# BackPR: full site content

> Online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports and schools. Free for nonprofits.

Source: https://backpr.com. Last updated: 2026-10-22.

## Key facts
- BackPR is online registration and payment software for youth and community programs in the United States: camps, after-school programs, childcare, classes, sports, swim schools, schools, PTAs, churches, YMCAs and community centers.
- Free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card and bank payments are processed by Stripe at Stripe's standard rates; the nonprofit can absorb or pass on that cost.
- Organizations that aren't nonprofits get pricing by quote.
- No long-term contracts: cancel anytime with no exit fees.
- Free onboarding and data import from other systems or spreadsheets. Data can be exported at any time at no cost.
- BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.
- Families can register and manage their account in English or Spanish. No app download is needed; BackPR works in any phone browser.
- Support: support@backpr.com (email). Website: https://backpr.com.

## Our commitments
- **Free for nonprofits:** Registered nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. No subscription, no per-registration charge and no BackPR transaction fees. Card processing is charged by Stripe at its standard rates.
- **No long-term contracts:** Stay because it works, not because a contract says so. Cancel whenever you want, with no exit fees.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** We set up your account and bring over your families, participants and programs from your current system or spreadsheets, at no cost.
- **Your data, exported anytime:** Download your families, registrations and payments whenever you want. Exports are free and never held back.
- **No BackPR fees on families:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. If you pass on card processing, that's your choice and it's clearly labeled.

## Pricing
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| BackPR fee on nonprofit payments | $0 |
| Who processes payments | Stripe, paid out to your organization's bank account |
| Processing cost | Stripe's standard rates on each card or bank payment |
| Who pays processing | Your choice: absorb it, or pass it on as a convenience fee |
| BackPR fees added for families | None |
| Free programs and events | No cost at all |

**Who counts as a nonprofit?**
Registered nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations in the United States, such as 501(c)(3) organizations, churches and faith-based organizations, nonprofit PTAs and PTOs, YMCAs and community nonprofits. We confirm your status when you sign up. Not sure if you qualify? Email us.

**What do nonprofits pay?**
Nothing to BackPR. The only cost is card and bank processing on each payment, charged by Stripe at its standard rates. Free programs and free events cost nothing at all.

**Can we pass the processing fee on to families?**
Yes. You can absorb it, or add it to families' payments as a clearly labeled convenience fee.

**Why isn't business pricing listed?**
Programs vary a lot in size and setup, so we quote based on how many programs, locations and participants you have. Quotes are free and come with no long-term contract.

**Is there a contract?**
No. There's no long-term contract and no exit fee. You can cancel whenever you want.

**Is onboarding extra?**
No. Onboarding and importing your data from your current system are free.

**Can we export our data if we leave?**
Yes. You can export your families, registrations and payments at any time, at no cost.

**Are any features held back for higher plans?**
Nonprofits get every feature. For other organizations, your quote is based on the programs and locations you run.

## Free for nonprofits
- **Every feature:** Registration, payments and payment plans, check-in and pickup, messaging, reports and camp tools. Nothing is held back.
- **No subscription:** No monthly fee, no annual fee and no per-registration charge.
- **No BackPR transaction fees:** BackPR takes nothing from the payments families make to you.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** We set up your account and bring over your families and programs from your current system or spreadsheets.
- **Free events stay free:** Programs and events with no charge cost nothing at all. With no payment, there's no processing fee either.
- **No long-term contract:** Use BackPR because it works for you. Leave whenever you want, and export your data first, for free.

Who qualifies (registered nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations in the United States):
- 501(c)(3) charitable organizations
- Churches and faith-based organizations
- Nonprofit PTAs and PTOs
- Nonprofit camps and youth organizations
- Community centers and community nonprofits
- Nonprofit sports clubs and leagues
- Nonprofit arts, music and theater programs
- Nonprofit schools and school foundations

**Is BackPR really free for nonprofits?**
Yes. Registered nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, and get every feature. The only cost is card and bank processing on payments you collect, charged by Stripe at its standard rates.

**How does BackPR make money if nonprofits don't pay?**
Organizations that aren't nonprofits, such as for-profit camps, studios and businesses, pay for BackPR based on a quote.

**Can we pass the processing fee on to families?**
Yes. You can absorb it or add it to families' payments as a clearly labeled convenience fee. BackPR never adds a fee of its own.

**How do you confirm nonprofit status?**
We confirm your nonprofit or tax-exempt status when you sign up. If you're not sure whether your organization qualifies, email us before you start.

**Is the free plan a trial?**
No. Free is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial period.

**Do we have to sign a contract?**
No. There's no long-term contract and no exit fee.

## All features
### Registration & forms
- Registration for classes, camps, after-school, childcare and events
- Multi-child, multi-program checkout
- Saved family profiles
- Week-by-week camp selection
- Day-of-week selection
- Drop-ins and punch passes
- Private lessons and appointments
- Memberships and subscriptions
- Conditional registration forms
- Custom questions per program
- File and document uploads
- E-signed waivers
- Medical and allergy information
- Emergency contacts
- Authorized pickup lists
- Capacity limits
- Automatic waitlists
- Lottery registration
- Priority and early-access registration
- Age, grade and gender rules
- Access codes for private programs
- Season copy and rollover
- Transfers between sessions
- Cancellation policies
- Staff-entered registrations
- Group and team registration
- Registration in Spanish
- Save and finish later

### Payments & billing
- Credit and debit cards
- ACH bank payments
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Deposits
- Installment plans
- Autopay
- Weekly, monthly and term tuition
- Proration
- Failed payment retries
- Card update links
- Sibling discounts
- Multi-week and multi-program discounts
- Early-bird pricing
- Coupon codes
- Scholarships and financial aid
- Sliding-scale pricing
- Convenience fee pass-through
- Late fees
- Full and partial refunds
- Family credits
- Invoices
- Family account balances
- Donations at checkout
- Gift cards
- Year-end dependent care statements
- Cash and check recording
- Payout reports

### Check-in & child safety
- Mobile attendance
- Check-in and check-out
- PIN and QR code pickup
- Authorized pickup verification
- Blocked adults list
- Kiosk mode
- Allergy and medical alerts on rosters
- Absence notifications
- Dismissal methods
- Late pickup fees
- Staff time clock
- Attendance history
- Attendance hours reports for grants
- Printable sign-in sheets

### Messaging
- Email to any group
- Text messages
- Automatic session reminders
- Payment reminders
- Missing form reminders
- Scheduled messages
- Message templates
- Email campaigns with open tracking
- Message history per family
- Unsubscribe management
- Spanish parent screens
- Mailchimp and Constant Contact sync

### Families & staff
- Family accounts
- Two guardians per family
- Split payments between households
- Receipts and statements
- Self-service card updates
- Upcoming schedule for every child
- Works on any phone
- Add to home screen
- Staff roles and permissions
- Instructor-only roster view
- Location-level access

### Reports & integrations
- Live dashboard
- Enrollment and fill rate
- Revenue and balances
- Custom reports
- Saved and scheduled reports
- Excel and CSV export
- Full data export at any time
- Year-over-year comparison
- Multi-location reporting
- QuickBooks Online sync
- Xero sync
- Zapier
- API
- Webhooks
- Google Calendar
- Zoom

### Website & marketing
- Public program pages
- Website embed
- Simple BackPR website
- Program filters for families
- Open-spot counts
- Re-enrollment campaigns
- Abandoned registration follow-up
- Promo codes
- Referral codes
- Google Analytics
- Meta Pixel

### Camp operations
- Cabins, bunks and groups
- Bunkmate requests
- Transportation routes and stops
- Bus attendance
- Health histories
- Medication and health visit logs
- Camp store accounts
- Staff applications and hiring
- Electives and activity schedules
- Photo galleries

### Multi-location & districts
- Multiple locations
- Organization-wide dashboard
- Location-level roles
- Shared family records
- Separate bank accounts per location
- Program templates across locations
- School-site program catalogs

## Product areas
### Registration & forms: Online registration families finish in minutes
URL: https://backpr.com/features/registration

Build your programs once, publish them anywhere and let families sign up every child in one checkout. Forms, waivers and medical details are collected before the first day, not chased after it.

- **Every kind of program:** Classes, semesters, multi-week camps, after-school days, drop-ins, private lessons, memberships and events, each with its own sessions, prices and capacity.
- **One checkout for the whole family:** Parents add siblings and several programs to one cart and pay once. Saved family profiles mean returning families don't type everything again.
- **Week-by-week and day-by-day:** Camp families pick the weeks they need from a grid. After-school families pick days of the week. The price updates as they choose.
- **Forms that ask the right questions:** Build forms with conditional questions, file uploads and custom fields. Ask once per family, once per child or once per program.
- **E-signed waivers and documents:** Collect signed waivers, photo releases, medical forms and immunization records at checkout. Mark any item as required and registration can't finish without it.
- **Capacity, waitlists and lotteries:** Set limits per session. When a spot opens, the next family on the waitlist is offered it automatically. Run a lottery or a priority window for high-demand programs.
- **Eligibility rules:** Limit programs by age, grade, gender or membership, or keep a program private behind an access code for early registration.
- **Season rollover:** Copy last season's programs, prices and forms in a few clicks, then change the dates.
- **Changes without paperwork:** Move a child to another session, cancel with your policy applied automatically, and keep the balance on the family account.

Also included:
- Registration in English and Spanish
- Save and finish later
- Custom questions per program
- Medical, allergy and emergency contacts
- Authorized pickup list at sign-up
- Photo and media permissions
- Promo and access codes
- Group and team registration
- Staff-entered registrations for walk-ins
- Registration open and close dates
- Age and grade cutoffs by date
- Transfers between sessions

**Can families register more than one child at a time?**
Yes. Parents add each child and each program to one cart and check out once. Sibling discounts apply automatically if you set them up.

**Can we use our own registration questions?**
Yes. Every program can have its own form with your questions, conditional logic and file uploads, on top of a shared family form.

**Can parents register in Spanish?**
Yes. Families can switch the registration and parent screens to Spanish.

**Can registration wait until a waiver is signed?**
Yes. Mark any waiver or document as required and the registration can't be completed without it.

**Can we put registration on our own website?**
Yes. Embed your programs and registration on your site, or share a direct link to each program.

### Payments & billing: Get paid on time without chasing anyone
URL: https://backpr.com/features/payments

Take deposits, set up payment plans and let autopay handle the rest. Payments are processed by Stripe and paid out to your organization's bank account.

- **Deposits and payment plans:** Let families pay a deposit now and the balance in installments. You set the schedule and BackPR charges the saved card or bank account on each date.
- **Recurring tuition:** Bill weekly, monthly or by term for after-school and childcare, with proration for families who join partway through.
- **Failed payment recovery:** When a card is declined, BackPR retries it and sends the family a link to update their payment method. Outstanding balances sit in one list.
- **Discounts that apply themselves:** Sibling, multi-week, multi-program and early-bird discounts, plus coupon codes with usage limits and expiry dates.
- **Scholarships and financial aid:** Apply full or partial scholarships, sliding-scale pricing and private aid codes for the families who need them.
- **Every way families pay:** Credit and debit cards, ACH bank payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay online, plus cash and checks recorded by your staff.
- **Refunds, credits and transfers:** Issue full or partial refunds, leave a credit on the family account, or move a payment to another program.
- **Invoices and statements:** Invoice one-off charges, keep a running balance for each family and give parents year-end statements for dependent care claims.
- **Processing fees, your choice:** Absorb card processing or pass it on to families as a clearly labeled convenience fee. BackPR never adds a fee of its own to what families pay.

Also included:
- Autopay with saved cards and bank accounts
- Installment schedules per program
- Late fees and late-pickup fees
- Family account balances
- Donations at checkout
- Gift cards
- Payment reminders by email and text
- Payout reports by date
- Refund and credit history
- Year-end dependent care statements
- Cash and check recording
- Separate bank accounts per location

**Who processes payments?**
Stripe. Card and bank payments are processed by Stripe and paid out to your organization's bank account.

**What does payment processing cost?**
Stripe's standard rates apply to each payment. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. You decide whether to absorb the processing fee or pass it on to families as a convenience fee.

**Does BackPR charge families a booking fee?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

**Can families pay in installments?**
Yes. Set deposits and installment schedules per program, and the family's saved card or bank account is charged automatically on each date.

**What happens when a payment fails?**
BackPR retries the payment and sends the family a link to update their card. You can see every outstanding balance in one place.

### Check-in & child safety: Know where every child is, all day
URL: https://backpr.com/features/attendance-safety

Staff take attendance and check children in and out from their own phones. Every pickup is checked against the family's authorized list before a child leaves.

- **Attendance from any phone:** Rosters open on the phone, tablet or laptop your staff already have. Mark present, late, absent or excused with one tap.
- **Secure pickup:** Parents check out with a PIN or QR code, and staff confirm the adult against the family's authorized pickup list.
- **Authorized and blocked adults:** Families list who may pick up each child. Admins can also flag adults who are not allowed to.
- **Kiosk mode:** Put a tablet at the door for self check-in and check-out with a PIN or QR code.
- **Allergy and medical alerts:** Allergies, medications and medical notes show next to each child's name on the roster, where staff will see them.
- **Absence alerts:** When a registered child isn't checked in, the parent can be notified automatically.
- **Dismissal and buses:** Record how each child goes home, whether parent pickup, bus, aftercare or walking, and keep it on the daily roster.
- **Staff time clock:** Instructors clock in and out from the same screen, with records you can export for payroll.

Also included:
- Daily, weekly and session rosters
- Late pickup fees applied automatically
- Emergency contacts on every roster
- Printable sign-in and sign-out sheets
- Attendance history for each child
- Attendance hours reports for grants
- Check-in and check-out notifications
- Photo on file for each child

**Do staff need to download an app?**
No. BackPR works in the browser on any phone or tablet, so staff sign in and start.

**How does secure pickup work?**
Each family uses a PIN or QR code. At pickup, staff confirm the code and the adult's name against the authorized list before checking the child out.

**Can parents see when their child is checked in?**
Yes. Parents can be notified when their child is checked in and when they are checked out.

**Can we use a tablet at the front desk?**
Yes. Kiosk mode turns any tablet into a self check-in station.

### Messaging: Parents hear from you before they have to ask
URL: https://backpr.com/features/communication

Email and text the right families in seconds, and let reminders go out on their own. Families can use BackPR in English or Spanish.

- **Email and text to any group:** Message everyone, one program, one session, one bus route or a single family. Choose email, text or both.
- **Automatic reminders:** Session reminders, payment reminders and missing-form reminders go out on a schedule you set.
- **Templates:** Save the messages you send every season, with family and child names filled in for you.
- **Scheduled sends:** Write the message tonight and send it Monday at 7 a.m.
- **Spanish for families:** Families who prefer Spanish can use the registration and parent screens in Spanish.
- **Message history:** Every email and text sent to a family is logged on their account, so anyone on your team can see what was said.
- **Email campaigns:** Announce next season, early-bird pricing or open spots with designed emails, and see who opened them.
- **Unsubscribes handled:** Marketing opt-outs are respected automatically, while important program notices still reach the family.

Also included:
- Confirmation emails with receipts
- Waitlist offer notifications
- Schedule change alerts
- Closure and weather alerts by text
- Attachments and links
- Replies go to your own email address
- Mailchimp and Constant Contact sync

**Can we text parents?**
Yes. Text any group of families, or let reminders go out by text automatically.

**Do parents get reminders before a session starts?**
Yes. Turn on reminders for a program and BackPR sends them before each session.

**Is BackPR available in Spanish?**
Yes. Families can use the registration and parent screens in Spanish, and program staff can email support@backpr.com in Spanish.

**Can we keep using Mailchimp?**
Yes. Family contacts can sync to Mailchimp or Constant Contact.

### Parent & staff experience: Built for the phone in every parent's hand
URL: https://backpr.com/features/mobile

Families register, pay, sign forms and check out with a PIN from their phone. Staff run rosters and attendance from theirs. There is nothing to download.

- **Mobile-first checkout:** Registration is designed for small screens first: large buttons, saved details, and Apple Pay or Google Pay at the end.
- **One family account:** Parents see schedules, balances, receipts and forms for every child in one place, and update cards and contacts themselves.
- **Two guardians, one family:** Add a second parent or guardian with their own login. Split payments between households when you need to.
- **In English and Spanish:** Families can switch the registration and parent screens to Spanish.
- **Staff on their own phones:** Instructors see only their own rosters, with medical notes, pickup lists and attendance in one place.
- **On the home screen:** Parents and staff can add BackPR to their phone's home screen for one-tap access, without an app store.

Also included:
- Saved payment methods
- Receipts and year-end statements
- Upcoming sessions calendar
- Sign forms on the phone
- Self check-out with PIN or QR code
- Notifications by email and text
- Works on iPhone, Android, tablets and computers
- Staff roles and permissions

**Is there an app to download?**
No download needed. BackPR runs in the browser on iPhone, Android, tablets and computers, and can be added to the home screen like an app.

**Can two parents share a family account?**
Yes. Each guardian gets their own login to the same family account.

**Can parents update their own payment method?**
Yes. Parents can update cards and bank details from their family account at any time.

### Reports & integrations: The numbers you need, and the tools you already use
URL: https://backpr.com/features/reports-integrations

See enrollment, revenue and balances in real time, export anything, and connect BackPR to your accounting and email tools.

- **Live dashboard:** Enrollment, fill rate, money collected and balances outstanding, by program, location or season.
- **Rosters and lists:** Class rosters, allergy and medical lists, pickup lists, t-shirt sizes and custom reports built from any registration question.
- **Finance reports:** Payments, refunds, payouts, discounts, scholarships and outstanding balances, ready for your bookkeeper.
- **Accounting sync:** Send payments and payouts to QuickBooks Online or Xero.
- **Export everything:** Download any report, or all of your data, to Excel or CSV whenever you want, at no cost.
- **Connect your tools:** Zapier, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Google Calendar, Zoom, Google Analytics and Meta Pixel.
- **API and webhooks:** Build your own integrations with the BackPR API and real-time webhooks.
- **Multi-location reporting:** Organizations with several sites see every location together or one at a time.

Also included:
- Saved and scheduled reports
- Year-over-year comparison
- Attendance and hours reports
- Waitlist and capacity reports
- Revenue by program and season
- Report access by staff role

**Can we export our data?**
Yes. Export any report, or all of your data, at any time and at no cost.

**Does BackPR work with QuickBooks?**
Yes. Payments and payouts can sync to QuickBooks Online. Xero is supported too.

**Is there an API?**
Yes. The BackPR API and webhooks let you connect your own systems.

### Website & marketing: Fill your programs, not just your forms
URL: https://backpr.com/features/website-marketing

Publish program pages families can find and share, add registration to your website, and bring families back next season.

- **Program pages:** Every program gets a clean public page with dates, ages, price, location and spots left, ready to share.
- **Embed on your site:** Add your program catalog and registration to WordPress, Wix, Squarespace or any website with a short embed code.
- **A simple website:** No website yet? Publish a simple BackPR site with your programs, an about section and contact details.
- **Re-enrollment campaigns:** Invite last season's families back before registration opens to everyone else.
- **Early-bird and promo codes:** Run time-limited pricing and codes, and see which ones families used.
- **Abandoned registration follow-up:** Families who start registering but don't finish get a reminder to complete it.
- **Ad and traffic tracking:** Add Google Analytics and Meta Pixel to your registration pages to see which ads and posts bring families in.
- **Know where demand is:** Waitlist and fill-rate reports show which programs need another session.

Also included:
- Share links for each program
- Filters by age, date and location
- Open-spot counts
- Email campaigns with open tracking
- Referral codes for families

**Can we keep our current website?**
Yes. Embed BackPR registration on your existing site or link to your program pages.

**Do we need a website to use BackPR?**
No. Your BackPR program pages work on their own, and you can publish a simple BackPR site.

### Camp operations: From cabins to buses to the camp store
URL: https://backpr.com/features/camp-operations

Run the parts of camp that happen after registration: cabins and groups, transportation, health information, staff hiring and camper spending accounts.

- **Cabins and groups:** Assign campers to cabins, bunks or groups with drag and drop, and honor bunkmate requests.
- **Transportation:** Build bus routes and stops, assign riders and take attendance on the bus.
- **Health information:** Collect health histories, medications and allergies at registration, and log health center visits and medications given.
- **Camp store accounts:** Families add spending money online. Staff charge purchases at the camp store and balances update right away.
- **Staff hiring:** Collect staff applications, references and documents, and move candidates from applied to hired.
- **Electives and activities:** Let campers choose electives and build daily activity schedules.
- **Photos for parents:** Share camp photos with families in a private gallery.
- **Day and overnight:** Works for day camps with drop-off and pickup, and for overnight camps with sessions and travel.

Also included:
- Session and week capacity
- Camper t-shirt sizes
- Lunch and extended care add-ons
- Bunkmate requests
- Bus rider lists
- Medication lists by cabin
- Camper spending limits
- Staff forms and documents

**Does BackPR work for overnight camps?**
Yes. Run sessions, cabins, transportation, health information and camper store accounts alongside registration.

**Can parents add money to a camper's store account?**
Yes. Parents add money online and can see the balance.

## Solutions by program type
### Summer & day camps: Camp registration that opens without the meltdown
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/summer-camps

Day camps, specialty camps and overnight camps run registration, forms, payments, check-in and parent updates in BackPR, from the first early-bird email to the last pickup of the summer.

Common problems:
- **Registration day turns into a phone day:** Families refresh the page at 9 a.m., weeks sell out, and the calls start: did my payment go through, is week 4 really full, can I add a sibling?
- **Forms arrive the week before camp:** Health forms, immunizations, waivers and pickup lists trickle in by email, and someone has to chase every missing one.
- **Balances get chased all summer:** Families who paid a deposit in February still owe in July, and someone has to send the reminders.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Weeks, days and add-ons in one checkout:** Parents pick weeks from a grid, add extended care or lunch, register every sibling and pay a deposit or the full amount. Capacity updates as they go, and full weeks offer a waitlist spot.
- **Required forms before day one:** Health histories, immunization uploads, waivers, photo permissions and authorized pickups are part of registration. Missing items trigger reminders, and your list of what's outstanding is always current.
- **Payment plans that run on their own:** Deposits at sign-up, installments on the dates you choose, and autopay on the saved card. Declined payments are retried and families get a link to update their card.
- **Drop-off, pickup and the bus:** Counselors check campers in and out from their phones, verify pickups with a PIN or QR code, and take attendance on bus routes. Parents are notified when their camper is checked out.

Most-used features:
- Week-by-week selection
- Half-day, full-day and drop-in options
- Lunch, extended care and t-shirt add-ons
- Sibling and multi-week discounts
- Early-bird pricing
- Lottery or priority registration
- Health histories and immunization uploads
- Cabins, bunks and groups
- Bus routes and rider lists
- Camp store accounts
- Staff applications
- Camp photo galleries

Nonprofit camps, including YMCA, church, scout and community camps, use BackPR free: no subscription and no BackPR fees.

**Is BackPR camp management software or just registration?**
Both. BackPR handles camp registration, payments, health forms, waitlists and check-in with pickup PINs, plus tools for cabins, buses and camp store accounts.

**What does camp management software cost?**
Prices vary widely. BackPR is free for registered nonprofit camps, with no subscription and no BackPR fees; card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Other camps can request a quote. Our registration software pricing report, under Resources, compares the published prices of 20 platforms.

**Can families choose individual weeks?**
Yes. Families pick the weeks they need, and you can offer half days, full days, drop-in days and add-ons for each week.

**Can we take deposits and collect the rest later?**
Yes. Set a deposit at registration and an installment schedule for the balance. Saved cards are charged automatically on each date.

**Does BackPR handle overnight camps?**
Yes. Overnight camps run sessions, cabin assignments, transportation, health information and camper store accounts in BackPR.

**We're switching from another camp system. Who moves our data?**
We do, for free. Send us an export from your current system and we import your families, campers and programs.

### After-school programs: After-school programs, every school and every pickup on one screen
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/after-school

Run before- and after-school programs at one site or dozens. Families choose days, pay tuition on autopay, and staff check every child out against the authorized pickup list.

Common problems:
- **Tuition is a monthly chase:** Every month someone sends invoices, follows up on late payments and figures out what a family owes after switching from three days to two.
- **Pickup is where things go wrong:** A new babysitter, a different parent, a late bus. Staff need to know who is allowed to take each child, right there at the door.
- **Every school runs a little differently:** Different days, different start dates, different coordinators. Spreadsheets multiply with every site you add.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Days of the week and recurring tuition:** Families choose the days they need. BackPR bills weekly, monthly or by term, prorates mid-term starts and holidays, and charges the saved card automatically.
- **Check-out against the authorized list:** Staff open the day's roster on their phone, check children in, and check them out with the family's PIN or QR code. Absences can notify parents automatically.
- **One account, many schools:** Each school site has its own programs, roster and coordinator access, while your office sees enrollment and balances across every site.

Most-used features:
- Day-of-week selection
- Weekly, monthly and term tuition
- Proration and holiday calendars
- Sibling discounts
- Authorized pickup lists
- PIN and QR code check-out
- Absence alerts
- Late pickup fees
- Dismissal methods
- Site-level staff access
- Attendance hours reports for grants
- Year-end dependent care statements

Nonprofit after-school programs use BackPR free: every feature, no subscription and no BackPR fees.

**What is after-school program software?**
Software that runs an after-school program's registration, monthly tuition, attendance, pickup and messages to parents. In BackPR, families register and pay online, staff check children out against each family's authorized pickup list, and you can run several schools from one account.

**Does BackPR work for before- and after-school care?**
Yes. You can run before-school care, after-school care and enrichment classes, each with its own days, recurring tuition and pickup.

**Can families change their days partway through the term?**
Yes. Change the schedule and BackPR adjusts the tuition going forward, with proration if you use it.

**Can we report attendance hours for grants?**
Yes. Attendance hours reports show time attended by child, program and date range.

**Can parents get tax statements?**
Yes. Parents can download year-end statements of what they paid for dependent care claims.

### Childcare & before/after care: Childcare enrollment and billing without the binder
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/childcare

Preschools, before- and after-care programs and school-break care manage year-round enrollment, recurring tuition, subsidies and daily sign-in and sign-out in BackPR.

Common problems:
- **Enrollment lives in a binder:** Applications, immunization records, emergency contacts and pickup permissions on paper, updated whenever someone remembers.
- **Billing has too many exceptions:** Part-time schedules, sibling rates, subsidies that cover part of the bill, two households splitting tuition.
- **Tax season brings the same request:** Every family needs a statement of what they paid last year, and you prepare each one by hand.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Year-round enrollment and waitlists:** Families apply online with every document attached. Keep waitlists by room or age group and offer spots as they open.
- **Billing that matches how families pay:** Recurring tuition on autopay, sibling rates, part-time schedules, and invoices split between parents or between a family and a subsidy agency.
- **Daily sign-in and sign-out:** Parents sign children in and out with a PIN at a kiosk or with staff, and every pickup is checked against the authorized list.

Most-used features:
- Online applications with documents
- Waitlists by room or age
- Recurring tuition on autopay
- Part-time schedules
- Subsidy and agency billing
- Split billing between households
- Kiosk sign-in and sign-out
- Multiple check-ins per day
- Allergy and medical alerts
- Late pickup fees
- Year-end tax statements
- Parent messages by email and text

Nonprofit childcare programs use BackPR free: no subscription and no BackPR fees.

**Can part of a bill go to a subsidy agency?**
Yes. Split an invoice between the family and an agency or employer, and track each party's balance separately.

**Can two parents pay separately?**
Yes. Split tuition between two guardians, each with their own login and payment method.

**Do families get year-end statements?**
Yes. Parents download statements of what they paid for their dependent care records.

### Classes & enrichment: Class registration for enrichment programs of every size
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/classes

STEM, coding, robotics, chess, art, cooking, language and tutoring programs publish classes, take registrations, manage instructors and keep families coming back each season.

Common problems:
- **Too many tools for one class:** A form for sign-ups, a payment link, a spreadsheet roster and a group text. Every class adds another copy of everything.
- **Instructors need the roster, not the admin:** Your teachers need names, allergies and pickup lists, not access to every family's payment history.
- **Next season starts from zero:** Families who loved the fall session forget to sign up for spring until it's full.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Semesters, drop-ins and private lessons:** Publish semester classes, single-day workshops, drop-in sessions, class packs and one-on-one lessons, each with its own price and capacity.
- **Instructor rosters on their phones:** Instructors see only their own classes, take attendance and message their families. Make-up classes are booked into open spots.
- **Re-enrollment before anyone else:** Invite current families to next season's classes before registration opens to the public, with early-bird pricing if you like.

Most-used features:
- Semester and session classes
- Workshops and drop-ins
- Class packs and punch passes
- Private lessons and appointments
- Make-up classes
- Free trial classes
- Instructor-only rosters
- Materials and supply fees
- Re-enrollment campaigns
- Program pages and website embed
- Online classes with meeting links
- Age and grade rules

Nonprofit enrichment programs, libraries and community education programs use BackPR free.

**Can we offer a free trial class?**
Yes. Offer trial classes and follow up with families afterward to enroll in the full session.

**Can instructors see only their own classes?**
Yes. Instructor roles see their own rosters, attendance and family contacts, and nothing else.

**Do you support online classes?**
Yes. Add a Zoom link to an online class and registered families receive it automatically.

### Dance, music & theater: Registration and tuition for dance, music and theater
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/performing-arts

Studios and arts programs handle class registration, monthly tuition, private lessons, recital and costume fees, and production sign-ups in one place.

Common problems:
- **Tuition every month, from every family:** Most families pay monthly, and a few always need a reminder, a new card or a payment plan for recital season.
- **Costumes, recitals and rentals:** Costume sizes, recital tickets, instrument rentals and production fees end up in separate spreadsheets.
- **Lesson schedules change constantly:** Private lessons move, students miss weeks, and teachers need to know who is coming.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Monthly tuition on autopay:** Enroll students in classes and bill tuition monthly or by season on autopay, with sibling and multi-class discounts applied automatically.
- **Recital, costume and rental fees:** Collect costume sizes at registration, add recital and production fees, and track instrument rentals per student.
- **Private lessons and make-ups:** Families book private lessons into teachers' available times, and missed classes can be made up in an open spot.

Most-used features:
- Monthly and seasonal tuition
- Multi-class discounts
- Private lesson booking
- Make-up classes
- Costume and uniform sizes
- Recital and production fees
- Instrument rental tracking
- Audition and placement forms
- Skill-level prerequisites
- Teacher rosters
- Gift cards
- Recital reminders by text

Nonprofit arts organizations, youth orchestras and community theaters use BackPR free.

**Can we require a placement before registration?**
Yes. Use skill-level prerequisites or an audition and placement form before a student can register for a class.

**Can we collect costume sizes?**
Yes. Add size questions to registration and export a size list per class.

### Sports programs: Sports registration for clubs, clinics, camps and leagues
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/sports

Youth sports clubs, leagues, clinics and sports camps register players, collect waivers and uniform sizes, take payments and keep coaches and families informed.

Common problems:
- **Volunteers lose their weekends to paperwork:** Registration, waivers and uniform orders take hours of volunteer time before the first practice.
- **Coaches need rosters and contacts:** Every coach wants a current roster with emergency contacts and medical notes, not a spreadsheet emailed in August.
- **Fees are a barrier for some families:** Season fees are hard for some families to pay at once, and scholarships are handled by hand.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Player registration with waivers:** Families register players by age group or division, sign waivers, upload documents and choose uniform sizes in one checkout.
- **Teams and coach rosters:** Place players on teams, give each coach access to their own roster, attendance and family contacts.
- **Payment plans and scholarships:** Split season fees into installments and apply scholarships privately for the families who need them.

Most-used features:
- Age group and division rules
- E-signed waivers
- Uniform and equipment sizes
- Team placement
- Coach rosters
- Volunteer sign-up forms
- Payment plans
- Scholarships
- Clinics, camps and tryouts
- Practice and game reminders
- Weather cancellations by text
- Fundraising donations at checkout

Nonprofit sports clubs and leagues use BackPR free: no subscription and no BackPR fees.

**Can coaches see only their team?**
Yes. Give each coach access to their own team roster, attendance and family contacts.

**Can we collect uniform sizes and fees?**
Yes. Add size questions and uniform fees to registration and export the order list.

### Swim schools: Swim lesson registration by level, lane and time
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/swim-schools

Swim schools and aquatics programs place swimmers by level, sell lessons and passes, schedule instructors and fill make-up spots.

Common problems:
- **Level placement is guesswork:** Parents pick the wrong level, and the first lesson turns into a reshuffle.
- **Missed lessons mean make-up requests:** Every week brings make-up requests that someone has to fit into open spots by hand.
- **Instructor schedules shift every session:** Lifeguards and instructors have different availability every session.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Registration by level:** Families answer placement questions or choose from levels their swimmer has passed, so swimmers land in the right class.
- **Make-ups into open spots:** Families request a make-up and pick from classes at the right level with space.
- **Lessons, passes and private sessions:** Sell group lessons by session, private and semi-private lessons, and punch passes for open swim.

Most-used features:
- Level prerequisites
- Placement questions
- Group and private lessons
- Make-up lessons
- Punch passes
- Instructor schedules
- Waitlists by level
- Skill tracking per swimmer
- Session rollover
- Waivers

Nonprofit aquatics programs and community pools use BackPR free.

**Can we restrict classes by level?**
Yes. Set prerequisites so only swimmers at the right level can register.

**Can families book make-up lessons themselves?**
Yes. Families choose a make-up from open spots at the right level.

### Schools & districts: Before-school, after-school and enrichment for schools and districts
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/schools

Private schools, charter schools and districts run before- and after-school care, enrichment catalogs, school-break camps and activity fees through BackPR.

Common problems:
- **Each school runs its own system:** Different forms, different payment links and different spreadsheets at every building.
- **Outside providers, inside your school:** Enrichment vendors each take registration their own way, and families get confused about who to pay.
- **No district-wide view:** Nobody can answer how many students are enrolled across all schools, or what is still owed.

How BackPR handles it:
- **One catalog per school:** Each school gets its own catalog of before-care, after-care and enrichment programs, with grade rules and the school calendar built in.
- **Programs run by outside providers:** List programs run by enrichment providers alongside your own, with registration in one place for families.
- **District-wide reporting:** Enrollment, attendance and balances by school or across the whole district, with access set by role.

Most-used features:
- School-site catalogs
- Grade-level rules
- School calendar and closures
- Before- and after-care billing
- Enrichment programs from outside providers
- Activity and field trip fees
- Scholarships and fee waivers
- Authorized pickups
- Attendance hours reports
- Role-based staff access
- District-wide dashboard
- Data export at any time

Nonprofit private schools and school foundations qualify for free BackPR. Public school districts: contact us for a quote.

**Can we run school enrichment registration in BackPR?**
Yes. Each school can list its enrichment classes, including classes taught by outside providers, and families register and pay for them in one place.

**Can each school have its own programs and staff?**
Yes. Each school has its own catalog and staff access, and the district office sees everything.

**Can outside enrichment providers be listed?**
Yes. Programs run by outside providers can appear in a school's catalog alongside your own programs.

### PTAs & PTOs: After-school enrichment your PTA volunteers can run in an evening
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/ptas

PTAs and PTOs use BackPR to offer after-school enrichment, collect fees and donations, and hand rosters to instructors, without a spreadsheet in sight.

Common problems:
- **Volunteers change every year:** Whoever ran enrichment last year has moved on, and the new committee starts over with a spreadsheet.
- **Money handling worries the treasurer:** Checks in envelopes, payment app transfers and refunds the treasurer has to reconcile by hand.
- **Every family should be able to join:** Scholarships need to be private and easy to apply.

How BackPR handles it:
- **An enrichment catalog in an evening:** List each class with its provider, days, grades and price. Copy everything to next term when it's time.
- **Payments the treasurer can reconcile:** Every payment, refund and payout in one report, with donations at checkout tracked separately.
- **Private scholarships:** Give families a private code for a free or reduced spot. No one else sees who used it.

Most-used features:
- Enrichment catalog by grade
- Class rosters for instructors
- Online payments
- Donations at checkout
- Private scholarship codes
- Waitlists
- Pickup lists
- Parent emails and reminders
- Treasurer reports
- Term rollover

PTAs and PTOs that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free.

**Can our PTA run enrichment class registration online?**
Yes. Families sign up and pay online, the treasurer can see and reconcile every payment, and next year's volunteers can pick up where you left off. BackPR is free for PTAs and PTOs that are registered nonprofits.

**Is BackPR really free for our PTA?**
If your PTA or PTO is a registered nonprofit, yes: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's standard processing fee applies to online payments, and you can pass it on to families.

**Can we hand this over to next year's volunteers?**
Yes. Add new volunteers as staff, remove old ones, and copy last year's programs to the new term.

### Churches & faith programs: Registration for VBS, youth groups, retreats and church camps
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/churches

Churches and faith-based organizations register families for vacation Bible school, youth groups, retreats, mission trips and camps, and take child check-in seriously.

Common problems:
- **Online forms only go so far:** A free form collects names, but not payments, waivers, medical information or who picks each child up.
- **Trips cost more than families can pay at once:** Retreats and mission trips need deposits and payment plans, not one large charge.
- **Child safety at check-in:** Volunteers need to know which adult is allowed to pick up which child.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Events, VBS and youth groups:** Register families for single events, week-long VBS, ongoing youth groups and camps, with the forms each one needs.
- **Retreats and trips with payment plans:** Collect deposits, schedule installments, record documents and add an optional donation to support other families.
- **Secure child check-in:** Volunteers check children in and out with a PIN or QR code against each family's authorized pickup list.

Most-used features:
- Event and VBS registration
- Youth group sign-ups
- Retreat and trip payment plans
- Donations at checkout
- Free events with no fees
- Medical and allergy forms
- Volunteer forms
- PIN and QR code child check-in
- Group emails and texts
- Scholarships

Churches and faith-based nonprofits use BackPR free. Free events cost nothing at all.

**Can we run free events?**
Yes. Free events cost nothing. With no payment, there's no processing fee either.

**Can families give a donation when they register?**
Yes. Add an optional donation at checkout and track it separately from program fees.

### YMCAs, community centers & parks and rec: Programs, memberships and facilities for community organizations
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/community-centers

YMCAs, JCCs, community centers and parks and recreation departments run program registration, memberships, facility bookings and child care across locations.

Common problems:
- **Registration day lines out the door:** Families line up and call when popular programs open, and the front desk can't keep up.
- **Members and non-members pay differently:** Member pricing, resident rates and household memberships need to apply automatically.
- **Several systems that don't talk:** Programs in one system, memberships in another, facility bookings in a third.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Self-service registration:** Families register online for classes, camps, swim lessons and child care, with member and resident pricing applied automatically.
- **Memberships and facilities:** Sell individual and household memberships with recurring billing, and let groups book rooms, courts and fields.
- **Every branch in one view:** Location-level staff access and an organization-wide dashboard for enrollment, revenue and balances.

Most-used features:
- Member and resident pricing
- Individual and household memberships
- Recurring membership billing
- Facility and room booking
- Camps, classes and swim lessons
- Child care programs
- Financial assistance
- Multi-location dashboard
- Location-level roles
- Front-desk registration
- Kiosk check-in
- Data export at any time

YMCAs, JCCs and nonprofit community centers use BackPR free. Government agencies: contact us for a quote.

**Can members get different prices?**
Yes. Set member, non-member and resident prices, and the right price applies at checkout.

**Can we run several branches?**
Yes. Each location has its own programs and staff, with reporting across all of them.

### Multi-location & franchises: One account for every location, franchise and school site
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/multi-location

Enrichment providers at many schools, franchise brands and organizations with several sites run every location in BackPR, with central control and local flexibility.

Common problems:
- **Every site runs its own process:** Each location has its own forms, prices and spreadsheets, and headquarters sees the totals a month late.
- **Families move between sites:** A family that joins at one school or location has to start over at the next one.
- **Money has to land in the right place:** Franchisees and separate entities need payments in their own bank accounts.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Templates from headquarters:** Build programs, forms and pricing once and roll them out to every location, with local changes where you allow them.
- **Local staff, central view:** Site managers and instructors see only their location. Headquarters sees enrollment, revenue and balances across all of them.
- **One family record:** Families keep one account across your locations, and payouts can go to a separate bank account for each location.

Most-used features:
- Unlimited locations
- Program and form templates
- Location-level roles
- Separate bank accounts per location
- Shared family records
- Organization-wide dashboard
- Location comparison reports
- School-site program pages
- Central pricing and discounts
- API and webhooks

Nonprofits with many sites use BackPR free. Franchises and multi-location businesses: contact us for a quote.

**Can each location get paid to its own bank account?**
Yes. Each location can have its own payout bank account.

**Can headquarters control what locations change?**
Yes. Share templates from headquarters and decide what each location can edit.

### Vacation Bible school: VBS registration for every kid, crew and volunteer
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/vacation-bible-school

Churches register kids and volunteers for vacation Bible school in BackPR and sort children into crews by age or grade. Every day of VBS week, volunteers check each child out to an adult on the family's pickup list.

Common problems:
- **Volunteers sign up on a sheet in the lobby:** Crew leaders, snack helpers and station leaders write their names on paper, and nobody can tell which crews still need an adult.
- **Crews get sorted the night before:** Someone sits with a stack of forms, sorting kids by grade and trying to keep friends together, while new registrations keep coming in.
- **Snack time and pickup need the details:** Crew leaders need to know about the peanut allergy before snack time, and who is allowed to take each child home at the end of the day.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Free or low-cost sign-up for every family:** Parents register every child in one checkout, add a VBS t-shirt and, if they like, a donation. Families from outside your church sign up from a shared link, in English or Spanish.
- **Crews by age or grade:** Set age or grade rules and a limit for each group, then drag kids into crews, honor buddy requests and print each crew's roster with allergies and pickup names.
- **Volunteer sign-ups for crew leaders and helpers:** Volunteers sign up on their own form and choose a role, such as crew leader, station leader, snacks or check-in. Ask the questions your church's child safety policy requires and collect documents as uploads.
- **Check-in and pickup every day:** Volunteers check kids in and out from their phones or a kiosk tablet, using the family's PIN or QR code and authorized pickup list. Allergies show next to each child's name.

Most-used features:
- VBS and event registration
- Volunteer sign-up forms
- Crews by age or grade
- Buddy requests
- Medical and allergy information
- Allergy alerts on rosters
- T-shirt sizes and add-ons
- Free events with no fees
- Donations at checkout
- PIN and QR code pickup
- Kiosk check-in
- Registration in Spanish

Churches and faith-based groups that are registered nonprofits run VBS on BackPR free, and other organizations get pricing by quote.

**Can we run VBS for free?**
Yes. Make VBS a free program and families register at no cost. With no payment, there's no processing fee, and churches that are registered nonprofits pay BackPR nothing.

**Can families from outside our church register?**
Yes. Share a link to your VBS page or add registration to your church website. Families can register in English or Spanish.

**How do crew leaders know about allergies?**
Allergies and medical notes show next to each child's name on the crew roster, on a phone or on a printed sheet.

**Can we limit spots in each age group?**
Yes. Set a limit for each age group or grade. When one fills, families can join the waitlist and are offered a spot if one opens.

**Do volunteers register the same way as kids?**
Volunteers use their own sign-up form, with the questions and documents your church asks of every adult who works with children.

### Homeschool co-ops: Homeschool co-op registration, from family fees to class rosters
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/homeschool-co-ops

With BackPR, a homeschool co-op can collect family fees, open semester class sign-ups, line up parent volunteers and give every parent teacher a class roster.

Common problems:
- **Class sign-up night is a scramble:** Everyone wants the same science class, the sign-up sheet fills in minutes, and the families who missed it email the board.
- **Every family's total is a math problem:** A family fee, a class fee per child, supply fees and a sibling discount, paid by check, cash or a payment app and added up by the treasurer.
- **Who's teaching, who's helping, who's on cleanup:** Parent duties live on a clipboard, and the coordinator spends the first week of the semester working out who agreed to what.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Family fee first, then classes:** Families pay a yearly or semester family fee as a household membership, and class registration opens only to member families.
- **Semester classes with a fair sign-up:** Open class registration on a set date, cap each class and use a lottery or waitlist for the popular ones. Parents add every child's classes to one cart and pay once.
- **Parent duties on the registration form:** Ask each family to choose a duty as part of registration: teaching, assisting, nursery or cleanup. A separate volunteer form works too. Then pull a list of who signed up for what.
- **Rosters for parent teachers:** Each parent teacher signs in to see only their own class roster, with allergies, emergency contacts and attendance.

Most-used features:
- Household memberships for family fees
- Member-only class registration
- Semester classes
- Age and grade rules
- Class limits and waitlists
- Lottery registration
- Volunteer sign-up forms
- Materials and supply fees
- Sibling discounts
- Installment plans
- Instructor-only rosters
- Term rollover

Homeschool co-ops that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and other co-ops get pricing by quote.

**Is BackPR free for our homeschool co-op?**
If your co-op is a registered nonprofit, yes: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on to families. Other co-ops can request a quote.

**Can we charge one fee per family and another per class?**
Yes. Charge the family fee once as a household membership, then a class fee and any supply fee for each child.

**Can teaching families register first?**
Yes. Give families who teach an access code for early registration before classes open to everyone.

**Can we reuse this semester's classes next semester?**
Yes. Copy classes, prices and forms to the next term, then change the dates and teachers.

### Scouts & 4-H: Dues, campouts and permission forms for scout units and 4-H clubs
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/scouts-and-4h

With BackPR, a scout unit or 4-H club can collect dues, sign families up for events and campouts, gather signed permission forms and give volunteer leaders their rosters.

Common problems:
- **Dues and trip money in envelopes:** The treasurer collects dues in cash at meetings, campout money by check and the rest through payment apps, then matches it all up by hand.
- **A permission form for every outing:** Each campout, service project and field trip needs a signed permission form and current health information, and a few always turn up in the parking lot.
- **When a leader steps down:** The roster, family contacts and medical notes leave with them, in their inbox and their spreadsheets.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Dues on autopay or in installments:** Collect yearly dues as a membership, or split them into monthly payments on autopay. Scholarships, applied privately, help families who need it.
- **Events, campouts and camps:** Families sign up for each outing from their phones. Longer trips and summer camp can take a deposit, with the balance on a payment plan.
- **Permission forms that come back signed:** Make the permission form and health information required, so no one is registered without them. Families who are missing an item get reminders.
- **Rosters for every volunteer leader:** Group youth into patrols, dens or project groups, and give each leader their own roster with medical notes, emergency contacts and attendance.

Most-used features:
- Dues as memberships
- Autopay and installment plans
- Event and campout registration
- Trip deposits and payment plans
- E-signed permission forms
- Medical and allergy information
- Missing form reminders
- Patrols, dens and groups
- Leader rosters
- Volunteer sign-up forms
- Scholarships
- Treasurer reports

Scout units and 4-H clubs that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and other organizations get pricing by quote.

**Does BackPR replace our national registration?**
No. Youth and adult members still register with your national or state organization as it requires. BackPR handles your unit's or club's own dues, events, forms and payments.

**Is BackPR free for our troop or club?**
If your unit or club is a registered nonprofit, yes: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Not sure of your status? Ask your council or Extension office, or email support@backpr.com. Others can request a quote.

