MSDE Office of Child Care
A Maryland Family Child Care Home is capped at 8 children present in care, counting the provider's resident children under 6. Alone, the provider may have at most 2 children under 24 months; with office approval and an additional adult, up to 4. A Large Family Child Care Home runs 9 to 12 children on staffing rows: same-age groups such as 1 to 6 for two-year-olds, and mixed groups such as 8 children with 1 staff member when at most 2 are under 24 months.
With an assistant: No more than 8 (all children present in care); No more than 4 under 24 months; No more than 2 under 24 months (home in which the provider also operates an educational program)
Your own children: count toward these caps (under 6 years).
Your own children: count toward these caps (under 6 years).
Maryland defines infant as under 18 months and toddler as 18 to 24 months, and the large-home rows are written per staff member present, so adding an approved adult changes the allowed group, not just the total.
At most 2 children under 24 months when working alone. With office approval and an additional adult, the home may have up to 4 under 24 months, per COMAR 13A.15.04.03.
Examples from COMAR 13A.18.08.03: 12 children with 2 staff when 1 or 2 are under age 2; 8 children with 2 staff when 3 or 4 are under age 2; groups entirely under 24 months run 1 staff to 3 children.
Yes, a family home in which the provider also operates an educational program is capped at 8 children with no more than 2 under 2, and the program itself needs the 13A.15.16 approval added in 2026.
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.