
Radon testing DCF 251.06(2)(p); DCF 250.06(2) Centers · Family child care Centers must test the lowest level used by children 7 or more hours a week for radon (48 hours, windows closed).
Outdoor play, water and pools DCF 251.06(10)–(12) Centers 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.

Emergency preparedness

Emergency plan includes continuity of operations (new Aug. 2026) DCF 251.06(3); DCF 250.06(3) Centers · Family child care
Fire drill every month; tornado drill monthly April–October; dates and times written down DCF 251.06(3)(b); DCF 250.06(3)(b) Centers · Family child care
Certified providers DCF 202.08(4m) Certified Certified operators must have an emergency plan that includes continuity of operations.

Medication

Signed, dated medication authorization for each medicine; each dose recorded in the bound medical log DCF 251.07(6)(f); DCF 250.07(6)(f) Centers · Family child care
Sunscreen, insect repellent and diaper creams DCF 251.07(6)(g)3.; DCF 251.09(4)(a)10. Centers 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.

Immunizations and health records

Every child file: immunization record or signed waiver within 30 school days; health exam on schedule (group centers) Wis. Stat. § 252.04; DCF 251.04(6)(a)6m., 8.; DCF 250.04(6)(a)4m. Centers · Family child care

Nutrition

Meals, snacks and menus DCF 251.07(5) Centers 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.
Infant and toddler feeding DCF 251.09(3) Centers 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…

Safe sleep

Infants on their backs in an empty crib; audio monitor on; cribs 2 ft apart DCF 251.09(1)(j)–(n), (2)(bm); DCF 250.09 Centers · Family child care
Naps for older children DCF 251.07(4) Centers Children under 5 in care more than 4 hours get a nap or rest time.

Discipline and behavior

Positive guidance and time-out limits DCF 251.07(2); DCF 250.07(2) Centers · Family child care Centers must have a written policy of positive guidance, redirection and clear limits.
Mandated reporting DCF 251.04(8); Wis. Stat. § 48.981 Centers · Family child care 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).

Records and parent information

Child files before the first day DCF 251.04(6)(a); DCF 250.04(6)(a) Centers · Family child care 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…
What must be posted DCF 251.04(2)(k)–(L); Wis. Stat. § 48.657 Centers · Family child care 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…
Parent rights and information DCF 251.04(4); Wis. Stat. § 48.655 Centers · Family child care Parents may visit and observe at any time during operating hours unless a court order says otherwise.
Infant and toddler intake and updates DCF 251.09(1)(am)–(c) Centers 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.

Attendance and sign-in/sign-out

Attendance record current at all times, with actual arrival and departure times DCF 251.04(6)(b)–(c); DCF 250.04(6)(b) Centers · Family child care
Head counts at every transition; release only to authorized adults; absent-child call procedure DCF 251.055(1)(f)–(h); DCF 250.055(1)(k)–(L) Centers · Family child care

Transportation and field trips

Permission, drivers and vehicles DCF 251.08(2)–(7) Centers Get signed parent permission and emergency information before transporting, and carry a list of children and their forms in the vehicle.
Vehicle alarm working before every trip Wis. Stat. § 48.658; DCF 251.08(8) Centers · Family child care · Certified

Inspections and enforcement

Inspections and complaints Wis. Stat. § 48.73; DCF 251.12 Centers · Family child care · Certified DCF may visit any licensed center at any time during licensed hours and must have unrestricted access to the premises, children, staff and records.
Sanctions, forfeitures and revocation Wis. Stat. § 48.715(2)–(4m) Centers · Family child care DCF may order a center to stop violating, submit or follow a plan of correction, close intake of new children, or train staff.
Summary suspension DCF 251.11(9) Centers 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…

Disputing findings and appeals

Requesting a hearing Wis. Stat. § 48.72; DCF 251.11(10) Centers · Family child care A center may request a contested-case hearing on a denial, refusal to continue, revocation, or any sanction or forfeiture under § 48.715.
Enrollment during revocation DCF 251.11(8)(b) Centers 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.

Wisconsin daycare self-inspection checklist

Recent and upcoming changes (2024–2026)

Who needs a license, and what kind

Staff-to-child ratios

Group size and capacity

Staff qualifications

Background checks

Training hours

Health and safety

Facility, furniture and hazards

Emergency preparedness

Medication

Immunizations and health records

Nutrition

Safe sleep

Discipline and behavior

Records and parent information

Attendance and sign-in/sign-out

Transportation and field trips

Inspections and enforcement

Disputing findings and appeals

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