**What happens when leaders change?**
Give new leaders access and remove the ones who left. Rosters, forms and payment history stay with the unit, and last year's events can be copied to the new year.

**Can parents pay for summer camp over time?**
Yes. Take a deposit at sign-up and schedule the balance in installments, charged automatically to the saved card or bank account.

### Dance studios: Dance studio registration, from the first class to the recital
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/dance-studios

Dance studios and nonprofit dance programs handle class registration, monthly tuition on autopay, costume sizes, recital fees and make-up classes in one place.

Common problems:
- **The first of the month is collection day:** Reminders go out and declined cards get rerun. Then someone works out what a family owes after their dancer added a second class.
- **Costume season starts in January:** Sizes come back on paper and costume fees are due before the order goes in. A few families are always late.
- **The right dancer in the right class:** A beginner ends up in the advanced class, or a nine-year-old in the teen class, and the first week of the season turns into a reshuffle.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Classes by age, level and day:** Publish your schedule by age, level and day. Skill-level prerequisites or a placement form keep each dancer in the right class, and full classes offer a waitlist spot.
- **Monthly tuition on autopay:** Bill tuition monthly or by season on the saved card, with multi-class and sibling discounts, proration for mid-year starts and automatic retries when a card is declined.
- **Costumes and recital fees:** Collect costume sizes at registration and export a size list for each class. Add costume and recital fees as their own charges, paid in full or in installments.
- **Trial classes and make-ups:** New families try a class before they enroll, and dancers who miss a class make it up in an open spot.

Most-used features:
- Classes by age and level
- Skill-level prerequisites
- Monthly and seasonal tuition
- Autopay and failed payment retries
- Multi-class and sibling discounts
- Proration
- Costume and uniform sizes
- Recital and production fees
- Free trial classes
- Make-up classes
- Private lesson booking
- Recital reminders by text

Dance programs that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and for-profit studios get pricing by quote.

**How much does dance studio software cost?**
Prices vary by platform. BackPR is free for dance programs that are registered nonprofits, with no subscription and no BackPR fees. For-profit studios get pricing by quote. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

**What happens to tuition when a dancer adds a class?**
Enroll the dancer in the new class and its tuition joins the monthly bill on autopay. Multi-class discounts apply automatically, and proration covers a partial first month if you use it.

**Can we collect costume sizes and fees at registration?**
Yes. Add size questions to each class, export the size list for your costume order and charge the costume fee at registration or later.

**We're switching from another studio system. Who moves our data?**
We do, for free. Send us an export from your current system and we import your families, dancers and classes.

### Martial arts schools: Memberships, belt testing and trial classes for martial arts schools
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/martial-arts

Martial arts schools and youth programs sell memberships on autopay, turn trial classes into enrolled students, collect belt testing fees and check students in at the door.

Common problems:
- **Trial students who never come back:** A family tries a class and leaves happy, and the follow-up waits until someone at the front desk has time to call.
- **Billing that needs a person every month:** Expired cards, two siblings on different plans and a student moving from two classes a week to three keep the office busy.
- **Testing day on a clipboard:** Who is ready to test, who paid the testing fee and who needs a bigger uniform, all tracked at the front desk.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Trial classes that turn into memberships:** New families book a free trial class online and get a follow-up afterward to enroll. Families who start registering but don't finish get a reminder.
- **Memberships on autopay:** Sell monthly memberships charged to a saved card or bank account. Declined payments are retried and families update their own card. Sibling discounts apply automatically.
- **Belt testing for the right students:** Open testing registration to students at the right rank with skill-level prerequisites or a private access code, and collect the testing fee at sign-up. Attendance history shows who has been training.
- **Check-in at the door:** Students check in at a kiosk tablet with a PIN or QR code. Parents can get a notice when their child is checked in and checked out.

Most-used features:
- Monthly memberships
- Autopay with cards and bank accounts
- Failed payment retries
- Free trial classes
- Abandoned registration follow-up
- Belt testing registration and fees
- Skill-level prerequisites
- Kiosk check-in
- Attendance history
- Uniform and equipment sizes
- Sibling discounts
- Referral codes

Martial arts programs that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and for-profit schools get pricing by quote.

**Can new students try a class first?**
Yes. Offer a free trial class online and follow up afterward so families can sign up for a membership.

**Can we limit belt testing to students who are ready?**
Yes. Use skill-level prerequisites or a private access code so only students you've approved can register and pay the testing fee.

**Can we apply our cancellation policy?**
Yes. Set a cancellation policy for each program, and BackPR applies it when a family cancels. Some states have rules for membership contracts, autopay and cancellations, so check your state's rules when you write your policy.

**Is there a long-term contract with BackPR?**
No. There's no long-term contract, and you can cancel anytime. Onboarding and data import are free, and you can export your data whenever you want.

### Gymnastics: Gymnastics registration by level, with make-ups and open gym
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/gymnastics

Gymnastics gyms and recreation programs place kids by age and level, bill monthly tuition, fill make-up spots, run waitlists and sell open gym in BackPR.

Common problems:
- **Full classes and a waitlist in a notebook:** Preschool classes fill in a day and the waitlist lives in a notebook. When a spot opens, nobody remembers who asked first.
- **Make-ups take a person at the front desk:** Kids miss class for colds and birthday parties, and every make-up request is matched to an open spot by hand.
- **Gymnasts move up mid-session:** Moving a gymnast to the next level means a new class, a different price and a refund or credit that someone has to work out.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Classes by age and level:** Set age rules and level prerequisites, so families only register for classes their child can join. Placement questions help new families choose.
- **Waitlists that move on their own:** When a class is full, families join its waitlist. When a spot opens, the next family on the list gets an offer automatically.
- **Make-ups and level changes:** Families book make-ups into open spots in classes at the same level. When a gymnast moves up, transfer them to the new class, and any price difference is charged or credited on the family account.
- **Monthly tuition and open gym:** Bill monthly tuition on autopay, with proration for mid-session starts. Sell open gym as drop-ins or punch passes, with a signed waiver on file.

Most-used features:
- Level prerequisites
- Placement questions
- Age cutoffs by date
- Waitlists by level
- Make-up classes
- Transfers between classes
- Monthly tuition on autopay
- Proration
- Open gym drop-ins and punch passes
- E-signed waivers
- Team fees and payment plans
- Events like parents' night out

Gymnastics programs that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and for-profit gyms get pricing by quote.

**Can we restrict classes by level?**
Yes. Set level prerequisites so only gymnasts at the right level can register, and add placement questions for new families.

**Can families book their own make-ups?**
Yes. Families pick a make-up from open spots in classes at the same level.

**Can we sell open gym passes?**
Yes. Sell open gym as single drop-ins or punch passes, and require a signed waiver at checkout.

**What happens when a gymnast moves up a level mid-session?**
Move the gymnast to the new class. The price difference stays on the family account as a balance or a credit.

### STEM, coding & robotics: Registration for STEM clubs, coding camps and robotics teams
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/stem-programs

STEM nonprofits, coding schools and robotics teams register students for clubs and camps, collect team fees, sign up volunteer mentors and get families ready for competition season.

Common problems:
- **Team fees are too big to pay at once:** Parts, registration and travel add up, and many families can't pay a season's team fee in one charge.
- **Every competition brings a stack of forms:** Each out-of-town event needs a signed permission form, current medical information and a deposit from every family before the deadline.
- **Mentors run the team, not the office:** Volunteer mentors and teachers need a roster and family contacts, not another spreadsheet to keep up to date.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Clubs, camps and teams in one catalog:** Run after-school coding clubs by day of the week, STEM camps by the week and year-round robotics teams, each with its own price, ages and limit.
- **Team fees in installments:** Split team fees into a deposit and installments on autopay. Scholarships and sliding-scale pricing keep the team open to every student.
- **Competition trips:** Set up each competition with its own fee, deposit and e-signed permission form, open only to team members. Families missing a form get reminders before the trip.
- **Mentor sign-ups and team rosters:** Volunteer mentors sign up on their own form. Place students on teams and give each coach their roster, attendance and family contacts.

Most-used features:
- Clubs by day of the week
- Week-by-week camps
- Team placement
- Coach and mentor rosters
- Volunteer sign-up forms
- Deposits and installment plans
- Scholarships and sliding-scale pricing
- Materials and kit fees
- E-signed permission forms
- Medical and allergy information
- Donations at checkout
- Online classes with Zoom links

STEM programs and robotics teams that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and other programs get pricing by quote.

**Can families pay team fees over time?**
Yes. Set a deposit and an installment schedule, and the saved card or bank account is charged on each date.

**Can competitions be registered separately from the season?**
Yes. Set up each competition as its own program with its own fee, forms and limit. An access code keeps it open only to your team.

**Can families donate to the team when they register?**
Yes. Families can add an optional donation at checkout, and it's tracked separately from team fees.

### Youth theater: Youth theater registration, from auditions to closing night
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/youth-theater

Youth and community theaters run audition sign-ups, cast registration, production fees, rehearsal reminders and parent volunteer crews in BackPR.

Common problems:
- **Auditions run on email:** Audition times, photos and conflict calendars arrive in separate emails, and the director builds the schedule by hand.
- **Fees come after the cast list:** Once the cast is posted, every family has to register, pay the production fee and order a show shirt before the first rehearsal.
- **Rehearsal changes reach half the cast:** A change goes out in a group chat, and the families who aren't in it show up at the wrong time.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Audition sign-ups:** Families pick an audition time and fill out the audition form, with a photo upload and a list of rehearsal conflicts.
- **Registration for the cast only:** After casting, send cast families a private access code to register for the production, pay the fee or a deposit and add a show shirt.
- **Rehearsal schedules and reminders:** Families see upcoming rehearsals in their account. Reminders and schedule changes go out by email and text to the whole cast or a single family.
- **Parent volunteer crews:** Parents sign up for set building, costumes, backstage or concessions on a volunteer form, and you see who is on each crew.

Most-used features:
- Audition and placement forms
- Audition time slots
- Photo and file uploads
- Cast-only access codes
- Production fees
- Deposits and payment plans
- Costume sizes
- Show shirt add-ons
- Rehearsal reminders by email and text
- Schedule change alerts
- Volunteer sign-up forms
- Scholarships

Youth and community theaters that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and other programs get pricing by quote.

**Can families sign up for an audition time?**
Yes. Families book an audition time online and fill out the audition form, including conflicts and a photo if you ask for one.

**Can only cast members register for the production?**
Yes. Keep the production private and send cast families an access code to register and pay.

**Can we recruit parent volunteers?**
Yes. Add a volunteer form with crews like sets, costumes and concessions, and export a list of who signed up for each.

**Can families pay production fees over time?**
Yes. Take a deposit at registration and schedule the rest in installments on autopay.

### Youth music programs: Auditions, tuition and lessons for youth orchestras, choirs and bands
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/youth-music

Youth orchestras, choirs, bands and community music schools run auditions, ensemble registration, tuition, private lessons and instrument rentals in BackPR.

Common problems:
- **Audition season takes over:** Audition times, repertoire and placement results move between email threads and spreadsheets for weeks.
- **Tuition, tours and rentals in different places:** Season tuition, a spring tour deposit and an instrument rental fee each have their own spreadsheet and their own reminders.
- **Lessons booked by text:** Private lessons are scheduled by text, rescheduled by text and billed from memory.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Auditions and placement:** Students book an audition time and fill out the audition form. After placement, send each student the access code for their ensemble, so only placed students can register.
- **Tuition by season or month:** Bill tuition by season or monthly on autopay, with sibling discounts and scholarships. Tours and trips take a deposit, with the balance in installments.
- **Private lessons and make-ups:** Families book private lessons into teachers' available times. Teachers see their own students and take attendance, and missed lessons can be made up in an open slot.
- **Instrument rentals:** Track which instrument each student has rented, and add the rental fee as a charge on the family account.

Most-used features:
- Audition and placement forms
- Audition time slots
- Ensemble access codes
- Seasonal and monthly tuition
- Private lesson booking
- Make-up lessons
- Instrument rental tracking
- Concert attire sizes
- Tour deposits and payment plans
- Scholarships and financial aid
- Teacher rosters
- Concert reminders by text

Youth orchestras, choirs and music schools that are registered nonprofits use BackPR free, and other programs get pricing by quote.

**Can students book an audition time online?**
Yes. Students choose an audition time and complete the audition form, with any documents you ask for as uploads.

**Can we track instrument rentals?**
Yes. Record which instrument each student has, and add the rental fee as a charge on the family account.

**Can families pay for a tour in installments?**
Yes. Take a deposit at sign-up and schedule the balance in installments on autopay.

### Tournaments & events: Tournament registration with team entries, waivers and check-in
URL: https://backpr.com/solutions/tournaments

With BackPR, a club, league or event organizer can take team entries and fees, collect a signed waiver for every player and check teams in at the venue.

Common problems:
- **Entries arrive every way at once:** Team entries come by email and entry fees by check or payment app. The division list lives in a spreadsheet that's never current.
- **Missing waivers on game day:** Every player needs a signed waiver, and the missing ones turn up at the check-in table while the first games are waiting.
- **Rainouts mean refunds:** A storm cancels a day of games, and dozens of teams need to hear about it at once and get a refund or a credit.

How BackPR handles it:
- **Team entries by division:** Teams enter an age group or division, each with its own entry fee and team limit. Full divisions offer a waitlist spot, and early-bird pricing rewards teams that enter early.
- **Waivers and proof of age for every player:** Make the player waiver required, and ask for proof of age as an upload if your rules call for it. Families with missing items get reminders, and you can see what's still missing before game day.
- **Check-in at the venue:** Staff check teams and players in from their phones or a kiosk tablet, with medical notes and emergency contacts on every roster.
- **Weather, refunds and credits:** Text every team at once when weather changes the schedule. Then issue full or partial refunds, or leave a credit toward your next event.

Most-used features:
- Group and team registration
- Age group and division rules
- Age cutoffs by date
- Entry fees and deposits
- Early-bird pricing
- Division limits and waitlists
- E-signed waivers
- Proof of age uploads
- Mobile and kiosk check-in
- Weather alerts by text
- Refunds and credits
- Payout reports

Tournaments run by registered nonprofits, such as nonprofit clubs and leagues, use BackPR free, and other event organizers get pricing by quote.

**Can a coach register the whole team?**
Yes. With group and team registration, a coach or team manager enters the team and pays the entry fee in one checkout.

**Can we require a waiver for every player?**
Yes. Mark the waiver as required, and a player's registration can't be completed without it. You can see which players are still missing one.

**Does an e-signed waiver hold up?**
BackPR collects each signature and keeps it on file. Whether a waiver holds up depends on its wording and on your state's laws, so have a lawyer review it.

**What does tournament registration cost?**
Tournaments run by registered nonprofits use BackPR free: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Other organizers can request a quote.

## Comparisons
Competitor details come from each company's public website, pricing pages and terms, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Products and prices change; see the sources.

### BackPR vs Jumbula
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula

Jumbula and BackPR both handle registration, payments and child check-in for camps, classes, after-school and childcare programs. The biggest differences are cost for nonprofits, add-ons, cancellation terms and Spanish for families.

| | BackPR | Jumbula |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for nonprofits | $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. | 20% nonprofit discount off the list prices of its paid plans (Pay As You Go $15/mo, Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo). |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Pay As You Go $15/mo (10 enrollments included, more bought in packs), Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo, or $144, $1,440 and $2,736 billed yearly. Enterprise by quote. |
| Add-ons for nonprofits | None. Every feature is included. | Photo sharing ($35–$45/mo) is extra on every plan. Below Ascend, so are the website widget ($15/mo), activity reminders ($20/mo) and texts (from $15 per 500). |
| Per-enrollment charges | None for nonprofits. | Pay As You Go includes 10 enrollments; more are bought in packs ($1.10–$2.00 each) and aren't refunded if a student drops. |
| Cancellation | Cancel anytime. No long-term contract and no exit fees. | Month-to-month with 30 days' written notice to cancel. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None from Jumbula. Organizations can add a convenience fee or surcharge. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free. | Free onboarding. Custom or complex migrations may carry a fee; data migration is included on Ascend. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | English, with a Google Translate integration. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free means free:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR: no plan, no enrollment packs, no add-ons. Jumbula offers nonprofits a discount on its paid plans.
- **No add-on math:** Text messages, reminders and website embedding are part of BackPR. On Jumbula's Pay As You Go and Rise plans they're priced separately.
- **Leave whenever you want:** BackPR has no notice period and no contract. Your data exports for free at any time.
- **Spanish for families:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What Jumbula does well: Jumbula has a long feature list built over more than ten years, low entry pricing, and a child check-in and check-out workflow for staff and parents.

Sources (checked October 10 and 11, 2026): Jumbula pricing (https://jumbula.com/pricing/); Jumbula terms of service (https://jumbula.com/terms-of-service/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Jumbula?**
Yes, for free. Export your families, participants and programs from Jumbula and we bring them into BackPR.

**Does BackPR have child check-in and check-out like Jumbula?**
Yes. Staff check children in and out with a PIN or QR code against each family's authorized pickup list, on any phone or a kiosk tablet.

### BackPR vs Sawyer
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/sawyer

Sawyer and BackPR both offer registration and payments for kids' activity providers. They differ most on fees: Sawyer adds a booking fee to families' orders and charges a commission on marketplace bookings.

| | BackPR | Sawyer |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for nonprofits | $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Subscription | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Launch $71–79/mo in the first year, then $129–149/mo. Grow $189–219/mo. Scale $379–399/mo. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | A Sawyer booking fee of $1.99–$3.99 on most orders over $30. Its help center says providers can't waive it; its pricing page says businesses can ask to absorb it. |
| Commission on bookings | None. | 15–30% on bookings made through the Sawyer marketplace, depending on plan. |
| Waitlists, payment plans and e-signed waivers | Included. | Grow plan and above. |
| Cancellation | Cancel anytime. No long-term contract and no exit fees. | 30 days' notice. Monthly and annual plans both renew automatically. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | English. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Nothing added to the family's bill:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay, and never takes a commission on your bookings.
- **Everything on day one:** Waitlists, payment plans, memberships and e-signed waivers are part of BackPR, not reserved for a higher plan.
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR.
- **Your families stay yours:** There is no BackPR marketplace promoting other providers to your families.

What Sawyer does well: Sawyer has a polished parent booking flow, a marketplace that can bring new families to providers in some cities, and hands-on onboarding.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Sawyer pricing (https://www.hisawyer.com/for-business/pricing); Sawyer help center (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/)

**Will families pay a booking fee with BackPR?**
No. BackPR doesn't add a fee to what families pay. If you choose to pass on card processing, that's your setting, and it's labeled clearly.

**Can you move our schedule and families from Sawyer?**
Yes, for free. Send us your exports and we set up your programs and families in BackPR.

### BackPR vs Regpack
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/regpack

Regpack and BackPR both offer registration with flexible forms and automatic payment plans. They differ on public pricing, contract terms and what happens to your data when you leave.

| | BackPR | Regpack |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for nonprofits | $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not on its pricing page. A summary Regpack publishes for AI tools (llms.txt) gives about $400/mo for its small-business package or $600/mo for Mid-Market, billed yearly. Its help center lists $3,000 per year for each Account Owner or Super Admin license. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Annual terms that renew automatically. Its cancellation policy requires 90 days' notice, or an early-cancellation payment to leave sooner. Payments aren't refunded. |
| Your data when you leave | Export everything for free at any time. | Data is deleted when the account is canceled, so it must be exported first. |
| Offered to families at checkout | No BackPR add-ons. | Purchase Protection, offered by default, for a fee families pay (around 3–5% of the activity cost, per a Regpack blog post). |
| Data migration | Free. | Included on the Mid-Market Plus tier. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Multi-language forms. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **No annual lock-in:** BackPR is month-to-month with no notice period or buyout.
- **Your data is always yours:** Export everything whenever you want, at no cost, before or after you decide anything.
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR, no matter how many staff need access.
- **Free migration for everyone:** Onboarding and data import are free at BackPR.

What Regpack does well: Regpack's conditional form logic is deep, its automatic installment billing is strong, and a project consultant builds your first setup.

Sources (checked October 10 and 11, 2026): Regpack pricing (https://www.regpacks.com/pricing); Regpack summary for AI tools (llms.txt) (https://www.regpacks.com/llms.txt); Regpack service agreement (https://www.regpacks.com/terms-of-service); Regpack help center (https://help.regpack.com/); Regpack help: Purchase Protection (https://help.regpack.com/purchase-protection-overview); Regpack blog: registration protection (https://www.regpacks.com/blog/event-registration-protection)

**We're in a Regpack contract. Can we start with BackPR now?**
Yes. We can set up and import your data now so you're ready to switch when your term ends.

**Does BackPR have conditional forms and payment plans?**
Yes. Forms support conditional questions and uploads, and payment plans charge saved cards automatically.

### BackPR vs Amilia SmartRec
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/amilia

Amilia's SmartRec and BackPR both handle registration and payments for community programs. They differ on transaction fees, onboarding cost, contract length and language support.

| | BackPR | Amilia SmartRec |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for nonprofits | $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. | Preferred nonprofit rates, not published. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Standard $99/mo or Advanced $499/mo, plus a 1% service fee on each new invoice item. |
| Card processing | Stripe's standard rates. BackPR adds nothing for nonprofits. | 2.85% + 30¢ (Standard) or 2.75% + 30¢ (Advanced), processed by Amilia. |
| Onboarding | Free, including data import. | From $899 (Standard) or $2,999 (Advanced). |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | The default term is 24 months, then it renews yearly. Canceling takes 90 days' notice, and leaving early costs the remaining fees. |
| Your data when you leave | Export everything for free at any time. | Data retrieval after termination is a paid service. |
| Languages for families | English and Spanish. | English and French. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **No percentage on your revenue:** BackPR doesn't take a share of what families pay a nonprofit. Amilia's 1% service fee applies to each new invoice item.
- **Free onboarding:** Setup and data import are free at BackPR.
- **No multi-year commitment:** BackPR has no contract term and no termination fee.
- **Spanish for families:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What Amilia SmartRec does well: Amilia is strong for YMCAs, JCCs and parks departments, with memberships, facility bookings, access control, finance tools and support in English and French.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Amilia pricing (https://www.amilia.com/pricing); Amilia master service agreement (https://www.amilia.com/legal/master-service-agreement)

**Does BackPR handle memberships and facility bookings?**
Yes. Sell individual and household memberships with recurring billing, and take bookings for rooms, courts and fields.

**Can we switch from SmartRec mid-contract?**
We can set everything up and import your data now, so you're ready when your Amilia term allows.

### BackPR vs Campminder
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/campminder

Campminder is built for summer camps. BackPR covers camps too, along with after-school, childcare, classes and year-round programs, with public terms and free setup.

| | BackPR | Campminder |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for nonprofit camps | $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. | Not published. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published. Its sales team sets each camp's price, based partly on the number of campers. |
| Mobile experience for parents | Every parent screen works on any phone, for every customer. | The Campanion app is part of the Deluxe and Professional suites, not Classic. |
| Photo fees for parents | None. | Optional. Deluxe camps can offer parents a paid Photo Season Pass ($10–$50 per household per season). |
| Programs beyond summer camp | After-school, childcare, classes, sports and more in the same account. | Camp-focused, with separate products for off-season events and swim teams. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | English. Campminder's help center suggests browser translation. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **One system all year:** Run summer camp, school-year programs, childcare and classes in one account with one family record.
- **No extra charges for parents:** BackPR doesn't sell parents a pass to see or download anything.
- **Free for nonprofit camps:** Nonprofit camps pay nothing to BackPR.
- **Free switch:** We import your campers, families and sessions at no cost.

What Campminder does well: Campminder has deep camp tools built over 25 years, including bunk planning, health center records, transportation, the camp store and staff hiring, and its Campanion photo app is popular with parents.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Campminder suites (https://campminder.com/suites/); Campminder Campanion app (https://campminder.com/features/campanion-app/)

**Does BackPR have cabins, buses and a camp store?**
Yes. Cabin and group assignments, bus routes, health information and camper store accounts are part of BackPR.

**When should a camp switch?**
Most camps switch in the fall, before registration opens for next summer. We can import your data whenever you're ready.

### BackPR vs Arlo
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/arlo

Arlo is built for adult and professional training providers. BackPR is built for youth and community programs, with family accounts, waivers and child check-in.

| | BackPR | Arlo |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports and schools. | Adult and professional training providers. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. | No published nonprofit discount. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | $80–$302 per admin license per month, depending on plan, billing and number of licenses, plus $1.07–$2.39 per registration. |
| Implementation | Free, including data import. | Required package: $695, $1,395 or $3,995. |
| Family accounts, waivers and child check-in | Included. | Not part of the product. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | English. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Made for families:** Parents register several children, sign waivers, set authorized pickups and pay in installments.
- **No per-registration fee for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR, however many people register.
- **Free setup:** There's no required implementation package.

What Arlo does well: Arlo is a strong fit for training companies, with course templates, certificates, presenter and venue scheduling, and a two-way Xero sync.

Sources (checked October 10 and 11, 2026): Arlo pricing (https://www.arlo.co/pricing); Arlo implementation (https://www.arlo.co/pricing/implementation)

**Can BackPR run adult classes too?**
Yes. Adults can register themselves for classes, workshops and events alongside your youth programs.

### BackPR vs ActiveNet
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/activenet

ActiveNet (ACTIVENet) is ACTIVE Network's recreation management software for parks and recreation departments and YMCAs. Its pricing isn't published, and ACTIVE's published recreation terms run three years at a time unless the order says otherwise. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with free onboarding and no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | ActiveNet |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Parks and recreation departments, YMCAs, sports complexes, multi-site recreation organizations, community and specialty schools, and campus recreation. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; set in each customer's order. ACTIVE's terms allow a yearly increase of 2% on subscription fees and 4% on transaction fees, or up to 5% and 12.5% in special circumstances. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Processing fees are added to customers' online transactions unless the organization absorbs all or part of them. Rates are set in each organization's fee contract. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Unless the order says otherwise, ACTIVE collects payments as a payment facilitator and pays the organization every two weeks, net of its service fees. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Unless the order says otherwise, ACTIVE's recreation and membership terms run three years, renew for three years at a time, and need 12 months' written notice to end. ACTIVE is the only registration provider allowed during the term. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Implementation fees not published. ACTIVE's terms invoice implementation and other services half at the start and half at completion. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Organizations can turn on Spanish and French for the redesigned customer pages. System text comes translated; the organization translates its own text. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. ActiveNet's pricing is set in each customer's order and isn't published.
- **No multi-year term:** BackPR has no long-term contract; cancel anytime. ACTIVE's standard recreation terms run three years at a time, need 12 months' notice to end, and make ACTIVE your only registration provider during the term.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** Setup and data import are free at BackPR. ACTIVE invoices implementation as a service, half at the start and half at completion.
- **No BackPR fee at checkout:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. ActiveNet's processing rates are set in each organization's fee contract.

What ActiveNet does well: ActiveNet is a broad system for parks and recreation departments and YMCAs: activity registration with waitlists and digital waivers, memberships with access control, facility reservations, point of sale, child care check-in, built-in email and text, Spanish and French customer pages, and dedicated account management with user groups and training.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): ActiveNet overview (https://www.activenetwork.com/activenet); ACTIVE recreation and membership product terms (https://www.activenetwork.com/information/membership-terms); ACTIVE general terms (https://www.activenetwork.com/information/general-terms); ActiveNet help: fee contracts (https://help.aw.active.com/ActiveNet/standard/en_US/master_feecontract.htm); ActiveNet help: translations (https://help.aw.active.com/ActiveNet/standard/en_US/Adding_or_modifying_translations.htm)

**Can BackPR import our data from ActiveNet?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from ActiveNet or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**We're in an ActiveNet agreement. Can we start with BackPR now?**
Yes. We can set up and import your data now, so you're ready when your term ends. Check your ACTIVE agreement first: its standard terms make ACTIVE your only registration provider during the term.

### BackPR vs Activity Messenger
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/activity-messenger

Activity Messenger is a Montreal-built registration, payments and communications platform for sports clubs, camps and nonprofits, with plans from $99 a month plus a 1% service fee on transactions. BackPR is free for nonprofits with no BackPR fees and offers Spanish for families.

| | BackPR | Activity Messenger |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Sports clubs, camps and nonprofits that want registration, marketing and communications in one platform. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Light $99/month, Standard $149/month, Pro $229/month, Enterprise custom. Billed in Canadian dollars, or US dollars for US organizations. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Activity Messenger fee to families published. Organizations may add an optional card convenience fee to invoices. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Standard and Pro: cards 2.9% + $0.30, pre-authorized debits 1% + $0.40, plus a 1% Activity Messenger service fee. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Billed monthly; its pricing page says customers aren't stuck in contracts. 14-day trial. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Onboarding calls and data migration included on Standard and Pro. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. Organizations choose English or French as their default language. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **No percentage on your payments:** For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing to Stripe's standard rates. Activity Messenger adds a 1% service fee on Standard and Pro.
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay no subscription to BackPR. Activity Messenger plans start at $99 a month.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish. Activity Messenger supports English and French.

What Activity Messenger does well: Activity Messenger combines registration, payments, email and text marketing, waivers, surveys and automations in one tool, with strong French-language support and Canadian payment options such as Interac.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Activity Messenger pricing (https://activitymessenger.com/pricing/); Activity Messenger help: billing (https://activitymessenger.com/help/billing/); Activity Messenger help: payment methods (https://activitymessenger.com/help/payment-methods/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Activity Messenger?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Activity Messenger or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR include email and text messaging?**
Yes. Email and text families by program, session or group, with automatic reminders and message history.

### BackPR vs Breeze ChMS
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/breeze

Breeze ChMS is church management software from Tithely at a flat $72 a month, with event registration and payments handled through its forms. BackPR is free for nonprofits, built for program registration with waitlists and e-signed waivers, and lets families register in English or Spanish.

| | BackPR | Breeze ChMS |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Churches. Breeze (now part of Tithely) covers people, giving, volunteers, service planning, events and check-in, email and texting. Event registration and payments run through its forms. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. Every church pays the same flat price. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | $72 a month, flat, with unlimited people and admin users and online giving included. Worship tools add $29 a month, or bundle with Tithely apps and websites for $119 a month. 30-day free trial. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None added by Breeze. Breeze says forms have no option for payers to cover processing fees, and suggests building the fee into the registration price. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Form payments in the US and Canada: 2.9% + $0.30 per card payment. Forms can't take ACH bank payments. A $12 fee applies when a payer wins a dispute. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No contract. Month-to-month, with no setup or termination fees; cancel anytime. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Free. Breeze's move-in team imports your data from a CSV file, or you can import it yourself. Phone and email support are free. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | No. Breeze's help center says multiple languages aren't supported and suggests using Google Chrome's page translation. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Breeze charges every church a flat $72 a month and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. Breeze's help center says it doesn't support other languages and suggests using Chrome's page translation.
- **E-signed waivers:** Parents sign waivers and forms online, and registration can't finish without the required ones. Breeze forms have no digital signature field; its help center suggests a typed name or uploading a signed copy.
- **Waitlists and bank payments:** When a session fills, families can join its waitlist, and they can pay by card or ACH bank payment. Breeze forms cap total entries, its help center doesn't describe a waitlist and form payments can't be made by ACH.

What Breeze ChMS does well: Breeze is a flat $72 a month with unlimited people and admin users, online and text giving with no monthly fee, check-in with name tags, volunteer scheduling, service planning, and email and text messaging. Data import by its move-in team is free, as are phone and email support, and there's no contract.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Breeze pricing (https://www.breezechms.com/pricing); Breeze help: about Breeze ChMS (https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/41089545597207-Learn-More-About-Breeze-ChMS); Breeze help: payments on forms (https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001326413-Accepting-Payments-on-Forms); Breeze help: event registrations (https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001517634-Managing-Event-Registrations-for-Your-Church); Breeze help: limiting event sign-ups (https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/22084294405655-Limit-Event-Sign-Ups-Using-Forms); Breeze help: signatures on forms (https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007891574-Getting-a-Signature-on-a-Form); Breeze help: Spanish (https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036848893-Can-I-change-the-language-to-Spanish); Breeze help: online giving fees (https://support.breezechms.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001288094-Online-Giving-Fees)

**Can BackPR import our data from Breeze?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Breeze or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Can families pay by bank transfer?**
Yes. Families can pay by credit or debit card, ACH bank payment, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

### BackPR vs brightwheel
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/brightwheel

brightwheel is an all-in-one platform for childcare centers, preschools and afterschool programs, with a quote-based Premium plan that renews automatically and service fees on online payments. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | brightwheel |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Childcare centers, preschools, in-home child care, Montessori, multisite centers, and camps and afterschool programs. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Premium is quote-based. A free plan covers 1 staff member and fewer than 20 students, with limited features. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Programs choose whether families pay brightwheel's service fees on card and bank-transfer payments, including autopay. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | brightwheel charges a card fee and an ACH fee on online payments, quoted per program. Its help center puts ACH at 0.6% (25¢ minimum, $2 maximum) for most programs. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly or annual subscriptions renew automatically; cancel at least 30 days before renewal. Fees are nonrefundable. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Onboarding and roster import are included in Premium. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Families can switch the app and web to Spanish. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs get every BackPR feature at no cost. brightwheel's Premium plan is quoted, and its free plan is limited to small programs.
- **No BackPR transaction fee:** Payments run on Stripe at its standard rates, and BackPR adds nothing for nonprofits.
- **No auto-renewing term:** BackPR has no contract term or renewal notice period.

What brightwheel does well: brightwheel has a broad all-in-one feature set across billing, messaging, attendance, lesson plans and staff tools, a parent app that's free for families, and Spanish for parents.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): brightwheel pricing (https://mybrightwheel.com/pricing/); brightwheel terms of service (https://mybrightwheel.com/terms/); brightwheel help: billing settings (https://help.mybrightwheel.com/en/articles/5599596-customize-your-billing-experience-in-settings); brightwheel help: changing your language (https://help.mybrightwheel.com/en/articles/11409039-change-your-language)

**Can BackPR import our data from brightwheel?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from brightwheel or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Do families pay a fee to BackPR?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. If you choose to pass on card processing, it's your setting and it's clearly labeled.

### BackPR vs CampBrain
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/campbrain

CampBrain is camp management software for day, overnight, school, faith-based and YMCA camps. It doesn't publish pricing, nonprofit rates or payment fees and is sold as an annual subscription, while BackPR is free for nonprofits with no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | CampBrain |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Camps of every type: school, day, private overnight, faith-based, special-needs, YMCA and agency camps, and conference centers. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; set in each customer's agreement. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None published. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Its service description says the camp supplies its own merchant account and payment gateway. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Full terms not published. CampBrain's customer service page refers to an annual subscription. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Setup fee not published. Initial training is up to 3 hours; data imports are quoted separately and billed on top. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **A price you can see:** BackPR is free for nonprofit camps, and the terms are on our website. CampBrain doesn't publish its pricing.
- **Free data import:** We import your campers, families and sessions at no cost. CampBrain quotes data imports separately.
- **No annual commitment:** BackPR has no long-term contract, so you can leave whenever you want.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What CampBrain does well: CampBrain covers the whole camp operation in one system, including staff, medical, camp store, attendance, fundraising and conference centers, with phone support and a dedicated implementation team.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): CampBrain software overview (https://campbrain.com/software/); CampBrain customer service (https://campbrain.com/customer-service/); CampBrain service description (https://campbrain.com/saasdescription/)

**Can BackPR import our data from CampBrain?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from CampBrain or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR handle overnight camp operations?**
Yes. Cabins and groups, transportation, health information, camp store accounts and staff hiring are part of BackPR.

### BackPR vs CampDoc
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/campdoc

CampDoc is camp registration and health record software from DocNetwork, with plans from $355 a month and no published nonprofit pricing. Camps can add convenience fees to family payments, and its processing rates aren't published. BackPR is free for nonprofits and never adds its own fee to what families pay.

| | BackPR | CampDoc |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Camps and youth programs: day and overnight camps, YMCAs, scouting councils, parks and rec, higher-ed, after-school and childcare programs, and sports and medical camps. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | From $355 a month, quoted by program size and needs. Each contract includes a set number of participant profiles per term. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Camps can add a convenience fee to card or ACH payments: a percentage, a flat fee or both, or one annual fee. Families are charged $35 for a returned bank payment. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published; set in each client agreement and taken out before payout. Payouts start once the balance is over $500 and take 5 to 7 business days. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Full terms not published. Contracts have set start, end and renewal dates, and multi-year agreements are offered. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Every plan includes onboarding, training and support. A self-service importer is included; import services cost extra (amount not published). |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Camps can add translations of their form questions, and families can switch the language of health forms. Supported languages aren't listed. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofit camps:** Nonprofit camps pay nothing to BackPR. CampDoc plans start at $355 a month, and CampDoc publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No BackPR fee at checkout:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. CampDoc's processing rates aren't published.
- **Free data import:** We import your families, participants and programs at no cost. CampDoc offers a self-service importer and charges for its import service.
- **No long-term contract:** BackPR has no long-term contract; cancel anytime. CampDoc contracts run for a set term with a renewal date, and some cover several years.

What CampDoc does well: CampDoc pairs registration with a camp health record: health forms with alerts before documents expire, an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) and clinic logs. It says it's HIPAA and FERPA compliant, offers phone, email and chat support, and integrates with ACTIVE Network and Daxko.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): CampDoc pricing (https://www.campdoc.com/pricing/); CampDoc help: convenience fees (https://support.docnetwork.org/hc/en-us/articles/32588874661133-Convenience-Fees); DocNetwork payment processing terms (https://docnetwork.org/payment-processing/); CampDoc help: chargebacks and ACH returns (https://support.docnetwork.org/hc/en-us/articles/115001275450-Chargebacks-and-ACH-Returns); CampDoc help: imports (https://support.docnetwork.org/hc/en-us/articles/115001183410-Imports)

**Can BackPR import our data from CampDoc?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from CampDoc or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR collect medical and allergy information?**
Yes. Families enter medical and allergy information at registration, and sign waivers and forms online.

### BackPR vs CampSite
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/campsite

CampSite is camp management software for day and overnight camps, sold as a subscription with add-on modules and no published pricing. Camps can add a processing fee of up to 3% to card payments; CampSite's rates aren't published. BackPR is free for nonprofits, never adds its own fee to what families pay and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | CampSite |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Day and overnight camps of every size, plus year-round events. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published. CampSite is a subscription with add-on modules. Text messages are prepaid: 3,000 credits for $150, 10,000 for $300 or 25,000 for $600. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Camps can add a processing fee of up to 3% to credit card payments (not debit or ACH) after signing an agreement with CampSite's payments team. They must offer families a free way to pay. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Payments run through Constellation Payments, and CampSite's payments team gives card and ACH rates on request. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Full terms not published. Subscriptions renew on a set date, and modules can only be removed at renewal with 30 days' notice. To cancel, you email CampSite's billing team. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | CampSite trains your staff during onboarding (fees not published). A self-service tool imports families, campers and alumni from spreadsheets. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Parents can have the parent dashboard machine-translated into Spanish, French, German, Italian or Portuguese, if the camp turns those languages on. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofit camps:** Nonprofit camps pay nothing to BackPR. CampSite doesn't publish its pricing or any nonprofit pricing.
- **No BackPR fee at checkout:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. CampSite's processing rates come from its payments team on request.
- **Free data import:** We import your families, campers and programs at no cost. CampSite gives you a self-service spreadsheet import tool.
- **No long-term contract:** BackPR has no long-term contract; cancel anytime. CampSite subscriptions renew on a set date, and modules can only be dropped at renewal with 30 days' notice.

What CampSite does well: CampSite covers the whole camp operation: online registration, a parent dashboard families keep year after year, bunking boards, drag-and-drop activity scheduling, transportation, attendance, medical management developed with pediatricians, a camp shop and camper spending money, staff hiring, and the myCAMPapp photo and video app. Its support team offers year-round free training.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): CampSite features (https://campmanagement.com/features/); CampSite help: processing fee on card payments (https://support.campmanagement.com/hc/en-us/articles/45436021789581-How-to-Add-a-Processing-Fee-to-Credit-Card-Payments); CampSite help: processing rates (https://support.campmanagement.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405640994701-How-much-does-it-cost-to-process-credit-card-payments-refunds); CampSite help: removing modules at renewal (https://support.campmanagement.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405634959629-How-do-I-remove-modules-from-my-CampSite-subscription); CampSite help: canceling a subscription (https://support.campmanagement.com/hc/en-us/articles/45447352523789-How-do-I-cancel-my-subscription); CampSite help: text messaging credits (https://support.campmanagement.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050938351-Adding-Text-Messaging-to-your-Subscription); CampSite help: parent dashboard translation (https://support.campmanagement.com/hc/en-us/articles/13150833085197-Foreign-Language-Translation-for-the-Parent-Dashboard); CampSite help: importing data (https://support.campmanagement.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002255691-Import-Data)

**Can BackPR import our data from CampSite?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from CampSite or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR handle bunks, buses and the camp store?**
Yes. Cabins and groups, transportation, health information, camp store accounts and staff hiring are part of BackPR.

### BackPR vs Campwise
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/campwise

Campwise, from RecSoft, is software for resident camps, day camps and retreat centers, priced by module with no published nonprofit pricing. Its add-on price list puts the Camp module at $1,320 a year, and each purchase includes a support subscription that renews yearly. BackPR is free for nonprofits and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Campwise |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Resident camps, day camps, and conference and retreat centers, including family camps and group retreats. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Priced by module, as a monthly lease or an upfront payment. Its add-on price list shows Camp at $1,320 a year ($110 a month), Conference $1,140, Donor $840, Point of Sale $780 and Online Staff $480 a year. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Not published. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Card and eCheck payments are processed in real time; the processor isn't named. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Full terms not published. Each purchase includes a one-year maintenance and support subscription that renews yearly. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Training and weekday phone support are free and unlimited; after-hours support is $100 an hour. Setup and data import costs aren't published. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofit camps:** Nonprofit camps pay nothing to BackPR. Campwise prices each module separately, with the Camp module at $1,320 a year on its add-on price list, and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No yearly renewal:** BackPR has no long-term contract; cancel anytime. A Campwise purchase comes with a one-year maintenance and support subscription that renews each year.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Campwise doesn't name its processor or publish its rates.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register, pay and manage their account with BackPR in English or Spanish.

What Campwise does well: Campwise keeps one record per person across campers, parents, staff, donors and retreat groups. It covers camp registration, family camp and group sign-up with one payer, housing, transportation, activity scheduling, conference and facility rentals, donor management, staff applications with background checks through Protect My Ministry, and mobile apps for check-in, medications and point of sale. It publishes module prices and includes unlimited free training and phone support.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Campwise add-on module prices (https://www.campwise.com/add-on-modules/); Campwise support and maintenance (https://www.campwise.com/campwise-support/); Campwise advantage (payment options) (https://www.campwise.com/product/the-campwise-difference/); Campwise camp management and registration (https://www.campwise.com/product/camp-management-and-registration/); About Campwise (https://www.campwise.com/about/); Campwise staff management (https://www.campwise.com/product/staff-management/); Campwise mobile apps (https://www.campwise.com/product/mobile-apps/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Campwise?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Campwise or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Is there a per-module charge at BackPR?**
Not for nonprofits. Nonprofit camps pay no subscription and no BackPR fees. Other organizations get pricing by quote.

### BackPR vs Circuitree
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/circuitree

Circuitree is camp management software for summer camps, sports camps, university youth programs and faith-based camps and retreats, with Pro and Enterprise plans and no published pricing. Its processing fees apply to every payment and aren't published. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Circuitree |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Summer camps from large overnight camps to small day camps, college sports camps, university youth programs, and faith-based camps and retreats. It's built for larger, multi-site camps. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published. Pro covers one location and fewer than 1,500 registrations; Enterprise covers multiple locations and more. HR tools and a custom-branded app are optional add-ons. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Camps can add a credit card surcharge of up to 3% (not on debit cards or eCheck payments). The help center also shows how to pass Circuitree's per-registration fee or card processing costs to families as a service fee. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Its payment terms charge the rate and item fee from each customer's agreement on every payment, including ACH, and allow changes when card networks change their fees. Payments run on Stripe. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Full terms not published. Its current offer for new customers requires an annual agreement. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Implementation and consultation fees (amounts not published). Setup for enterprise-sized camps generally takes three to six months, with support moving your data in. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofit camps:** Nonprofit camps pay nothing to BackPR. Circuitree prices its Pro and Enterprise plans by quote and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No BackPR fee at checkout:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Circuitree's help center shows camps how to pass its per-registration fee on to families.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added. Circuitree also processes on Stripe but charges the rates in each customer's agreement, which aren't published.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** Setup and data import are free at BackPR. Circuitree charges implementation and consultation fees (amounts not published), and setup for enterprise-sized camps generally takes three to six months, with support moving your data in.

What Circuitree does well: Circuitree has served camps for more than 25 years and runs multi-site organizations in one database, with staff access by location, 100+ built-in reports that can run on a schedule, group registration where an organization holds spots and each attendee registers, and follow-up on unfinished registrations. It includes cabin assignments, health forms, check-in matched to camper photos, and the Bunk1 family app with photo galleries and facial recognition; Enterprise adds transportation, activity scheduling, point of sale and guest groups.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Circuitree summer camp software and plans (https://www.circuitree.com/products/summer-camp-management); Circuitree payment processing terms (https://www.circuitree.com/creditcardprocessingagreement); Circuitree help: credit card surcharging (https://support.circuitree.com/knowledgebase/credit-card-surcharging/); Circuitree help: adding a service fee (https://support.circuitree.com/knowledgebase/how-do-i-add-a-service-fee/); Circuitree help: payment processing overview (https://support.circuitree.com/knowledgebase/payment-processing-overview/); Circuitree: switching camp software (https://www.circuitree.com/switch-camp-management-software); Circuitree camp registration software (https://www.circuitree.com/features/camp-registration-software)

**Can BackPR import our data from Circuitree?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Circuitree or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge a fee for each registration?**
Not for nonprofits. Nonprofit camps pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, however many campers register, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

### BackPR vs CivicPlus Recreation Management
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/civicrec

CivicPlus Recreation Management (formerly CivicRec) is software for local government parks and recreation departments and special districts. Pricing is by quote, with annual fees based on the revenue you process; CivicPlus Payments charges 3% + $0.30 per card payment. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with free data import and no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | CivicPlus Recreation Management |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Local government parks and recreation departments and special districts. CivicPlus says it serves more than 1,200 of them. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; custom quote. Annual fees are based on the revenue you process each year. From the first renewal, CivicPlus can check that volume once a year and raise annual fees if it's higher than predicted. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No CivicPlus fee for families is published. Agencies can add their own convenience fee (a percentage, a flat amount or both) to card and ACH payments. With the CSG Forte gateway, families can instead pay Forte's service fee at checkout. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | With CivicPlus Payments (processed by Rainforest): 3% + $0.30 per card payment (3.5% + $0.30 for American Express), 1% + $0.30 per ACH payment (capped at $5.30), $0.30 per refund and $15 per dispute, usually deducted from payouts. Agencies can use an external processor such as CardPointe, CSG Forte or Global Payments at that processor's rates instead. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Term and renewals set in each statement of work (not published). If you end it for convenience, CivicPlus keeps amounts already paid. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | A dedicated implementation manager. Importing accounts or facility reservation holds costs a one-time fee (not published), and you extract and format the data to CivicPlus's templates. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR, however much they process. CivicPlus prices by quote, bases annual fees on the revenue you process, and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **Free data import:** We import your families, participants and programs at no cost. CivicPlus charges a one-time fee to import accounts and facility reservation holds, and you format the data to its templates.
- **Export your data anytime:** Export your data from BackPR anytime, for free. You can download your data from CivicPlus during the contract; an export done by CivicPlus has a quoted fee, and your data can be deleted 30 days after the contract ends.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. CivicPlus's Recreation Management pages and help center don't mention a Spanish version.

