Oklahoma Childcare Licensing

Oklahoma Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)

Indoor activity space is a measured Oklahoma licensing requirement: a center's licensed capacity is capped by the usable indoor square footage available per child. Oklahoma requires at least 35 square feet of indoor floor space per child for routine use (excluding restrooms, kitchens, hallways, storage, offices, and similar non-children's areas), increased to 40 square feet per infant in rooms occupied only by infants for new construction, previously unlicensed space, or programs licensed after November 1, 2016, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor play area per child (OAC 340:110-3-301 for centers; OAC 340:110-3-86 sets the same 35 sq ft indoor and 75 sq ft outdoor per child for family child care homes).

Licensing Agency

Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS), Child Care Services (CCS) / Licensing →

Last updated: April 2026

Researched by the TotReady Research Team

Oklahoma Square Footage Requirements: The Specifics

Oklahoma requires at least 35 square feet of indoor floor space per child for routine use (excluding restrooms, kitchens, hallways, storage, offices, and similar non-children's areas), increased to 40 square feet per infant in rooms occupied only by infants for new construction, previously unlicensed space, or programs licensed after November 1, 2016, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor play area per child (OAC 340:110-3-301 for centers

excluding restrooms, kitchens, hallways, storage, offices, and similar non-children's areas

OAC 340:110-3-86 sets the same 35 sq ft indoor and 75 sq ft outdoor per child for family child care homes).

OAC 340:110-3-301 for centers

An Oklahoma family child care home is limited to seven (7) children total: with one caregiver present, up to seven children with no more than two younger than 2, or six children with no more than three younger than 2, or five children of any age, and two caregivers are required to exceed those limits (OAC 340:110-3-84)

OAC 340:110-3-84

a large family child care home is limited to twelve (12) children, where two caregivers may serve up to eight children younger than 2 or up to twelve with no more than six younger than 2, and three caregivers may serve up to twelve including up to eight younger than 2 (or all twelve when only children younger than 2 are in care) (OAC 340:110-3-97.1).

OAC 340:110-3-97.1

Oklahoma sets statewide maximum group sizes for child care centers per single-age band in OAC 340 Appendix GG — Ratios and Group Sizes (enforced under OAC 340:110-3-286): infants 8, 1-year-olds 12, 2-year-olds 16, 3-year-olds 24, 4-year-olds 30, and 5-year-olds and older 40

Oklahoma sets statewide maximum group sizes for child care centers per single-age band in OAC 3

mixed-age groups follow the youngest child's limit (max 40).

max 40

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Oklahoma Square Footage Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions

How much indoor space per child does Oklahoma require?

Oklahoma requires at least 35 square feet of indoor floor space per child for routine use (excluding restrooms, kitchens, hallways, storage, offices, and similar non-children's areas), increased to 40 square feet per infant in rooms occupied only by infants for new construction, previously unlicensed space, or programs licensed after November 1, 2016, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor play area per child (OAC 340:110-3-301 for centers; OAC 340:110-3-86 sets the same 35 sq ft indoor and 75 sq ft outdoor per child for family child care homes).

Does Oklahoma require outdoor play space too?

Oklahoma requires at least 35 square feet of indoor floor space per child for routine use (excluding restrooms, kitchens, hallways, storage, offices, and similar non-children's areas), increased to 40 square feet per infant in rooms occupied only by infants for new construction, previously unlicensed space, or programs licensed after November 1, 2016, plus at least 75 square feet of outdoor play area per child (OAC 340:110-3-301 for centers; OAC 340:110-3-86 sets the same 35 sq ft indoor and 75 sq ft outdoor per child for family child care homes).

What space is excluded when calculating capacity in Oklahoma?

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 Oklahoma rule above.

Oklahoma childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published Oklahoma administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS), Child Care Services (CCS) / Licensing before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.