Alaska Childcare Licensing
Alaska Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)
Indoor activity space is a measured Alaska licensing requirement: a center's licensed capacity is capped by the usable indoor square footage available per child. A child care center and child care group home must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, exclusive of hallways, bathrooms, storage areas, office space, furnace and laundry rooms, crib space, and any area children are prevented from using, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor recreation space per child for the maximum number of children playing outside at any one time (7 AAC 57.620).
Licensing Agency
Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance, Child Care Program Office (CCPO) — Child Care Licensing Program →Last updated: April 2026
Researched by the TotReady Research TeamAlaska Square Footage Requirements: The Specifics
A child care center and child care group home must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, exclusive of hallways, bathrooms, storage areas, office space, furnace and laundry rooms, crib space, and any area children are prevented from using, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor recreation space per child for the maximum number of children playing outside at any one time (7 AAC 57.620).
7 AAC 57.620
A child care HOME has at least one caregiver and may serve no more than a total of 8 children younger than 13 (including the caregiver's own children under 13), of whom no more than 3 may be younger than 30 months and no more than 2 may be nonambulatory
including the caregiver's own children under 13
a child care GROUP HOME has at least two caregivers and may serve no more than a total of 12 children younger than 13, of whom no more than 5 may be younger than 30 months and no more than 4 may be nonambulatory (7 AAC 57.505(a), (b)
7 AAC 57.505(a)
State of Alaska Child Care Licensing brochure).
7 AAC 57.505(a), (b)
In a child care center, maximum group size at any one time may not exceed twice the maximum number of children allowed per caregiver under the child-to-caregiver ratio, yielding maximum group sizes by age band of: infants through 18 months = 10
7 AAC 57.510(e), applying the per-caregiver ratios of 5/6/10/14/18 in 7 AAC 57.505(c)
toddlers 19-36 months = 12
7 AAC 57.510(e), applying the per-caregiver ratios of 5/6/10/14/18 in 7 AAC 57.505(c)
kindergarten (5-6 yrs) = 28
5-6 yrs
school age (7-12 yrs) = 36 (7 AAC 57.510(e), applying the per-caregiver ratios of 5/6/10/14/18 in 7 AAC 57.505(c)).
7 AAC 57.510(e), applying the per-caregiver ratios of 5/6/10/14/18 in 7 AAC 57.505(c)
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Alaska Square Footage Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions
How much indoor space per child does Alaska require?
A child care center and child care group home must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, exclusive of hallways, bathrooms, storage areas, office space, furnace and laundry rooms, crib space, and any area children are prevented from using, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor recreation space per child for the maximum number of children playing outside at any one time (7 AAC 57.620).
Does Alaska require outdoor play space too?
A child care center and child care group home must provide at least 35 square feet of usable indoor space per child, exclusive of hallways, bathrooms, storage areas, office space, furnace and laundry rooms, crib space, and any area children are prevented from using, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor recreation space per child for the maximum number of children playing outside at any one time (7 AAC 57.620).
What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Alaska?
Most states exclude hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, offices, and storage from the usable indoor activity space used to compute capacity. Confirm the exact exclusions in the cited Alaska rule above.
Alaska childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published Alaska administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance, Child Care Program Office (CCPO) — Child Care Licensing Program before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.