What CivicPlus Recreation Management does well: CivicPlus Recreation Management is built for local government: activity registration with waitlists and payment plans, leagues and instructor contracts, facility bookings, event ticketing, memberships with Apple and Google Wallet cards, point of sale, cost recovery reports and public golf (TenFore). It connects with CivicPlus municipal websites, and each customer gets a dedicated implementation manager.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): CivicPlus Recreation Management (https://www.civicplus.com/recreation-management-software/); CivicPlus pricing (https://www.civicplus.com/pricing/); CivicPlus Recreation Management terms (https://www.civicplus.help/legal-center/docs/recreation-management-terms); CivicPlus master services agreement (https://www.civicplus.help/legal-center/docs/master-services-agreement); CivicPlus Payments fees and pricing (https://www.civicplus.help/civicplus-help-center/docs/fees-and-pricing); CivicPlus help: data transfer guide (https://www.civicplus.help/recreation-management/docs/data-transfer-guide); CivicPlus help: convenience fees (https://www.civicplus.help/recreation-management/docs/creating-convenience-fee-best-practices); CivicPlus help: CSG Forte fee models (https://www.civicplus.help/recreation-management/docs/csg-forte-convenience-fee-models-in-rec)

**Can BackPR import our data from CivicPlus Recreation Management (formerly CivicRec)?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from CivicPlus Recreation Management (formerly CivicRec) or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge more as our revenue grows?**
Not for nonprofits. Registered nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, however much they process. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on.

### BackPR vs Classter
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/classter

Classter is a student information and school management system for schools, colleges and training centers, priced per student. BackPR focuses on program registration, payments, check-in and parent messages, and it's free for nonprofits with no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Classter |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | K-12 schools, higher education, academies and training centers, school districts and corporate learning. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; quoted per student and by the modules chosen. Its pricing page shows example per-student module prices in euros. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None published. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Its billing module connects to external payment gateways. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Billed annually or every two years (up to 20% off two-year plans). Cancellation terms not published. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Installation, data migration and training are offered as services; fees not published. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Multilingual parent and student portals; the supported languages aren't listed. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Built for programs, not school administration:** BackPR is made for registration, payments, check-in and parent communication for camps, after-school, childcare, classes and sports.
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. Classter is quoted per student.
- **No multi-year billing:** BackPR has no long-term contract. Classter bills annually or every two years.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What Classter does well: Classter is a broad modular platform that combines student information, learning management, admissions, tuition billing and parent and student portals, with a mobile app and many integrations.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Classter pricing (https://www.classter.com/pricing/); Classter migration services (https://www.classter.com/services/migration/); Classter billing and payments (https://www.classter.com/product/modules/billing-and-payments/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Classter?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Classter or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Can a school use BackPR for before- and after-school programs?**
Yes. Schools can run before- and after-school care, enrichment and school-break camps in BackPR, with school-site catalogs and district-wide reporting.

### BackPR vs Cognito Forms
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/cognito-forms

Cognito Forms is an online form builder with calculations, payments and workflows, with a free plan and paid plans from $19 a month billed yearly. Its built-in payments add a 1% or 2% fee on the lower plans and it can't run recurring payments itself, while BackPR is free for nonprofits and has payment plans with autopay.

| | BackPR | Cognito Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Organizations of any kind that need online forms with calculations, payments, workflows and document generation. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | Discounted rates on any plan for 501(c)(3) organizations that aren't educational or governmental, by request to support. Discount amount not published. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Free Individual plan (1 user, 100 entries a month, Cognito Forms branding). Pro $19, Team $39, Enterprise $129 per month billed yearly; $24, $49, $174 billed monthly. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None unless the organization turns on Include Processing Fees, which passes the plan's added Cognito Pay fee on to payers. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Cognito Pay (US): 2.9% + 30¢ per card payment, plus 2% on the free plan or 1% on Pro. Team and Enterprise add nothing and can also use PayPal or Square. Fees aren't returned on refunds. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly or annual plans that renew automatically. Annual plans are non-cancelable 12-month terms; fees are nonrefundable. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve, with a 14-day free trial. Entries can be imported from Excel or CSV on Pro and higher plans and count toward entry limits. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | A form's language can be set to Spanish, so its fixed text, such as error messages, appears in Spanish. Each form has one language setting. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Payment plans and autopay:** Families can pay over time on autopay. Cognito Forms doesn't support recurring payments; they have to be set up in the payment provider's dashboard.
- **No added percentage:** For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing to Stripe's standard rates. Cognito Pay adds 2% on the free plan and 1% on Pro.
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay no subscription to BackPR. Cognito Forms has a free plan with 100 entries a month, offers 501(c)(3) discounts on request without publishing the amount, and its paid plans start at $19 a month billed yearly.
- **Built for youth programs:** BackPR has family accounts with several children and one checkout, waitlists, rosters, and check-in and check-out with authorized pickup.

What Cognito Forms does well: Cognito Forms handles complex calculations, repeating sections, discount codes, automated receipts and invoices, with no limit on forms or payments on any plan (the free plan allows 100 entries a month).

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Cognito Forms pricing (https://www.cognitoforms.com/pricing); Cognito Forms help: nonprofit discounts (https://www.cognitoforms.com/support/391/faq/do-you-offer-non-profit-discounts); Cognito Forms help: Cognito Pay fees (https://www.cognitoforms.com/support/1193/collecting-payment/cognito-pay); Cognito Forms help: card on file and recurring payments (https://www.cognitoforms.com/support/196/collecting-payment/card-on-file-payments); Cognito Forms terms of service (https://www.cognitoforms.com/legal/terms); Cognito Forms help: language settings (https://www.cognitoforms.com/support/154/account-organizations/organization-management/country-language-time-currency-settings)

**Can BackPR import our data from Cognito Forms?**
Yes, for free. Send us your form entries in a spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR support payment plans?**
Yes. Families can split a balance into a payment plan, and autopay charges each installment on schedule.

### BackPR vs CourseStorm
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/coursestorm

CourseStorm is class registration software for arts organizations, community and continuing education, and kids' activities, with plans from $99 a month plus a $2.49 fee per registration. BackPR is free for nonprofits and never adds a BackPR fee to what families pay.

| | BackPR | CourseStorm |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Arts and culture organizations, community and continuing education, workforce training, and kids' activities and camps. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Starter $99, Core $169, Pro $269, All Access $399 per month billed yearly; $119, $219, $329, $499 billed monthly (starting prices). |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | A $2.49 per-registration fee applies on all plans. CourseStorm's help center describes its registration fee as a student fee that programs can choose to cover. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Stripe card processing on all plans, deducted from payouts. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly or yearly billing. Contract and cancellation terms aren't published. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Onboarding ranges from on-demand video to live group sessions by plan; student data import is custom-quoted. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **No per-registration fee:** BackPR doesn't charge per registration and never adds a BackPR fee to what families pay.
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. CourseStorm plans start at $99 a month billed yearly.
- **Free data import:** We import your families and participants at no cost.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What CourseStorm does well: CourseStorm offers a simple class catalog and registration with family accounts, waitlists, payment plans and built-in payment processing, plus WordPress, Zapier and API integrations.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): CourseStorm pricing (https://www.coursestorm.com/pricing); CourseStorm FAQs (https://www.coursestorm.com/faqs); CourseStorm help: issuing refunds (https://coursestorm.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CSHD/pages/3446407182/Issuing+Refunds)

**Can BackPR import our data from CourseStorm?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from CourseStorm or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Can BackPR run adult and community classes?**
Yes. Adults can register themselves for classes, workshops and events alongside your youth programs.

### BackPR vs Daxko
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/daxko

Daxko makes membership and program software for YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs and JCCs (Daxko Operations and Daxko Core), plus software for gyms and studios. Its pricing isn't published, and ending its agreement early means paying the fees for the rest of the term. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with free onboarding and no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Daxko |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Nonprofits such as YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs and JCCs (Daxko Operations and Daxko Core), plus gyms, studios, health clubs and martial arts schools through Daxko's fitness products. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; set in each order form. Daxko's service agreement includes a billing model in which the monthly fee for Daxko Operations is a rate applied to figures from the organization's latest annual financials (its Form A), with a monthly minimum. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Organizations that process payments through Daxko can add a Flex Fee to members' card and ACH payments, up to 3% of each payment, with at least 30 days' notice. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Processing pricing is set in each organization's merchant processing agreement, and the order form's gateway transaction fees apply even if the organization doesn't use Daxko's payment processing. Card payments are funded the next day. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Term set in each order form, with renewal terms. Ending the agreement before the term is over means paying 100% of the fees for the rest of the term. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | One-time, nonrefundable implementation fees for setup, data conversion and training, set in each order form. Travel for on-site training is billed separately. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Daxko doesn't publish pricing, and its agreement can base monthly fees on figures from your annual financials.
- **No early termination fees:** BackPR has no long-term contract; cancel anytime with no exit fees. Daxko's agreement requires paying 100% of the remaining fees if you end it before the term is over.
- **No BackPR fee at checkout:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. Daxko's processing rates are set in each merchant agreement, and organizations can add a Flex Fee of up to 3% to members' payments.
- **Free setup, import and export:** Onboarding, data import and data export are free at BackPR. Daxko charges one-time implementation fees for setup, data conversion and training, and its standard fees apply to a data export when the agreement ends.

What Daxko does well: Daxko Operations covers memberships, program and childcare registration with sibling discounts and authorized-pickup notifications, camps and events, a branded member app, donations with pledges, grant tracking and donor tax statements, and automated registered sex offender screening. Card payments are funded the next day, and phone and email support runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time on weekdays.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Daxko overview (https://www.daxko.com/); Daxko Operations (https://www.daxko.com/products/daxko-operations); Daxko Core (https://www.daxko.com/products/daxko-core); Daxko Payments (https://www.daxko.com/capabilities/payments); Daxko master service agreement (https://www.daxko.com/service-agreement)

**Can BackPR import our data from Daxko?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Daxko or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**We're in a Daxko agreement. Can we start with BackPR now?**
Yes. We can set up and import your data now, so you're ready when your term ends. Check your Daxko agreement first: its standard terms charge the remaining fees for the term if you end it early.

### BackPR vs DreamClass
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/dreamclass

DreamClass is school management software for K-12, homeschool and vocational schools, with plans from $99 a month billed annually. BackPR is built for program registration, payments and check-in, and it's free for nonprofits with free onboarding.

| | BackPR | DreamClass |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | K-12 schools, homeschool programs and vocational schools that need admissions, gradebooks, tuition billing and records. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Standard (100 students) $99, Plus (300) $189, Enterprise (500) $259 per month billed annually; $149, $279, $379 billed monthly. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None published. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | No DreamClass transaction fee published. Tuition payments run through the school's own Stripe account. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly or annual subscription that renews until canceled. Annual plans are refundable (minus 10%) only in the first 30 days. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Annual plans include 1 to 5 onboarding sessions; monthly plans pay $500. Data migration is a paid add-on on annual Plus and Enterprise. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. DreamClass plans start at $99 a month billed annually.
- **Free onboarding and import:** BackPR sets you up and imports your data at no cost on any arrangement.
- **No annual commitment:** There's no contract term at BackPR, so leaving never costs a refund penalty.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What DreamClass does well: DreamClass publishes its prices, includes every feature on each plan, offers a 30-day free trial without a card, and provides student and parent portals with iOS and Android apps.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): DreamClass pricing (https://www.dreamclass.io/pricing/); DreamClass SaaS terms (https://www.dreamclass.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dream-Class-LLC-TC_Online-SaaS-Agreement.pdf); DreamClass help: tuition payments with Stripe (https://support.dreamclass.io/en/articles/12839725-how-to-set-up-tuition-payments-with-stripe)

**Can BackPR import our data from DreamClass?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from DreamClass or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Do families pay a fee to BackPR?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

### BackPR vs Enrollsy
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/enrollsy

Enrollsy is enrollment, billing and payment software for classes, camps, childcare, schools and sports, priced per location with an implementation fee and a 12-month commitment. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with free setup and no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Enrollsy |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Organizations that enroll people: arts and dance schools, camps, childcare, private schools, districts, sports and rec, and nonprofits. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit discount on plan prices; nonprofits get one additional admin user free. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Starter $159, Professional $289, Enterprise $599 per month per location billed monthly, or $129, $239, $479 billed yearly, plus an implementation fee. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None added by Enrollsy. Organizations may add their own convenience fee to card or ACH payments. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | No percentage-of-revenue software fee. EnrollsyPay cards 2.8% + 5¢; ACH $1.15 per transaction; plus monthly processor fees. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | 12-month commitment, then month-to-month with 30 days' notice. 14-day money-back guarantee; otherwise fees are nonrefundable. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Every plan adds an implementation fee that varies by needs (amount not published). |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. Enrollsy is priced per location, from $129 a month on yearly billing.
- **No implementation fee:** Onboarding and data import are free at BackPR.
- **No 12-month commitment:** BackPR has no contract term, so you can leave whenever you want.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What Enrollsy does well: Enrollsy publishes per-location prices, offers flexible payment plans with automated invoicing and autopay, takes no percentage of revenue, and gives new customers a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Enrollsy pricing (https://www.enrollsy.com/pricing); Enrollsy FAQs (https://www.enrollsy.com/frequently-asked-questions); Enrollsy help: card and ACH processing (https://support.enrollsy.com/en/articles/5859723-enrollsypay-credit-card-ach-payment-processing); Enrollsy for nonprofits (https://www.enrollsy.com/industries/non-profit)

**Can BackPR import our data from Enrollsy?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Enrollsy or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge per location?**
Not for nonprofits. Nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees for any number of locations.

### BackPR vs Eventbrite
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/eventbrite

Eventbrite is an event ticketing and registration platform with a marketplace where people find events. It's free for events with free tickets; on paid tickets, buyers pay Eventbrite's ticketing fees by default, and nonprofits get no discount on those fees. BackPR is free for nonprofits, never adds its own fee to what families pay, and is built for youth program registration.

| | BackPR | Eventbrite |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Event ticketing and registration, with a marketplace where people find events: music, nightlife, food and drink, arts, corporate, fitness, nonprofit and virtual events. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No nonprofit discount on ticketing fees. In the US, donation tickets are charged a 2.9% payment processing fee. Eventbrite's 50% nonprofit discount applies to older Pro email plans, which new subscribers can't get where Premium is offered. Premium isn't eligible. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Free for events with free tickets. Paid tickets carry per-ticket fees. Optional Premium subscription: $69 a month or $708 a year in the US. Custom pricing for large or complex events. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | By default, buyers pay Eventbrite's ticketing fees on top of the ticket price; organizers can choose to absorb them. When an order is refunded, the fees aren't returned unless the event is canceled or postponed. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | US: 3.7% + $1.79 service fee per paid ticket, plus a 2.9% payment processing fee on the total order. Selling at the door with the organizer app: $1 per paid ticket plus 2.9%. No fees on free tickets. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No contract needed to sell tickets, and organizers can delete their account at any time. Premium renews monthly or yearly and can be canceled anytime; plan fees are refundable only within 14 days of signing up. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve, with email support, plus 24/7 chat for paid events. Large or complex events can contact sales for a custom package. Contacts can be uploaded by CSV for email marketing lists. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Each event page uses one language; the help center doesn't list which languages are available. Event titles, descriptions and ticket names aren't translated. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **No BackPR fee added to what families pay:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay; card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. Eventbrite's ticketing fees, 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket plus 2.9% per order in the US, are paid by buyers by default or come out of your payout if you absorb them.
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Eventbrite doesn't reduce its ticketing fees for nonprofits, though donation tickets carry a lower rate.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. On Eventbrite, each event page has a single language setting, and titles, descriptions and ticket names aren't translated.
- **Built for youth programs:** BackPR has family accounts with several children and one checkout, e-signed waivers, rosters, and check-in and check-out with authorized pickup. Eventbrite is built for selling tickets to events.

What Eventbrite does well: Eventbrite is free for events with free tickets and reaches people through its event marketplace. It has waitlists, reserved seating, mobile check-in with its organizer app, email campaigns and 24/7 chat support for paid events.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Eventbrite pricing (https://www.eventbrite.com/organizer/pricing/); Eventbrite help: ticketing fees (https://support.eventbrite.com/hc/en-us/articles/34868013324818-Eventbrite-s-Ticketing-Fees); Eventbrite help: pricing and plans (https://support.eventbrite.com/hc/en-us/articles/34868014976658-Eventbrite-s-pricing-and-plans); Eventbrite help: nonprofit pricing (https://support.eventbrite.com/hc/en-us/articles/34868001610258-Nonprofit-pricing-for-Eventbrite-Pro); Eventbrite help: refunds of ticketing fees (https://support.eventbrite.com/hc/en-us/articles/34864930557586-Is-the-Ticketing-Fee-refundable); Eventbrite help: event language (https://support.eventbrite.com/hc/en-us/articles/34824570980370-Change-the-language-settings-for-your-event); Eventbrite Merchant Agreement (https://support.eventbrite.com/hc/en-us/articles/34861228654738-Eventbrite-Merchant-Agreement)

**Can BackPR import our data from Eventbrite?**
Yes, for free. Download an attendee report from Eventbrite and send it to us, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge a fee per registration?**
Not to nonprofits, and never to families. Nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on.

### BackPR vs FunJoin
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/funjoin

FunJoin is registration and staff-app software for day and overnight camps, after-school and childcare, sold by quote with a one-year auto-renewing agreement. BackPR is free for nonprofits, publishes its terms and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | FunJoin |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Day camps, overnight camps, after-school programs, childcare, clubs, nonprofits and activity-based operators. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. FunJoin mentions a free tier that organizations apply for; its terms aren't published. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; quote-based. Its pricing page is password-protected. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No FunJoin fee to families published. Organizations can turn on their own payment fee and may run a card surcharge program. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Card payments run through Stripe; FunJoin's rates aren't published. A processor FunJoin hasn't designated adds a FunJoin fee set in the quote. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | One-year term that renews yearly unless either side gives 90 days' written notice. License fees are nonrefundable unless the contract says otherwise. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | One-time setup fee (amount not published) that excludes data import. Data import services start at $495. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Terms you can read first:** BackPR is free for nonprofits and our commitments are published. FunJoin's pricing is shared by quote.
- **Free setup and data import:** There's no setup fee and no import fee at BackPR.
- **No yearly lock-in:** BackPR has no contract term or notice period. FunJoin's agreement renews yearly with 90 days' notice to cancel.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What FunJoin does well: FunJoin was built by a former day-camp operator and has a native staff app for one-tap or QR check-in and check-out, payments on the go and incident tracking, plus flexible credits, packages and drop-ins.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): FunJoin FAQs (https://funjoin.com/for-business/faqs/); FunJoin master license agreement (https://funjoin.com/for-business/master-license-agreement/); FunJoin pricing (https://funjoin.com/for-business/pricing/)

**Can BackPR import our data from FunJoin?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from FunJoin or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Do staff need an app for check-in?**
No download needed. Staff check children in and out from any phone or a kiosk tablet in the browser.

### BackPR vs Givebutter
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/givebutter

Givebutter is a fundraising platform for organizations, covering donation forms, ticketed events, auctions and a donor CRM. It's free when donor tips are on: checkout asks payers for an optional tip, and Givebutter covers processing fees they don't cover. BackPR is also free for nonprofits and is built for youth program registration, with family accounts, waitlists and e-signed waivers.

| | BackPR | Givebutter |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Fundraising for organizations: donation forms, fundraising pages, ticketed events, auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns and a donor CRM. Used by nonprofits, schools, student groups and sports teams; personal fundraising isn't supported. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | $0 with optional donor tips turned on. Schools, teams and other organizations can use it too; ACH payments are for verified nonprofits only. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Free plan with unlimited users, contacts and campaigns. Optional Givebutter Plus is priced by number of contacts, from $29 a month billed yearly ($33.80 billed monthly) for under 250 contacts up to $279 a month billed yearly for 10,000. 30-day free trial. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | With tips on, checkout asks payers for an optional tip to Givebutter and shows processing fees they can choose to cover; they can change or remove the tip. With tips off, the organization can require payers to cover fees, make it optional, or absorb them. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | With tips on, none for the organization: Givebutter covers processing fees payers don't cover (except card reader and DAFpay payments). With tips off: a 3% platform fee plus 2.9% + 30¢ per card or wallet payment, or 1.9% + 30¢ per ACH payment. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Not published for the free plan. Givebutter Plus is monthly or annual; cancel anytime from the dashboard, effective at the end of the billing period. Subscription payments are nonrefundable, with refunds considered case by case. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve, with free 24/7 live chat and email support and weekly office hours. Contacts, transactions and recurring donors can be imported at no cost. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free without relying on tips:** Nonprofits pay no BackPR fees, and BackPR's $0 price doesn't depend on tips. Givebutter is free when checkout asks payers for an optional tip; if you turn tips off, it charges a 3% platform fee plus processing.
- **Built-in waitlists:** When a session fills, families can join its waitlist. Givebutter's features page doesn't list a waitlist.
- **E-signed waivers:** Parents sign waivers and forms online. Givebutter's help center suggests linking to a waiver in a ticket question's description, and Givebutter Plus can store waiver files on contact profiles.
- **Built for youth programs:** BackPR has family accounts with several children and one checkout, rosters, and check-in and check-out with authorized pickup. Givebutter is built for fundraising: donations, ticketed events and auctions.

What Givebutter does well: Givebutter is free for organizations when donor tips are on, and it covers processing fees that payers don't. It offers donation forms, ticketed events with check-in, auctions, peer-to-peer fundraising, pledges with installment plans, recurring donations and memberships, and a free CRM with unlimited contacts. Support is available 24/7.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Givebutter pricing (https://givebutter.com/pricing); Givebutter help: Standard pricing (https://help.givebutter.com/en/articles/1512762-givebutter-standard-pricing-explained); Givebutter help: Givebutter Plus (https://help.givebutter.com/en/articles/9756989-what-is-givebutter-plus); Givebutter help: who can use Givebutter (https://help.givebutter.com/en/articles/1726576-who-can-use-givebutter-and-what-can-i-raise-money-for); Givebutter help: tickets (https://help.givebutter.com/en/articles/3661362-how-to-create-and-edit-tickets); Givebutter features (https://givebutter.com/features); Givebutter terms (https://givebutter.com/terms)

**Can BackPR import our data from Givebutter?**
Yes, for free. Export your contacts and ticket details from Givebutter in a spreadsheet and send them to us, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Is BackPR free like Givebutter?**
Both can cost a nonprofit nothing, in different ways. With tips on, Givebutter asks payers for an optional tip and covers the processing fees they don't cover. BackPR has no subscription and no BackPR fees; card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on to families. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

### BackPR vs Google Forms
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/google-forms

Google Forms is Google's form and survey tool, part of Google Workspace and free with a Google account. It doesn't collect payments, while BackPR handles registration and payments for youth programs and is free for nonprofits.

| | BackPR | Google Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Surveys, quizzes and general forms, as part of Google Workspace. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | $0. Forms is free with a Google account. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations can also get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | No charge with a Google account. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None. Google Forms doesn't collect payments. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not applicable. Google Forms' question types don't include a payment field, so payments must be collected another way. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | None for the free version. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve; no onboarding service published. Responses can be linked to Google Sheets or downloaded as a CSV file. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | You can write a form in Spanish. Google's help center doesn't describe a built-in way to offer the same form in English and Spanish. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Payments at registration:** Families register and pay in one checkout, with payment plans and autopay, so there's no separate payment tool to run next to the form. Google Forms has no payment question type.
- **E-signed waivers:** Parents sign waivers and forms online. Google Forms' question types don't include a signature field.
- **Family accounts:** Families save their details once and register several children in one checkout.
- **Check-in and waitlists:** Check children in and out with authorized pickup by PIN or QR code, and fill open spots from a waitlist.

What Google Forms does well: Google Forms is quick to set up, works on any device, shows response charts in real time and sends responses to Google Sheets. Forms can close on a set date or after a set number of responses.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Google Forms (https://workspace.google.com/products/forms/); Google Forms help: question types (https://support.google.com/docs/answer/7322334); Google Forms help: managing responses (https://support.google.com/docs/answer/139706); Google Workspace for Nonprofits (https://www.google.com/nonprofits/offerings/workspace/); Google for Nonprofits eligibility (https://support.google.com/nonprofits/answer/3215869)

**Can BackPR import our data from Google Forms?**
Yes, for free. Your responses are already in Google Sheets or can be downloaded as a CSV file. Send us that file, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Can families pay online in BackPR?**
Yes. Families pay by card at checkout, and you can offer payment plans on autopay. Payments run on Stripe at its standard rates, and BackPR adds nothing for nonprofits.

### BackPR vs GotSport
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/gotsport

GotSport, from GotSoccer, is software for clubs, leagues, tournaments, governing bodies and referees. Pricing isn't published; its terms set a nonrefundable software fee per registration or team that can be charged to families and require exclusive use during the term. BackPR is free for nonprofits and never adds its own fee to what families pay.

| | BackPR | GotSport |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Clubs, leagues and tournaments, governing bodies, referees and professional leagues. The governing bodies in its help center are soccer and futsal organizations. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; set in each organization's agreement as a per-registration fee, per-team fee, percentage of registration fees or subscription. Where no amount is agreed, its terms set $4 per program registration, $10 per league team and $20 per tournament team. Premium club tools come through a partner program for clubs that qualify. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | GotSport's software fee can be charged to families at checkout; it's shown before payment and isn't refunded, even when the club refunds the registration. Clubs can also add a percentage fee to recover card costs, and GotSport's terms mention surcharge tools. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Card payments run through the organization's own merchant account with a processor GotSport authorizes, under a separate merchant agreement. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Term set in each organization's agreement. During the term, GotSport's terms bar using a competing registration, league or tournament platform; a breach can cost twice the software fee on the previous 12 months of registrations. GotSoccer can end the terms with 30 days' notice. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Fees not published. Club admins can bulk-upload players from a CSV template. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Admins can set a program's public registration pages to Spanish, and users can choose a preferred language in their profile. The help center is also in Spanish. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. GotSport sets its software fees in each agreement and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No BackPR fee at checkout:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. GotSport's software fee can be charged to families at checkout and isn't refunded, even when the club refunds the registration.
- **Cancel anytime:** BackPR has no long-term contract; cancel anytime. GotSport's terms bar competing registration, league or tournament software during the term, with a breach fee of twice its software fee on the previous 12 months of registrations.
- **Export your data anytime:** Export your data from BackPR anytime, for free. GotSport's terms give you 30 days after the agreement ends to ask for your data, after which it may be deleted.

What GotSport does well: GotSport connects clubs with leagues, tournaments and governing bodies: its club tools are integrated with 38 governing bodies and more than 2,500 events, so players register once. It also offers tryout invitations, scheduling, referee assigning with direct-deposit payouts and 1099 forms (GotSport Pay), a team app with digital ID cards, live streaming, ticketing, an online store and team rankings.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): GotSport customer terms and conditions (https://home.gotsport.com/gotsport-terms-and-conditions/); GotSoccer terms of use (https://home.gotsport.com/terms-of-use/); GotSport club management (https://home.gotsport.com/club-management/); GotSport software overview (https://home.gotsport.com/software/); GotSport Pay (https://home.gotsport.com/gotsport-pay/); GotSport help: percentage fees (https://support.gotsport.com/how-to-include-a-percentage-fee-in-a-player-or-team-registration); GotSport help: program language (https://support.gotsport.com/as-a-club-admin-set-default-language-for-a-program); GotSport help: player upload (https://support.gotsport.com/player-upload)

**Can BackPR import our data from GotSport?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from GotSport or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**We have a GotSport agreement. Can we start with BackPR now?**
Yes. We can set up and import your data now, for free, so you're ready when your agreement ends. Check your GotSport agreement first: its standard terms bar using competing registration, league or tournament software during the term.

### BackPR vs Homeroom
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/homeroom

Homeroom runs registration and billing for school enrichment, extended care and camps. It's free for schools and PTOs because it adds its own service fee to what families pay. BackPR is free for nonprofits and never adds a BackPR fee to what families pay.

| | BackPR | Homeroom |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | School programs: enrichment classes, extended care, camps, lessons and leagues at public and independent schools, PTOs and providers. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | Free for schools and PTOs. Private schools, districts and nonprofits are asked to contact Homeroom for pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | No subscription for schools or PTOs. Homeroom earns a service fee added to each class price that families pay. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Yes. Homeroom adds its own service fee (rate not published) on top of the class price, paid by families. Schools and PTOs may add an optional school fee. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | No fee to schools or PTOs. Providers build a 3% card-processing fee into their class prices. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No subscription term published. Accounts can be closed at any time. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | No onboarding fee published. An onboarding specialist sets up programs. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Nothing added to the family's bill:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Homeroom's service fee is added to each class price.
- **Every kind of program:** Beyond school enrichment, BackPR runs camps, childcare, classes, sports and church programs in the same account.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What Homeroom does well: Homeroom costs schools and PTOs nothing and covers enrichment, extended care and camp registration on one platform, with instructor rosters, provider payments and compliance tracking, plus 0% interest payment plans for families.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Homeroom pricing (https://www.homeroom.com/info/resources/pricing); Homeroom terms of use (https://www.homeroom.com/info/legal/terms); Homeroom help: payment tools (https://homeroom.helpscoutdocs.com/article/202-payment-tools)

**Can BackPR import our data from Homeroom?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Homeroom or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Is BackPR free for our PTA?**
If your PTA or PTO is a registered nonprofit, yes: no subscription and no BackPR fees, and BackPR adds nothing to what families pay.

### BackPR vs iClassPro
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/iclasspro

iClassPro is class management software for gymnastics, cheer, swim and dance schools, priced per location from $139 a month. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard processing rates and has no long-term commitment.

| | BackPR | iClassPro |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Gymnastics, cheer, swim and dance schools of every size. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Per location, per month: Signature $139, Elite $199, Premium $299, with unlimited families and students. Enterprise by quote. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None published. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | US accounts use iClassPro Payment Services: 2.9% + $0.50 on Visa, Mastercard and Discover, 3.5% + $0.50 on Amex, 1% eCheck, plus a $10 monthly gateway fee. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Signature and Elite: no commitment, billed monthly with no proration or refunds. Premium: 12-month commitment. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Two complimentary data imports (test and final); custom imports need a statement of work and may carry a fee. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. iClassPro is priced per location, starting at $139 a month.
- **Standard processing rates:** BackPR payments run on Stripe at its standard rates, with nothing added for nonprofits and no monthly gateway fee.
- **More than gyms and studios:** Run camps, after-school, childcare and classes in one account, with one family record.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What iClassPro does well: iClassPro has a deep feature set for gyms, swim and dance schools, including skill tracking, make-up tokens, point of sale, a staff time clock and a parent app, with unlimited families and students per location.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): iClassPro pricing (https://www.iclasspro.com/iclasspro-pricing); iClassPro FAQs (https://www.iclasspro.com/iclasspro-faqs); iClassPro Payment Services pricing (https://www.iclasspro.com/payments-pricing)

**Can BackPR import our data from iClassPro?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from iClassPro or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR support make-up classes and skill levels?**
Yes. Families book make-ups into open spots, and you can set skill-level prerequisites for classes.

### BackPR vs Jackrabbit Class
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/jackrabbit-class

Jackrabbit Class is class management software for dance, swim, gymnastics, cheer and music programs, priced by total student count. Like BackPR it has no contracts or setup fees; BackPR is also free for nonprofits and offers Spanish for families.

| | BackPR | Jackrabbit Class |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Youth activity centers: dance studios, swim schools, gymnastics gyms, cheer programs and music schools. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Per month by total student count: $49 (up to 100), $89 (250), $129 (500), $169 (1,000), $209 (3,000), $245 (3,001+). Branded-app bundle $93 to $331. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Jackrabbit fee to families published. Organizations can opt in to card surcharging through Jackrabbit Pay. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published; set in each organization's Jackrabbit Pay agreement. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No contracts or setup fees, per its pricing page. Billed monthly, and the amount changes with student count. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | No setup fees and free data imports. The branded-app bundle adds a one-time $169 setup fee plus app store fees. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. Jackrabbit's price rises as your student count grows.
- **No charge that grows with enrollment:** For nonprofits, BackPR stays at $0 whether you have 50 students or 5,000.
- **Camps, after-school and childcare too:** Run classes alongside camps, before- and after-school care and childcare in one account.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What Jackrabbit Class does well: Jackrabbit Class includes its full core feature set on every plan, with registration, tuition billing, scheduling, a parent portal and reporting, unlimited support, and a low entry price for small programs.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Jackrabbit Class pricing (https://www.jackrabbitclass.com/pricing/); Jackrabbit help: monthly fees and billing (https://jackrabbittech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/54382810366867-Jackrabbit-Subscriptions-Monthly-fees-and-billing); Jackrabbit help: Jackrabbit Pay surcharging (https://jackrabbittech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/54617895836563-Jackrabbit-Pay-Surcharging)

**Can BackPR import our data from Jackrabbit?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Jackrabbit or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR handle monthly tuition?**
Yes. Bill tuition monthly or by season on autopay, with sibling and multi-class discounts applied automatically.

### BackPR vs Jotform
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/jotform

Jotform is a general-purpose form builder with payment integrations, priced by plan with monthly limits on submissions and payments; approved nonprofits get 50% off. BackPR is free for nonprofits however many families register, and it's built for youth programs, with family accounts, payment plans and check-in.

| | BackPR | Jotform |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Any organization that needs online forms: registrations, applications, orders and donations, plus e-signatures, apps and workflows. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | 50% off Bronze, Silver and Gold, billed monthly or yearly, after Jotform approves an application; 30% off Enterprise. Bronze comes to $19.50 a month, or $204 a year. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Free Starter plan (5 forms, 100 submissions and 10 payments a month, Jotform branding). Bronze $39, Silver $49, Gold $129 per month billed monthly, or $34, $39, $99 a month billed yearly. Enterprise by quote. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None added by Jotform. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | No Jotform transaction fee; you pay your payment gateway's standard rates (Stripe, Square, PayPal and others). Plans cap payments each month: 10 on Starter, 100 on Bronze, 250 on Silver, 1,000 on Gold. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly or yearly subscription that renews automatically. Cancel anytime; the plan stays active until the next billing date. Full refund if canceled within 30 days of payment. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve, with 24/7 support. Imported data counts toward submission limits. Onboarding and implementation services are offered to Enterprise customers (fees not published). |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Forms can be translated into more than 130 languages, and respondents choose their language. Confirmation emails can be translated too. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Jotform's free plan allows 10 payments a month, and its nonprofit discount halves paid plans, so Bronze is $19.50 a month.
- **$0 at any size:** Nonprofits pay $0 however many families register and pay. Jotform plans cap payments each month, from 10 on the free plan to 1,000 on Gold, and forms are disabled when a monthly limit is reached.
- **Payment plans and autopay built in:** Families can pay over time on autopay. In Jotform, recurring payments are set up through each payment gateway, and a fixed number of payments isn't supported with Stripe.
- **Built for youth programs:** BackPR has family accounts with several children and one checkout, waitlists, rosters, and check-in and check-out with authorized pickup.

What Jotform does well: Jotform has more than 20,000 form templates, 40+ payment gateway integrations with no Jotform transaction fee, multilingual forms, e-signatures and a free Starter plan.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Jotform pricing (https://www.jotform.com/pricing/); Jotform nonprofit pricing (https://www.jotform.com/nonprofit/pricing/); Jotform online payments (https://www.jotform.com/online-payments/); Jotform help: account usage and limits (https://www.jotform.com/help/408-understanding-your-account-usage-and-limits/); Jotform help: recurring payments (https://www.jotform.com/help/166-how-to-setup-a-recurring-payment-option/); Jotform help: multilingual forms (https://www.jotform.com/help/298-how-to-make-your-forms-multilingual/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Jotform?**
Yes, for free. Send us your form submissions in a spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR cost more as more families pay online?**
Not for nonprofits. Nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, however many families register and pay.

### BackPR vs Kangarootime
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/kangarootime

Kangarootime is childcare management software for multi-location centers and before- and after-school programs, covering billing, enrollment, staff and a parent app. It doesn't publish pricing, and its agreements renew yearly unless canceled 90 days ahead. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Kangarootime |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Childcare businesses, especially multi-location centers, plus before- and after-school care, enrichment programs and camps. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published. The website routes to a sales call, and fees are set in each customer's order form and may rise at each renewal. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Centers can pass card processing fees to families as a surcharge, figured as a percentage of the payment; debit cards are charged the same way. Centers can also set a fee for returned ACH payments and bounced checks. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Rates not published; billing service fees are set in each order form. Processing fees are taken out of payments before they're deposited, which can take up to 48 hours. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | The first term is set in each order form. Agreements then renew automatically for one-year terms unless canceled 90 days before the term ends; fees may rise at renewal, and orders are nonrefundable. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Fees not published. Setup is done with an implementation specialist, and Kangarootime runs live training sessions on billing, enrollment and reporting. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Centers can add Spanish to enrollment forms and program descriptions, and the KT Connect parent app runs in Spanish when the phone is set to Spanish. Statements and invoices stay in English, and staff messages aren't translated. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. Kangarootime doesn't publish its pricing or any nonprofit pricing.
- **No auto-renewing term:** BackPR has no long-term contract, so you can cancel anytime. Kangarootime's agreements renew for a year at a time unless you give notice 90 days before the term ends, and fees can rise at renewal.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added. Kangarootime doesn't publish its processing rates; its billing service fees are set in each order form.
- **Export your data anytime:** Export your data from BackPR anytime, for free. Kangarootime's license agreement says it doesn't keep customer data once an agreement ends.

What Kangarootime does well: Kangarootime is built for multi-location childcare: one dashboard across sites, business units that send a family one bill across several schools, subsidy and split billing, staff scheduling, and the KT Connect parent app with photos, daily notes, messaging, payments and QR code check-in. It also offers lesson plans for teachers, an online training library for staff and live support.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Kangarootime overview (https://kangarootime.com/); Kangarootime customer license agreement (https://kangarootime.com/kangarootime-customer-license-agreement); Kangarootime billing services agreement (https://kangarootime.com/kangarootime-billing-services-agreement); Kangarootime help: payment surcharges (https://help.kangarootime.com/hc/en-us/articles/44245260811540-How-to-Configure-Payment-Surcharges); Kangarootime help: parent FAQ (https://help.kangarootime.com/hc/en-us/articles/12774023133716-Parent-Frequently-Asked-Questions); Kangarootime help: billing reports (https://help.kangarootime.com/hc/en-us/articles/16593722404628-Billing-Reporting-Dashboards-Guide); Kangarootime help: Spanish enrollment forms (https://help.kangarootime.com/hc/en-us/articles/47870979480340-Spanish-Language-Enrollment-Form); Kangarootime trainings (https://kangarootime.com/kangarootime-ongoing-trainings)

**Can BackPR import our data from Kangarootime?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Kangarootime or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Can BackPR run several childcare sites in one account?**
Yes. Organizations with several sites see every location together or one at a time, and each location can be paid out to its own bank account.

### BackPR vs LeagueApps
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/leagueapps

LeagueApps is a youth sports management platform with no subscription: it keeps a percentage of each online payment and charges a one-time setup fee. BackPR is free for nonprofits and adds nothing to their Stripe rates, and onboarding and data import are free.

| | BackPR | LeagueApps |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Youth sports clubs, camps, tournaments, leagues and facilities. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | Discounted rates for nonprofits that provide 501(c)(3) documentation. The rates aren't published. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | No subscription. LeagueApps keeps a percentage of each online payment (rate by quote) and charges a one-time setup fee. Add-ons such as branded team apps and custom websites have annual fees, and its help center notes monthly usage fees such as text messaging. Volume discounts for larger organizations. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None added by LeagueApps. Organizations can add their own processing fee to registrations as a separate line item, as a percentage or a flat amount. Checkout can also offer families optional registration insurance and accident coverage from Vertical Insure. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | A percentage of each online payment, set by quote and taken out automatically, with no charge for offline payments. Payments run on LeagueApps Gateway, powered by Stripe. American Express is off by default and costs extra to accept. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No long-term commitment; pay as you go. Either side can cancel anytime, and unused fees aren't refunded. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | A one-time setup fee (amount not published) covers launch, with a Launch Team that sets up and trains each new organization. Data import: not published. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees. LeagueApps has no subscription but keeps a percentage of every online payment; its nonprofit rates are discounted but not published.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. LeagueApps sets its percentage by quote.
- **No setup fee:** Onboarding and data import are free with BackPR. LeagueApps charges a one-time setup fee to get started.
- **More than sports:** LeagueApps is built for youth sports organizations. BackPR is built for youth and community programs of all kinds, from camps and after-school to childcare, classes, schools and churches.

What LeagueApps does well: LeagueApps covers registration with waitlists and payment plans on autopay, scheduling, communications, facilities, and reporting and analytics, with branded mobile apps and custom WordPress websites as add-ons. It has no subscription or long-term commitment, integrates with many third-party tools, and gives customers free membership in NextUp, its community for youth sports leaders.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): LeagueApps pricing (https://leagueapps.com/pricing/); LeagueApps platform overview (https://leagueapps.com/); LeagueApps terms of service (https://leagueapps.com/terms/); LeagueApps help: Gateway FAQ (https://support.leagueapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039381574-LeagueApps-Gateway-FAQ); LeagueApps help: program pricing and processing fees (https://support.leagueapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039865613-Program-Pricing-Options-and-Configurations); LeagueApps help: account billing (https://support.leagueapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039382994-LeagueApps-Account-Billing-and-Invoices); LeagueApps help: registration insurance (https://support.leagueapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/28475745999639-Registration-Insurance-FAQs-for-Partners); LeagueApps help: payment plans (https://support.leagueapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039863373-How-to-create-payment-plans); LeagueApps: what to expect when you partner (https://leagueapps.com/blog/leagueapps-service-experience/)

**Can BackPR import our data from LeagueApps?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from LeagueApps or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR take a percentage of each registration payment?**
Not for nonprofits: BackPR adds no fee of its own. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on to families.

### BackPR vs Lillio
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/himama

Lillio (formerly HiMama) is childcare center software for early childhood programs, covering center management, billing, a family app and curriculum. It doesn't publish pricing or contract terms, while BackPR is free for nonprofits, has no long-term contract and offers full Spanish registration for families.

| | BackPR | Lillio |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Childcare centers and early childhood education programs in the US and Canada. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published. The pricing page lists bundles without prices and routes to a demo request. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Centers may choose to charge parents card or bank-transfer processing fees. The center sets the amount, and these fees are nonrefundable. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Set in each center's sales order (not published). Its payments terms also allow a per-transaction platform fee instead of a subscription. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Not published. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Not published. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Parents can receive automated email updates in Spanish. Updates written by teachers aren't translated. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit childcare programs pay nothing to BackPR, and the terms are on our website.
- **Registration in Spanish, not just emails:** Families can register, pay, sign forms and manage their account in Spanish.
- **Childcare, camps and classes together:** Run childcare, before- and after-school care, school-break camps and classes in one account with one family record.
- **No long-term contract:** Cancel BackPR whenever you want, with no exit fees.

What Lillio does well: Lillio combines center management, billing and a family photo and messaging app with curriculum kits and accredited training for early childhood educators.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Lillio pricing (https://www.lillio.com/features/pricing); Lillio payments terms (https://www.lillio.com/resources/payment-terms); Lillio help: payment fees for families (https://support.lillio.com/s/article/HiMama-Payments-Fees-FAQ); Lillio help: changing the language (https://support.lillio.com/s/article/Changing-the-language-of-my-account)

**Can BackPR import our data from Lillio or HiMama?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Lillio or HiMama or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR handle childcare billing and sign-in?**
Yes. Recurring tuition on autopay, subsidy and split billing, year-end tax statements, and daily sign-in and sign-out with authorized pickups.

### BackPR vs Mindbody
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/mindbody

Mindbody is business software for fitness, wellness and beauty businesses, including dance studios and martial arts schools. In the US it starts at $79 a month per location, plus card processing fees and a fee when the Mindbody app brings you a new client. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no minimum term.

| | BackPR | Mindbody |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Fitness, wellness and beauty businesses: gyms, yoga and Pilates studios, dance studios, martial arts schools, sports facilities, spas and salons. Its dance studio page says families can book classes for several siblings from one account. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | In the US, Starter from $79 a month per location; Accelerate and Ultimate by quote. Unlimited staff logins. When the Mindbody app brings you a new client, Mindbody takes 20% of their first purchase, up to $30. The branded app and other premium add-ons cost extra. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | US businesses on Mindbody Payments can add a Transaction Fee to credit card payments, up to 3% or their processing rate, whichever is lower. Debit cards and other non-credit payments aren't charged it, and it's refunded with the purchase. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Mindbody Payments (run on Stripe): a percentage rate that isn't published, plus $0.10 to $0.30 per transaction. With the Transaction Fee on, surcharged credit card payments are processed at 4%. Other processors can be used, though some promotional offers include Mindbody Payments. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Depends on the plan and billing terms. Unless the agreement says otherwise, its terms start with a 90-day term that renews every 30 days; canceling takes 30 days' notice, and you owe fees for the full term if you leave early. Fees are nonrefundable. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | No onboarding fee: one-on-one setup sessions and training are included. Mindbody's data transfer service may cost extra, and custom data conversion is priced separately. You're responsible for getting a full export file from your current provider. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Booking widgets and the checkout cart can be set to Spanish, one language per widget and one for the whole checkout. The branded app (a paid add-on) has Spanish menus; service names and descriptions aren't translated. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Mindbody starts at $79 a month per location in the US, its other plans are quoted, and it publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No fee on new families:** BackPR charges nonprofits no BackPR fees, including on new sign-ups. Mindbody takes 20% of a new client's first purchase, up to $30, when that client comes through the Mindbody app.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. Mindbody Payments charges a rate it doesn't publish plus $0.10 to $0.30 per payment, and credit card payments with its Transaction Fee are processed at 4%.
- **No minimum term, free data export:** Cancel BackPR anytime and export your data for free whenever you want. Mindbody's standard terms start with a 90-day term, then renew monthly with 30 days' notice to cancel, and a full data export after you leave needs an agreed statement of work.

