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DaycareRules

Nevada Division of Social Services, Child Care Licensing

Nevada home daycare ratios by age

Verified September 5, 2026

Nevada staffs its two home sizes differently. A family home of five or six children keeps one caregiver on duty, no more than six children under eighteen residing per caregiver, and no more than two children under one year or four under two at any given time, per NAC 432A.534. A group home of seven to twelve follows the NAC 432A.536 table: one caregiver for every two children under one, one for every four children from one to three, and two caregivers for every six children three and older. Both sizes may add up to three school-age children before and after school with written permission, for no more than three hours before or after school.

Every tier, every cap

Small child care establishment

  • No more than 4 children in care at once NRS 432A.0295

Your own children: do not count toward the unrelated caps.

Family home

  • No more than 6 children in care at once NAC 432A.100
  • No more than 2 fh u1 NAC 432A.534(2)(b)
  • No more than 4 fh u2 NAC 432A.534(2)(b)

Your own children: count toward these caps (under 4 years).

Group home

  • No more than 12 children in care at once NAC 432A.110

Your own children: count toward these caps (under 4 years).

How Nevada defines the age bands

  • Less than 1 year of age: 0 to 12 months
  • Less than 2 years of age: 0 to 24 months
  • 1 year of age or older but less than 3 years of age: 12 to 36 months
  • 3 years of age or older: 36 to open months
  • Less than 4 years of age, the age at which a caregiver’s own resident child is counted: 0 to 48 months
  • 11 years of age or less, the resident children counted against the extra school hours children: 0 to 144 months
  • At least 6 years of age or attending school for a full day, and less than 16 years of age, the band for the three extra children before and after school: 72 to 192 months
  • Less than 18 years of age, the band for residency per caregiver and for the licensing threshold: 0 to 216 months

Mixed ages in one room

Under one and under two are the binding bands in a family home; the group home splits at one year and three years. A caregiver’s own resident child counts only while under four.

Real questions, short answers

How many infants can a Nevada family home have?

Two under one year, or four under two, at any given time, per NAC 432A.534(2)(b).

What is the ratio in a Nevada group home?

One caregiver for every two children under one, one for every four children one to three, and two for every six children three and older, per NAC 432A.536(1).

Can a Nevada home add school-age children?

Up to three, before and after normal school hours, with the Administrator’s written permission, for no more than three consecutive hours before or after school, per NAC 432A.538.

Keep reading

Sources for Nevada

  • Nevada Revised Statutes chapter 432A, revised April 15, 2026 432A.024, 432A.0295, 432A.131, 432A.1756, 432A.220
  • Nevada Administrative Code chapter 432A, revised September 2025 432A.100, 432A.110, 432A.534, 432A.536, 432A.538

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.