Georgia caps a Family Child Care Learning Home at six unrelated children under thirteen, for pay or not, and at twelve children under thirteen in total once related and resident children are on the premises. DECAL may approve two additional children three years of age or older for two designated one-hour periods a day. Staffing is set by age rather than by a ratio table: a second person at least sixteen years old must assist whenever more than three children under twelve months, more than six under three years, or more than eight under five years are present.
Every tier, every cap
Family Child Care Learning Home
No more than 6 (unrelated under 13) Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.07(16) (DECAL ed. July 1, 2025)
No more than 8 (unrelated under 13 during two designated one hour periods daily on department approval) Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.03(k) (DECAL ed. July 1, 2025)
No more than 12 (all children present under 13 including related and resident children) Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.07(17) (DECAL ed. July 1, 2025)
No more than 3 under 12 months before a second adult is required Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 290-2-3-.09(19)
No more than 6 under 3 years before a second adult is required Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 290-2-3-.09(19)
No more than 8 under 5 years before a second adult is required Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 290-2-3-.09(19)
With an assistant: No more than 6 (unrelated under 13); No more than 12 (all children present under 13 including related and resident children)
Your own children: do not count toward the unrelated caps.
How Georgia defines the age bands
Under 12 months: 0 to 12 months
Under 3 years: 0 to 36 months
Under 5 years: 0 to 60 months
Three years of age or older (the two additional children allowed for two designated one hour periods daily): 36 to open months
Under 13 years (the age universe for the capacity counts): 0 to 156 months
Under 2 1/2 (water activities over two feet deep): 0 to 30 months
2 1/2 to 4 years (water activities over two feet deep): 30 to 48 months
4 years & older (water activities over two feet deep): 48 to open months
Mixed ages in one room
The three age triggers stack. A home with four infants needs the second adult even with only four children present; a home with seven children over three and none under three does not.
Real questions, short answers
How many infants can a Georgia family child care learning home take alone?
Three under twelve months. A fourth requires an employee at least sixteen years old present to assist with supervision under rule 290-2-3-.09(19).
Can a Georgia home ever have more than six children?
Two more, aged three or older, for two designated one-hour periods daily with DECAL approval. Beyond that the twelve-child ceiling only accommodates the provider’s own related and resident children.
What is the ratio for water activities in Georgia?
The chapter sets separate supervision bands for water: children under two and a half, two and a half to four, and four and older, each with its own adult requirement in rule 290-2-3-.09.
Georgia DECAL, Rules and Regulations for Family Child Care Learning Homes, Chapter 290-2-3, edition dated July 1, 2025 290-2-3-.03, 290-2-3-.04, 290-2-3-.07, 290-2-3-.09, 290-2-3-.15
Georgia Administrative Code, Subject 290-2-3, Secretary of State copy of the same chapter 290-2-3
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.