What Mindbody does well: Mindbody is a full studio management system with class and appointment booking, a listing on the Mindbody app (3M+ users), ClassPass integration and unlimited staff logins. It has built-in payments with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna and Tap to Pay, family accounts so parents can book for their children, Spanish booking widgets and 24/7 support by phone, chat and email with free one-on-one onboarding.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Mindbody pricing (https://www.mindbodyonline.com/business/pricing); Mindbody: US pricing (https://www.mindbodyonline.com/business/education/blog/new-mindbody-pricing-united-states); Mindbody terms of service (https://www.mindbodyonline.com/company/legal/terms-of-service); Mindbody Payments (https://www.mindbodyonline.com/business/payments); Mindbody help: Transaction Fee (https://support.mindbodyonline.com/s/article/How-to-offset-your-processing-fees-with-the-Transaction-Fee-setting-Mindbody-Payments-US?language=en_US); Mindbody help: widget languages (https://support.mindbodyonline.com/s/article/Changing-widget-languages-branded-web-tools-formerly-Healcode?language=en_US); Mindbody help: branded app languages (https://support.mindbodyonline.com/s/article/205250368-Which-languages-is-the-MINDBODY-Engage-app-available-in?language=en_US); Mindbody dance studio software (https://www.mindbodyonline.com/business/fitness/dance-studio-software)

**Can BackPR import our data from Mindbody?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Mindbody or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge a fee when a new family signs up?**
No. Nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on.

### BackPR vs nextRec
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/nextrec

nextRec (formerly Xplor Recreation and PerfectMind) is software for parks and recreation departments, community centers, YMCAs, camps and classes. It publishes no pricing, nonprofit or otherwise, and its terms charge setup fees and a monthly fee per user license. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with free onboarding and no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | nextRec |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Parks and recreation departments, municipalities, community centers, YMCAs and JCCs, plus colleges, homeowners' associations, camps and classes, martial arts schools and swim schools. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published. Its terms charge setup fees, professional services fees and a monthly fee for each user license, collected in advance. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Not published. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Organizations can connect their own card processor or use Xplor Pay, Xplor's built-in processing with next-day funding. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Term set in each client agreement (not published). Its terms bill fees in advance with no refunds and allow fee changes on 30 days' notice. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Set-up and professional services fees are set in each agreement (amounts not published). |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. nextRec doesn't publish its pricing or any nonprofit pricing; its terms charge setup fees and a monthly fee for each user license.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** Setup and data import are free at BackPR. nextRec's terms charge setup fees and fees for professional services such as customizing the system.
- **Export your data anytime:** Export your data from BackPR anytime, for free. nextRec's terms give you 30 days after the agreement ends to ask in writing for a file of your data, and only if your account is paid in full.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. nextRec doesn't publish rates for Xplor Pay, its built-in processing.

What nextRec does well: nextRec is a broad system for parks and recreation departments: activity registration with conflict checking, facility bookings and rentals with digital contracts, memberships, point of sale and an online store, built-in email marketing and custom reports. It adds self-service kiosks, a mobile app, a virtual waiting room for busy registration days, integrations with GIS, lighting and access-control systems, a REST API and live chat support around the clock.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): nextRec parks and recreation software (https://www.nextrec.com/solutions/parks-and-recreation-management-software); nextRec: Xplor Recreation is now nextRec (https://www.nextrec.com/xplor-recreation-software); nextRec terms of service (https://www.nextrec.com/policies/terms-of-service); nextRec payments and Xplor Pay (https://www.nextrec.com/features/pos-billing-software); nextRec integrations (https://www.nextrec.com/support/integrations); nextRec help: billing settings (https://community.perfectmind.com/s/article/Specifying-Billing-Settings-1168); nextRec contact and support (https://www.nextrec.com/company/contact)

**Can BackPR import our data from nextRec (formerly Xplor Recreation)?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from nextRec (formerly Xplor Recreation) or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Our nextRec agreement is ending. How do we keep our data?**
Ask nextRec in writing for a file of your data before the agreement ends, or within 30 days after. Its terms let it discard customer data after that window and require your account to be paid in full. Send us the file and we'll import it into BackPR for free.

### BackPR vs OTTO SPORT
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/demosphere

OTTO SPORT (formerly Demosphere) is club and league software for youth sports clubs, leagues and multi-sport organizations. Pricing isn't published, the default term renews yearly, and clubs can pass an OTTO service fee to families in place of processing fees. BackPR is free for nonprofits and never adds its own fee to what families pay.

| | BackPR | OTTO SPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Youth sports clubs, leagues, rec leagues and multi-sport organizations, in volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, softball, football, basketball and skiing. Sister products cover tournaments and ticketing (OTTO EVENT) and college recruiting (University Athlete). |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; set in each order form. Its terms say fees can include subscription fees, per-registration fees, per-transaction or processing fees and professional services fees. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Clubs can opt in to an OTTO SPORT service fee on all online payments, shown to families as a separate line item; it replaces the processing fee the club would otherwise pay. The rate isn't published, and if the club refunds the fee, OTTO doesn't cover it. Checkout can also offer families refund protection from Vertical Insure. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published; merchant processing fees are set in each club's statement of work and deducted from deposits, unless the club passes them to families as a service fee. A failed eCheck payment is treated as a chargeback, with a fee of up to $15 to the organization. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Set in each order form. If the order form doesn't set a term, it's one year and renews automatically a year at a time unless you give written notice 30 days before renewal. OTTO can change fees at renewal with 30 days' notice. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Not published. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. OTTO SPORT's website and public help center don't describe a Spanish option for families. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. OTTO SPORT sets its fees in each order form and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No BackPR fee at checkout:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. OTTO SPORT lets clubs pass its own service fee to families on every online payment, in place of the processing fee the club would otherwise pay; the rate isn't published.
- **No automatic yearly renewal:** Cancel BackPR anytime. If the order form doesn't set a term, OTTO SPORT's terms run for one year and renew automatically unless you give written notice 30 days before renewal.
- **More than sports:** OTTO SPORT is built for youth sports clubs and leagues. BackPR is built for youth and community programs of all kinds, from camps and after-school to childcare, classes, schools and churches.

What OTTO SPORT does well: OTTO SPORT covers registration with payment plans, financial aid, donations and invitation-only or team registration, a scheduling wizard with drag-and-drop rescheduling and field permits, referee assigning with ACH payouts, background screening, club websites and an ad-free mobile app with team chats. Its OTTO PILOT AI assistant answers parents' common questions from the club's website and documents, and support is available by email, chat and phone.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): OTTO SPORT FAQ (https://www.ottosport.ai/faq); OTTO SPORT club management (https://www.ottosport.ai/otto-sport); OTTO SPORT AI terms and conditions (https://www.ottosport.ai/terms); OTTO SPORT help: service fee guide (https://intercom.help/ottosport/en/articles/13464578-otto-sport-service-fee-guide); OTTO SPORT help: eCheck payments (https://intercom.help/ottosport/en/articles/12652547-how-do-echeck-payments-work); OTTO SPORT blog: refund protection (https://www.ottosport.ai/blog/why-every-club-needs-refund-protection); OTTO SPORT help center (https://intercom.help/ottosport/en)

**Can BackPR import our data from OTTO SPORT (formerly Demosphere)?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from OTTO SPORT (formerly Demosphere) or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**What happened to Demosphere?**
Demosphere's website and help center now redirect to OTTO SPORT AI. If you're comparing options, BackPR is free for nonprofits, imports your data for free and has no long-term contract.

### BackPR vs Pembee
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/pembee

Pembee is a UK-based booking tool for clubs, holiday camps, after-school providers and studios, with plans from $45 a month and a 0.59% fee on card payments. BackPR serves US programs, is free for nonprofits and offers Spanish for families.

| | BackPR | Pembee |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Class and activity organizers: after-school clubs, holiday camps, dance, gymnastics, martial arts, fitness and courses. Based in the UK. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Standard $45/month ($450/year), Premium $105/month ($1,050/year). In the UK: £30 and £70 per month plus VAT. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None published. Pembee's fees come out of the business's payouts. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | 0.59% Pembee fee on card payments, plus Stripe's processing fees, deducted from payouts. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No long-term contract. Subscriptions renew automatically; cancel by email at least 5 days before the period ends. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | No setup fee published. Its support team can help migrate activities and customers from a previous system. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR: no subscription and no percentage of payments.
- **Built for US programs:** BackPR is made for programs in the United States, in US dollars, with year-end dependent care statements for families.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in Spanish.

What Pembee does well: Pembee has fast self-serve setup, published prices and a free trial, and is built around terms, session passes, waitlists and family bookings, including UK Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): Pembee pricing (https://www.pembee.app/pricing); Pembee terms and conditions (https://www.pembee.app/terms-and-conditions); Pembee help: payments and refunds (https://help.pembee.app/article/28-payment-and-refund)

**Can BackPR import our data from Pembee?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Pembee or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR take a percentage of payments?**
Not from nonprofits. Card and bank payments are processed by Stripe at its standard rates, and BackPR adds nothing on top for nonprofits.

### BackPR vs Pike13
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/pike13

Pike13 is scheduling and billing software for class, lesson and appointment businesses, including kids' programs, from $139 a month billed yearly. Its subscriptions are annual contracts with an early termination fee. BackPR is free for nonprofits, has no long-term contract and lets families register in English or Spanish.

| | BackPR | Pike13 |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Class, lesson and appointment businesses: fitness and sports, music, dance and arts, education, health and wellness, recreation and franchises. Its kids page names after-school programs, tutoring, swim schools, martial arts and dance. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | Pike13 offers nonprofits a discount through its sales team; the amount isn't published. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Per month, billed yearly or monthly: Essential $139 or $159, Advanced $195 or $225, Premium $249 or $286, with unlimited staff and client profiles. Franchise networks pay extra per separately owned location. The branded app has a one-time setup fee. 7-day free trial. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Pike13 fee to families published. Businesses on the Celero surcharging gateway can add a fee to credit card payments to offset processing costs; surcharging is listed on every plan. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Pike13 isn't a payment processor: you sign up with one (Celero is its preferred partner; Stripe, EVO, Paysafe and IntegraPay also work), and each processor sets its own fees. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Billed monthly or yearly, but subscriptions are annual contracts that renew automatically. Canceling takes 30 days' notice and a short exit interview, and canceling before the renewal date costs 50% of the remaining contract balance. No refunds for past periods. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | A dedicated onboarding specialist guides setup for the first 4 weeks and imports active clients, passes and plans from Excel or CSV files. Onboarding fees aren't published; moving saved payment details may cost extra, depending on the processor. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. A business-wide language setting localizes the site, but the help center doesn't list which languages are available. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Pike13 starts at $139 a month billed yearly; it offers nonprofits a discount through sales and doesn't publish the amount.
- **No annual contract:** BackPR has no long-term contract, so you can cancel anytime with no exit fees. Pike13 subscriptions are annual contracts that renew automatically. Canceling takes 30 days' notice, and canceling before the renewal date costs 50% of the remaining contract balance.
- **E-signed waivers included:** Parents sign waivers, photo releases and medical forms online, and you can require any of them before registration finishes. Pike13's waivers start with the Advanced plan, $195 a month billed yearly before any nonprofit discount, with one adult and one guardian waiver per business.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register and manage their account in English or Spanish. Pike13 doesn't say which languages its client pages support.

What Pike13 does well: Pike13 handles classes, courses and appointments with automated waitlists, family accounts where parents pay for their children's services, recurring billing and payment plans, client and staff apps, kiosk check-in with QR codes and automatic no-show alerts to parents, and skill tracking on Premium. Every plan includes unlimited staff and client profiles and a dedicated onboarding specialist.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Pike13 pricing (https://www.pike13.com/pricing-and-plans); Pike13 terms and conditions (https://www.pike13.com/policies/terms-and-conditions); Pike13 help: canceling your subscription (https://help.pike13.com/knowledge/hc/en-us/articles/36870984378125-canceling-your-pike13-subscription); Pike13 help: credit card processing (https://help.pike13.com/knowledge/hc/en-us/articles/360029542172-credit-card-processing); Pike13 help: client data import (https://help.pike13.com/knowledge/hc/en-us/articles/210619146-how-do-i-move-my-client-data-to-pike13); Pike13 help: waivers (https://help.pike13.com/knowledge/hc/en-us/articles/205838453-waivers-and-guardian-waivers); Pike13 for nonprofits (https://www.pike13.com/non-profits); Pike13 for kids' programs (https://www.pike13.com/kids-features)

**Can BackPR import our data from Pike13?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Pike13 or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Can we cancel BackPR anytime?**
Yes. BackPR has no long-term contract and no exit fees, and you can export your data anytime for free.

### BackPR vs Planning Center Registrations
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/planning-center

Planning Center Registrations takes sign-ups and payments for church events like VBS, camps and retreats in Planning Center's church management system. It's priced by your biggest event, from free for 5 attendees to $239 a month, and its buttons and emails are English only. BackPR is free for nonprofits and lets families register in English or Spanish.

| | BackPR | Planning Center Registrations |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Churches. Registrations takes sign-ups and payments for church events such as VBS, camps, retreats, conferences and potlucks, as part of Planning Center's church management system. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No separate nonprofit pricing published. The free plan covers events of up to 5 attendees, and church plants can get Planning Center free for one year. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | By attendees at your biggest event, per month: free for 5, $15 for 20, $32 for 50, $69 for 150, $115 for 400, $179 for 1,000 and $239 for 5,000. You can change plans by season, and the first 30 days are free. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Planning Center fee for families is published. Planning Center's cover-the-fee option is for Giving donations; its Registrations help doesn't describe one for event payments. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | US: 2.15% + $0.30 per card payment (3.65% + $0.30 for international cards) and $0.30 per ACH payment, through Planning Center Payments, powered by Stripe. In most cases, fees aren't returned on refunds. Card disputes cost $15; failed ACH payments cost $4. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No contracts. Monthly or annual subscription that renews automatically; upgrade, downgrade or cancel anytime. Subscription fees aren't refunded. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve, with no setup fees: import people from a CSV file, learn from free training videos and get support replies in about one business hour. Planning Center can point you to third-party partners for data migration. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | No. Planning Center says it has no immediate plans to support other languages. Churches can name their own events and fields in Spanish, but buttons and emails stay in English. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits, whatever the event size:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Planning Center publishes no nonprofit pricing; Registrations is priced by your biggest event, from $15 a month for 20 attendees to $239 a month for 5,000.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. Planning Center says it has no immediate plans to support other languages; churches can write their own event text in Spanish, but buttons and emails stay in English.
- **Installment plans on autopay:** Set a deposit and an installment schedule, and BackPR charges the family's saved card or bank account on each date. In Planning Center Registrations, families pay a deposit and come back later to pay the balance, online or in person.
- **E-signed waivers at checkout:** Parents sign waivers and forms online, and registration can't finish without the required ones. In Planning Center, People forms can't collect electronic signatures; signed waivers go through PDF forms that families return and staff mark complete.

What Planning Center Registrations does well: Planning Center Registrations publishes its prices, has a free plan for small events and lets churches change plans by season, for example upgrading for VBS. Its US card rate is 2.15% + $0.30. It handles household sign-ups, attendee categories, add-ons, waitlists, multiple event times, discounts and scholarships, automatic sorting into cabins, buses or VBS crews, and check-in with name tags. It connects to Planning Center's other church products and the Church Center app, and support replies in about one business hour.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Planning Center Registrations (https://www.planningcenter.com/registrations); Planning Center pricing (https://www.planningcenter.com/pricing); Planning Center help: processing fees (https://help.planningcenter.com/en/144871-processing-fees.html); Planning Center help: collecting payments in Registrations (https://help.planningcenter.com/en/139362-collect-payments-in-registrations.html); Planning Center help: partial payments (https://help.planningcenter.com/en/139366-partial-payments.html); Planning Center help: attendee forms (https://help.planningcenter.com/en/139333-add-attendee-forms.html); Planning Center help: FAQ (languages) (https://help.planningcenter.com/en/136588-planning-center-faq.html); Planning Center terms of service (https://www.planningcenter.com/terms)

**Can BackPR import our data from Planning Center?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Planning Center or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge by event size?**
Not for nonprofits. Registered nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, however many families register for VBS, camp or any other program.

### BackPR vs Playground
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/playground

Playground is all-in-one childcare software for home-based programs, centers, multi-site groups, Head Start, before- and after-care and camps. It doesn't publish pricing or processing rates, and its paid subscriptions renew automatically. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Playground |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Child care programs of all sizes: home-based providers, centers, multi-site groups, Head Start, shared services networks, before- and after-care programs and camps. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. Through state partnerships, some providers in Arizona, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas and New York can use Playground at no cost; eligibility and end dates vary by state. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; the pricing link leads to a demo request. Billing, enrollment and subsidy tools are included in the core subscription. Websites are a paid add-on. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Programs choose, separately for cards and ACH, whether families or the program pay processing fees; Playground's setup recommends having families pay. Fees passed to families are shown before they pay and also apply to autopay. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Rates not published on its public pages; admins see how fees are calculated in their billing settings. Payments run on Stripe and are paid out by the next business day. Processing fees aren't returned when a payment is refunded. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Paid subscriptions renew automatically for the same term at the then-current rate unless you turn off renewal in account settings. After canceling, access lasts to the end of the term, with no prorated refund. Term lengths aren't published. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Free data migration, with a dedicated onboarding manager for every customer and hands-on setup. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Yes. Families can switch the Playground app and web portal to Spanish. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR, in any state. Playground doesn't publish its pricing or any nonprofit pricing; some providers in five states can use it at no cost through state partnerships.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. Playground also processes payments on Stripe but doesn't publish its processing rates.
- **No auto-renewing subscription:** BackPR has no long-term contract, so you can cancel anytime. Playground's terms renew paid subscriptions automatically at the then-current rate, with no prorated refund after canceling.
- **Website included:** Nonprofits can publish a simple BackPR website with their programs at no cost, or embed registration on their own site. Playground sells websites as a paid add-on and publishes no nonprofit pricing.

What Playground does well: Playground covers a childcare program's back office in one system: billing with autopay that programs can make mandatory, next-business-day payouts, subsidy billing, expenses, full-service payroll, CACFP food program records and enrollment forecasting. Its AI assistant, Camber, answers inquiry calls. It offers free data migration, a dedicated onboarding manager, an app in English and Spanish, and weekly updates with a public changelog.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Playground overview (https://www.tryplayground.com/); Playground terms of service (https://www.tryplayground.com/terms); Playground billing (https://www.tryplayground.com/solutions/billing); Playground onboarding and support (https://www.tryplayground.com/support); Playground websites (https://www.tryplayground.com/solutions/websites); Playground help: billing settings and processing fees (https://help.tryplayground.com/en/articles/6267221-configure-billing-settings); Playground help: Stripe setup (https://help.tryplayground.com/en/articles/10458222-sign-up-for-stripe); Playground help: language for families (https://help.tryplayground.com/en/articles/14286421-change-your-default-language-for-guardians)

**Can BackPR import our data from Playground?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Playground or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR include a website?**
Yes. Publish a simple BackPR site with your programs, an about section and contact details, or embed your program catalog and registration on the website you already have.

### BackPR vs PlayMetrics
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/playmetrics

PlayMetrics is youth sports software for clubs, leagues, tournaments and governing bodies, and it now also owns SportsEngine and Sports Connect. Pricing is by quote, its terms renew automatically, and payments run through its own payment platform. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | PlayMetrics |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Youth sports clubs, leagues, state associations, tournaments and governing bodies, in sports from volleyball to rugby. PlayMetrics also owns SportsEngine (since May 2026) and Sports Connect (since June 2025). |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; quoted by organization type, size and features. Its master services agreement prices club software by a cap on active players, and also describes a payments-forward model with a $0 or nominal software fee for up to 10,000 active players. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Its terms of use reserve PlayMetrics' right to charge fees on family payments and say those fees aren't refundable; amounts aren't published. Organizations can also build processing costs into their prices and show them to families as a service fee, within card-network rules. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published; set in each order form and shown during merchant setup. Payments run on PlayMetrics' payment platform (Stripe or WePay), which its terms make your primary or exclusive way to take payments. PlayMetrics can also charge its processing fee on cash and check payments for registrations handled in PlayMetrics. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Initial term set in each order form; it renews automatically unless either side gives written notice 30 days before the term ends. Fees are generally annual or multi-year commitments paid in advance, can rise by an agreed percentage at each renewal, and aren't refunded on termination. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Onboarding services are set in each order form for a fixed onboarding period (fees not published). Unused hours expire, and extra hours are billed at an hourly rate. Its website says it has helped hundreds of organizations switch from other systems. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. PlayMetrics' website and public help center don't mention Spanish or other languages for families. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. PlayMetrics prices by quote and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No auto-renewing term:** Cancel BackPR anytime. PlayMetrics' terms renew automatically unless you give written notice 30 days before the term ends, and its fees are generally annual or multi-year commitments paid in advance.
- **No BackPR fee on any payment:** Nonprofits pay no BackPR fees on any payment, and card payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates. PlayMetrics doesn't publish its processing rates, and its merchant terms let it charge its processing fee on cash and check payments for registrations in PlayMetrics.
- **Export your data anytime:** Export your data from BackPR anytime, for free. Under PlayMetrics' terms, your content stays available for 15 days after the agreement ends and is then deleted.

What PlayMetrics does well: PlayMetrics covers the club season in one system: registration with payment plans, financial aid and donations, tryouts and team formation, scheduling, field and court planning, coaching and player development tools, compliance and risk management, data-synced websites and a mobile app. Team Accounts give each team its own budget and ledger, with business credit cards for team spending, and support includes one-on-one video calls, group trainings, phone and email.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): PlayMetrics pricing (https://home.playmetrics.com/pricing); PlayMetrics overview and FAQ (https://home.playmetrics.com/); PlayMetrics master services agreement (https://home.playmetrics.com/msa); PlayMetrics Stripe merchant payment platform terms (https://home.playmetrics.com/MppToSStripe); PlayMetrics terms of use (https://home.playmetrics.com/terms); PlayMetrics acquires SportsEngine (https://home.playmetrics.com/blog/playmetrics-acquires-sportsengine-from-versant); PlayMetrics and Sports Connect (https://home.playmetrics.com/playmetrics-sportsconnect)

**Can BackPR import our data from PlayMetrics?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from PlayMetrics or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**We use SportsEngine or Sports Connect, which are now part of PlayMetrics. Can we move to BackPR?**
Yes. Onboarding and data import are free, and BackPR has no long-term contract. Check your current agreement's renewal date and notice period before you switch.

### BackPR vs Procare
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/procare

Procare is child care management software for centers, in-home daycares, Head Start and before- and after-school programs, with quote-based pricing and its own payment processing. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | Procare |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Child care centers, in-home daycares, Head Start grantees, before- and after-school programs, school districts, camps and YMCAs. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; quote-based, with no per-child charges. Promotional pricing can rise to standard pricing after 12 months. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Procare fees for families are published. Centers may add a surcharge on credit cards (not debit), capped at their card cost and subject to card-network and state rules. Procare suggests building costs into tuition instead. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Rates not published. Payments run on Procare's own processing (Tuition Express), and fees are charged to the center once a month. Centers that use it get a credit toward Procare's service fees. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Its website says there are no contracts. Its terms set the term in each order form; if none is set, the term is one year and renews yearly. Canceling takes 30 days' written notice, and fees run to the end of the month or term. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Included, with staff training and data migration support. No setup fees. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | In Procare Online, parents can have incoming messages translated into Spanish by AI, if the center turns it on. It's off by default. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofit programs pay nothing to BackPR. Procare's pricing is by quote, with no published nonprofit pricing.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register with BackPR in English or Spanish. In Procare Online, AI can translate incoming messages into Spanish when the center turns it on.
- **No default one-year term:** BackPR has no long-term contract, so you can cancel anytime. Procare's website says there are no contracts; its terms set a one-year term that renews yearly when the order form doesn't set one.
- **Export your data anytime:** Export your data from BackPR anytime, for free. Procare's terms give you 30 days after an account ends to export your data, and any export help Procare agrees to provide is billed to you.

What Procare does well: Procare is built around child care centers, with subsidy billing, its own integrated payment processing, staff scheduling and payroll, meal planning and food program reports, a parent app, and weekday phone and chat support. It says it charges no setup fees and includes onboarding, training and data migration support.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Procare: cost and pricing (https://www.procaresoftware.com/blog/how-much-does-procare-cost/); Procare terms and conditions (June 2026) (https://www.procaresoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Procare-Solutions-Terms-and-Conditions-June-2026.pdf); Procare help: card payment fees (https://www.procaresupport.com/procare-online/docs/card-payment); Procare help: translating messages (https://www.procaresupport.com/procare-online/docs/parents-guardians-ai-translate); Procare for in-home daycare (https://www.procaresoftware.com/solutions/child-care-centers/in-home-daycare/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Procare?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Procare or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR handle check-in and pickup?**
Yes. Staff check children in and out with authorized pickup, use live rosters, and send email and text messages to parents.

### BackPR vs Pushpay ChMS
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/pushpay-chms

Pushpay ChMS (formerly Church Community Builder) is church management software that takes event registrations and payments through forms, alongside Pushpay's giving and church apps. Pricing is by quote, with 1- to 3-year contracts. BackPR is free for nonprofits, has no long-term contract and lets families register in English or Spanish.

| | BackPR | Pushpay ChMS |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Churches and Catholic parishes and dioceses. The ChMS (formerly Church Community Builder) covers people, groups, events and registration forms, check-in, volunteers and communication, alongside Pushpay Giving and church apps. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. Qualified pre-launch church plants can get a 12-month no-cost grant for the full Pushpay platform. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; quoted after a demo. The ChMS comes in Core, Advanced and Complete plans; event registration, forms and check-in are listed in Advanced and Complete, not Core. Billed monthly or yearly by automatic bank payment. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Pushpay fee for families is published. People paying through ChMS forms can't choose to cover processing fees. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published; Pushpay's help center says to contact it for your rates. Processing fees are charged again when a payment is refunded. Pushpay Events adds a $2 service fee per attendee for tickets over $20, billed to the church. Pushpay is your only payment processor during the contract. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | 1-, 2- or 3-year contracts; ending early means paying the rest of the contract. Standard terms run 36 months unless the order form says otherwise and renew for the same length unless you give written notice 90 days before the end. Fees aren't refundable and can rise up to 10% a year after each term. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | No setup fees. Onboarding includes a project plan and a dedicated manager, and Pushpay's support team helps migrate your data. Extra coaching costs more (prices not published). |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Staff can switch the ChMS web app and LEAD app to Spanish, and web giving pages and receipts come in Spanish. ChMS forms have no language setting, and content the church writes isn't translated. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Pushpay prices its plans by quote and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No multi-year contract:** BackPR has no long-term contract; cancel anytime. Pushpay offers 1-, 2- and 3-year contracts, and canceling early means paying the rest of the contract. Its standard terms renew automatically unless you give written notice 90 days before the end.
- **E-signed waivers:** Parents sign waivers and forms online, and registration can't finish without the required ones. Pushpay's help center says ChMS forms can't be signed digitally and suggests a typed name with an "I agree" checkbox.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. Pushpay's staff apps and giving pages offer Spanish, but its help center says ChMS forms have no language setting.

What Pushpay ChMS does well: Pushpay combines its ChMS with Pushpay Giving, a custom church app and the LEAD app for leaders. Forms take payments with discount codes and can register up to 10 people in one payment. Check-in includes kiosks, name tags, parent pickup labels, room capacity limits and text alerts to parents. It also offers volunteer scheduling, service planning, follow-up workflows, more than 80 integrations, onboarding with a dedicated manager and a 12-month no-cost grant for qualified pre-launch church plants.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Pushpay pricing (https://pushpay.com/product/pricing/); Pushpay church management software (https://pushpay.com/product/chms-software/); Pushpay additional agreements for organizations (https://pushpay.com/legal-center/additional-agreements-for-organizations/); Pushpay help: payments on ChMS forms (https://support.pushpay.com/s/article/How-To-Use-Form-Payments); Pushpay help: forms FAQ (https://support.pushpay.com/s/article/FAQ-Forms); Pushpay help: billing FAQ (https://support.pushpay.com/s/article/FAQ---Pushpay-Billing); Pushpay help: Pushpay Events ticket fees (https://support.pushpay.com/s/article/Events-how-much-does-it-cost); Pushpay help: LEAD app FAQ (languages) (https://support.pushpay.com/s/article/FAQ-Lead-App)

**Can BackPR import our data from Pushpay ChMS (formerly Church Community Builder)?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Pushpay ChMS (formerly Church Community Builder) or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**We're in a Pushpay contract. Can we start with BackPR now?**
Yes. We can set up and import your data now, so you're ready when your term ends. Check your Pushpay agreement first: its standard terms make Pushpay your only payment processor during the term.

### BackPR vs Realm
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/realm

Realm, from ACS Technologies, is church management software with event registration, online payments through Vanco, check-in and optional accounting. Its staff-only Inform plan is $49 a month; other plans and processing rates aren't published. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with free onboarding and data import.

| | BackPR | Realm |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Churches, Catholic dioceses and parishes, and denominational offices. Realm covers people, giving, events and registration, check-in, groups and communication, with optional accounting and payroll. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Inform (staff only): $49 a month after a 30-day free trial. Connect, which adds congregation features, has a monthly price based on typical weekly attendance (not published). Multiply, for multi-site churches, isn't published. Accounting is an add-on. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Realm fee for families is published. Realm lets donors help offset processing costs (1% to 4%) on online gifts; its registration help doesn't describe this for event payments. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Online gifts and registration payments by card or ACH run through a Vanco merchant account, and Vanco drafts its fees from the church's bank account each month. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly subscription; no long-term commitment is published. After you cancel, service runs to the end of the billing period. Inform can be canceled by email; ACS's Realm agreement asks for a phone call and a brief exit interview. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Data conversion, setup training and launch help are offered; prices not published. ACS's agreement says purchases may include one-time fees or data conversion costs. One-day on-site training costs $2,500. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Realm publishes no nonprofit pricing; its staff-only Inform plan is $49 a month, and Connect is priced by weekly attendance.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. Realm's registration payments run through a Vanco merchant account; the rates aren't published, and Vanco drafts its fees from your bank account each month.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** Setup and data import are free at BackPR. ACS's Realm agreement says purchases may include one-time fees or data conversion costs, and ACS charges $2,500 for one-day on-site training.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. Realm's website and help center don't describe a Spanish option for registration.

What Realm does well: Realm's registration events support registration types with different prices, deposits and partial payments, discounts, extra items like supplies or meals, custom questions and guests. It also has check-in kiosks with name badges and room balancing, background checks through Verified First, optional integrated accounting with payroll, and the free Realm Connect app. Support includes a 24/7 help center and email or toll-free phone support.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Realm events and registration (https://www.acstechnologies.com/realm/tools/events/); Realm plans (https://www.acstechnologies.com/realm/plans/); Realm Inform in the ACS store (https://buy.acst.com/realm-inform/); Realm Software Services Agreement (https://help.acst.com/en/realm/privacy--security/realm-software-services-agreement); Realm help: merchant accounts (https://help.acst.com/en/giving/realm-giving/guides/merchant-accounts); Realm help: paid registration event settings (https://help.acst.com/en/realm/how-to/registration-events/paid-registration-events/paid-registration-events-payment-settings); Realm help: processing costs (https://help.acst.com/en/giving/realm-giving/guides/online-giving/processing-costs); Realm personalized training (https://www.acstechnologies.com/realm/services/personalized-training/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Realm?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Realm or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR have waitlists for full events?**
Yes. Set a capacity for each session. When a spot opens, the next family on the waitlist is offered it automatically.

### BackPR vs RecDesk
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/recdesk

RecDesk is recreation management software for parks and recreation departments, community centers, aquatic centers, schools and nonprofits, with yearly plans from $3,835 that include every module and free training. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with no subscription, and lets families register in English or Spanish.

| | BackPR | RecDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Parks and recreation departments, aquatic centers, community centers, schools, HOAs, churches and nonprofits, plus sports leagues, after-school programs and camps. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. Plans start at $3,835 a year. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Yearly subscription: Essential from $3,835 (typically towns under 4,000 residents), Standard from $6,240, Plus from $10,790 and Enterprise from $16,250. Every plan includes all modules and unlimited users; the free recreation website starts with Standard. Access control, GIS and financial system integrations cost extra. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | RecDesk adds no per-transaction fee. Organizations can pass card processing fees to families as a convenience fee or absorb them. With RecDesk Payments, the service fee isn't returned when a payment is refunded. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Rates not published. Card and ACH payments run through RecDesk Payments, or through Fiserv or Govt Portal. RecDesk Payments deposits daily and withdraws the month's processing fees early the next month. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Yearly subscription. Cancel anytime by email from a site administrator, with no prorated or partial refund for the rest of the billing year. Price increases need 30 days' notice and apply at renewal. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | No startup costs, with free training and support. A dedicated customer success manager leads onboarding, usually 3 to 6 virtual training sessions. Whether data import is included isn't published. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. RecDesk plans start at $3,835 a year, and RecDesk publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No yearly subscription:** Nonprofits pay no subscription and can cancel anytime. RecDesk bills yearly, and canceling partway through the year doesn't refund the rest of it.
- **Card rates you can look up:** BackPR payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard, published rates, and BackPR adds nothing for nonprofits. RecDesk doesn't publish the rates for RecDesk Payments.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. RecDesk's website and help center don't describe a Spanish version of its community portal.

What RecDesk does well: RecDesk includes every module in every plan, with unlimited users, no per-seat fees or startup costs, plus free training and phone and email support. It covers programs, memberships, facility reservations and check-ins, league scheduling, point of sale, a form builder (FlexForms) and email marketing, adds a recreation website on Standard and higher plans, and holds SOC 2 Type II certification.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): RecDesk pricing (https://recdesk.com/pricing/); RecDesk FAQ (https://recdesk.com/questions-answers/); RecDesk terms of service (https://recdesk.com/tos/); RecDesk payment processing options (https://recdesk.com/payment-processing/); RecDesk help: how RecDesk Payments works (https://recdesk.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/38312426586259-How-Does-RecDesk-Payments-Work)

**Can BackPR import our data from RecDesk?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from RecDesk or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge a yearly subscription?**
Not for nonprofits. Registered nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees. Other organizations get pricing by quote.

### BackPR vs RecTrac
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/rectrac

RecTrac is Vermont Systems' software for parks and recreation departments, colleges, campgrounds and military youth programs, with WebTrac online registration and PayTrac payments. Pricing isn't published, and its terms don't allow canceling without cause during the initial term. BackPR is free for nonprofits and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | RecTrac |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Parks and recreation departments in cities and counties, colleges and universities, camps and campgrounds, and military child and youth programs. WebTrac is the online registration site for patrons. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; pricing on request. Fees are billed yearly in advance unless agreed otherwise. After the first 12 months and at each renewal, fees can rise up to 5%. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Vermont Systems fee for patrons is published. With PayTrac, public-sector and educational organizations can pass processing costs to patrons as a service fee, in person or online. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. PayTrac, Vermont Systems' own processing, charges a flat monthly fee per merchant account plus a per-transaction flat fee and percentage, priced from your past card statements. Settlements take 2 to 3 business days. The CardConnect gateway is also supported. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Initial term set in each services agreement, with renewals. Canceling without cause is allowed only after the initial term, with 90 days' written notice before your annual date; mid-term cancellations aren't accepted. Fees paid are nonrefundable. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Implementation, setup and training are billed at Vermont Systems' standard rates, plus travel costs for on-site training. Interfaces to import data from other software aren't part of standard support. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | No built-in translations. Organizations can enter their own wording, such as Spanish, phrase by phrase for WebTrac pages and receipts. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. RecTrac's pricing isn't published, and its terms allow increases of up to 5% a year after the first 12 months.
- **Cancel anytime:** BackPR has no long-term contract, so you can cancel anytime. RecTrac's terms don't allow canceling without cause during the initial term, and after it you need 90 days' written notice before your annual date.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** Setup and data import are free at BackPR. Vermont Systems bills implementation and training at its standard rates, plus travel for on-site training.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. RecTrac has no built-in translations; organizations enter their own wording for WebTrac pages and receipts.

What RecTrac does well: RecTrac covers activity registration with lotteries; facility, equipment and campsite rentals; passes and memberships; league scheduling; golf tee times; point of sale; venue ticketing and trips. It adds a branded WebTrac site and app, text messaging, business intelligence (InteliTrac) and maintenance management (MainTrac). Vermont Systems also offers integrated payments (PayTrac), its own cloud hosting and on-site training. RecTrac dates back to 1988.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): RecTrac overview (https://vermontsystems.com/rectrac/); PayTrac payments (https://vermontsystems.com/paytrac/); Vermont Systems legal documents (https://vermontsystems.com/legal/); Vermont Systems terms of service (August 2026) (https://marketing.vermontsystems.com/2026termsofservice); RecTrac help: payment processing options (https://helptrac.vermontsystems.com/credit-cards/rectrac-payment-processing-options); RecTrac help: PayTrac sub-merchant application (https://helptrac.vermontsystems.com/paytrac/paytrac-onboarding-sub-merchant-application-agreement); RecTrac help: language codes (https://helptrac.vermontsystems.com/maintenance/salanguagecodemain_help)

**Can BackPR import our data from RecTrac?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from RecTrac or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge for setup?**
No. Onboarding is free, including data import, and you can export your data anytime at no cost.

### BackPR vs SignUpGenius
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/signupgenius

SignUpGenius is an online sign-up tool for volunteers, events and groups, with payment pages for dues, tickets, fundraisers, forms and waivers. It has a free plan, and by default its card fee of 3.95% + $0.95 is added to the payer's total. BackPR is free for nonprofits, never adds its own fee to what families pay, and is built for youth program registration.

| | BackPR | SignUpGenius |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Online sign-up sheets for volunteers, events and groups, plus payment pages for dues and fees, tickets, fundraisers, online stores, group gifts, and forms and waivers. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No nonprofit pricing published. The free plan includes unlimited sign-up pages and payment collection. Enterprise is priced by quote. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Free plan. Silver $11.99, Gold $29.99 and Platinum $59.99 a month billed monthly, or $8.99, $22.49 and $44.99 a month billed yearly ($107.89, $269.89 and $539.89 a year). Enterprise by quote. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | By default, payers are charged SignUpGenius's convenience fee at checkout: 3.95% + $0.95 per card payment, or 1.95% (minimum $1) per eCheck. Organizers can cover the fee, cover part of it, or let payers choose. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | 3.95% + $0.95 per card payment and 1.95% (minimum $1) per eCheck, on every plan. Payments run on Stripe, and payment pages are for US organizers with US bank accounts. The fee isn't returned on refunds. Standard bank withdrawals are free; instant withdrawals cost 1.95% (minimum $1). |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly or annual subscription that renews automatically. Turn off auto-renewal anytime; paid features stay until the period ends. Subscription payments are nonrefundable. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve. Group email lists can be imported from a CSV file or an email provider. Enterprise includes a dedicated account manager. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | SignUpGenius publishes a printable Spanish guide on how to sign up. Its help center doesn't describe a Spanish version of sign-up or checkout pages. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **No BackPR fee added to what families pay:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay; card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. SignUpGenius adds its 3.95% + $0.95 card fee to the payer's total by default; organizers can choose to cover it instead.
- **Waitlists and extra admins included:** Nonprofits get every BackPR feature, including waitlists and extra admins, with no subscription. On SignUpGenius, waitlists on sign-ups and extra admins start with the Gold plan, at $22.49 a month billed yearly or $29.99 billed monthly.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. SignUpGenius's help center doesn't describe a Spanish version of its sign-up pages; it offers a printable Spanish guide.
- **Built for youth programs:** BackPR has family accounts with several children and one checkout, rosters, and check-in and check-out with authorized pickup. SignUpGenius is built around sign-up sheets for events, volunteers and groups.

What SignUpGenius does well: SignUpGenius has a free plan with unlimited sign-up pages, automatic reminders and payment collection. It also offers e-signed waivers, recurring payment plans, item waitlists on payment pages, volunteer hours reports and an app for in-person payments and ticket scanning.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): SignUpGenius pricing (https://www.signupgenius.com/pricing); SignUpGenius help: fees for sign-ups (https://support.signupgenius.com/hc/en-us/articles/40318105134743-About-Fees-for-Sign-Ups); SignUpGenius help: fees on refunds (https://support.signupgenius.com/hc/en-us/articles/29746186245527-Understanding-Fees-for-Refunded-Payments); SignUpGenius help: payment tools (https://support.signupgenius.com/hc/en-us/articles/40924216896023-Introducing-SignUpGenius-New-Payment-Tools); SignUpGenius help: waitlists (https://support.signupgenius.com/hc/en-us/articles/29838121963031-How-to-Add-a-Waitlist-to-Your-Sign-Up); SignUpGenius help: subscription renewal (https://support.signupgenius.com/hc/en-us/articles/29745736941591-Manage-Renewal-for-Paid-Subscriptions); SignUpGenius terms of service (https://www.signupgenius.com/terms-of-service); SignUpGenius Spanish sign-up guide (https://www.signupgenius.com/pdfs/how-to-sign-up-spanish.pdf)

**Can BackPR import our data from SignUpGenius?**
Yes, for free. Export your sign-up reports to a spreadsheet and send them to us, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR add a fee to what families pay?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on to families.

### BackPR vs SportsEngine
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/sportsengine

SportsEngine HQ, now part of PlayMetrics, is club and league software with a free version and a Premium plan at $69 a month, plus a management fee on every payment. BackPR is free for nonprofits, uses Stripe's standard rates and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | SportsEngine |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Youth sports clubs, associations, leagues and teams. Sister products serve gyms, studios and swim clubs (Motion), tournaments (Tourney) and live streaming (Play). |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | HQ Free: $0 a month for sign-ups, invoicing and member messaging; websites need a paid package. HQ Premium: $69 a month or $749 a year. SportsEngine's demo page says a representative recommends a package. Motion: $295 to start, no monthly fee. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None by default: SportsEngine deducts its management fee from the organization's payout. Organizations can recover it from families as an extra line item on each payment. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | A management fee on every order and invoice, at rates agreed when an organization joins. Its help center's example is 3.25% + $2.00, with the fixed part charged on each payment-plan installment. Motion: a 1% technology fee plus 2.9% + $0.30. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | HQ Premium: cancel without penalty in the first 90 days; after that, a one-year contract from purchase. Premium assumes you process at least $1,000 in payments a year; if you don't, a $300 fee is charged at renewal. Subscriptions renew automatically and aren't refundable. Motion: no long-term contract; cancel with 30 days' notice. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | A dedicated onboarding coach helps with setup, and admins can import members, teams and schedules from CSV templates. Extra services, such as more content migration, may carry setup fees. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | No built-in Spanish is published. The help center shows admins how to add a Google Translate widget to website and registration pages. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. SportsEngine HQ Premium costs $69 a month or $749 a year, and SportsEngine publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No platform fee on payments:** For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top of Stripe's standard rates. SportsEngine charges its own management fee on every payment; its help center example is 3.25% + $2.00, with the $2.00 repeated for each payment-plan installment.
- **No minimums or annual contract:** Cancel BackPR anytime. SportsEngine HQ Premium becomes a one-year contract after 90 days and charges $300 at renewal if you process less than $1,000 in a year.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. SportsEngine's help center suggests adding a Google Translate widget to registration pages.

What SportsEngine does well: SportsEngine HQ puts registration, invoicing, a club website, scheduling, rosters, stats and standings, and a team mobile app in one platform, with integrated background checks and safety training. Its free version covers sign-ups and invoicing, and sister products cover gyms and swim clubs, tournaments, volleyball events and live streaming.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): SportsEngine HQ (https://www.sportsengine.com/hq/); SportsEngine HQ Premium (https://discover.sportsengineplay.com/solutions/hq-now/); SportsEngine HQ packages and pricing (https://discover.sportsengineplay.com/solutions/pricing/in-app/); SportsEngine HQ Free (https://www.sportsengine.com/training-camp/hq/free-hq/); SportsEngine HQ demo and pricing FAQ (https://www.sportsengine.com/hq/demo/); SportsEngine Motion pricing (https://www.sportsengine.com/motion/pricing/); SportsEngine subscription agreement (https://www.sportsengine.com/subscription-agreement/); SportsEngine help: management fees (https://help.sportsengine.com/en/articles/6310814-what-are-management-fees-and-how-do-they-work); SportsEngine help: package comparison (https://help.sportsengine.com/en/articles/8070134-package-comparison); SportsEngine help: getting started with HQ (https://help.sportsengine.com/en/articles/9066921-getting-started-with-sportsengine-hq); SportsEngine help: CSV imports (https://help.sportsengine.com/en/articles/6634196-hq-csv-imports-uploads); SportsEngine help: Google language translator (https://help.sportsengine.com/en/articles/6332807-how-to-add-a-google-language-translator)

**Can BackPR import our data from SportsEngine?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from SportsEngine or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Is there a minimum or an annual contract with BackPR?**
No. BackPR has no long-term contract, and you can cancel anytime. Nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, however much they process.

### BackPR vs Stack Sports
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/stack-sports

Stack Sports runs Sports Connect (part of PlayMetrics since 2025), registration and league software for local clubs, leagues and governing bodies. Pricing isn't published, families pay a nonrefundable service fee and Stack handles all card processing. BackPR is free for nonprofits and never adds its own fee to what families pay.

| | BackPR | Stack Sports |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Local sports clubs and leagues and national and state governing bodies, through Sports Connect, in soccer, baseball, softball, football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, lacrosse and more. Stack also offers officials and tournament tools. Sports Connect joined PlayMetrics in June 2025. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Not published; set in each pricing agreement. Sports Connect sells packages, such as its Elite package, through its sales team. Stack's license agreement says it funds the software mainly through registration and service fees. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Families pay a Sports Connect service fee at checkout, which isn't refundable. Its pricing FAQ (last updated in 2022) puts it at $3 per transaction, charged once per checkout and on each automatic installment. Checkout can also offer optional registration insurance (SecureFee Plus). |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Card processing rate not published; Sports Connect's pricing FAQ says the league pays it, and fees are taken out before deposits. Stack's license agreement says all of the organization's card processing is handled by Stack. The 2022 pricing FAQ adds that cash and check registrations still carry the service fee, deducted from the league's payout. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Set in each pricing agreement. After the initial term it renews for 12 months at a time unless either side gives written notice 30 days before the end, and renewals can carry yearly fee increases. Some Stack services run month to month and can be canceled anytime. Fees aren't refunded on termination. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Fees not published. Sports Connect creates new accounts within one business day and offers live webinars and on-demand courses. Stack bills custom implementation work separately, and the organization must provide data in the format Stack's import requires. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. Sports Connect's website and public help articles don't describe a Spanish option for families. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Stack Sports sets Sports Connect pricing in each agreement and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **No BackPR service fee for families:** BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card processing runs at Stripe's standard rates, which you absorb or pass on. Sports Connect charges families a service fee at checkout that isn't refunded; its 2022 pricing FAQ put it at $3 per transaction.
- **No automatic yearly renewal:** Cancel BackPR anytime. Stack's license agreement renews for 12 months at a time unless you give 30 days' written notice, and allows yearly fee increases at renewal.
- **Export your data anytime:** Export your data from BackPR anytime, for free. Stack's license agreement keeps your content available for 30 days after termination for archiving or moving to another system.

