Child Development Home
- No more than 6 children in care at once 5-A DCMR § 167.5
- No more than 2 under 2 5-A DCMR § 169.2
Your own children: count toward these caps (under 6 years).
OSSE Licensing and Compliance
District of Columbia home daycare ratios by age
Verified September 5, 2026The District licenses two home tiers. A Child Development Home holds up to 6 children with no more than 2 under age two. An Expanded Child Development Home holds up to 12 with staffing rows tied to the under-two count: 4 under two on the base rows and 6 with the section 121.3(c) staffing. The provider's own children under 6 are counted.
Every tier, every cap
Expanded Child Development Home
- No more than 12 children in care at once 5-A DCMR § 169.1
- No more than 4 under 2 5-A DCMR § 169.2(a)
- Option 1: up to 12 children, at least 1 under 2, max 1 under 2 5-A DCMR § 121.3(c), the line introducing the homes table; the row this encodes is in the tier's ratioTable
- Option 2: up to 6 children, at least 2 under 2, max 2 under 2 5-A DCMR § 121.3(c), the line introducing the homes table; the row this encodes is in the tier's ratioTable
- Option 3: up to 9 children, at least 3 under 2, max 3 under 2 5-A DCMR § 121.3(c), the line introducing the homes table; the row this encodes is in the tier's ratioTable
- Option 4: up to 12 children, at least 4 under 2, max 4 under 2 5-A DCMR § 121.3(c), the line introducing the homes table; the row this encodes is in the tier's ratioTable
With an assistant: an additional adult is required above 0 children. No more than 12 children in care at once; No more than 6 under 2
Your own children: count toward these caps (under 6 years).
How District of Columbia defines the age bands
- under 2 years of age (ratio table band; non ambulatory children treated the same): 0 to 24 months
- over 2 years of age (ratio table band): 24 to 180 months
- Infant: 0 to 12 months
- Toddler: 12 to 36 months
- Preschool or preschooler: 36 to 60 months
- School age child: 60 to 216 months
Mixed ages in one room
DC defines infant as under 12 months, toddler 12 to 36 months, preschool 36 to 60 months and school-age from 5; the home rows key on the under-two count rather than each band.
Real questions, short answers
How many infants can a DC child development home have?
Two children under age two in a Child Development Home; an Expanded Child Development Home allows 4 under two, or up to 6 under the staffing rows in 5-A DCMR 121.3(c).
When does an expanded home need more staff?
Section 169 requires additional staff from the first under-two children beyond the base rows; the 121.3(c) table sets each group size against the number of caregivers present.
Do DC home rules count the provider's own children?
Yes, children of the provider under 6 count in capacity on both home tiers.
Keep reading
Sources for District of Columbia
- D.C. Code Title 7, Chapter 20, Child Development Facilities Regulation Act 7-2031 to 7-2036
- 5-A DCMR Chapter 1, Child Development Facilities Licensing, final rulemaking December 2, 2016, amended August 1, 2025 101, 121, 150, 167 to 169, 199
DaycareRules is an informational reference about home child care licensing rules in the United States. It reprints thresholds, capacity limits, ratios and citations from state statutes and regulations, together with the date each state was last verified. Nothing on this site is legal advice, and rules change. Confirm with your state licensing agency before acting on any number printed here.