South Dakota Childcare Licensing
South Dakota Childcare Square Footage Requirements (2026)
Indoor activity space is a measured South Dakota licensing requirement: a center's licensed capacity is capped by the usable indoor square footage available per child. A center program must have available a minimum of 35 sq ft of indoor play space and 50 sq ft of outdoor play space per child; a school-age program must have a minimum of 25 sq ft indoor and 50 sq ft outdoor per child (usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen), per ARSD 67:42:17:34. No per-child square-footage standard is specified for family day care homes.
Last updated: April 2026
Researched by the TotReady Research TeamSouth Dakota Square Footage Requirements: The Specifics
A center program must have available a minimum of 35 sq ft of indoor play space and 50 sq ft of outdoor play space per child
usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen
a school-age program must have a minimum of 25 sq ft indoor and 50 sq ft outdoor per child (usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen), per ARSD 67:42:17:34.
usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen
No per-child square-footage standard is specified for family day care homes.
usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen
A family day care provider may care for up to 12 children in the provider's home
the same text appears at ARSD 67:42:17:21 in the Cornell LII edition
with only one provider present no more than 4 of the 12 children may be under age two (and no more than 3 of those 4 may be under age one), while if a family day care assistant is present no more than 8 of the 12 children may be under age two
and no more than 3 of those 4 may be under age one
the provider's own children under age six are included in the total capacity and ratio, per ARSD 67:42:17:23 (the same text appears at ARSD 67:42:17:21 in the Cornell LII edition
the same text appears at ARSD 67:42:17:21 in the Cornell LII edition
No statewide numeric group-size cap per age band - for center and school-age programs maximum group sizes are determined by individual approved room capacity (subject to staff-child ratios of 5:1 up to age three, 10:1 ages three through four, and 15:1 age five and over), not a fixed group-size number, per ARSD 67:42:17:19 and 67:42:17:21
subject to staff-child ratios of 5:1 up to age three, 10:1 ages three through four, and 15:1 age five and over
family day care has no group-size limit beyond the 12-child home capacity in ARSD 67:42:17:23.
subject to staff-child ratios of 5:1 up to age three, 10:1 ages three through four, and 15:1 age five and over
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South Dakota Square Footage Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions
How much indoor space per child does South Dakota require?
A center program must have available a minimum of 35 sq ft of indoor play space and 50 sq ft of outdoor play space per child; a school-age program must have a minimum of 25 sq ft indoor and 50 sq ft outdoor per child (usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen), per ARSD 67:42:17:34. No per-child square-footage standard is specified for family day care homes.
Does South Dakota require outdoor play space too?
A center program must have available a minimum of 35 sq ft of indoor play space and 50 sq ft of outdoor play space per child; a school-age program must have a minimum of 25 sq ft indoor and 50 sq ft outdoor per child (usable primary play space only, excluding permanent/stationary equipment, storage, halls, bathrooms, offices, and special-use areas such as a gym, cafeteria, or kitchen), per ARSD 67:42:17:34. No per-child square-footage standard is specified for family day care homes.
What space is excluded when calculating capacity in South Dakota?
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 Dakota rule above.
South Dakota childcare licensing rules are amended regularly. This page is compiled from published South Dakota administrative codes and statutes for informational purposes only — always verify current requirements with the South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS), Child Care Services — Office of Licensing and Accreditation (OLA), 700 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501 before relying on them. TotReady provides information and document templates, not legal or regulatory advice.