What Stack Sports does well: Sports Connect is an official partner of national organizations including Little League, PONY, Pop Warner, USA Football, US Youth Soccer, U.S. Soccer and the AAU, with integrations such as the U.S. Soccer data center and Little League pitch-count tracking. It includes mobile-first registration with volunteer sign-ups, more than 25 website designs, scheduling, reporting, a free team app, fan wear stores and fundraising, and Stack adds officials and tournament tools.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Stack Sports sports management (https://stacksports.com/sports-management); Stack Sports system license agreement (US) (https://stacksports.com/stack-sports-system-license-agreement-united-states); Sports Connect pricing FAQ (https://sportsconnect.com/pricing-faq/); Sports Connect help: parent registration FAQs (https://stacksports.my.site.com/helpcenter/s/article/SportConnectSupportClubProduct228187867ParentRegistrationFAQs); Sports Connect help: accounting FAQs (https://stacksports.my.site.com/helpcenter/s/article/SportConnectSupportClubProduct228187127AccountingFAQs); Sports Connect for clubs and leagues (https://sportsconnect.com/local-clubs-and-leagues/); Sports Connect registration insurance (https://sportsconnect.com/securefee-plus/); PlayMetrics and Sports Connect (https://home.playmetrics.com/playmetrics-sportsconnect)

**Can BackPR import our data from Sports Connect (Stack Sports)?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Sports Connect (Stack Sports) or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge families a service fee?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on.

### BackPR vs Tadpoles
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/tadpoles

Tadpoles, from Teaching Strategies, is childcare center software for daily reports, family messaging, attendance and tuition billing. Its pricing page lists $2.25 per active child per month and no nonprofit pricing; Family Billing costs 2.8% + $0.30 per US card payment. BackPR is free for nonprofits and lets families register in English or Spanish.

| | BackPR | Tadpoles |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Child care centers and early childhood programs: daily reports, family messaging, attendance and classroom ratios, enrollment tracking and tuition billing, connected to Teaching Strategies' GOLD assessment. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | $2.25 per active child per month, with no per-user fees, on its pricing page. New accounts are set up through Teaching Strategies' sales team. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Tadpoles fees for families are published. Processing fees can't be passed to families automatically; programs that want families to cover them add a fee to each billing plan by hand. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Family Billing adds nothing to the subscription. Payments run through BlueSnap: 2.8% + $0.30 per US card payment (debit included), 3.9% + $0.30 for international cards and 0.5% + $0.30 per ACH payment, plus $2 per payout and $15 per chargeback or ACH reversal, taken out before deposit. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Set in each order. Teaching Strategies' subscription agreement, which covers Tadpoles, bills fees yearly in advance unless the order says otherwise. Fees are nonrefundable, and renewal needs written agreement from both sides. The older Tadpoles terms on tadpoles.com let you cancel anytime, with fees owed through the current period. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Fees not published. Admins can import child profiles from a spreadsheet, including exports from Procare, CCM or SchoolLeader, and training videos cover the teacher app and director dashboard. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | The Tadpoles Parent app has a preferred-language setting for the app and its activity playlist; the help center doesn't list which languages. Some family help guides are offered in Spanish. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Tadpoles' pricing page lists $2.25 per active child per month, and it publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **Pass on processing with one setting:** With BackPR, you choose whether to absorb card processing fees or pass them on to families as a clearly labeled convenience fee. Tadpoles says its processing fees can't be passed on automatically; programs add a fee to each billing plan by hand.
- **No yearly prepayment:** BackPR has no long-term contract, so you can cancel anytime. Teaching Strategies' subscription agreement, which covers Tadpoles, bills fees yearly in advance unless the order says otherwise, and fees are nonrefundable.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. Tadpoles' parent app has a preferred-language setting, but its help center doesn't list the languages.

What Tadpoles does well: Tadpoles is built around the classroom day: teachers send daily reports with photos and videos from an app that works offline, directors see classroom counts and ratios in real time, and families leave drop-off notes, complete health screenings and message teachers in the parent app. It connects to Teaching Strategies' GOLD assessment, and Family Billing adds nothing to the subscription.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Tadpoles pricing (https://www.tadpoles.com/products); Tadpoles at Teaching Strategies (https://teachingstrategies.com/product/tadpoles/); Tadpoles help: Family Billing fees (https://teachingstrategies.my.site.com/portal/s/article/What-are-the-transaction-fees-associated-with-tadpoles-Family-Billing); Teaching Strategies subscription agreement (https://teachingstrategies.com/subscription-agreement/); Tadpoles terms of service (https://www.tadpoles.com/docs/1/tadpoles_terms.pdf); Tadpoles help: Parent app (https://teachingstrategies.my.site.com/portal/s/article/How-do-families-use-the-tadpoles-family-mobile-app); Tadpoles help: importing child profiles (https://teachingstrategies.my.site.com/portal/s/article/How-do-I-import-child-profiles-into-tadpoles)

**Can BackPR import our data from Tadpoles?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Tadpoles or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Can BackPR pass card processing fees on to families?**
Yes, if you choose. You can absorb card processing fees or pass them on to families as a clearly labeled convenience fee. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

### BackPR vs TeamLinkt
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/teamlinkt

TeamLinkt is sports management software for clubs, leagues and associations. Its Core plan has no subscription: TeamLinkt earns an unpublished fee on each transaction, and organizations can pass that fee to families at checkout. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with card payments at Stripe's standard rates and nothing added by BackPR.

| | BackPR | TeamLinkt |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Sports organizations: clubs and associations, leagues, governing bodies, parks and recreation, multi-location operators and tournament organizers, plus a free team app for coaches, parents and players. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. TeamLinkt Core has no subscription for any organization; TeamLinkt earns a rate on each payment collected, which isn't published. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | TeamLinkt Core: $0, with no subscription or per-player fees; TeamLinkt earns a per-transaction rate set by size and volume (ask sales). Optional add-ons: Operations $425 a year, Revenue $425 a year, or both as Full Platform for $795 a year. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Organizations choose on each form whether registrants pay the transaction fee; when passed on, it's added at checkout and isn't refunded. Checkout can also offer optional registration insurance (Vertical Insure) and TeamLinkt Plus, a $5-a-month ad-free app upgrade for families. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. One rate per transaction, set by organization size and volume; the Revenue add-on adds discounted rates past a volume threshold. Payments run through Stripe and are ready for payout in 5 to 7 business days. A lost dispute costs $17. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No contract for Core, per its pricing page. Add-ons are billed yearly. Its organization terms set the term in each order form and renew it automatically for the same period until either side gives notice. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve setup. Smart Importer brings in rosters, teams and schedules at no extra cost, and TeamLinkt says it helps move your data. Priority support and onboarding come with the $795-a-year Full Platform add-on. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Users can set their profile language to English, French or Spanish. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. Instead of a subscription, TeamLinkt Core charges a rate on each payment; that rate isn't published and depends on your size and volume.
- **Every feature included:** Nonprofits get every BackPR feature at no cost, with no add-ons to buy. TeamLinkt publishes no nonprofit pricing; its tools for assigning officials, sponsorships and an online store come in add-ons at $425 a year each, or $795 a year for both.
- **Built for youth programs beyond sports:** BackPR has check-in and check-out with authorized pickup, recurring tuition for after-school and childcare, and week-by-week camp registration. TeamLinkt is built around sports seasons: rosters, schedules, scores and standings.
- **Support in Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish, and BackPR's email support (support@backpr.com) is also available in Spanish.

What TeamLinkt does well: TeamLinkt Core costs nothing upfront and covers registration with payment plans and waitlists, waivers, a website builder, a schedule builder, rosters, live scoring and standings, reporting and a free team app with chat and RSVPs for coaches, parents and players. Smart Importer brings data over at no extra cost, and support is by live chat.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): TeamLinkt pricing (https://www.teamlinkt.com/pricing); TeamLinkt organization terms of service (https://www.teamlinkt.com/legal/terms-of-service); TeamLinkt help: creating a registration (processing fees) (https://help.teamlinkt.com/en/articles/4938696-create-a-new-registration); TeamLinkt help: registration insurance (https://help.teamlinkt.com/en/articles/15331372-registration-insurance-faqs-powered-by-vertical-insure); TeamLinkt help: TeamLinkt Plus (https://help.teamlinkt.com/en/articles/8944856-what-is-teamlinkt-plus); TeamLinkt help: disputes (https://help.teamlinkt.com/en/articles/8896598-what-is-a-dispute); TeamLinkt help: profile and language (https://help.teamlinkt.com/en/articles/10344066-edit-your-profile); TeamLinkt registration (https://www.teamlinkt.com/sports-management-software/registration)

**Can BackPR import our data from TeamLinkt?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from TeamLinkt or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Is BackPR free like TeamLinkt Core?**
For nonprofits, yes, but it works differently. TeamLinkt Core has no subscription, and TeamLinkt earns a rate on each payment you collect. BackPR has no subscription and no BackPR fees for nonprofits; card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on to families.

### BackPR vs TeamSnap
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/teamsnap

TeamSnap is youth sports software for clubs, leagues and teams. Club and league pricing is custom, and single teams can start on a free plan. BackPR is free for nonprofits, never adds its own fee to what families pay, and has no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | TeamSnap |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Youth sports clubs and leagues (TeamSnap ONE), plus a team app for coaches and families. It supports more than 200 activities. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Clubs and leagues: custom pricing, with discounts for registration volume. Single teams: Free for teams of fewer than 15 players; Premium $10.83 and Ultra $13.75 a month billed yearly. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Registration processing fees are passed to families by default; the organization can switch this off. Invoice processing fees are added to the family's total unless the organization chooses to pay them. New forms for eligible sports also offer families optional registration protection and accident insurance at checkout. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | TeamSnap adds no administrative fee to registrations, but online payments carry processing fees. The registration rate isn't published. Invoice payments cost 3.25% + $1.50. Payments are processed by Stripe. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Club and league subscriptions run on annual terms, renew automatically unless you give written notice 30 days before the term ends, and aren't refundable. Team plans renew monthly or yearly and can be canceled anytime, with no refunds. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | TeamSnap ONE comes with a dedicated onboarding team to help bring your data over (fees not published). Admins can also import rosters from a spreadsheet template. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | The web app and Android app are in English only. The iOS app is available in English, Spanish and French. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. TeamSnap prices club and league plans by quote and publishes no nonprofit pricing.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. TeamSnap doesn't publish its registration processing rate; its invoice payments cost 3.25% + $1.50.
- **No annual contract:** Cancel BackPR anytime. TeamSnap's club and league subscriptions run on annual terms, renew automatically unless canceled in writing 30 days before the end, and aren't refundable.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. TeamSnap says its web app is in English only; its iOS app also supports Spanish.

What TeamSnap does well: TeamSnap ONE combines registration (with waitlists and payment plans), rosters, schedules, team chat and a family app with free built-in live streaming. Coaches get practice plans and drills from partners like MLS, MLB, Jr. NBA and NFL Flag, and single teams can start on a free plan.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): TeamSnap pricing (https://www.teamsnap.com/pricing); TeamSnap ONE for clubs and leagues (https://www.teamsnap.com/one); TeamSnap team plans (https://www.teamsnap.com/teams); TeamSnap terms of service (https://www.teamsnap.com/terms); TeamSnap help: registration payment methods and fees (https://helpme.teamsnap.com/article/1314-select-payment-methods-and-automatic-adjustments); TeamSnap help: managing invoices (https://helpme.teamsnap.com/article/1359-managing-invoices); TeamSnap help: org-issued invoices (https://helpme.teamsnap.com/article/1338-creating-org-issued-invoices); TeamSnap help: billing and refund policy (https://helpme.teamsnap.com/article/1232-managing-subscription-plans-and-billing); TeamSnap help: registration protection and accident insurance (https://helpme.teamsnap.com/article/1869-registration-protection-and-accident-insurance-for-admins); TeamSnap help: FAQ (languages) (https://helpme.teamsnap.com/article/1318-frequently-asked-questions); TeamSnap help: importing rosters (https://helpme.teamsnap.com/article/1298-importing-rosters); TeamSnap ONE help: registration guide (https://help.teamsnap.com/article/2119-registration-guide-for-prospective-members)

**Can BackPR import our data from TeamSnap?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from TeamSnap or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR add fees to what families pay?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on.

### BackPR vs UltraCamp
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/ultracamp

UltraCamp is camp management software for resident, day and family camps and retreat centers, with published monthly plans. It charges a setup fee and per-person overages on a one-year auto-renewing term, while BackPR is free for nonprofits with free setup and no long-term contract.

| | BackPR | UltraCamp |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Camps: resident, day and family camps, plus retreat and conference-center bookings. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Basic $275/month (500 people a year, then $6 each); Advanced $475/month (1,250, then $4); Enterprise $975/month (3,500, then $2). |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None published by UltraCamp. Camps can add their own credit card surcharge (up to 3%) or convenience fees. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | ACH: $0.25 + 1.25% per transaction. Card rates are set by the merchant provider. A processor UltraCamp hasn't designated adds a 1% fee. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | One-year initial term that renews yearly; cancel with 90 days' written notice before the anniversary. Prepaid fees aren't refunded. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | $1,000 one-time setup fee, including a basic data import; reservation-data imports cost $240 per hour. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Families can switch the registration language to Spanish, French or Korean. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofit camps:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. UltraCamp plans start at $275 a month, with charges for each person over the plan limit.
- **No setup fee:** Onboarding and data import are free at BackPR. UltraCamp charges a $1,000 setup fee.
- **No yearly lock-in:** BackPR has no contract term or notice period. UltraCamp terms run a year at a time with 90 days' notice to cancel.

What UltraCamp does well: UltraCamp publishes its pricing, includes unlimited admin users, training and phone support, and covers resident, day and family camps plus retreat bookings, health tracking and a camp store.

Sources (checked October 10, 2026): UltraCamp pricing (https://ultracampmanagement.com/home/pricing/); UltraCamp fee schedule (https://ultracampmanagement.com/fee-schedule/); UltraCamp terms of service (https://ultracampmanagement.com/terms-of-service2_0_0/); UltraCamp features (https://ultracampmanagement.com/home/features/)

**Can BackPR import our data from UltraCamp?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from UltraCamp or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Is there a per-camper charge at BackPR?**
Not for nonprofits. Nonprofit camps pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, however many campers register.

### BackPR vs WildApricot
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/wild-apricot

WildApricot is membership management software for associations, clubs, chambers and nonprofits, covering a member database, website, events, email and payments. Plans are priced by number of contacts, from $66 a month billed monthly. BackPR is free for nonprofits, built for youth program registration, and lets families register in English or Spanish.

| | BackPR | WildApricot |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Membership organizations: associations, nonprofits, chambers, clubs, charities and chapters. Includes a member database, website builder, event registration, email, donations and an online store. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No nonprofit discount published. Multi-chapter organizations can get volume pricing from sales. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | By number of contacts, billed monthly: $66 a month for 100, $82 for 250, $154 for 500, $265 for 2,000, $485 for 5,000, $584 for 15,000 and $992 for 50,000. 10% off when prepaid for a year, 15% for two years. 60-day free trial, without online payments. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | None added by WildApricot. Organizations can turn on an optional checkbox that asks payers to cover card processing as a donation. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Personify Payments (US only): 2.99% + 30¢ per card payment (3.5% + 30¢ for American Express), 1.1% + 30¢ per ACH payment, and $4.99 a month. Using PayPal, Stripe or Authorize.net instead adds a servicing fee of 20% of your subscription price. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly, 1-year or 2-year plans that renew automatically. Cancel anytime by deleting the account; there are no refunds for periods already paid. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Free onboarding coaching, including help importing member data. Contacts can be imported from Excel, CSV or XML files. Paid services such as data transfer are available from partners. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | No. WildApricot's help center says it doesn't provide multiple-language support or translation, and points to partners for translation services. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR, however many families register. WildApricot is priced by contacts, from $66 a month (billed monthly) for 100 contacts, with no published nonprofit discount.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. WildApricot's help center says it doesn't provide multiple-language support.
- **No servicing fee for using Stripe:** BackPR runs card payments on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates and adds nothing for nonprofits. WildApricot adds a servicing fee of 20% of your subscription if you use Stripe, PayPal or Authorize.net; its own Personify Payments costs $4.99 a month plus per-payment fees.
- **Built for youth programs:** BackPR has family accounts with several children and one checkout, e-signed waivers, rosters, and check-in and check-out with authorized pickup. WildApricot is built for membership organizations.

What WildApricot does well: WildApricot combines a member database with automatic renewals, a website builder, event registration with waitlists, email campaigns, donations and an online store, with mobile apps for admins and members. Onboarding coaching is free, and the trial lasts 60 days.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): WildApricot pricing (https://www.wildapricot.com/pricing); WildApricot billing and refund policy (https://www.wildapricot.com/legal-center/billing-and-refund-policy); WildApricot help: Personify Payments (https://gethelp.wildapricot.com/en/articles/2852-personify-payments); WildApricot help: payment system servicing fee (https://gethelp.wildapricot.com/en/articles/1661-payment-system-servicing-fee-pssf); WildApricot help: processing fee donations (https://gethelp.wildapricot.com/en/articles/2974-payment-processing-fee-donations); WildApricot help: translation (https://gethelp.wildapricot.com/en/articles/913-adding-a-translation-option); WildApricot help: plan limits (https://gethelp.wildapricot.com/en/articles/51)

**Can BackPR import our data from WildApricot?**
Yes, for free. Export your contacts and members from WildApricot to a spreadsheet and send it to us, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR charge by number of contacts?**
No. Nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees, however many families they serve.

### BackPR vs Zeffy
URL: https://backpr.com/compare/zeffy

Zeffy is a free fundraising platform for nonprofits, covering donations, event ticketing, memberships and online stores, and it's funded by optional contributions that payers can add at checkout. BackPR is also free for nonprofits and is built for youth program registration, with payment plans, waitlists and e-signed waivers, which Zeffy's help center says it doesn't have built in.

| | BackPR | Zeffy |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Nonprofit fundraising: donations, event ticketing and registrations, memberships, raffles, auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns and online stores. Available in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and Germany. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | $0. Only nonprofits can use Zeffy. US organizations need an EIN and a bank account in the organization's name; 501(c)(3) status isn't required. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | $0, with one plan and every feature included. Zeffy's revenue comes from optional contributions that payers can add at checkout. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | Checkout asks payers for an optional contribution to Zeffy, with a suggested amount they can lower or set to $0. Nonprofits can't change its wording or suggested amounts. The nonprofit receives 100% of the payment either way. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | None for the nonprofit. Zeffy covers card and transaction fees. Cards are accepted for payments up to $4,999, and ACH up to $20,000. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | No contract, per its pricing page. Either side can end the agreement at any time. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Self-serve, with weekly live group demos. Contacts and past payments can be imported using Zeffy's templates; active recurring payments can't be transferred. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | US nonprofits can translate a form from English to Spanish. Zeffy auto-translates it for review, and payers can switch languages on the form. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Payment plans with autopay:** Families can pay over time on autopay. Zeffy has no built-in installment plans; its help center suggests a separate ticket for each installment.
- **Built-in waitlists:** When a session fills, families can join its waitlist. Zeffy's help center says it has no built-in waitlist and suggests a free waitlist ticket instead.
- **E-signed waivers:** Parents sign waivers and forms online. Zeffy has no waiver feature; its help center suggests a required checkbox or an emailed attachment.
- **Built for youth programs:** BackPR has family accounts with several children and one checkout, rosters, and child check-in and check-out with authorized pickup.

What Zeffy does well: Zeffy charges nonprofits nothing, not even card processing, and covers donations, event ticketing with QR check-in, memberships with automatic renewal, raffles, auctions and online stores, with Spanish forms for US nonprofits.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Zeffy pricing (https://www.zeffy.com/home/free-online-fundraising-platform); Zeffy help: how Zeffy is free (https://support.zeffy.com/zeffy-really-is-free-no-fees-no-catch-4zjir); Zeffy help: the contribution at checkout (https://support.zeffy.com/what-is-the-contribution-made-towards-zeffy-why-was-i-charged-extra-s41ae); Zeffy help: eligibility (https://support.zeffy.com/is-my-organization-eligible-to-use-zeffy-8m24r); Zeffy help: payment installments (https://support.zeffy.com/how-to-process-payment-instalments-on-zeffy-pbiv8); Zeffy help: waitlists (https://support.zeffy.com/add-a-waitlist-to-your-event-iu3b4); Zeffy help: waivers (https://support.zeffy.com/how-to-add-a-waiver-to-your-form-l0v94); Zeffy help: translating a form (https://support.zeffy.com/how-can-i-translate-my-form-q3rkw)

**Can BackPR import our data from Zeffy?**
Yes, for free. Send us your contacts and past registrations in a spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families and programs in BackPR.

**Is BackPR free like Zeffy?**
Both are free for nonprofits, with one difference: Zeffy also covers card processing. BackPR has no subscription and no BackPR fees, and payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on to families. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

### Jumbula alternatives
Jumbula runs registration, payments and check-in for youth programs. If you're comparing options, these are the alternatives we've checked, with each company's published prices and terms.

### What to know about Jumbula
What Jumbula does well: Jumbula has a long feature list built over more than ten years, low entry pricing, and a child check-in and check-out workflow for staff and parents.

- **Nonprofit discount, no free plan:** Jumbula gives nonprofits 20% off the list prices of its paid plans (Pay As You Go $15/mo, Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo). Its pricing page lists no free plan.
- **Some features are add-ons:** Photo sharing is extra on every plan. Below Ascend, so are the website widget, activity reminders and text messages.
- **Enrollment packs on Pay As You Go:** Pay As You Go includes 10 enrollments; more are bought in packs at $1.10–$2.00 each and aren't refunded if a student drops.
- **Spanish for families:** Jumbula's pages are in English. For other languages, it offers a Google Translate integration.

From Jumbula's public pricing pages and terms, checked October 10 and 11, 2026. Full comparison: https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula.

### Jumbula alternatives, with published prices
BackPR wrote this list, and we put ourselves first. Every other entry quotes that company's own published prices and terms, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Prices change, so confirm them with each company.

1. **BackPR**. Best for: Nonprofit camps, classes, after-school and childcare programs that want no BackPR fees or paid add-ons, in English and Spanish. Cost for nonprofits: $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. Pricing: Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote.
2. **Sawyer** (https://backpr.com/compare/sawyer). Best for: Kids' activity businesses that want a polished parent booking flow and, in some cities, a marketplace that brings new families. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Launch $71–79/mo in the first year, then $129–149/mo. Grow $189–219/mo. Scale $379–399/mo.
3. **Enrollsy** (https://backpr.com/compare/enrollsy). Best for: Programs that want published per-location prices and payment plans with autopay. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit discount on plan prices; nonprofits get one additional admin user free. Pricing: Starter $159, Professional $289, Enterprise $599 per month per location billed monthly, or $129, $239, $479 billed yearly, plus an implementation fee.
4. **CourseStorm** (https://backpr.com/compare/coursestorm). Best for: Organizations that mainly need a simple class catalog with online registration. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Starter $99, Core $169, Pro $269, All Access $399 per month billed yearly; $119, $219, $329, $499 billed monthly (starting prices).
5. **Activity Messenger** (https://backpr.com/compare/activity-messenger). Best for: Programs that want registration combined with email and text marketing, especially in Canada. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Light $99/month, Standard $149/month, Pro $229/month, Enterprise custom. Billed in Canadian dollars, or US dollars for US organizations.
6. **Homeroom** (https://backpr.com/compare/homeroom). Best for: Schools and PTOs running enrichment classes and extended care, where families pay a service fee. Cost for nonprofits: Free for schools and PTOs. Private schools, districts and nonprofits are asked to contact Homeroom for pricing. Pricing: No subscription for schools or PTOs. Homeroom earns a service fee added to each class price that families pay.
7. **Pembee** (https://backpr.com/compare/pembee). Best for: Class providers that want fast self-serve setup, term enrollment and session passes. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Standard $45/month ($450/year), Premium $105/month ($1,050/year). In the UK: £30 and £70 per month plus VAT.

### If you move from Jumbula to BackPR
Jumbula is month-to-month, but you must request cancellation at least 30 days before your last day.

**Is there a free alternative to Jumbula for nonprofits?**
Yes. BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription, no enrollment packs, no paid add-ons and no BackPR fees. Card payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates.

**Does Jumbula offer a nonprofit discount?**
Yes. Jumbula's published pricing gives nonprofits a 20% discount on its paid plans.

**Can BackPR import our data from Jumbula?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Jumbula or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

### Sawyer alternatives
Sawyer (hisawyer.com) sells registration and booking software to kids' activity providers. These are the alternatives we've checked, with each company's published prices, fees and terms.

### What to know about Sawyer
What Sawyer does well: Sawyer has a polished parent booking flow, a marketplace that can bring new families to providers in some cities, and hands-on onboarding.

- **A booking fee on families' orders:** Most orders over $30 carry a Sawyer booking fee of $1.99–$3.99. Its help center says providers can't waive it; its pricing page says businesses can ask to absorb it.
- **Commission on marketplace bookings:** Bookings made through the Sawyer marketplace carry a 15–30% commission, depending on the plan.
- **Tiered plans:** Launch is $71–79/mo in the first year, then $129–149/mo. Waitlists, payment plans and e-signed waivers start on Grow ($189–219/mo).
- **Renewal terms:** Canceling takes 30 days' notice, and all plans renew automatically.

From Sawyer's public pricing pages and terms, checked October 10, 2026. Full comparison: https://backpr.com/compare/sawyer.

### Sawyer alternatives, with published prices
BackPR wrote this list, and we put ourselves first. Every other entry quotes that company's own published prices and terms, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Prices change, so confirm them with each company.

1. **BackPR**. Best for: Nonprofit programs that want no added fees for families, no commission and every feature included, in English and Spanish. Cost for nonprofits: $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. Pricing: Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote.
2. **Jumbula** (https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula). Best for: Small programs that want low entry pricing and a child check-in and check-out workflow. Cost for nonprofits: 20% nonprofit discount off the list prices of its paid plans (Pay As You Go $15/mo, Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo). Pricing: Pay As You Go $15/mo (10 enrollments included, more bought in packs), Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo, or $144, $1,440 and $2,736 billed yearly. Enterprise by quote.
3. **Enrollsy** (https://backpr.com/compare/enrollsy). Best for: Providers that want published per-location prices, payment plans and no percentage of revenue. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit discount on plan prices; nonprofits get one additional admin user free. Pricing: Starter $159, Professional $289, Enterprise $599 per month per location billed monthly, or $129, $239, $479 billed yearly, plus an implementation fee.
4. **Pembee** (https://backpr.com/compare/pembee). Best for: Class providers that want fast self-serve setup, term enrollment and session passes. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Standard $45/month ($450/year), Premium $105/month ($1,050/year). In the UK: £30 and £70 per month plus VAT.
5. **iClassPro** (https://backpr.com/compare/iclasspro). Best for: Gyms, swim schools and dance studios that need skill tracking and make-up tokens. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Per location, per month: Signature $139, Elite $199, Premium $299, with unlimited families and students. Enterprise by quote.
6. **Jackrabbit Class** (https://backpr.com/compare/jackrabbit-class). Best for: Studios that want a full feature set on every plan, priced by student count. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Per month by total student count: $49 (up to 100), $89 (250), $129 (500), $169 (1,000), $209 (3,000), $245 (3,001+). Branded-app bundle $93 to $331.
7. **CourseStorm** (https://backpr.com/compare/coursestorm). Best for: Organizations that mainly need a simple class catalog with online registration. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Starter $99, Core $169, Pro $269, All Access $399 per month billed yearly; $119, $219, $329, $499 billed monthly (starting prices).

### If you move from Sawyer to BackPR
Sawyer needs 30 days' notice before your next billing date, and all plans renew automatically, so check that date before you switch.

**Is there an alternative to Sawyer without booking fees for families?**
Yes. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Nonprofits can choose to absorb or pass on Stripe's card fees.

**Does Sawyer charge a commission?**
Sawyer charges 15–30% on bookings made through its marketplace, depending on the plan, according to its published pricing.

**Can BackPR import our data from Sawyer?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Sawyer or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

### Amilia SmartRec alternatives
Amilia's SmartRec is recreation software for YMCAs, JCCs, parks departments and community programs. These are the alternatives we've checked, with each company's published prices and terms.

### What to know about Amilia SmartRec
What Amilia SmartRec does well: Amilia is strong for YMCAs, JCCs and parks departments, with memberships, facility bookings, access control, finance tools and support in English and French.

- **A fee on every invoice:** Standard is $99/mo and Advanced $499/mo, plus card processing by Amilia and a 1% service fee on each new invoice item.
- **Paid onboarding:** Onboarding starts at $899 on Standard and $2,999 on Advanced.
- **A 24-month default term:** The default term is 24 months, then it renews yearly. Canceling takes 90 days' notice, and leaving early costs the remaining fees.
- **Data after you leave:** Retrieving data after termination is a paid service.

From Amilia SmartRec's public pricing pages and terms, checked October 10, 2026. Full comparison: https://backpr.com/compare/amilia.

### Amilia SmartRec alternatives, with published prices
BackPR wrote this list, and we put ourselves first. Every other entry quotes that company's own published prices and terms, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Prices change, so confirm them with each company.

1. **BackPR**. Best for: Nonprofit community programs, camps and after-school programs that want no subscription, no service fee and no long-term contract. Cost for nonprofits: $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. Pricing: Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote.
2. **Jumbula** (https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula). Best for: Small youth programs that want low entry pricing and child check-in. Cost for nonprofits: 20% nonprofit discount off the list prices of its paid plans (Pay As You Go $15/mo, Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo). Pricing: Pay As You Go $15/mo (10 enrollments included, more bought in packs), Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo, or $144, $1,440 and $2,736 billed yearly. Enterprise by quote.
3. **Regpack** (https://backpr.com/compare/regpack). Best for: Programs with complex forms and automatic installment billing. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Not on its pricing page. A summary Regpack publishes for AI tools (llms.txt) gives about $400/mo for its small-business package or $600/mo for Mid-Market, billed yearly. Its help center lists $3,000 per year for each Account Owner or Super Admin license.
4. **Enrollsy** (https://backpr.com/compare/enrollsy). Best for: Programs that want published per-location prices and payment plans. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit discount on plan prices; nonprofits get one additional admin user free. Pricing: Starter $159, Professional $289, Enterprise $599 per month per location billed monthly, or $129, $239, $479 billed yearly, plus an implementation fee.
5. **Activity Messenger** (https://backpr.com/compare/activity-messenger). Best for: Programs that want registration with email and text marketing, and French-language support. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Light $99/month, Standard $149/month, Pro $229/month, Enterprise custom. Billed in Canadian dollars, or US dollars for US organizations.
6. **UltraCamp** (https://backpr.com/compare/ultracamp). Best for: Resident, day and family camps that want published pricing and phone support. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Basic $275/month (500 people a year, then $6 each); Advanced $475/month (1,250, then $4); Enterprise $975/month (3,500, then $2).

Large parks and recreation departments also look at municipal platforms such as ActiveNet, CivicRec and RecDesk. We haven't compared those on backpr.com.

### If you move from Amilia SmartRec to BackPR
Amilia's default term is 24 months, canceling takes 90 days' notice, and leaving early costs the remaining fees, so check your term dates before you switch.

**Is there an alternative to Amilia without a percentage fee?**
Yes. BackPR charges nonprofits nothing: no subscription and no service fee. Card payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates.

**What does Amilia SmartRec cost?**
Amilia publishes Standard at $99/mo and Advanced at $499/mo. On top of that come card fees, onboarding from $899 or $2,999, and 1% of each new invoice item.

**Can BackPR import our data from Amilia?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Amilia or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

### Campminder alternatives
Campminder is camp management software for summer camps, with prices quoted by its sales team, based partly on the number of campers. These are the alternatives we've checked, with each company's published prices and terms.

### What to know about Campminder
What Campminder does well: Campminder has deep camp tools built over 25 years, including bunk planning, health center records, transportation, the camp store and staff hiring, and its Campanion photo app is popular with parents.

- **Prices aren't published:** Campminder doesn't publish prices. Its sales team sets each camp's price, based partly on the number of campers.
- **The parent app depends on the suite:** Campanion, Campminder's parent app, is included in the Deluxe and Professional suites, not Classic.
- **Optional photo pass:** Deluxe camps can offer parents a paid Photo Season Pass ($10–$50 per household per season).
- **Built for camps:** Campminder is built for camps. For off-season events and swim teams, it offers separate products.

From Campminder's public pricing pages and terms, checked October 10, 2026. Full comparison: https://backpr.com/compare/campminder.

### Campminder alternatives, with published prices
BackPR wrote this list, and we put ourselves first. Every other entry quotes that company's own published prices and terms, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Prices change, so confirm them with each company.

1. **BackPR**. Best for: Nonprofit day and overnight camps that also run after-school, classes or year-round programs, at no cost and in English and Spanish. Cost for nonprofits: $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. Pricing: Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote.
2. **CampBrain** (https://backpr.com/compare/campbrain). Best for: Camps that want one system for staff, medical, camp store and fundraising, with phone support. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Not published; set in each customer's agreement.
3. **UltraCamp** (https://backpr.com/compare/ultracamp). Best for: Resident, day and family camps that want published pricing, unlimited admins and phone support. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Basic $275/month (500 people a year, then $6 each); Advanced $475/month (1,250, then $4); Enterprise $975/month (3,500, then $2).
4. **FunJoin** (https://backpr.com/compare/funjoin). Best for: Day camps that want a native staff app for check-in and incident tracking. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. FunJoin mentions a free tier that organizations apply for; its terms aren't published. Pricing: Not published; quote-based. Its pricing page is password-protected.
5. **Jumbula** (https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula). Best for: Smaller camps that want low entry pricing and child check-in. Cost for nonprofits: 20% nonprofit discount off the list prices of its paid plans (Pay As You Go $15/mo, Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo). Pricing: Pay As You Go $15/mo (10 enrollments included, more bought in packs), Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo, or $144, $1,440 and $2,736 billed yearly. Enterprise by quote.
6. **Regpack** (https://backpr.com/compare/regpack). Best for: Camps with complex forms and automatic installment billing. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Not on its pricing page. A summary Regpack publishes for AI tools (llms.txt) gives about $400/mo for its small-business package or $600/mo for Mid-Market, billed yearly. Its help center lists $3,000 per year for each Account Owner or Super Admin license.

### If you move from Campminder to BackPR
Campminder's standard agreement renews yearly unless you give notice 90 days before the anniversary date, so check your dates first.

**Is there a free alternative to Campminder for nonprofit camps?**
Yes. BackPR is free for nonprofits, including camps: no subscription, no per-camper charge and no BackPR fees.

**How much does Campminder cost?**
Campminder doesn't publish prices. Its sales team quotes each camp, based partly on the number of campers.

**Can BackPR import our data from Campminder?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Campminder or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

### Regpack alternatives
Regpack offers registration with flexible forms and automatic payment plans. These are the alternatives we've checked, with each company's published prices and terms.

### What to know about Regpack
What Regpack does well: Regpack's conditional form logic is deep, its automatic installment billing is strong, and a project consultant builds your first setup.

- **Prices aren't on the pricing page:** Regpack's pricing page shows no prices. A summary it publishes for AI tools (llms.txt) gives about $400 a month for its small-business package and about $600 for Mid-Market, billed yearly, and its help center lists $3,000 per year for each Account Owner or Super Admin license.
- **Annual terms:** Terms are annual and renew automatically. Regpack's cancellation policy requires 90 days' notice, or an early-cancellation payment to leave sooner, and payments aren't refunded.
- **Purchase Protection offered to families:** Purchase Protection is offered to families at checkout by default, for a fee they pay (around 3–5% of the activity cost, per a Regpack blog post).
- **Data when you cancel:** Data is deleted when the account is canceled, so it must be exported first.

From Regpack's public pricing pages and terms, checked October 10 and 11, 2026. Full comparison: https://backpr.com/compare/regpack.

### Regpack alternatives, with published prices
BackPR wrote this list, and we put ourselves first. Every other entry quotes that company's own published prices and terms, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Prices change, so confirm them with each company.

1. **BackPR**. Best for: Nonprofit programs that want free registration and payment plans with no contract, in English and Spanish. Cost for nonprofits: $0. No subscription and no BackPR fees. Pricing: Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote.
2. **Jumbula** (https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula). Best for: Small youth programs that want low entry pricing and child check-in. Cost for nonprofits: 20% nonprofit discount off the list prices of its paid plans (Pay As You Go $15/mo, Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo). Pricing: Pay As You Go $15/mo (10 enrollments included, more bought in packs), Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo, or $144, $1,440 and $2,736 billed yearly. Enterprise by quote.
3. **Sawyer** (https://backpr.com/compare/sawyer). Best for: Kids' activity businesses that want a polished parent booking flow. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Launch $71–79/mo in the first year, then $129–149/mo. Grow $189–219/mo. Scale $379–399/mo.
4. **Amilia SmartRec** (https://backpr.com/compare/amilia). Best for: YMCAs, JCCs and parks departments that need memberships and facility bookings. Cost for nonprofits: Preferred nonprofit rates, not published. Pricing: Standard $99/mo or Advanced $499/mo, plus a 1% service fee on each new invoice item.
5. **Enrollsy** (https://backpr.com/compare/enrollsy). Best for: Programs that want published per-location prices and payment plans with autopay. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit discount on plan prices; nonprofits get one additional admin user free. Pricing: Starter $159, Professional $289, Enterprise $599 per month per location billed monthly, or $129, $239, $479 billed yearly, plus an implementation fee.
6. **UltraCamp** (https://backpr.com/compare/ultracamp). Best for: Camps that want published pricing and phone support. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Basic $275/month (500 people a year, then $6 each); Advanced $475/month (1,250, then $4); Enterprise $975/month (3,500, then $2).
7. **CourseStorm** (https://backpr.com/compare/coursestorm). Best for: Organizations that mainly need a simple class catalog with online registration. Cost for nonprofits: No published nonprofit pricing. Pricing: Starter $99, Core $169, Pro $269, All Access $399 per month billed yearly; $119, $219, $329, $499 billed monthly (starting prices).

### If you move from Regpack to BackPR
Regpack's annual terms need 90 days' notice, and data is deleted on cancellation, so export first and plan around your renewal date.

**Is there a cheaper alternative to Regpack for nonprofits?**
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription, no per-admin charges and no BackPR fees. Card payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates.

**Does Regpack publish its prices?**
Not on its pricing page. Its help center lists $3,000 per year for each Account Owner or Super Admin license.

**Can BackPR import our data from Regpack?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Regpack or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

### Jumbula pricing, explained
Jumbula publishes three plans, billed monthly or yearly, plus a custom Enterprise plan. The entry plan, Pay As You Go, is $15 a month and charges for enrollments in prepaid packs; Rise and Ascend include unlimited enrollments. Texts, marketing emails, the website widget, reminders and other extras are priced as add-ons, and card processing is charged by the payment processor you connect.

From Jumbula's own pricing page, terms and help center, checked October 11, 2026. BackPR makes competing software, so we only quote what Jumbula publishes. Prices change, so confirm them with Jumbula.

### Plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Pay As You Go | $15/month billed monthly, or $144/year billed annually ($12/month). First month free. | Admin dashboard, family portal, child safety tools, 10 enrollments, unlimited staff and families, onboarding and support. More enrollments are bought in packs. |
| Rise | $150/month billed monthly, or $1,440/year billed annually ($120/month). | Unlimited enrollments, 2,500 marketing emails a month, 1 mobile app seat, collaborative onboarding and launch. |
| Ascend | $285/month billed monthly, or $2,736/year billed annually ($228/month). | Unlimited enrollments, 5,000 marketing emails and 500 texts a month, 5 mobile app seats, website widget, activity reminders, open APIs, enterprise dashboard, priority support, dedicated account manager, data and family migration. |
| Enterprise | Custom (contact sales). | For large organizations and franchises: custom features, dedicated account manager and migration, enterprise dashboard. |

### Fees that grow with use
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Enrollment packs (Pay As You Go only; one enrollment is one student in one program) | 10 for $20, 25 for $45, 50 for $80, 100 for $140, 500 for $550 ($2.00 to $1.10 each). Credits are used at checkout and aren't refunded if a student drops. |
| Marketing emails | 2,500 for $10, 10,000 for $25, 50,000 for $100, 100,000 for $150. Transactional emails such as confirmations and refund notices are free. |
| Texts (SMS) | 500 for $15, 2,500 for $50, 5,000 for $85, 10,000 for $150. |

### Card and bank processing
Charged by the processor you connect: Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Worldline or Jumbula Pay. Jumbula's pricing FAQ gives Stripe's standard rate of 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction as an example and says nonprofits may qualify for a reduced processing fee. Jumbula Pay rates: not published.

### Add-ons
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Mobile app seats (JB Business App) | 5 for $30/month, 10 for $50, 25 for $100, 50 for $150. On Ascend: 10 for $20, 25 for $70, 50 for $120. |
| Jumbula WebConnect (website widget) | $15/month (included on Ascend) |
| Live Activity Reminder | $20/month (included on Ascend) |
| Inventory Management | $50/month |
| Photo sharing | SmugMug $45/month; OneDrive or Google Drive $35/month |
| Existing data and family migration | Add-on on Pay As You Go and Rise (price not published); included on Ascend |

### Setup, contract and nonprofit terms
- **Setup and onboarding:** No setup fee is listed. Jumbula's home page says it assigns a free onboarding specialist and migrates existing data through its standard templates, and may charge for custom migrations of complex data (amount not published). Its pricing page lists data and family migration as an add-on below Ascend.
- **Contract and cancellation:** Month-to-month. The pricing page says plans can be paused or canceled anytime. Jumbula's terms of service require a cancellation request at least 30 days before the date you want to end, by email, chat or the dashboard. Add-ons keep billing on a paused account unless you cancel them. Refund terms: not published.
- **Nonprofit offer:** 20% discount for nonprofits. Jumbula's FAQ says discounts don't stack, except that nonprofits paying annually get 25% off. Its page banner says annual billing saves 20%. Programs that don't charge families can ask for custom pricing.
- **Fees families pay:** Jumbula's pricing page lists a convenience fee and a surcharge as options the organization can turn on. It doesn't list any Jumbula fee charged to families.

### What Jumbula doesn't publish
- Whether the 10 enrollments on Pay As You Go are per month or one time
- Jumbula Pay processing rates
- Price of data migration on Pay As You Go and Rise, and of custom or complex migrations
- Whether the nonprofit discount applies to enrollment packs and add-ons
- Enterprise pricing
- Refund terms for subscriptions

### What a year could cost
A camp with 300 enrollments a year and 2 admins, on Pay As You Go billed annually, with no add-ons. Jumbula includes unlimited staff, so the 2 admins add no cost.

- Pay As You Go, billed annually: $144
- Enrollment packs: 3 × 100-pack: $420

**$564 a year at published annual prices, plus card processing**

Illustration using only the published prices above; your quote may differ. Jumbula says nonprofits paying annually get 25% off in total, but doesn't say whether that applies to enrollment packs. For comparison, Rise is $1,440 a year billed annually with unlimited enrollments. Card processing is set by your processor and isn't included.

### What BackPR costs
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates (https://stripe.com/pricing), and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Other organizations get pricing by quote. No long-term contract: cancel anytime, with no exit fees. Onboarding, data import and data export are free.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Jumbula pricing (https://jumbula.com/pricing/); Jumbula terms of service (https://jumbula.com/terms-of-service/); Jumbula home page (onboarding and data migration) (https://jumbula.com/); Jumbula nonprofit page (https://jumbula.com/markets/software-for-nonprofit-organizations/)

**Does Jumbula have a free plan?**
No free plan is listed. The lowest plan, Pay As You Go, is $15 a month or $144 a year billed annually, and the first month is free.

**Does Jumbula charge per registration?**
On Pay As You Go, yes: 10 enrollments are included and more are bought in packs at $1.10 to $2.00 each, with no refund if a student drops. Rise ($150 a month) and Ascend ($285 a month) include unlimited enrollments.

**Can we cancel Jumbula anytime?**
Plans are month-to-month, but Jumbula's terms require a cancellation request at least 30 days before the date you want to end. Add-ons keep billing on a paused account unless you cancel them.

### Regpack pricing, explained
Regpack sells annual packages (SMB, Mid-Market and Mid-Market Plus) and à la carte admin licenses, and it processes the payments families make. Its pricing page shows no prices and asks you to request a report; a summary Regpack publishes for AI tools (its llms.txt file) gives approximate package prices, and its help center lists prices per admin license. Regpack's service agreement says pricing is based on the number of admin licenses, and there is no charge per registration.

From Regpack's own pricing page, terms and help center, checked October 11, 2026. BackPR makes competing software, so we only quote what Regpack publishes. Prices change, so confirm them with Regpack.

### Plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| SMB – 1 year | About $400/month, billed yearly (from Regpack's summary for AI tools). No price on the pricing page. | Project consultant and support team, premium features (styling, scheduled emails, packaged products), Google SSO, custom fields and triggers, payment dashboard and installment plans, Calendly integration, 10 scheduled emails. API access costs extra. |
| Mid-Market – 1 year | About $600/month, billed yearly (from Regpack's summary for AI tools). | Everything in SMB, plus Program Insights Dashboard, attendance tracking, Salesforce, HubSpot and QuickBooks integrations, organization-level reporting, advanced onboarding training and a Standard API license (10,000 calls a day). |
| Mid-Market Plus | Custom quote. | Everything in Mid-Market, plus priority support, multiple integrations, AI organization-level reporting, data migration support, 12 project consultations in the first year and an Advanced API license (25,000 calls a day). |
| À la carte licenses | Priced per admin license (see add-ons). 1- or 2-year terms. | Basic registration forms and workflows, payment collection and basic reports. No API, advanced modules or custom reporting. Setup fee is extra, and à la carte licenses can't be paid in installments. |

### Fees that grow with use
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Per registration or applicant | None. Regpack's help center says there is no cost per applicant, email or report. |
| Chargebacks | $15 each; not refunded even if you win the dispute |
| ACH (eCheck) reversals | $4 each |

### Card and bank processing
Through merchant accounts Regpack sets up for you. Rates start "as low as 1.5%," are volume-tiered, are set during onboarding from your estimated volume and card mix, and are re-evaluated quarterly; the per-transaction fixed fee isn't published. American Express, Discover and Diners Club cards cost an extra 1.6% + $0.50. Fees are deducted before payout and aren't returned on refunds. Payout by wire transfer costs extra (amount not published).

### Add-ons
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Account Owner or Super Admin license | $3,000 for 1 year, or $4,000 for 2 years (2-year terms only à la carte) |
| Financial Admin license | $1,000 a year (packs only) |
| API Admin license | $2,000/year (10,000 calls a day), $4,000 (25,000), $6,000 (50,000), $8,000 (100,000) |
| Project consultation beyond the first 2 months, or for additional projects | Not published |

### Setup, contract and nonprofit terms
- **Setup and onboarding:** Included in the SMB, Mid-Market and Mid-Market Plus packages. À la carte licenses carry a separate, non-refundable setup fee (amount not published). Your first project build includes 2 months of project consultation (up to 15 forms); extending it costs extra (not published). Data migration support is part of Mid-Market Plus.
- **Contract and cancellation:** Annual. Packages are billed every 365 days (SMB, Mid-Market and Mid-Market Plus can be paid in installments) and renew automatically unless either side gives 30 days' written notice. Regpack's cancellation policy requires at least 90 days' notice; to cancel sooner, you pay 50% of all Super Admin licenses (minimum $2,000) or 90 days of Super Admin license fees. All payments, including setup fees, are non-refundable. Regpack can adjust license fees once per calendar year with 30 days' notice. Downgrades take effect at renewal (or with 60 days' notice before the next billing cycle). Canceling permanently deletes all account data right away, so export first. You can suspend the account once every 12 months for up to 60 days, with billing paused.
- **Nonprofit offer:** Not published.
- **Fees families pay:** Regpack Purchase Protection is turned on by default in every project and offered to registrants at checkout for a fee they pay. The help center doesn't give a price; a Regpack blog post puts it at around 3–5% of the activity cost. It reimburses up to $2,500 per claim for illness, injury or death. Organizations can set it to opt-in, and can turn it off fully only if they show a qualifying refund policy at checkout. Regpack's help center also suggests charging registrants a service fee to cover processing costs.

