Indiana Childcare Licensing
Indiana Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)
Indoor activity space is a measured Indiana licensing requirement: a center's licensed capacity is capped by the usable indoor square footage available per child. Licensed child care CENTERS must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor play space per child at all times, exclusive of kitchen, toilet rooms, hallways, storage, office, and similar areas (470 IAC 3-4.7-110); a newly licensed infant room must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable space per child, while an existing infant room must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet per child (470 IAC 3-4.7-142); and the outdoor play area must contain at least seventy-five (75) square feet for each child outdoors at one time (470 IAC 3-4.7-68). For licensed child care HOMES, 470 IAC 3-1.1 sets no per-child indoor square-footage minimum (homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure).
Licensing Agency
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) - Bureau of Child Care →Last updated: April 2026
Researched by the TotReady Research TeamIndiana Square Footage Requirements: The Specifics
Licensed child care CENTERS must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor play space per child at all times, exclusive of kitchen, toilet rooms, hallways, storage, office, and similar areas (470 IAC 3-4.7-110)
470 IAC 3-4.7-110
a newly licensed infant room must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable space per child, while an existing infant room must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet per child (470 IAC 3-4.7-142)
470 IAC 3-4.7-142
and the outdoor play area must contain at least seventy-five (75) square feet for each child outdoors at one time (470 IAC 3-4.7-68).
470 IAC 3-4.7-68
For licensed child care HOMES, 470 IAC 3-1.1 sets no per-child indoor square-footage minimum (homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure).
homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure
A Class I family child care home has a maximum capacity of twelve (12) children at any one time, plus up to three (3) additional school-age children enrolled in at least Grade 1 during the school year (470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5)
470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5
a Class II home serves more than twelve (12) but not more than sixteen (16) full-time and part-time children at any one time (470 IAC 3-1.3-1).
470 IAC 3-1.3-1
Infant/toddler (birth-24 months) ratio is 6:1, but two of the six must be at least 16 months and walking, otherwise the ratio is 4:1
birth-24 months
a mixed-age birth-6 years group is 10:1 with no more than three children under 16 months (470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5).
470 IAC 3-1.1-36.5
Indiana sets maximum GROUP SIZE limits for licensed child care centers, posted on the same chart as the ratios: infant 8, toddler 10, two years 10, 30-36 months 14, three years 20, four years 24, and five years and older 30 (470 IAC 3-4.7-47)
470 IAC 3-4.7-47
the corresponding child/staff ratios from that same chart are infant 4:1, toddler 5:1, two years 5:1, 30-36 months 7:1, three years 10:1, four years 12:1, and five years and older 15:1 (470 IAC 3-4.7-47).
470 IAC 3-4.7-47
No separate group-size cap beyond the overall home capacity is set for family child care homes.
470 IAC 3-4.7-47
Go Deeper
Generate a Indiana-Compliant Handbook
TotReady builds a fully compliant parent handbook for your Indiana childcare center in minutes — every required section, your branding, and regulatory citations included.
Indiana Square Footage Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions
How much indoor space per child does Indiana require?
Licensed child care CENTERS must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor play space per child at all times, exclusive of kitchen, toilet rooms, hallways, storage, office, and similar areas (470 IAC 3-4.7-110); a newly licensed infant room must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable space per child, while an existing infant room must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet per child (470 IAC 3-4.7-142); and the outdoor play area must contain at least seventy-five (75) square feet for each child outdoors at one time (470 IAC 3-4.7-68). For licensed child care HOMES, 470 IAC 3-1.1 sets no per-child indoor square-footage minimum (homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure).
Does Indiana require outdoor play space too?
Licensed child care CENTERS must provide a minimum of thirty-five (35) square feet of usable indoor play space per child at all times, exclusive of kitchen, toilet rooms, hallways, storage, office, and similar areas (470 IAC 3-4.7-110); a newly licensed infant room must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable space per child, while an existing infant room must provide at least thirty-five (35) square feet per child (470 IAC 3-4.7-142); and the outdoor play area must contain at least seventy-five (75) square feet for each child outdoors at one time (470 IAC 3-4.7-68). For licensed child care HOMES, 470 IAC 3-1.1 sets no per-child indoor square-footage minimum (homes must provide a protected outdoor play area, but the rule specifies no per-child square-foot figure).
What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Indiana?
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 Indiana rule above.
Indiana childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published Indiana administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) - Bureau of Child Care before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.