Michigan sets a family child care home at 6 children in care at one time and a group child care home at 12, with one staff member per 6 children in the group home. The infant limits are written per staff member in both: no more than 4 children under 24 months, and no more than 2 of those 4 under 12 months. Before and after school hours a group home may add up to 3 school-age children, which lifts one staff member to 9 children, or 10 where the department has approved an increased capacity.
Every tier, every cap
Family Child Care Home
No more than 6 children in care at once R 400.1925(1)
No more than 4 under 24 months R 400.1927(3)
No more than 2 under 12 months R 400.1927(3)
No more than 12 (concurrent child care and foster care licensing only) R 400.1905(2)
Option 1: up to 6 children R 400.1925(2)
Option 2: up to 7 children R 400.1925(2)
Your own children: count toward these caps.
Group Child Care Home
No more than 12 children in care at once R 400.1925(1)
No more than 6 (per staff member) R 400.1928(1)
No more than 4 under 24 months R 400.1928(4)
No more than 2 under 12 months R 400.1928(4)
No more than 3 school age (before and after school hours only) R 400.1928(3)
No more than 12 (concurrent child care and foster care licensing only) R 400.1905(2)
Option 1: up to 12 children R 400.1925(2)
Option 2: up to 14 children R 400.1925(2)
With an assistant: an additional adult is required above 6 children.
Your own children: count toward these caps.
Family Child Care Home with increased capacity
No more than 7 children in care at once Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1925(2) (2019 AACS; 2026 MR 8, Eff. April 27, 2026)
No more than 4 under 24 months Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1927(3) (2026 MR 8, Eff. April 27, 2026)
No more than 2 under 12 months Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1927(3) (2026 MR 8, Eff. April 27, 2026)
Your own children: do not count toward the unrelated caps.
Group Child Care Home with increased capacity
No more than 14 children in care at once Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1925(2) (2019 AACS; 2026 MR 8, Eff. April 27, 2026)
No more than 4 under 24 months Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1928(4) (2026 MR 8, Eff. April 27, 2026)
No more than 2 under 12 months Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1928(4) (2026 MR 8, Eff. April 27, 2026)
No more than 3 school age child Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1928(3) (2026 MR 8, Eff. April 27, 2026; corrected per 2026 MR 9)
With an assistant: an additional adult is required above 7 children.
Your own children: do not count toward the unrelated caps.
How Michigan defines the age bands
Infant (birth until 1 year of age): 0 to 12 months
Toddler (1 year of age until 30 months of age): 12 to 30 months
Under the age of 12 months (ratio sub band): 0 to 12 months
Under the age of 24 months (ratio band): 0 to 24 months
School age child: eligible to attend a grade of kindergarten or higher, but less than 13 years of age. The LOWER bound is school eligibility, not a fixed age in months; fromMonths 0 is a schema placeholder, not a statutory figure.: 0 to 156 months
Mixed ages in one room
The bands that bind are under 12 months and under 24 months. Michigan defines a school-age child by eligibility to attend kindergarten or higher and by being under 13, without an age in months.
Real questions, short answers
How many children can one Michigan staff member supervise?
Six in a group child care home, per R 400.1928(1), rising to 9 during before and after school hours when the extra children are school-age, or 10 with an approved increased capacity.
How many infants can a Michigan home take?
Two children under 12 months per staff member, inside a limit of 4 children under 24 months per staff member.
Can a Michigan home be licensed for both child care and foster care?
Yes, and R 400.1905(2) then caps the licensee at 12 children in total including the foster children.
Child Care Organizations Act, Act 116 of 1973, definitions complete through PA 38 of 2025 MCL 722.111, 722.115m, 722.125
Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1901 to R 400.1963, child care and group child care homes, with the final rule effective 4/27/2026 R 400.1905, 400.1925, 400.1927, 400.1928
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.