### What Regpack doesn't publish
- Exact package prices (Regpack's summary for AI tools gives approximate figures; the pricing page gives none)
- How many admin licenses each package includes
- Card processing rates beyond "as low as 1.5%," and the per-transaction fixed fee
- The exact Purchase Protection price families pay
- The à la carte setup fee
- Nonprofit discount
- Free trial

### What a year could cost
An organization on the SMB package for one year.

- SMB package (about $400/month, billed annually): About $4,800
- Card processing: From 1.5% of card volume; exact rate set at onboarding

**About $4,800 for the year, plus card processing**

Illustration using only the published prices above; your quote may differ. Regpack describes its package prices as approximate and doesn't publish how many admin licenses each package includes.

### What BackPR costs
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates (https://stripe.com/pricing), and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Other organizations get pricing by quote. No long-term contract: cancel anytime, with no exit fees. Onboarding, data import and data export are free.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Regpack pricing (https://www.regpacks.com/pricing); Regpack summary for AI tools (llms.txt) (https://www.regpacks.com/llms.txt); Regpack service agreement (https://www.regpacks.com/terms-of-service); Regpack help: admin license types (https://help.regpack.com/admin-license-types-and-access-levels); Regpack help: payment terms and licensing policy (https://help.regpack.com/understanding-regpack-payment-terms-and-licensing-policy); Regpack help: payment FAQ (https://help.regpack.com/payment-faq); Regpack help: how payment processing works (https://help.regpack.com/how-payment-processing-works-in-regpack); Regpack help: chargebacks (https://help.regpack.com/what-is-a-chargeback); Regpack help: Purchase Protection overview (https://help.regpack.com/purchase-protection-overview); Regpack help: Purchase Protection terms (https://help.regpack.com/purchase-protection-terms-and-conditions); Regpack blog: registration protection (https://www.regpacks.com/blog/event-registration-protection)

**Does Regpack publish its prices?**
Not on its pricing page. A summary Regpack publishes for AI tools (llms.txt) says the SMB (small-business) package is about $400 a month and Mid-Market about $600 a month, billed annually. Its help center lists Account Owner and Super Admin licenses at $3,000 a year.

**Does Regpack charge per registration?**
No. Its help center says there is no cost per applicant, email or report. Regpack charges for admin licenses and for payment processing, which starts at 1.5% and is set during onboarding.

**Can we cancel Regpack anytime?**
Cancellation needs notice. Packages renew automatically each year. The service agreement says 30 days' notice, but Regpack's cancellation policy requires 90 days, or a payment of 50% of Super Admin licenses (at least $2,000) to leave sooner. Payments are non-refundable, and canceling deletes all account data immediately.

### Sawyer pricing, explained
Sawyer charges a monthly or annual subscription in three published plans (Launch, Grow and Scale), plus custom Enterprise pricing. On top of the subscription, Sawyer takes a commission on bookings made through its marketplace (15–30% depending on plan), and families pay a Sawyer booking fee of $1.99–$3.99 on most orders over $30. Card payments run through Stripe, and fees are deducted before payout.

From Sawyer's own pricing page, terms and help center, checked October 11, 2026. BackPR makes competing software, so we only quote what Sawyer publishes. Prices change, so confirm them with Sawyer.

### Plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | $149/month billed monthly, or $1,548/year billed annually. New clients pay $79/month or $852/year ($71/month) for the first year. | Camps, events, single-day semesters, online classes, drop-ins, class packs, gift cards, sibling and coupon discounts, standard forms, rosters, attendance and check-in/out, email messaging, card and ACH payments, weekly or monthly payouts. Marketplace listing required (30% commission). |
| Grow | $219/month billed monthly, or $2,268/year billed annually ($189/month). | Adds waitlists, payment plans and monthly billing, memberships, e-signed waivers, custom forms and add-ons, free trials, party packages, all user roles and daily payouts. Marketplace optional (20% commission). |
| Scale | $399/month billed monthly, or $4,548/year billed annually ($379/month). | Adds store credit, custom payment methods (cash, check), custom reports, Zapier, Google and Facebook tracking, a dedicated account manager and registration launch support. Marketplace optional (15% commission). |
| Enterprise | Contact sales. | For enterprise businesses and franchises; customized plan and support. |

### Fees that grow with use
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marketplace commission (orders completed on hisawyer.com) | 30% on Launch (listing required), 20% on Grow and 15% on Scale (optional). It also applies to later payments on that order, such as payment plans. Orders through your own widget or links don't pay it. |
| Sawyer booking fee (paid by families, per order) | Orders through your website widget: $1.99 (over $30 up to $100) or $3.99 (over $100). Marketplace orders: $2.99 or $3.99. No fee on orders of $30 or less, recurring billing, memberships, packs, gift cards, parties, ACH orders, or orders you enter yourself. |

### Card and bank processing
Stripe, through Sawyer. Card fees are charged per transaction and deducted before payout; Sawyer's pages call them standard processing fees but don't publish the rate. ACH: 0.8% per payment, capped at $5, plus $1.50 each time a new bank account is authorized. Optional Instant Payouts cost 1% of the payout (minimum $0.50).

### Add-ons
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Marketing Suite | $79/month per Sawyer account |
| Custom Branded App | $129/month plus a one-time, non-refundable $199 setup fee |
| Website Builder | $15/month |
| Text messaging (beta, through Twilio) | No Sawyer fee during the beta. Twilio, the texting company, bills you directly: about $19 in one-time registration fees, about $2.65 a month, and about $0.008 per text. |
| Account pause | $25/month, for up to 1 year |

### Setup, contract and nonprofit terms
- **Setup and onboarding:** No setup fee is listed for the subscription. Personalized onboarding and support are included on all plans. The Custom Branded App has a $199 setup fee.
- **Contract and cancellation:** Month-to-month or annual, and both renew automatically. Sawyer requires at least 30 calendar days' notice before your next billing date to cancel; with less notice, you're charged one more payment. No prorated refunds. After termination, your data is available for export for 30 days, and after 60 days Sawyer has no obligation to keep it. If you cancel and return later, you start a new account at current prices. State sales tax applies to subscriptions where required.
- **Nonprofit offer:** Not published.
- **Fees families pay:** Sawyer charges families a booking fee of $1.99–$3.99 on most orders over $30. It's charged separately and is non-refundable. Sawyer's help center says providers can't waive or discount it; the pricing page says businesses can ask to absorb it. Organizations can also add their own booking fee, as a percentage or a fixed amount per order.

### What Sawyer doesn't publish
- Card processing rate
- Nonprofit pricing
- Enterprise pricing
- Terms of the "special offer" mentioned on the pricing page
- Details of percentage-based pricing, which the help center mentions as an alternative to a subscription
- A free trial (none is listed)

### What a year could cost
A nonprofit camp on the Grow plan billed annually, with 2 admins and 300 registrations a year, each a separate card order over $100 placed through Sawyer's widget on the camp's own website (no marketplace bookings). Sawyer doesn't charge per admin.

- Grow plan, billed annually (paid by the camp): $2,268
- Sawyer booking fees (paid by families): 300 × $3.99: $1,197
- Card processing: Rate not published

**$2,268 a year paid by the camp, plus $1,197 in booking fees paid by families, plus card processing**

Illustration using only the published prices above; your quote may differ. Sales tax may apply to the subscription. Any marketplace bookings would add a 20% commission on those orders.

### What BackPR costs
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates (https://stripe.com/pricing), and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Other organizations get pricing by quote. No long-term contract: cancel anytime, with no exit fees. Onboarding, data import and data export are free.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Sawyer pricing (https://www.hisawyer.com/for-business/pricing); Sawyer help: tiered pricing and subscription plans (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/11105564-overview-of-tiered-pricing-and-subscription-plans); Sawyer help: subscription plans and features (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/11105563-sawyer-subscription-plans-features); Sawyer help: understanding Sawyer fees (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/11105561-understanding-sawyer-fees); Sawyer help: cancelation policy (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/11105895-sawyer-s-cancelation-policy); Sawyer help: Instant Payouts (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/16762513-instant-payouts); Sawyer help: Marketing Suite (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/17338135-introduction-to-sawyer-marketing-suite); Sawyer help: Custom Branded App (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/15503594-custom-branded-app-cba); Sawyer help: SMS powered by Twilio (https://help.hisawyer.com/en/articles/13344163-sawyer-sms-powered-by-twilio)

**Does Sawyer have a free plan?**
No free plan is listed. The lowest plan, Launch, costs new clients $79 a month or $852 a year for the first year, then $149 a month or $1,548 a year.

**Does Sawyer charge per registration?**
Not per registration. Families pay a Sawyer booking fee of $1.99–$3.99 on most orders over $30, and Sawyer takes 15–30% of orders booked through its marketplace, depending on plan.

**Can we cancel Sawyer anytime?**
You can ask anytime, but Sawyer needs at least 30 days' notice before your next billing date, and there are no prorated refunds. Monthly and annual plans renew automatically.

### Amilia SmartRec pricing, explained
Amilia charges a monthly subscription for SmartRec (Standard $99/month, Advanced $499/month, or a custom plan), plus a 1% service fee on each new invoice item. Amilia also processes card payments. Implementation is a separate one-time fee. Amilia's contract sets a 24-month initial term by default.

From Amilia SmartRec's own pricing page, terms and help center, checked October 11, 2026. BackPR makes competing software, so we only quote what Amilia SmartRec publishes. Prices change, so confirm them with Amilia SmartRec.

### Plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $99/month | All SmartRec core features, 1 online store, up to 10 facilities, up to 5,000 active accounts (accounts invoiced in the last two years), email and chat support. Premium add-ons cost extra. |
| Advanced | $499/month | All core features, 2 premium add-ons of your choice, up to 3 online stores, up to 20 facilities, up to 10,000 active accounts, 50+ pre-built reports, live phone and chat support. |
| Custom | Contact sales. Fixed or growth-based pricing. | For YMCAs, JCCs and parks and recreation departments: unlimited stores, facilities and active accounts, advanced analytics, priority support and a strategic account manager. |

### Fees that grow with use
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Service fee | 1% of every new invoice item on Standard and Advanced (custom rates on Custom). Capped at $10 per rental contract, booking with an invoice, or donation. Not reduced by manual rebates or credits, and not refunded for canceled registrations. |

### Card and bank processing
Processed by Amilia (Amilia Payments, or Paysafe for some accounts). Card fees: 2.85% + $0.30 on Standard, 2.75% + $0.30 on Advanced, custom on Custom. eCheck: 1% + $0.50. Processing fees aren't reimbursed when a payment is refunded, and each refund carries its own per-transaction fee (for example $0.30 for cards and $0.50 for eChecks). Chargeback and ACH return fees are charged to the organization (amounts not published).

### Add-ons
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Premium add-ons: SmartRec Analytics, Community Segments, SmartText (texting, powered by Pidj), Unlimited API access | Priced on demand on Standard (not published); 2 included on Advanced |
| Training, third-party apps and integrated payment terminals | Billed on the monthly Amilia invoice (prices not published) |

### Setup, contract and nonprofit terms
- **Setup and onboarding:** Implementation and onboarding starting at $899 (Standard) or $2,999 (Advanced); custom on Custom. Packages include at least 1 hour of one-on-one training. Data migration is priced by data volume through Amilia's Professional Services (not published). Change-management support, such as project management, migration help and training seminars, costs extra.
- **Contract and cancellation:** Amilia's Master Service Agreement (updated January 5, 2026) sets a 24-month initial term unless your service schedule says otherwise, then automatic 1-year renewals that can be canceled with 90 days' notice. Ending a subscription period early costs 100% of the remaining fees, using estimated service fees where they vary. Amilia can raise fees before each renewal with 90 days' notice. Invoices are monthly and due in 30 days; late payments can accrue 1.25% a month. Fees aren't refunded on termination. Amilia deletes the account 60 days after termination; to retrieve your data in that window, you pay all amounts owed plus a separate data retrieval charge.
- **Nonprofit offer:** Amilia's pricing page says it offers preferred rates for nonprofits. The rates aren't published.
- **Fees families pay:** Amilia's published fees are billed to the organization. The organization can add its own service fee to invoices (a dollar amount, a percentage or both) with Amilia's free Service Fee app, and can add card surcharges where the law allows.

### What Amilia SmartRec doesn't publish
- Nonprofit rates
- Prices of premium add-ons on Standard
- Data migration pricing
- Chargeback and ACH return fees
- Custom plan pricing
- The currency of the listed prices (the page shows $ with no currency label)

### What a year could cost
A nonprofit camp on the Standard plan with 2 admins and 300 registrations a year at $250 each, each paid in one card payment. First year of the contract.

- Standard plan: $99 × 12 months: $1,188
- Service fee: 1% of $75,000 invoiced: $750
- Card fees: 300 × (2.85% of $250 + $0.30): $2,227.50
- Implementation and onboarding (one time, starting price): $899

**$2,837 in the first year, plus $2,227.50 in card fees**

Illustration using only the published prices above; your quote may differ. Amilia's nonprofit rates aren't published. The default contract term is 24 months.

### What BackPR costs
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates (https://stripe.com/pricing), and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Other organizations get pricing by quote. No long-term contract: cancel anytime, with no exit fees. Onboarding, data import and data export are free.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Amilia pricing (https://www.amilia.com/pricing); Amilia master service agreement (https://www.amilia.com/legal/master-service-agreement); Amilia help: how Amilia bills your organization (https://help.amilia.com/en/articles/3433665-how-amilia-bills-your-organization); Amilia help: Service Fee app (https://help.amilia.com/en/articles/4537067-service-fee); Amilia help: Freemium FAQ (https://help.amilia.com/en/articles/3433646-freemium-faq); Amilia free trial (https://www.amilia.com/get-started)

**Does Amilia have a free plan?**
No. Plans start at $99 a month (Standard). Amilia offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card. Free "Freemium" accounts are only for clubs in a federation, and they can't take online registrations or payments.

**Does Amilia charge per registration?**
Amilia charges a 1% service fee on every new invoice item, capped at $10 for rental contracts, bookings with an invoice and donations. Card fees are added on top: 2.85% + $0.30 on Standard or 2.75% + $0.30 on Advanced.

**Can we cancel Amilia anytime?**
Amilia's agreement sets a 24-month initial term by default, then 1-year automatic renewals that need 90 days' notice to cancel. Ending a term early costs 100% of the remaining fees.

### Campminder pricing, explained
Campminder sells three suites (Classic, Deluxe and Professional) and doesn't publish prices. Its pricing page says an Account Executive sets each camp's price, based on factors including the number of campers enrolled. Contracts are annual under Campminder's Master License Agreement.

From Campminder's own pricing page, terms and help center, checked October 11, 2026. BackPR makes competing software, so we only quote what Campminder publishes. Prices change, so confirm them with Campminder.

### Plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Not published. | For camps under 100 campers or first-time buyers: online registration and payments, parent and staff forms, email, health care records, cabin and group assignments, transportation, reporting, online photo albums, camp staffing. No Campanion app. |
| Deluxe | Not published. | All Classic features plus mobile forms with camera scanning, push notifications, in-app photo streams (Campanion app), scheduled emails, drag-and-drop email editor, shared draft emails, 10,000 texts included. |
| Professional | Not published. | Everything in Deluxe plus free unlimited photo downloads and facial recognition for families, free letters and eLetters, staff access to Campanion, advanced staff management, reporting and analytics, alumni management, 20,000 texts included, a dedicated success team and custom integrations. |

### Fees that grow with use
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Per-camper pricing | Suites are tiered by the number of enrolled campers, using what Campminder calls a per-camper framework. Rates not published. |

### Card and bank processing
Through Campminder (or an affiliate) or a merchant processing partner Campminder designates, under a separate agreement. Rates aren't published, and processor fees can change with 30 days' notice. Using a different processor needs Campminder's written consent and carries a Non-Designated Processor Fee, a percentage of every dollar processed (rate not published).

### Add-ons
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Photo Season Pass (bought by families at Deluxe camps that turn it on) | $10, $20, $35 or $50 per household for the season, based on household camper-days. Included for families at Professional camps. |
| Background checks | Priced per check at checkout in the software; not published on the site |
| Texts beyond the 10,000 (Deluxe) or 20,000 (Professional) included | Not published |

### Setup, contract and nonprofit terms
- **Setup and onboarding:** Not published. Campminder's site says onboarding covers website integration, historic data import and merchant account setup in under 3 weeks, followed by about 10 recommended training sessions over 5 weeks.
- **Contract and cancellation:** Campminder's Master License Agreement (version 3.8, effective August 7, 2026) sets a 1-year initial term that renews automatically each year unless either party gives written notice at least 90 days before the anniversary date. It can't be ended early except for breach; on termination there are no refunds, and fees through the end of the term are due. In the first 90 days of your original agreement, you can terminate and get a full refund of license fees. License fees can rise each year with 30 days' notice. Invoices are due in 30 days, with late fees of 1.5% a month after that.
- **Nonprofit offer:** Not published.
- **Fees families pay:** Campminder's agreement lets camps add a credit card surcharge where card network rules and law allow. At Deluxe camps that turn it on, families can buy a Photo Season Pass ($10–$50 per household per season) for automatic photo delivery; Professional camps include it at no charge to families.

### What Campminder doesn't publish
- Prices for any suite
- Per-camper rates
- Setup or onboarding fees
- Payment processing rates
- The Non-Designated Processor Fee rate
- Price of extra text messages
- Nonprofit discount

### What BackPR costs
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates (https://stripe.com/pricing), and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Other organizations get pricing by quote. No long-term contract: cancel anytime, with no exit fees. Onboarding, data import and data export are free.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Campminder suites and pricing (https://campminder.com/suites/); Campminder home page FAQ (https://campminder.com/); Campminder Legal Center: Master License Agreement v3.8 (https://campminder.pactsafe.io/); Campminder help: Campanion subscriptions and Photo Season Pass (https://help.campminder.com/en/articles/9346030-campanion-subscriptions-control-which-parents-have-app-access)

**How much does Campminder cost?**
Campminder doesn't publish prices. Its pricing page says an Account Executive sets each camp's price, based on factors including the number of campers enrolled.

**Does Campminder charge parents anything?**
At Deluxe camps that turn it on, parents can buy a Photo Season Pass for $10–$50 per household per season. Professional camps include it. Camps can also add a card surcharge where allowed.

**Can we cancel Campminder anytime?**
No. The standard agreement runs 1 year and renews automatically unless you give written notice at least 90 days before the anniversary date. There is a full-refund window in the first 90 days of your original agreement.

### Arlo pricing, explained
Arlo charges per administrator license per month, plus a fee for every registration, and requires a one-time implementation package. The price per license drops as you add licenses (up to 20), and paying annually saves up to 10%. Arlo is built for adult and professional training providers. Prices below are in US dollars and come from Arlo's price calculator; the page's text shows slightly lower annual prices ($118, $204 and $271).

From Arlo's own pricing page, terms and help center, checked October 11, 2026. BackPR makes competing software, so we only quote what Arlo publishes. Prices change, so confirm them with Arlo.

### Plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Per admin license: $132/month billed monthly, or $121/month billed annually, for 1 license. At 20 licenses: $87 monthly or $80 annually. | Course scheduling, email automation, Arlo website and checkout, basic CRM and reporting, dashboards, chatbot and email support. |
| Professional | Per admin license: $227/month billed monthly, or $207/month billed annually, for 1 license. At 20 licenses: $151 monthly or $137 annually. | Everything in Simple plus website integration, multi-session courses, customer and organization portals, instructor mobile app, flexible payment options, waitlists and Zapier. |
| Enterprise | Per admin license: $302/month billed monthly, or $278/month billed annually, for 1 license. At 20 licenses: $199 monthly or $184 annually. | Everything in Professional plus multiple regions and tax rates, automated certificates, custom registration rules, advanced reporting, unlimited read-only users, SSO, a dedicated account manager and live chat. |
| Scale | Contact sales for pricing. | Volume pricing, custom SLAs, priority support and quarterly check-ins. |

### Fees that grow with use
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Paid registration (one with an order or invoice) | $2.39 on monthly billing; $2.15 on annual billing. Same on every plan. |
| Free registration (no order; includes private courses) | $1.19 on monthly billing; $1.07 on annual billing. |
| Registration rules | Registrations canceled within 30 days are credited. On annual plans you estimate registrations up front, and any above the estimate are billed at the pay-as-you-go rate. |

### Card and bank processing
Through your own payment gateway account: Stripe (Arlo's preferred gateway), PayPal, Windcave or Authorize.net. Rates are set by the gateway. Arlo's own usage charge is the per-registration fee above.

### Add-ons
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Elearning authoring | $99/month, plus $50 per additional author |
| SCORM hosting | $99/month, plus a per-enrollment fee ($0.50 in the page text; $0.30 in the USD calculator) |
| Authoring and SCORM bundle | $149/month |
| Salesforce integration | $150/month |
| Extra training | $144/hour |
| Data migration | $126/hour |
| Custom domain setup | $288 |
| Certificate customization | $90 per certificate |
| Website services by Arlo's team | Styling the free Arlo website $430; integrating Arlo into your website from $1,945 (Basic), $3,455 (Standard) or $5,615 (Advanced); web support $144/hour or packages of $900 or $1,330 |

### Setup, contract and nonprofit terms
- **Setup and onboarding:** An implementation package is required on all plans: Basic $695 (4 hours of onboarding), Standard $1,395 (8 hours) or Premium $3,995 (20 hours, including data migration and custom domain setup). Arlo's own admin work on your account counts against your onboarding hours; Arlo estimates it uses about 25% of them. Each task or contact counts as at least 10 minutes.
- **Contract and cancellation:** Monthly (pay-as-you-go) or annual; Arlo's pricing FAQ says no long-term contract is required. Monthly plans need 30 days' written notice to cancel. Annual plans are paid up front, are non-refundable and renew automatically unless you cancel 30 days before the end of the term; you can upgrade or add licenses mid-term but can't downgrade or remove licenses until renewal. Arlo's master subscription agreement (last updated January 31, 2022) defaults to month-to-month and allows Special Support Fees for support requests the help center already covers or that fall outside its scope. After termination, you can request a data export within 30 days.
- **Nonprofit offer:** Not published.
- **Fees families pay:** Arlo's license and registration fees are billed to the organization. Arlo doesn't publish a fee charged to registrants, and doesn't say whether organizations can add a card surcharge at checkout.

### What Arlo doesn't publish
- Nonprofit discount
- Scale plan pricing
- Whether organizations can pass card fees to registrants
- Prices for professional services not listed on its pricing pages

### What a year could cost
A program on the Professional plan billed annually, with 2 admin licenses, 300 paid registrations a year and the Basic implementation package.

- 2 admin licenses × $198/month × 12 (calculator price per license at 2 licenses): $4,752
- 300 paid registrations × $2.15: $645
- Basic implementation (one time, required): $695

**$6,092 in the first year, plus card processing by your payment gateway**

Illustration using only the published prices above; your quote may differ.

### What BackPR costs
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates (https://stripe.com/pricing), and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Other organizations get pricing by quote. No long-term contract: cancel anytime, with no exit fees. Onboarding, data import and data export are free.

Sources (checked October 11, 2026): Arlo pricing (https://www.arlo.co/pricing); Arlo implementation pricing (https://www.arlo.co/pricing/implementation); Arlo professional services pricing (https://www.arlo.co/pricing/professional-services); Arlo master subscription agreement (https://www.arlo.co/legal/master-subscription-agreement); Arlo help: accept credit card payments (https://support.arlo.co/hc/en-gb/articles/211907983-Accept-credit-card-payments)

**Does Arlo have a free plan?**
No. Arlo offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and trial data is deleted 6 days after the trial ends. One Simple license is $132 a month, or $121 a month billed annually.

**Does Arlo charge per registration?**
Yes, on every plan. Each paid registration costs $2.39 on monthly billing or $2.15 on annual billing, and each free registration costs $1.19 or $1.07.

**Can we cancel Arlo anytime?**
Monthly plans can be canceled with 30 days' written notice. Annual plans are non-refundable and renew automatically unless canceled 30 days before the end of the term.

## What registration software costs youth programs in 2026
We read the public pricing pages, terms and help centers of 20 other registration platforms on October 10 and 11, 2026. Here's what each one publishes about price and about nonprofits, side by side.

### What we found
- Twelve of the 20 publish plan prices on their pricing page. Six don't: they quote each customer or set the price in the contract. Regpack is one of these, though a file it publishes for AI tools gives approximate package prices.
- The other two work differently: brightwheel has a limited free plan and paid plans by quote, and Homeroom has no subscription but adds a service fee to what families pay.
- Pricing models vary: monthly plans, plans priced per location or by number of students, paid enrollment packs, a percentage of each invoice, a price based partly on camper count, a yearly fee per admin license, and fees per registration.
- Sixteen of the 20 mention no nonprofit offer. Jumbula publishes a 20% nonprofit discount on paid plans, Enrollsy gives nonprofits one extra admin user, Amilia mentions nonprofit rates without publishing them, and Homeroom is free for schools and PTOs.
- BackPR is free for nonprofits, with no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's standard card processing fees still apply, and you can absorb them or pass them on.

### Published pricing, side by side
| Platform | Type | Cost for nonprofits | Published pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| BackPR | Registration platform | $0 to BackPR. Stripe's card processing fees apply. | Other organizations: custom quote. |
| [Jumbula](https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula) | Registration platform | 20% nonprofit discount off the list prices of its paid plans (Pay As You Go $15/mo, Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo). | Pay As You Go $15/mo (10 enrollments included, more bought in packs), Rise $150/mo, Ascend $285/mo, or $144, $1,440 and $2,736 billed yearly. Enterprise by quote. |
| [Sawyer](https://backpr.com/compare/sawyer) | Registration platform | No published nonprofit pricing. | Launch $71–79/mo in the first year, then $129–149/mo. Grow $189–219/mo. Scale $379–399/mo. |
| [Regpack](https://backpr.com/compare/regpack) | Registration platform | No published nonprofit pricing. | Not on its pricing page. A summary Regpack publishes for AI tools (llms.txt) gives about $400/mo for its small-business package or $600/mo for Mid-Market, billed yearly. Its help center lists $3,000 per year for each Account Owner or Super Admin license. |
| [Amilia SmartRec](https://backpr.com/compare/amilia) | Registration platform | Preferred nonprofit rates, not published. | Standard $99/mo or Advanced $499/mo, plus a 1% service fee on each new invoice item. |
| [Campminder](https://backpr.com/compare/campminder) | Camp software | Not published. | Not published. Its sales team sets each camp's price, based partly on the number of campers. |
| [Arlo](https://backpr.com/compare/arlo) | Course and training software | No published nonprofit discount. | $80–$302 per admin license per month, depending on plan, billing and number of licenses, plus $1.07–$2.39 per registration. |
| [Activity Messenger](https://backpr.com/compare/activity-messenger) | Registration platform | No published nonprofit pricing. | Light $99/month, Standard $149/month, Pro $229/month, Enterprise custom. Billed in Canadian dollars, or US dollars for US organizations. |
| [brightwheel](https://backpr.com/compare/brightwheel) | Childcare and after-school software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Premium is quote-based. A free plan covers 1 staff member and fewer than 20 students, with limited features. |
| [CampBrain](https://backpr.com/compare/campbrain) | Camp software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Not published; set in each customer's agreement. |
| [Classter](https://backpr.com/compare/classter) | School management software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Not published; quoted per student and by the modules chosen. Its pricing page shows example per-student module prices in euros. |
| [CourseStorm](https://backpr.com/compare/coursestorm) | Course and training software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Starter $99, Core $169, Pro $269, All Access $399 per month billed yearly; $119, $219, $329, $499 billed monthly (starting prices). |
| [DreamClass](https://backpr.com/compare/dreamclass) | School management software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Standard (100 students) $99, Plus (300) $189, Enterprise (500) $259 per month billed annually; $149, $279, $379 billed monthly. |
| [Enrollsy](https://backpr.com/compare/enrollsy) | Registration platform | No published nonprofit discount on plan prices; nonprofits get one additional admin user free. | Starter $159, Professional $289, Enterprise $599 per month per location billed monthly, or $129, $239, $479 billed yearly, plus an implementation fee. |
| [FunJoin](https://backpr.com/compare/funjoin) | Camp software | No published nonprofit pricing. FunJoin mentions a free tier that organizations apply for; its terms aren't published. | Not published; quote-based. Its pricing page is password-protected. |
| [Homeroom](https://backpr.com/compare/homeroom) | School management software | Free for schools and PTOs. Private schools, districts and nonprofits are asked to contact Homeroom for pricing. | No subscription for schools or PTOs. Homeroom earns a service fee added to each class price that families pay. |
| [iClassPro](https://backpr.com/compare/iclasspro) | Class and studio software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Per location, per month: Signature $139, Elite $199, Premium $299, with unlimited families and students. Enterprise by quote. |
| [Jackrabbit Class](https://backpr.com/compare/jackrabbit-class) | Class and studio software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Per month by total student count: $49 (up to 100), $89 (250), $129 (500), $169 (1,000), $209 (3,000), $245 (3,001+). Branded-app bundle $93 to $331. |
| [Lillio](https://backpr.com/compare/himama) | Childcare and after-school software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Not published. The pricing page lists bundles without prices and routes to a demo request. |
| [Pembee](https://backpr.com/compare/pembee) | Class and studio software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Standard $45/month ($450/year), Premium $105/month ($1,050/year). In the UK: £30 and £70 per month plus VAT. |
| [UltraCamp](https://backpr.com/compare/ultracamp) | Camp software | No published nonprofit pricing. | Basic $275/month (500 people a year, then $6 each); Advanced $475/month (1,250, then $4); Enterprise $975/month (3,500, then $2). |

### How we built this
For each platform we read its own public pricing page, terms of service and help center on October 10 and 11, 2026. We only used what the company publishes. Where it doesn't publish something, the table says so instead of using estimates from other websites.

Each platform name links to its full comparison page, with the sources we used. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with each company. This table also includes BackPR, which wrote it.

You're welcome to quote or reuse this table, with a link to this page (Creative Commons Attribution license, CC BY 4.0). To cite it: BackPR, "Registration Software Pricing 2026," October 2026, https://backpr.com/resources/registration-software-pricing (CC BY 4.0).

## Free registration software for nonprofits: 12 options compared
"Free" means different things. Some tools are free with monthly limits, some add a fee or ask families for a contribution at checkout, and some are free to nonprofits but still charge card processing fees. Here are twelve options nonprofits use for registration, what's actually free in each, and who each one fits.

BackPR wrote this list and is one of the twelve options. They're listed alphabetically. Facts about the other tools come from their own public pages, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with each company.

| Option | What's free | Limits and costs | Card processing | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BackPR | All features, for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. | Free only for registered nonprofits; other organizations get pricing by quote. Card processing isn't covered. | Stripe's standard rates, published on stripe.com/pricing. You choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools, PTAs and churches. |
| brightwheel | A free plan for 1 staff member and fewer than 20 students, with limited features. | Premium pricing is by quote. No published nonprofit pricing. | brightwheel charges card and bank-transfer fees, quoted per program. Programs choose whether families pay them. | Childcare centers and preschools, plus camps and after-school programs. |
| Cognito Forms | An Individual plan: 1 user and 100 entries a month, with Cognito Forms branding. | On the free plan, Cognito charges the organization an extra 2% per card payment, which the organization can pass on to payers. Cognito Forms doesn't run recurring payments on any plan. | Cognito Pay: 2.9% + 30¢ per card payment, plus 2% on the free plan. | Online forms with calculations, payments and workflows. |
| Eventbrite | Unlimited events with free tickets, with no fees for you or your attendees. | Paid tickets carry ticketing fees, paid by buyers by default. Nonprofits get no discount on those fees, and they aren't returned on refunds unless the event is canceled or postponed. | US: 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket, plus 2.9% of each order for payment processing. | Event ticketing and registration, with a marketplace where people find events. |
| Givebutter | Core fundraising tools for organizations, when optional donor tips are on. | Checkout asks payers for an optional tip to Givebutter. If you turn tips off, Givebutter charges a 3% platform fee plus processing. Its features page doesn't list waitlists. | With tips on, Givebutter covers processing fees payers don't cover. With tips off, 2.9% + 30¢ per card payment. | Fundraising for organizations: donation forms, ticketed events, auctions and a donor CRM. |
| Google Forms | Free with a Google account. | No payment or signature question types, so payments and e-signatures need another tool. | Not applicable: Google Forms doesn't collect payments. | Surveys, quizzes and general forms. |
| Homeroom | No subscription for schools and PTOs. | Families pay Homeroom's service fee on top of the class price. Private schools, districts and other nonprofits should contact Homeroom for pricing. | Schools and PTOs pay no fee. Homeroom says class providers build a 3% card fee into their prices. | School programs: enrichment classes, extended care, camps and leagues at schools and PTOs. |
| Jotform | A Starter plan: 5 forms in total, plus 100 submissions and 10 payments a month, with Jotform branding. | Forms are disabled when a monthly limit is reached. Paid plans are 50% off for approved nonprofits. | Your payment processor's standard rates. Jotform adds no transaction fee. | General-purpose online forms, with payments and e-signatures. |
| SignUpGenius | A free plan with unlimited sign-up pages, reminders and payment collection. | By default, payers are charged a 3.95% + $0.95 fee per card payment; organizers can cover it instead. Waitlists on sign-ups and extra admins need the Gold plan or higher. | 3.95% + $0.95 per card payment and 1.95% (minimum $1) per eCheck, on every plan. | Online sign-up sheets and payment pages for events, volunteers, groups and fundraisers. |
| SportsEngine | HQ Free: sign-ups, invoicing and member messaging at $0 a month. | Websites need a paid package. HQ Premium is $69 a month or $749 a year. No published nonprofit pricing. | A management fee on each payment, at rates agreed when you join (its help center's example is 3.25% + $2.00). You can recover it from families. | Youth sports clubs, associations, leagues and teams. |
| TeamLinkt | TeamLinkt Core: $0, with no subscription or per-player fees, for any organization. | TeamLinkt earns a rate on each payment collected, set by size and volume and not published. Operations and Revenue add-ons cost $425 a year each. | A per-transaction rate that isn't published. Organizations choose on each form whether families pay it. | Sports organizations: clubs, associations, leagues and tournament organizers. |
| Zeffy | Everything, for nonprofits only, including card processing. | Checkout asks payers for an optional contribution to Zeffy. It's built mainly for fundraising; its help center says installment plans, waitlists and waivers aren't built in. | Covered by Zeffy. | Nonprofit fundraising: donations, event tickets, memberships, raffles and online stores. |

### How to choose
- Count your real volume: how many registrations and payments a month at your busiest time, not your average.
- Ask who pays card processing, and whether anything is added to what families pay at checkout.
- Check what you need beyond a form: payment plans, waitlists, e-signed waivers, sibling discounts, check-in and pickup.
- Look at what happens when you grow: limits that disable forms, or a jump to a paid plan.

**Is there registration software that's completely free for nonprofits?**
Zeffy and Givebutter come closest. Zeffy is free to nonprofits, card processing included, and asks payers for an optional contribution. Givebutter is free when donor tips are on: payers are asked for an optional tip, and Givebutter covers processing fees they don't cover. Both are built mainly for fundraising. BackPR has no subscription and no BackPR fees for registered nonprofits; card payments run at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on.

**Can we use Google Forms for program registration?**
For sign-ups, yes. Google Forms is free, but it has no payment or signature question types, so you'd need separate tools for payments and e-signed waivers.

**What do free form tools usually limit?**
Monthly submissions or payments, the number of forms or users, and branding. Jotform's free plan allows 10 payments a month; Cognito Forms' free plan allows 100 entries a month and charges the organization an extra 2% per card payment.

**Who wrote this comparison?**
BackPR, which is one of the options. Facts about the other tools come from their own public pages; each name in the table links to a comparison page with its sources. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with each company.

## Youth and community program nonprofits in every state (2026)
How many US nonprofits focus on youth development, sports, recreation and childcare, or are PTAs and PTOs, and where are they? We counted the active 501(c)(3) organizations in these categories in the IRS's own records: 171,592 in all.

### What we found
- 171,592 active 501(c)(3) organizations fall into these categories, according to the IRS file posted September 8, 2026.
- Amateur sports (65,671) and youth development (58,326) are the largest groups, followed by PTAs and PTOs (19,984).
- Most are small: 77% report under $50,000 a year in revenue or have no revenue amount on file (most of these file the 990-N e-Postcard). 22% report $50,000 to $5 million, and fewer than 1% report more.
- California (16,945), Texas (13,480) and Florida (9,283) have the most.

### By category
| Group | IRS NTEE codes | Organizations |
|---|---|---|
| Amateur sports | N40, N6x, N7x | 65,671 |
| Youth development | all O codes | 58,326 |
| PTAs and PTOs | B94 | 19,984 |
| Recreation, camps and clubs | N20, N30, N31, N50 | 10,141 |
| Children's and youth services | P30 | 8,392 |
| Arts education | A25 | 5,384 |
| Childcare | P33 | 3,694 |
| Total | | 171,592 |

### By state
| State | Total | Youth development | Amateur sports | PTAs and PTOs | Recreation and camps | Children's services | Arts education | Childcare | Under $50k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 16,945 | 5,625 | 6,838 | 1,532 | 912 | 934 | 821 | 283 | 72% |
| Texas | 13,480 | 4,570 | 4,774 | 2,218 | 642 | 753 | 325 | 198 | 81% |
| Florida | 9,283 | 3,647 | 3,364 | 690 | 435 | 681 | 321 | 145 | 81% |
| New York | 8,311 | 2,646 | 3,107 | 850 | 516 | 434 | 471 | 287 | 70% |
| Ohio | 8,158 | 3,636 | 2,810 | 888 | 338 | 273 | 139 | 74 | 83% |
| Pennsylvania | 7,054 | 1,724 | 3,349 | 888 | 493 | 270 | 183 | 147 | 74% |
| Illinois | 6,257 | 2,492 | 1,993 | 799 | 292 | 314 | 226 | 141 | 76% |
| Michigan | 5,955 | 2,484 | 1,960 | 686 | 352 | 249 | 153 | 71 | 82% |
| Georgia | 5,544 | 2,517 | 1,611 | 415 | 262 | 497 | 145 | 97 | 81% |
| North Carolina | 5,234 | 1,957 | 1,715 | 690 | 323 | 294 | 149 | 106 | 82% |
| Washington | 4,869 | 1,376 | 1,819 | 1,029 | 270 | 152 | 152 | 71 | 76% |
| Minnesota | 4,864 | 1,744 | 2,085 | 437 | 303 | 116 | 101 | 78 | 73% |
| Indiana | 4,704 | 1,922 | 1,603 | 537 | 204 | 183 | 86 | 169 | 80% |
| New Jersey | 4,667 | 1,396 | 1,838 | 708 | 253 | 216 | 128 | 128 | 74% |
| Wisconsin | 4,564 | 1,623 | 1,906 | 461 | 297 | 115 | 78 | 84 | 78% |
| Virginia | 4,412 | 1,346 | 1,894 | 480 | 280 | 213 | 117 | 82 | 78% |
| Massachusetts | 4,075 | 990 | 1,716 | 671 | 239 | 147 | 189 | 123 | 65% |
| Maryland | 3,369 | 1,408 | 1,074 | 295 | 206 | 195 | 116 | 75 | 77% |
| Tennessee | 3,163 | 1,077 | 1,182 | 416 | 169 | 154 | 93 | 72 | 79% |
| Arizona | 3,126 | 809 | 1,293 | 551 | 173 | 178 | 105 | 17 | 82% |
| Colorado | 3,076 | 763 | 1,409 | 309 | 242 | 146 | 131 | 76 | 71% |
| Missouri | 2,807 | 859 | 1,096 | 343 | 197 | 160 | 75 | 77 | 80% |
| Oregon | 2,662 | 636 | 1,206 | 397 | 187 | 90 | 109 | 37 | 74% |
| South Carolina | 2,238 | 832 | 716 | 305 | 134 | 152 | 51 | 48 | 81% |
| Iowa | 2,210 | 452 | 1,087 | 233 | 197 | 59 | 41 | 141 | 76% |
| Connecticut | 1,986 | 518 | 815 | 338 | 102 | 78 | 83 | 52 | 70% |
| Louisiana | 1,983 | 879 | 650 | 95 | 108 | 142 | 50 | 59 | 84% |
| Alabama | 1,981 | 844 | 628 | 130 | 115 | 156 | 53 | 55 | 81% |
| Kentucky | 1,805 | 460 | 834 | 210 | 111 | 103 | 52 | 35 | 79% |
| Oklahoma | 1,691 | 499 | 695 | 201 | 126 | 103 | 45 | 22 | 81% |
| Nebraska | 1,675 | 818 | 501 | 128 | 91 | 44 | 26 | 67 | 79% |
| West Virginia | 1,656 | 722 | 653 | 111 | 86 | 34 | 21 | 29 | 90% |
| Kansas | 1,449 | 366 | 562 | 236 | 116 | 63 | 31 | 75 | 78% |
| Utah | 1,416 | 302 | 647 | 240 | 86 | 66 | 58 | 17 | 79% |
| Arkansas | 1,315 | 456 | 479 | 112 | 97 | 86 | 40 | 45 | 82% |
| Montana | 1,276 | 391 | 580 | 77 | 133 | 28 | 38 | 29 | 78% |
| Nevada | 1,260 | 416 | 518 | 103 | 82 | 87 | 43 | 11 | 81% |
| Mississippi | 1,195 | 476 | 314 | 154 | 80 | 86 | 25 | 60 | 84% |
| Idaho | 1,162 | 231 | 588 | 164 | 103 | 35 | 26 | 15 | 79% |
| Hawaii | 972 | 259 | 513 | 72 | 66 | 31 | 21 | 10 | 81% |
| New Hampshire | 868 | 173 | 401 | 121 | 88 | 29 | 24 | 32 | 70% |
| New Mexico | 827 | 223 | 373 | 73 | 50 | 31 | 42 | 35 | 76% |
| Maine | 757 | 170 | 337 | 74 | 109 | 21 | 29 | 17 | 70% |
| Wyoming | 735 | 271 | 313 | 34 | 68 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 80% |
| North Dakota | 694 | 211 | 294 | 56 | 65 | 19 | 16 | 33 | 70% |
| District of Columbia | 643 | 320 | 125 | 67 | 36 | 36 | 26 | 33 | 67% |
| South Dakota | 635 | 154 | 319 | 41 | 61 | 13 | 14 | 33 | 73% |
| Alaska | 593 | 112 | 323 | 65 | 53 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 69% |
| Vermont | 585 | 97 | 231 | 84 | 101 | 14 | 27 | 31 | 69% |
| Delaware | 581 | 211 | 178 | 65 | 38 | 54 | 23 | 12 | 79% |
| Rhode Island | 519 | 118 | 233 | 86 | 37 | 13 | 24 | 8 | 72% |

### Charts
- Map of the United States showing the number of youth and community program nonprofits in each state, 2026. Source: BackPR analysis of IRS data. https://backpr.com/media/data/backpr-us-program-nonprofits-map-2026.png
- Bar chart: 171,592 US nonprofits in youth, sports and community program categories, by IRS category, 2026. Source: BackPR analysis of IRS data. https://backpr.com/media/data/backpr-us-program-nonprofits-by-category-2026.png
- Bar chart: the 15 states with the most youth and community program nonprofits in 2026, led by California, Texas and Florida. Source: BackPR analysis of IRS data. https://backpr.com/media/data/backpr-us-program-nonprofits-top-states-2026.png
- Bar chart: 77% of youth and community program nonprofits report under $50,000 a year in revenue or have no revenue amount on file. Source: BackPR analysis of IRS data. https://backpr.com/media/data/backpr-us-program-nonprofits-by-revenue-2026.png

### Method
Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, posted September 8, 2026, the IRS's master list of tax-exempt organizations. We counted organizations with active 501(c)(3) status whose main activity code (the IRS's NTEE code) is in one of the groups shown above. Totals by state use the address the IRS has on file; 257 organizations in US territories, at military addresses or abroad, and 49 with no state, are in the national total only.

An NTEE code describes an organization's main activity, so the groups are approximate. Amateur sports includes adult leagues as well as youth sports. Revenue is the amount on the organization's latest IRS filing. Organizations with no revenue amount on file count as under $50,000: most file the short annual notice (Form 990-N, the e-Postcard) available to groups that normally take in $50,000 or less, and the rest aren't required to file (churches, for example) or filed a return without an amount.

You're welcome to reuse these numbers and charts, with a link to this page (Creative Commons Attribution license, CC BY 4.0). To cite it: BackPR, "Youth and community program nonprofits in every state (2026)," October 2026, https://backpr.com/resources/nonprofits-by-state (CC BY 4.0).

## The State of Youth Programs 2026
Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 · By BackPR

BackPR wrote this report and sells registration and payment software to the same kinds of programs: free for registered nonprofits and by quote for other organizations. BackPR is not one of the 48 platforms counted.

This report covers how many nonprofits run youth programs in the United States, three state rules that programs follow and what registration platforms publish about price. We counted 171,592 nonprofits in youth development, sports, recreation, PTAs, children's services, arts education and childcare. We read the rules in all 50 states and DC and reviewed the public pricing of 48 registration platforms. Here is what the data shows.

### What we found
- IRS records posted in September 2026 list 171,592 active 501(c)(3) nonprofits in youth development, sports, recreation, PTAs, children's services, arts education or childcare.
- 77% report annual revenue under $50,000 or have no revenue amount on file. Most of those (116,084) file the 990-N e-Postcard, the short notice for groups that normally take in $50,000 or less.
- There are 23.8 of these nonprofits per 10,000 children nationally. The rate is highest in Wyoming (57.7) and lowest in Utah (15.4).
- In 18 states, every adult must report suspected child abuse, not only teachers and childcare workers.
- In 18 states, both day and overnight camps need a license or permit written for camps. In 20, only some camp types do, often only overnight camps, and 13 jurisdictions, including DC, have no statewide camp license or permit.
- Staff-to-child ratios for school-age children in licensed centers range from 1:10 in New York to 1:26 in Texas. The median falls between 1:16 and 1:18.
- Of 48 registration and management platforms, 19 publish plan prices, 9 publish only some prices or a single starting price and 20 publish no plan prices.
- Of the 48, 40 publish no nonprofit offer, and none is free for nonprofits in general (free form and fundraising tools such as Zeffy were not counted).

### Most youth nonprofits are small
The IRS file lists 171,592 active 501(c)(3) organizations in these categories. Amateur sports is the largest group (65,671), followed by youth development (58,326) and PTAs and PTOs (19,984). Recreation, camps and clubs (10,141), children's and youth services (8,392), arts education (5,384) and childcare (3,694) make up the rest.

