Illinois Childcare Licensing
Illinois Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)
Indoor activity space is a measured Illinois licensing requirement: a center's licensed capacity is capped by the usable indoor square footage available per child. When a day care home's licensed capacity exceeds 8 children, there must be a minimum of 35 square feet of floor space per child in care, plus an additional 20 square feet per child under 30 months of age; the rule sets no outdoor square-footage minimum per child (89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8).
Licensing Agency
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services →Last updated: April 2026
Researched by the TotReady Research TeamIllinois Square Footage Requirements: The Specifics
When a day care home's licensed capacity exceeds 8 children, there must be a minimum of 35 square feet of floor space per child in care, plus an additional 20 square feet per child under 30 months of age
89 Ill
the rule sets no outdoor square-footage minimum per child (89 Ill. Adm.
89 Ill
A caregiver alone may care for up to 8 children under age 12, of which up to 5 may be under age 5 with up to 3 of those under 24 months (alternatively up to 6 under age 5 with up to 2 under 30 months)
alternatively up to 6 under age 5 with up to 2 under 30 months
with a qualified assistant the home may add up to 4 full-time school-age children, reaching the statutory maximum of 12 children (89 Ill. Adm.
89 Ill
Illinois sets maximum group sizes for day care centers by age band: 12 for infants (6 weeks-14 months), 15 for toddlers (15-23 months), 16 for two-year-olds, 20 for three- and four/five-year-olds, and 30 for school-age children (89 Ill. Adm.
15-23 months
Day care homes have no separate group-size cap beyond the 12-child capacity maximum.
89 Ill
Go Deeper
Generate a Illinois-Compliant Handbook
TotReady builds a fully compliant parent handbook for your Illinois childcare center in minutes — every required section, your branding, and regulatory citations included.
Illinois Square Footage Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions
How much indoor space per child does Illinois require?
When a day care home's licensed capacity exceeds 8 children, there must be a minimum of 35 square feet of floor space per child in care, plus an additional 20 square feet per child under 30 months of age; the rule sets no outdoor square-footage minimum per child (89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8).
Does Illinois require outdoor play space too?
When a day care home's licensed capacity exceeds 8 children, there must be a minimum of 35 square feet of floor space per child in care, plus an additional 20 square feet per child under 30 months of age; the rule sets no outdoor square-footage minimum per child (89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8).
What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Illinois?
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 Illinois rule above.
Illinois childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published Illinois administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.