South Carolina Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)

South Carolina child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor play space per child (measured wall to wall by Department staff) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (S.C.

measured wall to wall by Department staff

A South Carolina 'family childcare home' may care for no more than six children, counting the operator's own and related children living in the home (S.C.

S.C

serving at least seven but not more than twelve children requires becoming a licensed 'group childcare home' (S.C.

S.C

Code 63-13-20(14)) and thirteen or more a 'childcare center' (S.C.

14

Could not verify against a South Carolina .gov source any provision raising the six-child cap by adding an assistant, or any separate infant sub-limit within the family-home cap (SC DSS Brochure 501, Jan 2024).

SC DSS Brochure 501, Jan 2024

South Carolina sets no statewide maximum group-size cap distinct from staff-to-child ratios

S.C

centers must meet staff:child ratios (1:5 birth-to-1 yr, 1:6 1-2 yrs, 1:8 2-3 yrs, 1:12 3-4 yrs, 1:17 4-5 yrs, 1:20 5-6 yrs, 1:23 6-12 yrs) posted in all classrooms, with no rule limiting total children per group or room beyond ratios and square footage (S.C.

1:5 birth-to-1 yr, 1:6 1-2 yrs, 1:8 2-3 yrs, 1:12 3-4 yrs, 1:17 4-5 yrs, 1:20 5-6 yrs, 1:23 6-12 yrs

How much indoor space per child does South Carolina require?

South Carolina child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor play space per child (measured wall to wall by Department staff) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (S.C. Reg. 114-507.A.(1) & B.(1), eff. June 22, 2018).

Does South Carolina require outdoor play space too?

South Carolina child care centers must provide at least 35 square feet of indoor play space per child (measured wall to wall by Department staff) and at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child (S.C. Reg. 114-507.A.(1) & B.(1), eff. June 22, 2018).

What space is excluded when calculating capacity in South Carolina?

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 South Carolina rule above.