Most are small. 132,549 (77%) report annual revenue under $50,000 or have no revenue amount on file: 8,715 report under $50,000, 116,084 file the 990-N e-Postcard and 7,750 have no amount for other reasons, for example because they aren't required to file. 37,640 report $50,000 to $5 million and 1,403 report more than $5 million.

The national rate is 23.8 organizations per 10,000 children. Wyoming (57.7), Montana (55.1), Vermont (53.4), the District of Columbia (51.8) and West Virginia (48.1) have the highest rates. Utah (15.4), Oklahoma (17.7), Alabama (17.7), Texas (17.7) and Kentucky (17.8) have the lowest.

A high rate does not mean a place has more programs or better ones. It means there are more of these organizations for each child, which can reflect many small groups or a small child population.

| State | Nonprofits | Children under 18 | Per 10,000 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 735 | 127,334 | 57.7 |
| Montana | 1,276 | 231,653 | 55.1 |
| Vermont | 585 | 109,614 | 53.4 |
| District of Columbia | 643 | 124,070 | 51.8 |
| West Virginia | 1,656 | 344,349 | 48.1 |
| Minnesota | 4,864 | 1,283,313 | 37.9 |
| North Dakota | 694 | 182,970 | 37.9 |
| Wisconsin | 4,564 | 1,222,107 | 37.3 |
| New Hampshire | 868 | 245,065 | 35.4 |
| Nebraska | 1,675 | 479,249 | 35.0 |
| Hawaii | 972 | 281,717 | 34.5 |
| Alaska | 593 | 171,699 | 34.5 |
| Oregon | 2,662 | 811,814 | 32.8 |
| Ohio | 8,158 | 2,531,906 | 32.2 |
| Maine | 757 | 244,245 | 31.0 |
| Massachusetts | 4,075 | 1,327,574 | 30.7 |
| Iowa | 2,210 | 719,648 | 30.7 |
| Washington | 4,869 | 1,634,831 | 29.8 |
| Indiana | 4,704 | 1,576,165 | 29.8 |
| Michigan | 5,955 | 2,062,770 | 28.9 |
| South Dakota | 635 | 220,142 | 28.8 |
| Delaware | 581 | 209,988 | 27.7 |
| Connecticut | 1,986 | 718,294 | 27.6 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,054 | 2,570,631 | 27.4 |
| Rhode Island | 519 | 197,653 | 26.3 |
| Maryland | 3,369 | 1,336,867 | 25.2 |
| Colorado | 3,076 | 1,220,201 | 25.2 |
| Idaho | 1,162 | 472,102 | 24.6 |
| Illinois | 6,257 | 2,618,542 | 23.9 |
| Virginia | 4,412 | 1,860,246 | 23.7 |
| New Jersey | 4,667 | 1,990,922 | 23.4 |
| North Carolina | 5,234 | 2,359,876 | 22.2 |
| Georgia | 5,544 | 2,505,829 | 22.1 |
| New York | 8,311 | 3,905,389 | 21.3 |
| Kansas | 1,449 | 682,766 | 21.2 |
| Florida | 9,283 | 4,442,707 | 20.9 |
| California | 16,945 | 8,174,698 | 20.7 |
| Missouri | 2,807 | 1,360,087 | 20.6 |
| Tennessee | 3,163 | 1,575,723 | 20.1 |
| Arizona | 3,126 | 1,597,308 | 19.6 |
| South Carolina | 2,238 | 1,148,309 | 19.5 |
| Louisiana | 1,983 | 1,049,955 | 18.9 |
| Arkansas | 1,315 | 698,767 | 18.8 |
| New Mexico | 827 | 439,451 | 18.8 |
| Nevada | 1,260 | 678,525 | 18.6 |
| Mississippi | 1,195 | 658,434 | 18.1 |
| Kentucky | 1,805 | 1,016,781 | 17.8 |
| Texas | 13,480 | 7,600,417 | 17.7 |
| Alabama | 1,981 | 1,117,912 | 17.7 |
| Oklahoma | 1,691 | 957,668 | 17.7 |
| Utah | 1,416 | 922,267 | 15.4 |

### Three rules shape a program's year
We checked three rules in all 50 states and DC: who must report suspected child abuse, whether a program needs a state license and how many adults must be with children.

In 18 states, the duty to report suspected child abuse applies to every adult. In the other 33 jurisdictions, it usually falls on people in certain roles, such as teachers, childcare workers, coaches, health staff or clergy. The list varies by state and by program type.

In 18 states, both day and overnight camps need a license or permit written for camps; in some of them, local health departments issue the permits under state rules. In 20 states, only some camp types need one, often only overnight camps, while day camps may fall under child care licensing instead. No statewide camp license or permit exists in 13 jurisdictions, including DC. A program that runs a day camp, a sports camp and an overnight camp may need different approvals for each.

Staff-to-child ratios for school-age children in licensed centers range from 1:10 in New York to 1:26 in Texas. The median falls between 1:16 and 1:18, and the most common band is 1:13 to 1:15. We could confirm a school-age ratio in 50 of the 51 jurisdictions (49 states and DC); Ohio's ratio table was not available when we checked. Where a state sets more than one school-age ratio, we used the ratio for the youngest group. Pennsylvania, for example, requires 1:12 for kindergarten through third grade and 1:15 for fourth grade through age 15. Ratios for camps and after-school programs can differ from the childcare center rules shown here.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state's rules and talk to your licensing agency before you open registration.

State rules by state: https://backpr.com/resources/states

### Most platforms don't publish full prices
We reviewed what 48 registration and management platforms publish on their own pricing pages, terms and help centers between October 10 and 19, 2026. They are the platforms on BackPR's comparison pages, which cover the registration, camp, childcare, class, sports, church and recreation software that youth programs most often compare. We excluded eight tools that are not youth program registration platforms: seven form, fundraising or event tools and WildApricot, a membership-management system.

Of the 48, 19 publish plan prices, 9 publish only some prices or a single starting price and 20 publish no plan prices. A program that wants to compare costs often has to ask for a quote first.

Our public pricing report covers 20 of these platforms in detail. The counts here cover all 48 and use the pricing index categories, so three platforms are grouped differently from that report: Regpack, brightwheel and Homeroom count as publishing some prices.

Of the 48, 40 publish no nonprofit offer. One publishes a discount with an amount: Jumbula offers 20% off paid plans for nonprofits. Seven mention nonprofit terms that are limited, unpublished or tied to certain organization types. Homeroom says it is free for schools and PTOs, but private schools, districts and other nonprofits have to ask for pricing. None of the 48 is free for nonprofits in general. Some tools outside this count are free for nonprofits, such as Zeffy and Givebutter (with donor tips turned on), and a few counted platforms have options without a subscription that earn a fee on each payment (TeamLinkt Core, Homeroom) or a limited free plan (brightwheel).

Of the 48, 18 publish an annual or longer term. Some renew automatically. 14 offer month-to-month plans or cancel anytime, 9 set the term in each contract and 7 do not publish it.

For onboarding or data import, 15 charge a fee, 14 include it and 19 do not publish whether it costs extra.

On card processing, 10 publish their rates. 4 publish a rate for only some payments, such as ACH, invoice payments or one payment product, for 29 we found no published card rate and for 5 we did not record one. That makes the total cost hard to compare.


### Checkout fees are not always clear
The price of a camp week or a class is not the only number a family sees. Registration software can add its own fee at checkout, and card processing is a separate cost.

By default, 6 of the 48 platforms add their own fee to what families pay. 27 let the program choose whether to add one. 1 publishes that it adds none. 14 do not publish whether they add a fee.

Card processing is the second layer. As the software section shows, most platforms don't publish a full card rate, so programs have to ask what families will pay in processing.

Language is part of access. Of the 48, 6 publish a Spanish option for families, 10 offer partial support, 6 say they are English only and 26 do not say.

We did not collect tuition prices or family incomes. This section covers the fees that platforms publish, not what a program charges for a camp week or a class.


### Charts
- Map of the United States: youth and community program nonprofits per 10,000 children by state, 2026. Wyoming is highest at 57.7 and Utah lowest at 15.4. The national rate is 23.8. Source: BackPR analysis of IRS and Census Bureau data. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-youth-nonprofits-per-10000-children-2026.png
- Bar chart of 171,592 youth and community nonprofits by main activity: amateur sports 65,671, youth development 58,326, PTAs and PTOs 19,984, recreation, camps and clubs 10,141, children's and youth services 8,392, arts education 5,384 and childcare 3,694. Source: IRS records, September 2026. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-youth-nonprofits-by-category-2026.png
- Bar chart: in 18 states both day and overnight camps need a license or permit written for camps, in 20 only some camp types do and 13 jurisdictions, including DC, have no statewide camp license or permit. Source: BackPR state rules library, checked October 2026. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-youth-camp-licensing-by-state-2026.png
- Bar chart: 2 jurisdictions require 1 adult per 12 or fewer school-age children, 20 require 1:13 to 1:15, 10 require 1:16 to 1:18, 11 require 1:19 to 1:21 and 7 allow 1:22 or more. Source: BackPR state rules library, checked October 2026. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-school-age-ratios-by-state-2026.png
- Bar chart: of 48 registration and management platforms, 19 publish plan prices, 9 publish only some prices or a single starting price and 20 publish no plan prices. BackPR, which sells registration software, is not counted. Source: the platforms' own pages, checked October 10 to 19, 2026. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-registration-software-price-transparency-2026.png
- Bar chart: of 48 registration and management platforms, 40 publish no nonprofit offer, 7 mention limited or unpublished nonprofit terms, 1 publishes a discount with an amount and none is free for nonprofits in general. BackPR, which sells registration software, is not counted. Source: the platforms' own pages, checked October 10 to 19, 2026. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-registration-software-nonprofit-pricing-2026.png
- Bar chart: of 48 registration and management platforms, 18 publish annual or longer terms, 14 offer month-to-month plans or cancel anytime, 9 set the term in each contract and 7 do not publish it. BackPR, which sells registration software, is not counted. Source: the platforms' own pages, checked October 10 to 19, 2026. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-registration-software-contracts-2026.png
- Bar chart: of 48 registration and management platforms, 6 add a fee to what families pay by default, 27 let the program choose, 1 publishes that it adds none and 14 do not publish whether they add one. BackPR, which sells registration software, is not counted. Source: the platforms' own pages, checked October 10 to 19, 2026. https://backpr.com/media/report/backpr-registration-software-family-fees-2026.png

### Method
Nonprofits: we counted active 501(c)(3) organizations in the IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File posted in September 2026. The groups use the organization's main NTEE code: A25 (arts education), B94 (PTAs and PTOs), N20, N30, N31 and N50 (recreation, camps and clubs), N40, N6x and N7x (amateur sports), any O code (youth development), P30 (children's and youth services) and P33 (childcare). Revenue is the amount on the latest IRS filing. Organizations with no amount on file are counted in the under-$50,000 band: most of them file the 990-N e-Postcard, which is available to groups that normally take in $50,000 or less, and the rest aren't required to file (churches, for example) or filed a return without an amount. Counting only organizations that report under $50,000 or file the 990-N gives 124,799 (73%).

Children: state populations under 18 come from the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates of the civilian population by single year of age, as of July 1, 2025. The national rate divides the 171,286 organizations with a state on their IRS record by the 72 million children in the 50 states and DC. The other 306 organizations are in the national total only: 49 have no state on the record, and 257 are in US territories, at military addresses or abroad.

Rules: we read state licensing and child welfare rules for all 50 states and DC in October 2026, from official state sources where we could reach them and otherwise from published copies of the state code (Cornell's Legal Information Institute) or federal summaries (the Child Welfare Information Gateway). Each state page in our rules library lists its sources and notes anything we could not confirm. Camps: a state counts as licensing day and overnight camps when a license, permit, certificate or registration written for camps covers both; as licensing some camp types when such a requirement covers only some camps (often only overnight camps) or is only a sanitation permit for some camps; and as having none when no statewide requirement is written for camps. A child care license that day camps must hold does not count as a camp license. Ten states were close calls (California, Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming); each state page explains its rules. The school-age ratio sample covers 50 of the 51 jurisdictions (49 states and DC) where we could confirm a ratio for school-age children in licensed centers. Where a state sets more than one school-age ratio, we used the ratio for the youngest school-age group.

Software: we read the public pricing page, terms of service and help center of each of the 48 registration and management platforms between October 10 and 19, 2026. We excluded eight tools that are not youth program registration platforms: seven form, fundraising or event tools and WildApricot, a membership-management system. We recorded only what each company published. Every comparison page lists its sources, and the pricing index lists the value, the published wording and our note for each platform.

When a company did not publish a fact, we recorded "not published" instead of estimating it. A missing comparison row counts as not published; our comparison pages have no row on card rates for five platforms, on family fees for three, and on contract terms and onboarding for two each. Plan prices means a price for each plan, sometimes shown as a starting price; some prices means prices for only some plans or one starting price for the whole product. A nonprofit discount with no published amount counts as limited or unpublished terms, not as a discount. Annual terms include contracts where the first term is set per order but renews yearly, and terms with no stated renewal; month-to-month includes vendors that also sell annual plans. Onboarding counts as included when the company says setup or import is included, even if custom imports cost extra or setup is self-serve. Insurance or refund protection offered at checkout is not counted as a family fee. Partial Spanish support means some family screens are in Spanish or the platform relies on a translation tool. A partial card rate means the company publishes a rate for some payments but not all card payments.

### Limitations
- **The categories are approximate:** An NTEE code describes an organization's main activity. Amateur sports includes adult leagues as well as youth sports. A youth program may file under another code, such as education or human services, and not appear here. The count covers 501(c)(3) nonprofits only: it leaves out for-profit camps and studios, public schools, congregations not on the IRS file and park and recreation departments.
- **Revenue is self-reported:** Organizations with no revenue amount on file are counted in the under-$50,000 band. Most file the 990-N e-Postcard, which is for groups that normally take in $50,000 or less; 7,750 have no amount for other reasons. This is an assumption, not a reported figure. The bands are a rough size measure, not audited financials.
- **State rules change:** We checked the rules in October 2026 and could confirm a school-age ratio in 50 of the 51 jurisdictions; Ohio's table was not available. Where a state sets more than one school-age ratio, we used the ratio for the youngest group. Camp licensing can depend on the type and length of the camp. The summaries are general information, not legal advice.
- **Pricing is a snapshot:** "Not published" means we could not find it, not that a company doesn't offer it. Prices, fees and contract terms change, so confirm them with each company before you sign.
- **The checkout section is about platform fees:** It does not include tuition, scholarships, subsidies or the card rate a program negotiates with its processor. Those costs can be larger than the platform fee.
- **Counts are organizations, not programs:** One nonprofit can run several programs or sites. Per-child rates use the civilian population under 18 (July 1, 2025 estimates), not the number of children enrolled.

### Disclosure
BackPR wrote this report and sells registration and payment software to the same kinds of programs: free for registered nonprofits and by quote for other organizations. We are not a neutral party.

BackPR is not one of the 48 platforms counted. Several things measured here, such as nonprofit pricing, setup fees, contract terms and Spanish for families, are things BackPR offers. We used each company's public pages and recorded "not published" instead of estimating. The method and the pricing judgment calls are on this page, and the pricing index (CSV) lists the value, the published wording and our note for each platform.

The report is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with credit, including by companies that compete with BackPR.

Corrections: on October 21, 2026, we reclassified state youth camp rules using the single rule in the method (the counts changed from 19, 22 and 10 to 18, 20 and 13), clarified that the under-$50,000 band includes organizations with no revenue amount on file and published the pricing index.

Questions or corrections: support@backpr.com.

### Citation
BackPR. "The State of Youth Programs 2026." October 2026. https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026 (CC BY 4.0).
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Press kit: https://backpr.com/press

### Help shape the 2027 edition
We're asking camp, after-school and youth program directors how registration and payments work in their programs. The survey takes about 5 minutes. No name is required, your email is optional and results are published only as totals.
Survey: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-survey
Report PDF: https://backpr.com/media/report/state-of-youth-programs-2026.pdf?v=20261021
State data CSV: https://backpr.com/media/report/state-of-youth-programs-2026-state-data.csv

## Press kit: The State of Youth Programs 2026
Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 · By BackPR

BackPR wrote the report and sells registration and payment software to the same kinds of programs: free for registered nonprofits and by quote for other organizations. BackPR is not one of the 48 platforms counted. The report's method, limitations and full disclosure are on the report page.

This page collects the numbers, charts and citation for The State of Youth Programs 2026. The full report is free to read and reuse.

### Key statistics
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Youth and community nonprofits | 171,592 active 501(c)(3) organizations |
| Under $50,000 in revenue or no amount on file | 77% of those organizations (73% counting only those that report under $50,000 or file the 990-N) |
| Nonprofits per 10,000 children | 23.8 nationally; 57.7 in Wyoming and 15.4 in Utah |
| Universal mandated reporting | 18 states require every adult to report suspected child abuse |
| Youth camp licensing | Day and overnight camps need a camp license or permit in 18 states; only some camp types do in 20; 13 jurisdictions, including DC, have none |
| School-age staff ratio | From 1:10 in New York to 1:26 in Texas; the median falls between 1:16 and 1:18 |
| Registration platforms reviewed | 48 registration and management platforms, from their own public pages (BackPR not counted) |
| Plan prices published | 19 of 48 |
| No nonprofit offer published | 40 of 48 |
| Annual or longer contracts | 18 of 48 |
| Card processing rates published | 10 of 48; 4 publish a rate for only some payments |

### What the report covers
- Who runs youth programs: IRS counts by state and category, plus revenue size.
- The rules: mandated reporting, camp licensing and staff ratios in 50 states and DC.
- What platforms publish about price: prices, nonprofit terms, contracts, onboarding fees and card rates at 48 platforms.
- Fees added at checkout: platform fees, card processing and Spanish support.

### Citation
BackPR. "The State of Youth Programs 2026." October 2026. https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026 (CC BY 4.0).
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Full report: https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026
Report PDF: https://backpr.com/media/report/state-of-youth-programs-2026.pdf?v=20261021

## BackPR for Umbrella Organizations
Statewide afterschool networks, camp associations, faith organizations, youth sports leagues, fiscal sponsors, national youth organizations and PTA councils support programs that all need the same basics: online registration, card payments and a clear record of who signed up. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. This page explains what you can share, what it costs and how to start.

### Organizations that support many programs
If your organization helps member programs with tools, training or back-office work, this page is for you.

The segments below have different members and different relationships with them. A statewide network may support school-based sites and community centers. A camp association may have nonprofit and for-profit camps. A fiscal sponsor may sit between a project and its funders.

The common ground is the work your members do. They register families, collect payments and keep track of who is coming. A free option for the nonprofits among them is useful, as long as it is clear about who qualifies.

BackPR is not asking for an endorsement, a national rollout or a paid membership. It is offering a free option you can share, a short demo for your team and help with imports when a member switches.

### Find your organization type
Each page explains how that kind of organization works, what member programs need and what your organization can share.

- [Statewide afterschool networks](https://backpr.com/partners/afterschool-networks): Share a free option with the school-based sites, community centers and small providers in your network.
- [Camp associations](https://backpr.com/partners/camp-associations): Give member day and overnight camps a free option for the registered nonprofits, plus a quote path for for-profit camps.
- [Faith organizations](https://backpr.com/partners/faith-organizations): Support congregations, youth offices and camp associations with a free option for registered nonprofit ministries.
- [Youth sports leagues](https://backpr.com/partners/youth-sports-leagues): Offer registered nonprofit clubs a free way to register players and take card payments, with a quote path for for-profit clubs.
- [Fiscal sponsors](https://backpr.com/partners/fiscal-sponsors): Give sponsored projects a clear registration and payment option, with eligibility confirmed at sign-up.
- [National youth organizations](https://backpr.com/partners/national-youth-organizations): Give local affiliates a free option they can adopt on their own, without a national contract or rollout.
- [PTA councils](https://backpr.com/partners/pta-councils): Share a free option with the local PTAs you support that are registered nonprofits, plus a quote path for units that are not.

### What member nonprofits get
These are the facts BackPR can confirm today. Nothing here depends on a partnership being signed.

- **Free for registered nonprofits:** No subscription and no BackPR fees. Free is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **No BackPR cut of payments:** BackPR does not add its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates.
- **Absorb processing or pass it on:** A program can absorb Stripe's processing cost or pass it on as a clearly labeled convenience fee.
- **Free setup and data import:** BackPR sets up the account and brings over families and programs from a current system or spreadsheets.
- **Spanish for families:** Families can register and use parent screens in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish.
- **Free templates and state rules:** Printable PDF and Word templates, plus a state rules library with sources. General information, not legal advice.

Free applies to registered nonprofits in the United States. A member that is not a registered nonprofit can request a quote. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates.

### A free option to share, with no budget line
There is no fee to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run a program, collect payment or manage a roster to share BackPR. Point members to backpr.com/nonprofits and let them decide.

When a member is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The member reviews the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

This is an offer to share. BackPR has no partnership with any umbrella organization.

### Where the free option fits
- **Registered nonprofits:** 501(c)(3) charities, churches and faith-based organizations, nonprofit PTAs and PTOs, nonprofit camps, youth organizations, community centers, sports clubs, arts programs, nonprofit schools and school foundations. BackPR confirms status at sign-up.
- **For-profit members:** A for-profit camp, studio, league or association member does not get the nonprofit option. It can request a quote.
- **Public agencies:** Public school districts and government agencies can request a quote.
- **United States only:** BackPR is available in the United States.
- **Email support:** Support is by email at support@backpr.com. BackPR does not promise phone support, office hours or response times.
- **No long-term contract:** There is no long-term contract and no exit fee. A nonprofit can export its data at any time for free.

### Three steps, nothing to sign
- **See how the free option works:** See what a nonprofit pays, what is included and how processing works.
- **Ask about your members:** Tell us what kinds of programs you support and which ones are registered nonprofits. We'll confirm what fits.
- **Share it when you are ready:** Send members to the free option page or ask for a short demo for your staff.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**Is BackPR free for every member program?**
No. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits in the United States. A member that is a for-profit business or a public agency can request a quote. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up.

**What does it cost our organization to share BackPR?**
Nothing. There is no fee to share the link. If your organization runs its own programs and is a registered nonprofit, it can use BackPR free. If it is not a nonprofit, it can request a quote.

**Do we need to sign a partnership agreement?**
No. You can share the free option without an agreement. BackPR has no partnership with any umbrella organization, and no organization is named as a BackPR partner on this page. If your organization wants to use BackPR for its own programs, it signs up like any other organization.

**Can we get a demo for our board or staff?**
Yes. Email support@backpr.com with the subject 'Partnership question'. Tell us what kind of organization you are and what your members need. We'll arrange a short demo of the screens members would use.

**Does this include webinars, member discounts or co-branding?**
No. This page describes the free nonprofit option, a short demo and help with imports. It does not promise webinars, member discounts, co-branding, paid memberships or conference booths.

**Can families use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish. This page is in English.

**What if a member is already using another system?**
BackPR sets up the account and imports data at no cost. The member can review everything before families see it. There is no long-term contract, and data can be exported at any time for free.

**Is BackPR available outside the United States?**
No. BackPR is available in the United States only.

### Statewide afterschool networks
Statewide afterschool networks connect programs that rarely look alike. BackPR gives the registered nonprofits among them a free way to take registration and card payments, with setup and data import included.

### A network, not a single program
A statewide afterschool network supports the programs that run before and after school. It may convene providers, publish training and tools, advocate for funding and connect programs to schools and community partners.

The members are a mix. Some are school-based sites. Some are community centers, faith-based programs or small neighborhood providers. Some are registered nonprofits, some are public agencies and some are for-profit businesses.

The network may be a nonprofit, a project of a larger organization or a public-private initiative. Its job is to help members do their work, not to run every program.

- Programs that need registration for a school year, a term or a single event.
- Families who pay by card and need a clear record of what they paid.
- Staff who collect forms, pickup information and health details.
- Families who prefer to register in Spanish.
- Small teams that cannot absorb another subscription.
- Directors who need help moving data from spreadsheets or another system.

Not every member will qualify for the free option. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up, and public agencies or for-profit providers can request a quote.

### Registration that fits the program, not the other way around
- **A schedule that matches the program:** A drop-in site, a five-day-a-week program and a one-week camp do not sell the same way. Staff need to set up what they actually offer.
- **A clear cost for families:** Card processing is part of taking payments online. A program can absorb Stripe's standard rates or pass them on as a clearly labeled fee. BackPR adds no fee of its own.
- **Setup help for a thin admin team:** Many after-school sites run on a small administrative team. A free setup and data import removes the part that usually stalls a switch.
- **Spanish for families:** Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can answer in Spanish.

### One place for registration and payment
BackPR handles online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for youth and community programs. Families register; staff see the roster and the payments.

For the registered nonprofits in your network, BackPR is free. There is no subscription and no BackPR fee. The only processing cost is Stripe's standard rate, which the program can absorb or pass on.

- **Free for registered nonprofits:** No subscription and no BackPR fees. The free option is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **A quote for everyone else:** A public agency, school district or for-profit provider can request a quote. BackPR confirms status at sign-up, so the network does not have to screen members for us.
- **Resources beyond the software:** Member programs can use free printable templates and a state rules library covering licensing, ratios, background checks, medication and mandated reporting. The library is general information, not legal advice.

BackPR is available in the United States only.

### A free option you can share without a budget line
There is no fee to the network to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit member that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run registration for your members. Point them to the free option page and let each program decide.

When a member is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The member reviews the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

BackPR has no partnership with any statewide afterschool network. This page describes an offer to share, not an existing partnership.

### Three steps, nothing to sign
- **Tell us about your network:** Which parts of the state do you cover, and what kinds of member programs do you support? We'll confirm what fits.
- **Ask for a short demo:** We'll walk through the registration and payment screens your members would use. Your staff can ask questions before you share anything.
- **Share the free option:** Send members to backpr.com/nonprofits. Registered nonprofits can sign up free. Other organizations can request a quote.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**What is BackPR?**
BackPR is online registration and payment software for US youth and community programs, including after-school programs. It is free for registered nonprofits.

**Are all network members eligible for the free option?**
No. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. Public school districts, government agencies and for-profit providers can request a quote.

**What does the network have to pay?**
Nothing to share the option. If the network runs its own programs and is a registered nonprofit, it can use BackPR free. If it is not a nonprofit, it can request a quote.

**Can families use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish.

**Do you offer webinars or training for our members?**
No. We can give your staff a short demo. Member programs can use the free templates and state rules library on their own, and support is available by email.

**What if a member is already using another system?**
BackPR sets up the account and imports data at no cost. The member can review everything before families see it. There is no long-term contract, and data can be exported at any time for free.

**How should we explain the processing cost?**
Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. The program can absorb the cost or pass it on as a clearly labeled convenience fee. BackPR adds no fee of its own.

### Related
- [Share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit): Ready-to-paste descriptions, newsletter text, images and free tools you can add to your website.
- [After-school registration](https://backpr.com/solutions/after-school): How BackPR fits before- and after-school programs.
- [Free for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/nonprofits): What a registered nonprofit pays and how eligibility works.
- [Free data import](https://backpr.com/switch): What BackPR imports and who does the work.
- [State rules library](https://backpr.com/resources/states): Licensing, ratios, background checks and reporting by state.
- [Free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates): Printable forms for registration, pickup, medical information and staff.
- [Pricing and processing](https://backpr.com/pricing): How BackPR pricing works and how card processing is handled.

### Camp associations
Camp associations support day camps, overnight camps and specialty camps with training, accreditation help and member resources. BackPR gives the registered nonprofits among them a free way to take registration and card payments.

### An association of camps, not one camp
Many camp associations offer training, accreditation help, member resources and a voice on the issues camps share. Some associations are statewide. Others are regional, national or faith-based.

The members range from volunteer-run day camps to large overnight camps with year-round staff. Some are registered nonprofits. Others are for-profit businesses or public agencies.

Association staff often hear the same questions: what software should we use, what does it cost and who will move our data. A free option for the nonprofit camps is one answer you can share.

- Camps that sell by week, session or program.
- Families who pay deposits or balances by card.
- Health, allergy and authorized pickup forms before the season.
- Seasonal staff who need to learn the system quickly.
- Directors who want to leave a system without a long contract.
- Families who prefer to register in Spanish.

Not every camp will qualify for the free option. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up. For-profit camps can request a quote.

### A registration season that does not run on spreadsheets
- **Registration that matches the camp calendar:** A camp may sell by the week, by the session or by the day. Staff need to set up the schedule the camp actually runs.
- **Forms before families arrive:** Camps collect medical, allergy and pickup information before the first day. Missing forms create work during the busiest week.
- **A clear payment story:** Deposits and balances are part of camp registration. Families should see the processing cost before they pay, and the camp should know who covers it.
- **A handoff that survives staff turnover:** Seasonal staff change every year. A new director should be able to find the roster, the forms and the payments without a call to last year's team.

### Registration and payments in one place
BackPR handles online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for youth and community programs. Families register; camp staff see the roster and the payments.

For registered nonprofit camps, BackPR is free. There is no subscription and no BackPR fee. The only processing cost is Stripe's standard rate, which the camp can absorb or pass on.

- **Free for nonprofit camps:** No subscription and no BackPR fees. The free option is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **A quote for for-profit camps:** A for-profit camp does not get the nonprofit option. It can request a quote.
- **Free setup and import:** BackPR sets up the account and brings over families and programs from a current system or spreadsheets. The camp reviews everything before families see it.
- **Resources for the off-season:** Free printable templates include medical and allergy forms, authorized pickup, packing list and staff interview questions. The state rules library covers licensing, ratios, background checks and reporting. It is general information, not legal advice.

BackPR is available in the United States only.

### A free option to share with member camps
There is no fee to the association to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit camp that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run registration for member camps. Point them to the free option page and let each camp decide.

When a camp is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The camp reviews the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

BackPR has no partnership with any camp association. This page describes an offer to share, not an existing partnership. A conference booth, sponsorship or paid membership is not part of this offer.

### Three steps, nothing to sign
- **Tell us about your members:** Which camps do you support, and which ones are registered nonprofits? We'll confirm what fits.
- **Ask for a short demo:** We'll walk through the registration and payment screens a camp director would use.
- **Share the free option:** Send camps to backpr.com/nonprofits. Nonprofit camps can sign up free. For-profit camps can request a quote.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**Our association has for-profit camps. Can they use BackPR?**
Yes, but not for free. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. A for-profit camp can request a quote.

**Is there a member discount?**
BackPR is already free for registered nonprofits, so there is no member discount to add. For-profit camps can request a quote.

**Can a camp switch between seasons?**
Yes. There is no long-term contract and no exit fee. BackPR sets up the account and imports data at no cost, and the camp can review everything before families see it.

**Who moves the camp's data?**
BackPR does. Send an export from the current system or your spreadsheets, and BackPR imports the families, campers and programs. The camp reviews the result before it goes live.

**Do you offer a session at our conference?**
No. This page does not include a conference booth, session or sponsorship. We can give your staff a short online demo.

**Can families use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish.

**What does a nonprofit camp pay?**
No subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which the camp can absorb or pass on as a clearly labeled fee. BackPR adds no fee of its own.

### Related
- [Share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit): Ready-to-paste descriptions, newsletter text, images and free tools you can add to your website.
- [Summer camp registration](https://backpr.com/solutions/summer-camps): How BackPR fits day camps, overnight camps and specialty camps.
- [How to start a summer camp](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-a-summer-camp): A guide to planning a camp before registration opens.
- [Hiring camp counselors](https://backpr.com/resources/hiring-camp-counselors): A guide to seasonal hiring and staff handoffs.
- [Free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates): Printable medical, pickup, packing list and staff forms.
- [State rules library](https://backpr.com/resources/states): Licensing, ratios, background checks and reporting by state.
- [Free for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/nonprofits): What a registered nonprofit camp pays and how eligibility works.

### Faith organizations
Faith organizations support programs that run on volunteers, trust and a tight budget. BackPR gives registered nonprofit ministries a free way to take registration and card payments, with setup and data import included.

### A youth office, camp association or congregation
Faith organizations take many forms. A denominational youth office may support congregations across a region. A camp or retreat association may support several sites. A congregation may run its own youth group, vacation Bible school or community program.

The programs look different too: Sunday school, youth group trips, retreats, mission trips, summer camps and community outreach. Some are part of a registered nonprofit or church. Others are projects of a larger body.

Eligibility depends on the organization that holds the account. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up, so ask before a ministry starts if the structure is not clear.

- Volunteers who run registration alongside other work.
- Events, retreats and ongoing groups with different sign-up needs.
- Medical, allergy and pickup forms for children's programs.
- Families who prefer to register in Spanish.
- Budgets that cannot absorb another subscription.
- Leaders who need help moving data from spreadsheets or another system.

Not every ministry will qualify for the free option. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up. For-profit or public programs can request a quote.

### Registration that works for volunteers
- **A setup a volunteer can finish:** The person running registration may have a full-time job and a Sunday afternoon. Setup needs to be clear, and the handoff to the next volunteer needs to be simple.
- **One system for events and groups:** A week of vacation Bible school, a Sunday school year and a summer trip do not use the same registration flow. Staff need to set up each one without rebuilding the basics.
- **Forms and safety:** Churches collect medical, allergy and pickup information, especially for children's programs. Missing forms create risk and extra work.
- **A clear cost for families:** Card processing is part of taking payments online. A ministry can absorb Stripe's standard rates or pass them on as a clearly labeled fee. BackPR adds no fee of its own.

### Registration and payments for ministry programs
BackPR handles online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for youth and community programs. Families register; ministry staff see the roster and the payments.

For registered nonprofit ministries, including churches and faith-based organizations, BackPR is free. There is no subscription and no BackPR fee. The only processing cost is Stripe's standard rate, which the ministry can absorb or pass on.

- **Free for registered nonprofits:** No subscription and no BackPR fees. The free option is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **A quote when the ministry is not a nonprofit:** A for-profit or public program can request a quote. BackPR confirms status at sign-up.
- **Free setup and import:** BackPR sets up the account and brings over families and programs from a current system or spreadsheets. The ministry reviews everything before families see it.
- **Templates for volunteer teams:** Free printable templates include registration, medical and allergy, authorized pickup, volunteer application, incident report and parent handbook forms. PDF and Word.

The state rules library covers licensing, ratios, background checks, medication and mandated reporting by state. It is general information, not legal advice.

### A free option to share with member ministries
There is no fee to the organization to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit ministry that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run registration for every congregation or camp. Point them to the free option page and let each ministry decide.

When a ministry is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The ministry reviews the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

BackPR has no partnership with any faith organization. This page describes an offer to share, not an existing partnership. A denominational endorsement, conference booth or paid membership is not part of this offer.

### Three steps, nothing to sign
- **Tell us how your ministries are organized:** Are they separate congregations, projects of a larger body or a mix? We'll confirm which organization would hold the account.
- **Ask for a short demo:** We'll walk through the registration and payment screens a ministry leader would use.
- **Share the free option:** Send ministries to backpr.com/nonprofits. Registered nonprofits can sign up free. Other programs can request a quote.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**Are churches eligible for the free nonprofit option?**
Registered nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including churches and faith-based organizations, can use BackPR free. BackPR confirms status at sign-up.

**Our church does not have an IRS letter. What do you need?**
We confirm nonprofit or tax-exempt status when the church signs up. If you're not sure whether it qualifies, email support@backpr.com before you start.

**Can we use BackPR for vacation Bible school and retreats?**
Yes. BackPR handles registration and card payments for events, camps and ongoing programs. See the church and vacation Bible school pages for more detail.

**Do volunteers need training?**
BackPR support is by email. We can give your staff a short demo. Setup and data import are free, and the ministry reviews everything before families see it.

**Can families use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish.

**Does BackPR take a cut of what families pay?**
No. BackPR adds no fee of its own. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which the ministry can absorb or pass on as a clearly labeled fee.

**Do you offer faith-specific partner programs or conference booths?**
No. This page describes the free nonprofit option, a short demo and help with imports. It does not include a denominational endorsement, conference booth, sponsorship or paid membership.

**What if a ministry is not a registered nonprofit?**
It can request a quote. BackPR pricing for other organizations is quote-based.

### Related
- [Share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit): Ready-to-paste descriptions, newsletter text, images and free tools you can add to your website.
- [Church registration](https://backpr.com/solutions/churches): How BackPR fits VBS, youth groups, retreats and church camps.
- [Vacation Bible school](https://backpr.com/solutions/vacation-bible-school): Registration for a week-long VBS program.
- [Free for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/nonprofits): What a registered nonprofit ministry pays and how eligibility works.
- [Free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates): Printable registration, medical, pickup, volunteer and incident forms.
- [State rules library](https://backpr.com/resources/states): Licensing, ratios, background checks and reporting by state.
- [Free data import](https://backpr.com/switch): What BackPR imports and who does the work.

### Youth sports leagues
Youth sports leagues register a lot of families in a short window, often with volunteers at the keyboard. BackPR gives registered nonprofit clubs and leagues a free way to take registration and card payments.

### An association, league or club network
Youth sports organizations come in several shapes. A state association may support local clubs. A league may run its own age groups and teams. A club may be a single volunteer board.

The members are a mix too. Some clubs are registered nonprofits. Some are for-profit academies. Some programs sit inside a public parks and recreation department.

Registration usually happens before a season, often in a short window. Families need to know the cost, complete forms and pay. Volunteers need to find the roster and the money afterward.

- A short sign-up window with a lot of families.
- Card payments and a clear record for the treasurer.
- Waivers and emergency information collected at registration.
- Volunteer boards that change every season.
- Families who prefer to register in Spanish.
- Clubs that cannot absorb another subscription.

Not every club will qualify for the free option. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up. For-profit clubs and public agencies can request a quote.

### A sign-up window that does not depend on one volunteer
- **Registration that keeps up:** Families often register in a short window. The system has to work on a phone and stay out of the way.
- **Clear costs before checkout:** League fees, card processing and any convenience fee should be clear before a family pays. A surprise at checkout creates calls to the registrar.
- **Forms in the same place as payment:** Clubs collect waivers and emergency information as part of registration. Keeping forms with the registration saves chasing families twice.
- **A handoff for next season:** The person who set up last season's registration may not be back. A new registrar needs to find the roster, the payments and the family contact list.

### Registration and card payments for clubs
BackPR handles online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for youth and community programs. Families register; club staff see the roster and the payments.

For registered nonprofit clubs and leagues, BackPR is free. There is no subscription and no BackPR fee. The only processing cost is Stripe's standard rate, which the club can absorb or pass on.

- **Free for nonprofit clubs:** No subscription and no BackPR fees. The free option is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **A quote for other clubs:** A for-profit club or a public agency can request a quote. BackPR confirms status at sign-up.
- **Free setup and import:** BackPR sets up the account and brings over families and programs from a current system or spreadsheets. The club reviews everything before families see it.
- **No app to download:** Families use BackPR in a browser on a phone, tablet or computer. They can add it to the home screen if they want.

BackPR is available in the United States only.

### A free option to share with member clubs
There is no fee to the association or league to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit club that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run registration for every club. Point them to the free option page and let each board decide.

When a club is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The club reviews the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

BackPR has no partnership with any youth sports league. This page describes an offer to share, not an existing partnership. A sponsorship, conference booth or paid membership is not part of this offer.

### Three steps, nothing to sign
- **Tell us about your clubs:** Which clubs are registered nonprofits? Which are for-profit or public? We'll confirm what fits.
- **Ask for a short demo:** We'll walk through the registration and payment screens a club registrar would use.
- **Share the free option:** Send clubs to backpr.com/nonprofits. Registered nonprofits can sign up free. Other clubs can request a quote.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**Are all clubs in our league eligible?**
No. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. For-profit clubs and public agencies can request a quote.

**Does BackPR handle schedules, scores or team assignments?**
This page covers registration and payments. If your league needs scheduling or scorekeeping, ask us before you assume BackPR replaces those tools. We will tell you what BackPR does and what it does not do.

**Can families register on a phone?**
Yes. BackPR runs in a browser on a phone, tablet or computer. There is no app to download.

**Is there a per-player fee from BackPR?**
No. Registered nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, which the club can absorb or pass on.

**Can we pass card fees on to families?**
Yes. A club can absorb Stripe's processing cost or pass it on as a clearly labeled convenience fee. BackPR adds no fee of its own.

**Do you offer league discounts or sponsorships?**
No. BackPR is already free for registered nonprofits, so there is no member discount to add. This page does not offer sponsorships, co-branding or paid memberships.

**What if a club is already using another system?**
BackPR sets up the account and imports data at no cost. The club can review everything before families see it. There is no long-term contract, and data can be exported at any time for free.

### Related
- [Share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit): Ready-to-paste descriptions, newsletter text, images and free tools you can add to your website.
- [Youth sports registration](https://backpr.com/solutions/sports): How BackPR fits leagues, clubs and sports programs.
- [Tournaments](https://backpr.com/solutions/tournaments): Registration for tournaments and one-off events.
- [Card fee calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/card-fee-calculator): Estimate what card processing costs on registration fees.
- [Free for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/nonprofits): What a registered nonprofit club pays and how eligibility works.
- [Free data import](https://backpr.com/switch): What BackPR imports and who does the work.
- [State rules library](https://backpr.com/resources/states): Background checks, ratios and reporting by state.

### Fiscal sponsors
A fiscal sponsor carries the legal and financial responsibility for projects that may not have their own tax-exempt status. BackPR gives the registered nonprofit sponsor a free way to take registration and card payments, and gives every project a clear answer on eligibility.

### A sponsor with many projects
A fiscal sponsor is a 501(c)(3) that provides financial and administrative oversight to projects that may not have their own tax-exempt status. The sponsor holds funds, provides back-office support and is accountable for how the money is used.

The projects can be small and volunteer-run: a neighborhood arts program, a youth sports team, a mentoring project or a community event. They may not have staff, a bank account or a software budget.

The sponsor may already handle payroll, grants, contracts and insurance. It may not want another vendor to manage. A clear registration and payment option can keep project fees in a process the sponsor already understands.

- Projects that collect program fees but have no back office of their own.
- A sponsor that needs to know who holds the account and who is responsible for the money.
- Small budgets that cannot absorb another subscription.
- Projects that start, pause or move to another sponsor.
- Families who prefer to register in Spanish.
- Records the sponsor can export.

Eligibility depends on the organization that holds the account. A sponsored project is not automatically a registered nonprofit.

### A simple process that does not create a new finance problem
- **A clear account owner:** The sponsor and the project need to agree on which organization holds the BackPR account, who can see the money and who answers family questions.
- **Low overhead for small projects:** A project that collects a few hundred dollars in fees may not be able to absorb another subscription, so a free option helps.
- **Records the sponsor can export:** The sponsor needs to see what came in and what went out. A project should not create a separate spreadsheet that nobody reconciles.
- **A clean exit:** Projects start, pause and sometimes move. Data export and no long-term contract make a change less painful.

### Registration and payments, with eligibility confirmed at sign-up
BackPR handles online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for youth and community programs. Families register; staff see the roster and the payments.

The free option applies to a registered nonprofit organization. A fiscal sponsor is usually the registered nonprofit. A sponsored project may not be separately registered. BackPR confirms which organization holds the account and whether the free option applies at sign-up. If you're not sure, email us before a project starts.

Projects that are not registered nonprofits can request a quote. BackPR pricing for other organizations is quote-based.

- **Free for the registered nonprofit:** No subscription and no BackPR fees for the organization that qualifies. The free option is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **Free setup and import:** BackPR sets up the account and brings over families and programs from a current system or spreadsheets. The organization reviews everything before families see it.
- **Data export at any time:** A nonprofit can export its data for free. There is no long-term contract and no exit fee.
- **Resources for projects:** Free printable templates and a state rules library can help a project get organized, whether or not it uses BackPR. The library is general information, not legal advice.

BackPR is available in the United States only.

### A free option for the projects that qualify
There is no fee to the sponsor to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run registration for every project. Point project leaders to the free option page and let them decide.

When a project is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The project and sponsor review the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

BackPR has no partnership with any fiscal sponsor. This page describes an offer to share, not an existing partnership. A paid membership, sponsorship or co-branding is not part of this offer.

### Three steps, nothing to sign
- **Tell us how your projects are set up:** Do they use the sponsor's EIN, have their own legal status or sit somewhere in between? We'll confirm which organization would hold the account.
- **Ask for a short demo:** We'll walk through the registration and payment screens your projects would use.
- **Share the option with the projects that qualify:** Send them to backpr.com/nonprofits. Projects that are not registered nonprofits can request a quote.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**Are fiscally sponsored projects free?**
It depends on how the project is set up. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. A fiscal sponsor is usually the registered nonprofit, while a sponsored project may not be separately registered. BackPR confirms what applies at sign-up. If you're not sure, email us before a project starts. Projects that are not registered nonprofits can request a quote.

**Who should hold the BackPR account?**
Tell us which organization is responsible for the money and can pass BackPR's nonprofit check. That may be the sponsor or the project, depending on the structure. We'll confirm the account structure at sign-up.

**Can a project keep its data if it leaves?**
A nonprofit can export its data at any time for free. There is no long-term contract and no exit fee.

**Do you charge the sponsor a fee for each project?**
Not for projects under the sponsor's nonprofit account: BackPR's nonprofit option has no subscription and no BackPR fees, and standard Stripe processing fees apply. A project that holds its own account and is not a registered nonprofit can request a quote.

**Do you offer grants or funding for projects?**
No. BackPR is software, not a grant program. This page does not offer funding, sponsorship or paid memberships.

**Can families use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish.

**What does a project that is not a nonprofit pay?**
Pricing for other organizations is quote-based. Request a quote before the project starts so there are no surprises.

**Is there a contract?**
No long-term contract and no exit fee. Data can be exported at any time for free.

### Related
- [Share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit): Ready-to-paste descriptions, newsletter text, images and free tools you can add to your website.
- [Free for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/nonprofits): What a registered nonprofit pays and how eligibility works.
- [Pricing and processing](https://backpr.com/pricing): How BackPR pricing works and how card processing is handled.
- [Free data import](https://backpr.com/switch): What BackPR imports and who does the work.
- [Free registration software for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/resources/free-registration-software-for-nonprofits): A side-by-side look at free options for nonprofit programs.
- [Free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates): Printable forms for registration, pickup, medical information and staff.
- [Book a demo](https://backpr.com/demo): See the registration and payment screens your projects would use.

### National youth organizations
National youth organizations set standards and support local units that run their own programs. BackPR gives the registered nonprofits among those units a free way to take registration and card payments, without a national contract.

### A national office with local units
National youth organizations set program standards, provide training and support local affiliates, chapters or clubs. The national office may offer brand resources, curriculum and a shared identity.

Local units often run their own operations, including registration and payments. They may be separately incorporated nonprofits, projects of the national body or for-profit entities.

A national office cannot always mandate a local software choice. A free option that local units can adopt on their own avoids a national procurement process and lets each unit decide when it is ready.

- Affiliates that choose their own tools.
- Local units with small budgets and volunteer staff.
- Families who need a consistent registration experience across units.
- National staff who need a clear answer to send to affiliates.
- Families who prefer to register in Spanish.
- Local units that need help moving data.

Not every affiliate will qualify for the free option. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up. For-profit or public units can request a quote.

### A local decision that does not need a national purchase order
- **Local control:** Affiliates may choose their own tools. A national recommendation only helps if a local unit can say yes without a budget request.
- **A familiar family experience:** Families may deal with more than one local unit. A shared registration option can look familiar without a national mandate.
- **Eligibility that is clear:** Some affiliates are registered nonprofits. Some are projects of the national body or for-profit entities. The free option depends on the organization that holds the account.
- **Data the local unit can keep:** A local unit needs to export its families and payment records if it changes systems. BackPR offers free export at any time.

### A free option, shared not mandated
BackPR handles online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for youth and community programs. Families register; local staff see the roster and the payments.

For registered nonprofit affiliates, BackPR is free. There is no subscription and no BackPR fee. The only processing cost is Stripe's standard rate, which the local unit can absorb or pass on.

There is no national contract to sign. Share the option with local units and let each one decide.

- **Free for registered nonprofits:** No subscription and no BackPR fees. The free option is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **A quote for other affiliates:** A for-profit or public unit can request a quote. BackPR confirms status at sign-up.
- **Free setup and import:** BackPR sets up the account and brings over families and programs from a current system or spreadsheets. The local unit reviews everything before families see it.
- **Resources to share:** Free printable templates and a state rules library give local units something useful before they are ready to switch. The library is general information, not legal advice.

BackPR is available in the United States only.

### A free option to share with affiliates
There is no fee to the national office to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit affiliate that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run registration for affiliates. Point them to the free option page and let each local unit decide.

When an affiliate is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The affiliate reviews the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

BackPR has no partnership with any national youth organization. This page describes an offer to share, not an existing partnership. Co-branding, logo use, a national announcement, a conference booth or a paid membership is not part of this offer.

### Three steps, no national rollout
- **Tell us how affiliates are set up:** Which affiliates are registered nonprofits? Who chooses software locally? We'll confirm what fits.
- **Ask for a short demo:** We'll walk through the registration and payment screens local staff would use.
- **Share the free option:** Send affiliates to backpr.com/nonprofits. Registered nonprofits can sign up free. Other units can request a quote.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**Do affiliates have to adopt BackPR?**
No. There is no national requirement. Each local unit can decide for itself.

**Do we need a national agreement?**
No national agreement is required to share the free option. If your national office wants to use BackPR for its own programs, it signs up like any other organization. BackPR has no partnership with any umbrella organization.

**Can we co-brand or announce a partnership?**
No. This page does not offer co-branding, logo use, a press announcement or a conference booth. It describes a free option you can share with affiliates.

**Are all affiliates eligible?**
No. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. For-profit or public units can request a quote.

**What does it cost the national office?**
Nothing to share the option. If the national office runs its own programs and is a registered nonprofit, it can use BackPR free. If it is not a nonprofit, it can request a quote.

**Can local units export their data?**
Yes. A nonprofit can export its data at any time for free. There is no long-term contract and no exit fee.

**Can families use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish.

**Do you offer a demo for national staff?**
Yes. Email support@backpr.com with the subject 'Partnership question'. Tell us which organization you represent and what your affiliates need. We'll arrange a short demo.

### Related
- [Share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit): Ready-to-paste descriptions, newsletter text, images and free tools you can add to your website.
- [Multi-site programs](https://backpr.com/solutions/multi-location): How BackPR fits organizations with more than one location.
- [Free for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/nonprofits): What a registered nonprofit pays and how eligibility works.
- [Free data import](https://backpr.com/switch): What BackPR imports and who does the work.
- [Free registration software for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/resources/free-registration-software-for-nonprofits): A side-by-side look at free options for nonprofit programs.
- [Free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates): Printable forms for registration, pickup, medical information and staff.
- [Book a demo](https://backpr.com/demo): See the registration and payment screens local staff would use.

### PTA councils
PTA councils support local PTA units that run on volunteer time and small budgets. BackPR gives registered nonprofit PTAs a free way to take registration and card payments, with setup and data import included. Independent PTOs and parent groups qualify on their own if they're registered nonprofits.

### A council between the state PTA and local units
A PTA council sits between a state PTA and local PTA units. It supports the PTAs in a district or region with training, networking and shared resources.

Local units run enrichment, family events, teacher appreciation, community programs and more. Independent PTOs and parent groups at nearby schools often ask the same questions; they qualify on their own if they're registered nonprofits.

Council volunteers often answer the same software questions from local boards. A free option for the units that qualify is easy to share. Units that do not qualify can request a quote.

- Local boards that change every year.
- Small budgets that cannot absorb another subscription.
- Enrichment and events that need registration and card payments.
- Treasurers who need a clear record of payments.
- Families who prefer to register in Spanish.
- Volunteers who need help moving data from spreadsheets.

Not every local unit will qualify for the free option. BackPR confirms nonprofit status at sign-up.

### A system the next volunteer can pick up
- **A short handoff:** Local boards change every year. The next treasurer needs to find the payment records and rosters without a call to last year's volunteer.
- **A small budget:** A local PTA may run one enrichment session at a time. A subscription can be hard to justify, even when the software saves hours.
- **Clear money handling:** Families pay by card; the treasurer needs a record. Reports on payments and balances that the treasurer can export make the monthly report easier.
- **Forms for families:** Pickup lists, medical forms and waivers show up in after-school enrichment and events. Keeping them with registration saves chasing families twice.

### Registration and card payments for local programs
BackPR handles online registration, payments, forms, check-in and parent messaging for youth and community programs. Families register; local volunteers see the roster and the payments.

For registered nonprofit PTAs and PTOs, BackPR is free. There is no subscription and no BackPR fee. The only processing cost is Stripe's standard rate, which the local unit can absorb or pass on.

- **Free for registered nonprofits:** No subscription and no BackPR fees. The free option is how BackPR works for registered nonprofits, not a trial.
- **A quote for other units:** A PTO that is not a registered nonprofit can request a quote. BackPR confirms status at sign-up.
- **Free setup and import:** BackPR sets up the account and brings over families and programs from a current system or spreadsheets. The local unit reviews everything before families see it.
- **Templates for volunteers:** Free printable templates include registration, authorized pickup, medical and allergy, scholarship application, volunteer application and refund policy forms. PDF and Word.

BackPR is available in the United States only.

### A free option to share with local units
There is no fee to the council to share BackPR, and no BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit PTA or PTO that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.

You do not need to run registration for local units. Point them to the free option page and let each board decide.

When a local unit is ready, BackPR sets up the account and imports the data. The unit reviews the programs, families and forms before families see them.

- A free option to share with the programs you support.
- No fee to your organization to share it.
- No BackPR fees for a registered nonprofit that chooses it. Standard Stripe processing fees apply.
- A short demo for your staff or volunteers, focused on the screens programs would use.
- Free setup and data import for each program that signs up.
- Free templates programs can use, whether or not they use BackPR.
- A state rules library programs can read and share.
- A clear answer on eligibility at sign-up.

BackPR has no partnership with any PTA council and is not affiliated with or endorsed by National PTA or any state PTA. This page describes an offer to share, not an existing partnership. A paid membership, sponsorship or co-branding is not part of this offer.

### Three steps, nothing to sign
- **Tell us about your council:** How many local units do you support, and which ones are registered nonprofits? We'll confirm what fits.
- **Ask for a short demo:** We'll walk through the registration and payment screens a local volunteer would use.
- **Share the free option:** Send local units to backpr.com/nonprofits. Registered nonprofits can sign up free. Other units can request a quote.

There is nothing to buy and no contract to sign to share the link.

**Are all PTAs and PTOs free?**
No. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. A PTO that is not a registered nonprofit can request a quote.

**Our PTO is not a registered nonprofit. What now?**
It can request a quote. BackPR confirms status at sign-up. If you're not sure, email us before you open registration.

**Can local units share one account?**
Tell us how your units are organized. We'll confirm the account structure at sign-up.

**Does the council have to manage registration?**
No. Each local unit can run its own account. The council can share the option and point volunteers to support.

**Do you offer a council discount?**
BackPR is already free for registered nonprofits, so there is no member discount to add. For units that are not nonprofits, pricing is quote-based.

**Can families use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. Registration and parent screens are available in Spanish. Email support can also answer in Spanish.

**Do you offer training for volunteers?**
We can give council volunteers a short demo. BackPR support is by email, and setup and data import are free.

**Can we use BackPR for enrichment and events?**
Yes. BackPR handles registration and card payments for youth and community programs, including PTA enrichment and events.

### Related
- [Share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit): Ready-to-paste descriptions, newsletter text, images and free tools you can add to your website.
- [PTA and PTO registration](https://backpr.com/solutions/ptas): How BackPR fits enrichment, events and volunteer boards.
- [Free for nonprofits](https://backpr.com/nonprofits): What a registered nonprofit PTA or PTO pays and how eligibility works.
- [Free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates): Printable registration, pickup, medical, scholarship and volunteer forms.
- [Registration form checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/registration-form-checklist): What to ask families and why.
- [Free data import](https://backpr.com/switch): What BackPR imports and who does the work.
- [Book a demo](https://backpr.com/demo): See the registration and payment screens a local volunteer would use.

## Share kit: free resources for the programs you support
Copy a description, add a free tool to your website or post an image for your members. Everything here is free to use, with no sign-up and nothing to sign.

BackPR makes registration and payment software for youth programs. These resources are free whether or not anyone uses BackPR.

### What you can share
- [28 printable program forms](https://backpr.com/resources/templates): PDF and Word forms for camps, after-school programs and classes, including medical and allergy, registration, authorized pickup and incident report forms. 13 are also in Spanish.
- [State rules for every state and DC](https://backpr.com/resources/states): Childcare and camp licensing, staff ratios, background checks and abuse reporting, with links to official sources. Checked October 2026.
- [Free calculators](https://backpr.com/tools): Credit card fees, payment plans, sibling discounts, scholarship budgets and more. They work in the browser, with no sign-up.
- [Free options for nonprofits, compared](https://backpr.com/resources/free-registration-software-for-nonprofits): A guide to 12 free registration options for nonprofits, including BackPR, and what each is best for.
- [Family profile for parents](https://backpr.com/tools/family-profile): Parents enter their children's details once, then print or save them for every sign-up form. Everything stays in their browser; nothing is sent to BackPR.
- [The State of Youth Programs 2026](https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026): Data on youth nonprofits by state, state rules and the prices registration platforms publish. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.

### Descriptions and newsletter text
**One line: program forms** (For a list of links on a resource page.)

```text
Free program forms from BackPR: 28 printable forms for camps, after-school programs and classes, in PDF and Word, 13 also in Spanish. https://backpr.com/resources/templates
```

**One line: state rules** (For a list of links on a resource page.)

```text
State childcare and camp rules from BackPR: licensing, staff ratios and background checks for all 50 states and DC, with links to official sources. Checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice. https://backpr.com/resources/states
```

**Short description** (For a resource page or toolkit.)

```text
BackPR, a registration software company, publishes free resources for people who run youth programs: 28 printable program forms in PDF and Word (13 also in Spanish), summaries of childcare and camp rules for all 50 states and DC with links to the official sources (checked October 2026; general information, not legal advice), and calculators for credit card fees, payment plans and sibling discounts. No sign-up needed. https://backpr.com/resources
```

**Newsletter item** (For a member newsletter or email update.)

```text
Free forms and state rules for your program

BackPR, a registration software company, has published free resources for camps, after-school programs and other youth programs. There are 28 printable forms you can edit in Word, including medical and allergy, registration, authorized pickup and incident report forms; 13 are also in Spanish. There's also a summary of childcare and camp rules for all 50 states and DC (licensing, staff ratios and background checks) with links to the official sources. Checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice. No sign-up needed.

Forms: https://backpr.com/resources/templates
State rules: https://backpr.com/resources/states
```

**About BackPR** (If you describe the company that made the resources.)

```text
BackPR is online registration and payment software for youth and community programs in the United States. It's free for registered nonprofits, with no subscription and no BackPR fees; standard Stripe processing fees apply. Other organizations get a quote. Families can register in English or Spanish.
```

**Spanish: program forms** (For Spanish-language pages, newsletters or social posts.)

```text
13 formularios gratis en español para programas de niños y jóvenes. Vienen en PDF y Word, listos para imprimir. Entre ellos: inscripción, información médica y de alergias, y personas autorizadas para recoger a los niños. No tiene que crear una cuenta. https://backpr.com/es/plantillas
```

**Social post: program forms** (LinkedIn, Facebook or a group post.)

```text
Running a camp or after-school program? These 28 printable forms are free to download and edit, including medical and allergy, registration and authorized pickup forms. 13 are also in Spanish. No sign-up needed: https://backpr.com/resources/templates
```

**Social post: state rules** (LinkedIn, Facebook or a group post.)

```text
What staff-to-child ratio does your state require for school-age kids? This free state-by-state guide from BackPR covers childcare and camp licensing, ratios, background checks and abuse reporting, with links to official sources. Checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice. https://backpr.com/resources/states
```

**Short post** (X, Bluesky or Threads (under 280 characters).)

```text
28 free printable forms for camps and after-school programs, in PDF and Word (13 also in Spanish). No sign-up: https://backpr.com/resources/templates
```

### Images
- Program forms: https://backpr.com/media/share/backpr-free-program-forms.png (28 free printable program forms in PDF and Word, 13 also in Spanish. No sign-up. backpr.com/resources/templates)
- State rules: https://backpr.com/media/share/backpr-state-rules.png (Childcare and camp rules for all 50 states and DC, with links to official sources. backpr.com/resources/states)
- Spanish forms: https://backpr.com/media/share/backpr-formularios-en-espanol.png (13 formularios gratis en español para programas de niños y jóvenes, en PDF y Word. Sin crear cuenta. backpr.com/es/plantillas)

### Free tools for your website
**State rules checker.** Visitors pick a state and see its school-age staff ratio, camp licensing rule, who must report suspected child abuse and the licensing agency, with a link to the full state page. To show one state, add ?state= and the state's name in lowercase with hyphens for spaces, or its two-letter code: for example /embed/state-rules?state=new-york, ?state=tx or ?state=dc.

```html
<iframe src="https://backpr.com/embed/state-rules" title="State rules checker from BackPR" width="100%" height="680" style="border:0;max-width:760px" loading="lazy" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox" data-backpr-embed></iframe>
<p style="font-size:13px;margin:6px 0 0"><a href="https://backpr.com/resources/states">State rules from BackPR</a></p>
<script src="https://backpr.com/embed/resize.js" async></script>
```

**Card fee calculator.** Programs enter a price, the number of registrations and their card processing rate, then see what fees cost the program if it absorbs them or what families pay if it passes them on.

```html
<iframe src="https://backpr.com/embed/card-fee-calculator" title="Card fee calculator from BackPR" width="100%" height="720" style="border:0;max-width:760px" loading="lazy" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox" data-backpr-embed></iframe>
<p style="font-size:13px;margin:6px 0 0"><a href="https://backpr.com/tools/card-fee-calculator">Card fee calculator from BackPR</a></p>
<script src="https://backpr.com/embed/resize.js" async></script>
```

- The widgets are free and work on any site that allows iframes. They set no cookies and run no analytics.
- The resize script is optional and runs on your page. It adjusts the widget's height to fit; without it, the widget stays at the height set in the code (680 or 720 pixels).
- If your site has a Content Security Policy, allow https://backpr.com in frame-src (and in script-src if you use the resize script).
- The line under each widget credits BackPR with a link. Please keep it if you can; you're welcome to add rel="nofollow" to it.

### How to credit BackPR
- Program forms: free to use, edit and share. Programs can add their own logo to the Word versions.
- State rules: please name BackPR as the source and link to the state page you used.
- The State of Youth Programs 2026 and its charts: CC BY 4.0. Credit BackPR and link to the report and the license. If you changed anything, say so.
- Logos and colors are on the brand page.

Have a question, or found an error on a state page? Email support@backpr.com and we'll check it.

## Glossary: registration and payment terms for youth programs
Plain definitions of the words you'll run into when you set up registration and payments for a youth program.

**501(c)(3)**: The section of the US tax code for charitable nonprofit organizations. Donations to a 501(c)(3) are generally tax-deductible, and the organization doesn't pay federal income tax on its charitable work.

**IRS determination letter**: The letter the IRS sends when it recognizes an organization as tax-exempt, for example under section 501(c)(3). Vendors and funders often ask for a copy to confirm nonprofit status.

**EIN (Employer Identification Number)**: A nine-digit number the IRS gives an organization, written like 12-3456789. It identifies the organization on tax forms and in the IRS's public records.

**NTEE code**: The National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities code the IRS uses to describe a nonprofit's main activity, such as O50 for youth development programs or N20 for camps.

**Online registration**: Signing up for a program on the web instead of on paper: choosing sessions, filling out forms and usually paying in the same checkout.

**Registration software**: Software that runs a program's sign-ups: program listings, forms, payments, waitlists, rosters and messages to families.

**Deposit**: A partial payment made at registration to hold a spot, with the rest paid later.

**Payment plan**: An agreement to pay the balance in several installments on set dates instead of all at once.

**Installment**: One of the scheduled payments in a payment plan.

**Autopay**: Charging a saved card or bank account automatically on each due date, so families don't have to remember to pay.

**Card processing fee**: What a payment processor charges to handle a card payment, usually a percentage of the amount plus a small fixed fee.

**Payment processor**: The company that moves card and bank payments from families to your bank account, such as Stripe or Square.

**Surcharge**: An extra amount added to a card payment to cover processing costs. Rules on surcharges differ by state and card network.

**Convenience fee**: A flat fee for paying through an alternative channel, for example online when a program usually takes payments in person. Card networks limit when one is allowed.

**ACH payment**: A payment straight from a bank account through the US Automated Clearing House network. It usually costs less to process than a card payment but takes a few days to arrive.

**Chargeback**: When a cardholder disputes a payment with their bank and the money is pulled back from the organization while the dispute is decided. Processors often charge a fee for each one.

**Refund policy**: The written rules for when families get money back, how much, and how long it takes. Best published before registration opens.

**Sibling discount**: A lower price for the second child, and often each child after that, from the same family.

**Early-bird pricing**: A lower price for families who register before a set date.

**Sliding scale**: Prices that change with what a family can afford, often based on household income.

**Scholarship**: A full or partial reduction in a program's price for a family that needs help paying.

**Waitlist**: A list of families waiting for a spot in a full session. When a spot opens, it's offered to the next family on the list.

**Waiver**: A document a parent signs to accept a program's risks and rules. Programs often collect it with an e-signature at registration.

**Authorized pickup**: The list of adults a parent allows to pick their child up. Staff check it at every pickup.

**Check-in and check-out**: Recording when each child arrives and leaves, and who picked them up.

**Roster**: The list of children in a session or class, often with their allergies, pickup lists and emergency contacts.

**Attendance hours**: The total hours each child attended. Many grant funders ask programs to report them.

**Data export**: Downloading your families, registrations and payments from a system, usually as a spreadsheet, so you can keep or move them.

**PTA and PTO**: Parent-teacher associations and parent-teacher organizations: school parent groups, usually nonprofits, that often run enrichment classes and events.

## Free templates for youth programs
28 free templates for camps, after-school programs and classes: forms for families, logs for staff, policies, handbooks and plans. Print the PDFs as they are, or download the Word versions and change them to fit your program. The Word files also open in Google Docs.

Free to use and change, but not legal or medical advice. Check your state's licensing rules and your insurer's requirements, and have a lawyer review any consent or waiver language.

### Registration and enrollment
- [Youth program registration form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/youth-program-registration-form): An all-in-one registration form for camps, after-school programs and classes: child and parent details, emergency contacts, pickup, health and payment.
- [Scholarship application](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/scholarship-application): A short, respectful application for families who need help paying. Keep every answer confidential.
- [Daily sign-in and sign-out sheet](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/daily-sign-in-sign-out-sheet): A daily log where adults sign children in and out with the time and their signature, and staff initial each pickup.
- [Weekly attendance sheet](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/weekly-attendance-sheet): A weekly attendance grid for one group, with daily marks and totals you can use for planning, billing and grant reports.

### Families
- [Field trip permission slip](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/field-trip-permission-slip): A one-page permission slip for each trip: where, when, transportation and what to bring, with a parent signature and consent for emergency care.
- [Photo and media release](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/photo-and-media-release): Lets families choose where photos, video and their child's first name may appear, from family updates to social media, and how to change their answer.
- [Participant code of conduct](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/participant-code-of-conduct): Kid-friendly behavior expectations, what's never allowed and the steps staff take when rules are broken, signed by the child and a parent.
- [Camp packing list](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/camp-packing-list): A checklist to send families before camp starts: what to bring every day, on swim days and for overnight camp, plus what to leave at home.
- [Parent welcome letter](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/parent-welcome-letter): A friendly first letter with what families need before day one: dates, hours, drop-off and pickup, what to bring, health basics and how to reach you.
- [End-of-program parent survey](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/end-of-program-parent-survey): A one-page survey on what families liked, what to improve and whether they'll come back, with ratings you can count for your board and funders.
- [Late pickup policy agreement](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/late-pickup-policy-agreement): Explains your closing time, late fees and the steps staff follow when a child isn't picked up, and gets each family's signature before the program starts.
- [Volunteer application](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/volunteer-application): Screens volunteers before they work with children: roles, availability, references, background questions and agreement to your child protection rules.

### Health and safety
- [Authorized pickup form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/authorized-pickup-form): Lists every adult allowed to pick a child up and anyone who isn't, with the program's pickup rules. Keep a copy with each roster.
- [Medical and allergy form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/medical-and-allergy-form): Collects the allergy, medication and medical details staff need, plus emergency contacts and consent for emergency care.
- [Incident and accident report](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/incident-and-accident-report): A staff form for recording injuries, illnesses and behavior incidents the same day: what happened, first aid given, who was told and what you'll change.
- [Medication administration log](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/medication-administration-log): Records every dose of medicine staff give a child: date, time, dose, who gave it and any reaction. Use one log per child, per medicine.
- [Allergy alert roster](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/allergy-alert-roster): One page listing every child with an allergy, the signs of a reaction, what to do and where their medicine is, so any staff member can act fast.
- [Emergency action plan](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/emergency-action-plan): A fill-in emergency plan for fire, severe weather, lockdown, a missing child, medical emergencies and reunification, with blanks for your site's details.

### Staff
- [Counselor job description](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/counselor-job-description): A ready-to-edit job description for camp and after-school counselors: duties, qualifications, physical demands, schedule and pay.
- [Counselor interview questions](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/counselor-interview-questions): Interview questions for camp and after-school counselors, grouped by topic, with what a good answer shows and space to take notes and score each candidate.
- [Staff training checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-training-checklist): Tracks each staff member's training: orientation, child protection, mandated reporting, emergencies, medication, first aid, pickup and confidentiality.

### Policies and handbooks
- [Parent handbook](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/parent-handbook): An outline for your parent handbook with sample wording for each key policy, from hours and pickup to illness, behavior, payments and emergencies.
- [Staff handbook](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-handbook): An outline for your staff handbook with sample wording on pay, conduct, child protection, safety and confidentiality, ending with a signed acknowledgment.
- [Refund and cancellation policy](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/refund-and-cancellation-policy): Sample refund and cancellation wording with options for deposits, deadlines, missed days, session changes, removals and program cancellations.
- [Scholarship policy](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/scholarship-policy): A sample scholarship policy: who's eligible, a sliding-scale example, how families apply, how you keep their information private and how you decide.

### Planning and reports
- [Camp daily schedule](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/camp-daily-schedule): A sample day camp schedule from drop-off to pickup, plus a blank weekly grid for planning each group's activities.
- [After-school daily schedule](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/after-school-daily-schedule): A sample after-school schedule from school dismissal to pickup, with snack, homework, outdoor play and activities, plus a weekly planning grid.
- [Grant attendance report](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/grant-attendance-report): A report for funders with program details, a monthly attendance table, outcomes and stories, plus how to count child-days and average attendance.

## Open Youth Registration format: a free, open data format for youth programs
A free, open format for the data youth programs collect at registration: families, children, health information, emergency contacts, pickup rules, consents, programs and payments. Use it to move records between systems, keep a copy you control, or let families bring their information with them.

### Why
- **Families retype the same details:** Every camp, team and after-school program asks for the same allergies, medications and pickup list on its own form.
- **Safety details get lost:** When records move between spreadsheets and software, the parts that matter most, like a severe allergy or a court order that limits who can pick up, are the easiest to drop.
- **Switching is harder than it should be:** Every system exports something different, so moving to a new one means mapping columns by hand.

### What it covers
- **Family profile:** Guardians, children, emergency contacts, authorized pickup, pickup restrictions (including whether a court order is on file) and consents. Schema: https://backpr.com/standard/v1/family.schema.json
- **Health profile:** Allergies with severity and action plans, epinephrine, medications, conditions, dietary and support needs, doctor and insurance. Schema: https://backpr.com/standard/v1/health-profile.schema.json
- **Consents:** Emergency care, photos, field trips, swimming and policy acknowledgments, with who signed, when, which version of the text and whether it was later withdrawn. Schema: https://backpr.com/standard/v1/consent.schema.json
- **Programs and sessions:** Ages, grades, dates, days, times, time zone, capacity and prices. Schema: https://backpr.com/standard/v1/program.schema.json
- **Registrations and payments:** Who's enrolled in which sessions, discounts and scholarships, payments, refunds and installments. Schema: https://backpr.com/standard/v1/registration.schema.json
- **Export file:** The top-level file that holds families, programs and registrations together. Schema: https://backpr.com/standard/v1/export.schema.json

### Design principles
- Family-first: a family profile makes sense on its own, so families can keep it and bring it to the next program.
- Only what programs need: few fields are required, mostly names, IDs and the core of each record, like the allergen or medication name. Collect what your program uses.
- Safety details are structured, not free text: allergy severity, who carries epinephrine and whether a court order is on file are fields, not notes.
- Consents keep their history: who signed, when and on which version of the wording.
- Plain standards underneath: JSON Schema (2020-12), ISO 8601 dates, BCP 47 language tags and E.164 phone numbers where possible.
- Stable IDs: every record has an ID that stays the same between exports, and references point to IDs, so imports update records instead of duplicating them.
- Room to grow: custom fields start with x- and must be kept by software that rewrites a file.
- Spreadsheet-friendly: CSV templates cover the most-used fields, one row per child or per session, and the free converter turns them into the full format.

### Files
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/export.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/family.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/guardian.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/participant.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/health-profile.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/contact.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/consent.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/program.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/registration.schema.json
- https://backpr.com/standard/v1/common.schema.json
- Example: https://backpr.com/standard/v1/example.json
- Participants spreadsheet template (one row per child): https://backpr.com/standard/v1/templates/participants.csv
- Programs spreadsheet template (one row per session): https://backpr.com/standard/v1/templates/programs.csv

### Privacy
This format carries sensitive information about children: health details, insurance numbers and court orders. Treat every file like a medical record. Store it only in encrypted, access-controlled places, share it through a secure link rather than an email attachment, and delete copies you no longer need.

Send each recipient only what they need. A field trip vendor may need names and allergies; a coach's app doesn't need insurance numbers or pickup restrictions.

Pickup restrictions can put a child at risk if they reach the wrong person. Show them only to staff who handle pickup.

Collect only the fields your program uses, and follow the federal and state privacy laws that apply to your program.

Families: your file holds your child's health details. Keep it on a device with a passcode and share it only with programs you're registering for.

BackPR maintains the format and decides on changes; every version is listed on this page. Anyone can use it, including other software companies. Send a file in this format, or a spreadsheet, to BackPR's free data import.

The specification, schemas and templates are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0). Reading and writing files in this format doesn't require credit. If you republish or adapt the specification, schemas or templates, credit "Open Youth Registration format, BackPR" with a link to this page, say what you changed, and please don't call a changed version the Open Youth Registration format. Cite as: BackPR, "Open Youth Registration format, version 1.0," October 20, 2026, https://backpr.com/open-youth-registration (CC BY 4.0).

**Who can use the Open Youth Registration format?**
Anyone: programs, families, software companies and developers. It's free under the CC BY 4.0 license. You don't need permission or a BackPR account.

**Does it replace our registration form?**
No. It's a way to store and move the information your form collects. Your form can ask the questions your way; the format just gives each answer a standard place.

**How do we turn our spreadsheet into this format?**
Copy your columns into the CSV template, then use the free converter. It runs in your browser, so the data isn't uploaded anywhere.

**How will the format change?**
Versions are numbered. Minor versions (1.1, 1.2) only add optional fields and list values, so a valid 1.0 file stays valid. Software that reads the format should ignore fields it doesn't recognize. Anything that would break existing files waits for version 2.0. Send suggestions to support@backpr.com.

## BackPR open data and AI tools
Free, sourced data about youth programs in the United States: state rules for camps and childcare, youth nonprofit counts, what registration software publishes about price, licensed program counts and our free form templates. It's free to use, share and adapt, including commercially, under a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY 4.0): just credit BackPR.

Need a quotable number? See [youth program statistics 2026](https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics): one-line facts, each dated and sourced.

### Datasets
Free under CC BY 4.0 with credit to BackPR. Each file has a version, a last-checked date and a citation line.

#### Youth program rules by state: childcare licensing, staff ratios, camps, background checks, medication and mandated reporting
Rules for childcare centers, camps and after-school programs in all 50 states and DC, summarized from official state sources and published copies of state law, with links to each source.

- JSON: https://backpr.com/data/state-rules.json
- CSV: https://backpr.com/data/state-rules.csv
- Records: 51. Version 2026.10. Last checked: October 2026.
- Cite as: BackPR (2026). Youth program rules by state: childcare licensing, staff ratios, camps, background checks, medication and mandated reporting (version 2026.10, checked October 2026). https://backpr.com/data/state-rules.json. CC BY 4.0.
- Notes: General information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the state agency. A blank (null) value means the rules don't set a single value for it or we couldn't confirm it from the sources.

#### Registration software pricing index: what 56 platforms publish about price, fees and nonprofit terms
What registration, camp, childcare, class and sports software publishes about plan prices, nonprofit offers, fees passed on to families, card processing rates, contracts, onboarding fees and Spanish-language support. Each record has a short summary of what the platform publishes, a link to the source and the date we checked.

- JSON: https://backpr.com/data/registration-software-pricing-index.json
- CSV: https://backpr.com/data/registration-software-pricing-index.csv
- Records: 56. Version 1.0. Last checked: October 2026.
- Cite as: BackPR (2026). Registration software pricing index: what 56 platforms publish about price, fees and nonprofit terms (version 1.0, checked October 2026). https://backpr.com/data/registration-software-pricing-index.json. CC BY 4.0.
- Notes: BackPR competes with the companies in this index, so we left BackPR out. A value of "not published" means we found nothing, not that the company doesn't offer it. CC BY 4.0 covers BackPR's compilation; quoted company text remains the company's. Companies in the index can send corrections to support@backpr.com. BackPR's State of Youth Programs 2026 report uses only the 48 registration and management platforms in this index and leaves out the form, fundraising, event and membership tools (categories "forms" and "membership").

#### Youth and community nonprofits by state: active 501(c)(3) organizations from IRS data
Counts of active 501(c)(3) youth development, amateur sports, PTA and PTO, recreation, camp and club, children's and youth services, arts education and childcare nonprofits in each state and DC, by group, including how many report under $50,000 in annual revenue. There are 171,592 nationally. The state rows total 171,286; the other 306 have no state on file or are in US territories, at military addresses or abroad.

- JSON: https://backpr.com/data/youth-nonprofits-by-state.json
- CSV: https://backpr.com/data/youth-nonprofits-by-state.csv
- Records: 51. Version 1.0. Last checked: September 2026.
- Cite as: BackPR (2026). Youth and community nonprofits by state: active 501(c)(3) organizations from IRS data (version 1.0, checked September 2026). https://backpr.com/data/youth-nonprofits-by-state.json. CC BY 4.0.
- Notes: Filter: Active 501(c)(3) organizations in the NTEE codes listed for each group. Group codes (NTEE, the IRS's activity codes for nonprofits): Amateur sports: N40, N6x, N7x; Youth development: all O codes; PTAs and PTOs: B94; Recreation, camps and clubs: N20, N30, N31, N50; Children's and youth services: P30; Arts education: A25; Childcare: P33. Each organization is counted once, by its main NTEE code. Some groups, such as amateur sports and arts education, include organizations that also serve adults. The "under_50k" column counts organizations that report annual revenue under $50,000 on their latest IRS filing or have no revenue amount on file.

#### Free youth program form templates: registration, medical, pickup, waivers, policies and staff forms
BackPR's free printable PDF and editable Word templates for camps, after-school programs, childcare and other youth programs, with Spanish versions of the forms families fill out.

- JSON: https://backpr.com/data/templates.json
- CSV: https://backpr.com/data/templates.csv
- Records: 28. Version 1.0. Last checked: October 2026.
- Cite as: BackPR (2026). Free youth program form templates: registration, medical, pickup, waivers, policies and staff forms (version 1.0, checked October 2026). https://backpr.com/data/templates.json. CC BY 4.0.
- Notes: A list of BackPR's free templates, with links to each PDF and Word file. CC BY 4.0 covers this list; the templates themselves are free to use and change without credit. They're starting points to adapt, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review waivers and agreements.

#### Licensed youth program directory statistics: centers, after-school programs and camps by state
Live counts of the childcare centers, school-age (after-school) programs, camps and other youth programs listed in BackPR's program finder, by state and program type, from official state and local licensing data. One record per state with listings. Updated daily on backpr.com; each file shows its update date.

- JSON: https://backpr.com/data/finder-directory-stats.json
- CSV: https://backpr.com/data/finder-directory-stats.csv
- One record per state with listings. Live data, refreshed daily; each file shows its update date.
- Cite as: BackPR (2026). Licensed youth program directory statistics (live data, updated <the date shown in the file>). https://backpr.com/data/finder-directory-stats.json. CC BY 4.0.
- Notes: Home-based family childcare isn't listed. Counts cover the states that publish program data.

All datasets: https://backpr.com/data/datapackage.json (Frictionless Data Package).

Also published on:
- Zenodo (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23577823): https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23577823
- Hugging Face: https://huggingface.co/datasets/backpr/us-youth-program-data
- Kaggle: https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/backpr/us-youth-program-data-rules-nonprofits-pricing
- GitHub: https://github.com/DB-Shadow/backpr-open-data

### BackPR data MCP server
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the standard way AI assistants such as Claude and ChatGPT connect to outside data. The BackPR data MCP server is public and read-only, with no sign-in. Add it to your assistant and it can answer from this data. Every result includes a link to its source on backpr.com.

Server URL: https://backpr.com/ai/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no authentication). Server card: https://backpr.com/ai/mcp/server-card.

#### Connect your assistant
**Claude**
1. In Claude, open Customize, then Connectors. Select + and choose Add custom connector.
2. Name it BackPR data and paste https://backpr.com/ai/mcp. No sign-in is needed.

**ChatGPT**
1. In ChatGPT, open Plugins, select + and choose Add custom MCP server.
2. Name it BackPR data, paste https://backpr.com/ai/mcp and choose No authentication.

**Claude Code**
1. Run this command.

```sh
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user backpr-data https://backpr.com/ai/mcp
```

**Cursor**
1. Add the server to your mcp.json file (~/.cursor/mcp.json).

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backpr-data": { "url": "https://backpr.com/ai/mcp" }
  }
}
```

**VS Code (GitHub Copilot)**
1. Run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette and choose HTTP, or add the server to .vscode/mcp.json.

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "backpr-data": { "type": "http", "url": "https://backpr.com/ai/mcp" }
  }
}
```

Try asking:
- "What are the staff ratios for childcare centers in Texas?"
- "Does a day camp in Texas need a license?"
- "Which states require everyone to report child abuse?"
- "Which registration software is free for nonprofits?"
- "Find childcare centers in Austin, TX."
- "Find me a medical form template."

Tools:
- get_state_rules: A state's rules for childcare licensing, staff ratios, camps, background checks, medication or abuse reporting, with links to the sources.
- list_states_by_rule: Every state that matches a rule, such as states where everyone must report abuse or states that license camps.
- calculate_staff_needed: Estimates how many staff a group needs under a state's childcare center ratio, with caveats. Confirm with your licensing agency.
- find_registration_software: What registration platforms publish about price, nonprofit terms, family fees and contracts.
- find_programs: Licensed childcare centers, after-school programs and camps in a city, ZIP code or state.
- get_directory_stats: How many licensed programs the directory lists, by state and type.
- find_template: Free form templates, such as a medical form or authorized pickup form, in PDF and Word.
- search_backpr: Guides, calculators and comparisons on backpr.com.
- list_datasets: These datasets, with download links and citation lines.
- about_backpr: What BackPR is and what it costs.

### Files for machines
- llms.txt (https://backpr.com/llms.txt): A guide to the site for AI assistants: every page, with a one-line description.
- llms-full.txt (https://backpr.com/llms-full.txt): The full text of the site in one Markdown file.
- Markdown copies of pages (https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas/index.md): Most pages have one: add /index.md to the page's address, for example /resources/states/texas/index.md.
- Data package (https://backpr.com/data/datapackage.json): One machine-readable index of all the files, with each one's version, date, license and citation (Frictionless Data Package format).
- API catalog (https://backpr.com/.well-known/api-catalog): A machine-readable list of the data files and the MCP server (RFC 9727).
- AI catalog (https://backpr.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json): Points AI agents to the MCP server card.
- MCP server card (https://backpr.com/ai/mcp/server-card): Connection details for the BackPR data MCP server.
- Sitemaps (https://backpr.com/sitemap.xml): Every page with its last change date, plus the program finder sitemap at /find/sitemap.xml.
- What changed (https://backpr.com/changes): Dated updates to the data and pages, with an RSS feed at /changes/feed.xml.

### How to cite
- Credit BackPR and link to the page or file you used, for example: Source: BackPR (backpr.com/resources/states/texas#ratios).
- Link to the exact fact when you can. Every section of each state page, every row of our national rules tables and every statistic has its own link.
- Include the date we checked the fact. Rules and prices change.
- State rules are general information, not legal advice. Point readers to the state agency for decisions.
- Found an error? Email support@backpr.com. We'll check it, and if we got it wrong, we'll fix it and note the change on our What changed page.

Cite the whole collection: BackPR (2026). BackPR open data for US youth programs [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23577823. Current version: https://backpr.com/ai. CC BY 4.0.

### Questions
**Is the data free to use?**
Yes. The datasets are free under CC BY 4.0, including for commercial use, as long as you credit BackPR and link to the source.

**How often is it updated?**
We re-check the state rules every month and note changes on our What changed page. The pricing index and nonprofit counts are updated less often, and the program directory statistics update daily. Each file shows its version and the date it was last checked.

**Do I need an account to use the MCP server?**
No. The BackPR data MCP server at https://backpr.com/ai/mcp is public and read-only. It answers from the same data as these files, and every result includes a link to its source on backpr.com.

**How is this different from the BackPR MCP for admins and families?**
This data server is public and only reads published data. The BackPR MCP for admins and families connects to a BackPR account to run registrations, payments and messages, and needs a sign-in. Its setup page is https://backpr.com/mcp; that page isn't a server address.

**Is the state rules data legal advice?**
No. It summarizes the rules from official state sources and published copies of state law, with links to each source, but rules change and details depend on the program. Confirm with the state agency.

**Who publishes this?**
BackPR, which makes registration and payments software for youth programs. BackPR competes with the companies in the pricing index, so it left itself out.
## Youth program statistics 2026: nonprofits, state rules and registration software
Facts about youth programs in the United States, each in one line with its date and source. They come from IRS nonprofit records, our review of every state's rules and what registration platforms publish. Use them freely with credit to BackPR.

To cite this page: BackPR. "Youth program statistics 2026." October 2026. https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics (CC BY 4.0). Each fact has its own link (the Link: address after each fact).

### Youth and community nonprofits
Active 501(c)(3) organizations in the IRS records posted in September 2026, counted by each organization's main IRS activity code (NTEE code). Some groups, such as amateur sports and arts education, include organizations that also serve adults.

- IRS records list 171,592 active 501(c)(3) nonprofits in youth development, amateur sports, recreation, PTAs, children's services, arts education or childcare (171,286 of them in the 50 states and DC). (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#youth-nonprofits-total)
- Among youth and community nonprofits, amateur sports is the largest group, with 65,671 organizations, followed by youth development with 58,326. (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#sports-nonprofits)
- 19,984 PTAs and PTOs are registered as 501(c)(3) nonprofits. (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#pta-nonprofits)
- 10,141 nonprofits run recreation programs, camps and clubs. (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#camp-recreation-nonprofits)
- 3,694 501(c)(3) nonprofits have childcare as their main activity. (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#childcare-nonprofits)
- 8,392 501(c)(3) nonprofits have children's and youth services as their main activity. (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#childrens-services-nonprofits)
- 77% of the 171,592 youth and community nonprofits report annual revenue under $50,000 or have no revenue amount on file. (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#small-nonprofits)
- Of the 171,592 youth and community nonprofits, 1,403 (under 1%) report more than $5 million in annual revenue. (As of September 2026. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#large-nonprofits)
- There are 23.8 youth and community nonprofits for every 10,000 children in the 50 states and DC. (As of September 2026 for IRS data and July 1, 2025 for the Census child population. Source: BackPR analysis of IRS and Census Bureau data, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#nonprofits-per-child)
- Among the 50 states and DC, Wyoming has the most of these nonprofits per child (57.7 per 10,000 children) and Utah the fewest (15.4). A higher rate means more organizations per child, not more or better programs. (As of September 2026 for IRS data and July 1, 2025 for the Census child population. Source: BackPR analysis of IRS and Census Bureau data, https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026#who. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#most-per-child)
- California has the most youth and community nonprofits (16,945), followed by Texas (13,480) and Florida (9,283). (As of September 2026. Source: IRS records, by state, via BackPR's analysis, https://backpr.com/resources/nonprofits-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#most-nonprofits-state)

### State rules for camps and childcare
From our review of the rules in all 50 states and DC, checked in October 2026, using official state sources and published copies of state law. General information, not legal advice.

- In 18 states, anyone who suspects child abuse must report it, not only teachers, childcare workers and other listed roles. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR state rules library, https://backpr.com/resources/mandated-reporter-laws-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#everyone-must-report)
- In 18 states, both day and overnight camps need a camp-specific license, permit or registration, by BackPR's count (10 states were close calls). (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR state rules library, https://backpr.com/resources/summer-camp-license-requirements-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#camp-license-states)
- In 20 states, only some camp types need a camp-specific license, permit or registration, often only overnight camps, by BackPR's count. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR state rules library, https://backpr.com/resources/summer-camp-license-requirements-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#camp-license-partial)
- 13 jurisdictions, including DC, have no statewide camp-specific license or permit, by BackPR's count, though camps there may still need a childcare license or local permits. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR state rules library, https://backpr.com/resources/summer-camp-license-requirements-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#no-camp-license)
- For the youngest school-age children in licensed childcare centers, required ratios range from one adult for every 10 children (New York) to one for every 26 (Texas). (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR state rules library, https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-ratios-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#school-age-ratio-range)
- 1:15 is the most common school-age ratio in licensed childcare centers (15 jurisdictions), and 20 of the 50 jurisdictions with a confirmed ratio (49 states and DC; Ohio's couldn't be confirmed) set one between 1:13 and 1:15. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR state rules library, https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-ratios-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#common-ratio)
- Ratios for 4-year-olds in licensed childcare centers range from one adult for every 8 children (New York) to one for every 20 (Florida and North Carolina). (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR state rules library, https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-ratios-by-state. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#four-year-old-ratio-range)

### Registration software pricing
What 48 registration and management platforms used by youth programs publish, checked October 10 to 19, 2026. "Not published" means we found nothing, not that a company doesn't offer it. BackPR sells registration software and isn't counted.

- 20 of 48 registration platforms publish no plan prices; 19 publish plan prices and 9 publish only some prices or a starting price. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR pricing index of 48 platforms, from each company's own pages (BackPR, which sells competing software, isn't counted), https://backpr.com/ai#registration-software-pricing-index. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#no-published-prices)
- 40 of 48 registration platforms publish no nonprofit offer, and none publishes a free plan for all nonprofits. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR pricing index of 48 platforms, from each company's own pages (BackPR, which sells competing software, isn't counted), https://backpr.com/ai#registration-software-pricing-index. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#no-nonprofit-offer)
- By default, 6 of 48 registration platforms add a fee to what families pay (some let the program turn it off or cover it); 27 leave the choice to the program. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR pricing index of 48 platforms, from each company's own pages (BackPR, which sells competing software, isn't counted), https://backpr.com/ai#registration-software-pricing-index. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#family-fees)
- 18 of 48 registration platforms publish annual or longer contract terms, and 14 offer month-to-month plans or let customers cancel anytime. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR pricing index of 48 platforms, from each company's own pages (BackPR, which sells competing software, isn't counted), https://backpr.com/ai#registration-software-pricing-index. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#annual-contracts)
- 10 of 48 registration platforms publish their card processing rates in full, and 4 publish rates for some payment types. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR pricing index of 48 platforms, from each company's own pages (BackPR, which sells competing software, isn't counted), https://backpr.com/ai#registration-software-pricing-index. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#card-rates)
- 15 of 48 registration platforms charge for onboarding or data import, 14 include it at no extra cost and 19 don't say. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR pricing index of 48 platforms, from each company's own pages (BackPR, which sells competing software, isn't counted), https://backpr.com/ai#registration-software-pricing-index. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#onboarding-fees)
- 6 of 48 registration platforms publish a Spanish option for families, and 10 publish partial Spanish support. (As of October 2026. Source: BackPR pricing index of 48 platforms, from each company's own pages (BackPR, which sells competing software, isn't counted), https://backpr.com/ai#registration-software-pricing-index. Link: https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics#spanish-for-families)

Rule summaries are general information, not legal advice. Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with credit to BackPR.
## What changed on BackPR
Updates and corrections to our state rules, data and guides, newest first. We re-check the state rules every month and note what changed here. Follow along with the RSS feed.

RSS: https://backpr.com/changes/feed.xml

### 2026-10-22: Open data hub, youth program statistics and links to every section of each state page (New)
- The [open data hub](https://backpr.com/ai) publishes our state rules, registration software pricing index, youth nonprofit counts, template index and live program directory statistics as free JSON and CSV files (CC BY 4.0).
- AI assistants can look up this data directly through the [BackPR data MCP server](https://backpr.com/ai#mcp), with no sign-in.
- Copies of the datasets are on [Zenodo](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23577823) (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23577823), [Hugging Face](https://huggingface.co/datasets/backpr/us-youth-program-data), [Kaggle](https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/backpr/us-youth-program-data-rules-nonprofits-pricing) and [GitHub](https://github.com/DB-Shadow/backpr-open-data). The data MCP server is listed in the [official MCP Registry](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1/servers?search=com.backpr) as com.backpr/data.
- New page: [youth program statistics 2026](https://backpr.com/resources/youth-program-statistics), with each fact dated and sourced.
- Every section of each state page now has its own link, for example [/resources/states/texas#ratios](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#ratios), and each state's row on the four national rules pages has its own link too.

### 2026-10-21: Arizona, Alabama and Arkansas rule wording (Correction)
- [Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#reporting): clarified that "any other person who has responsibility for the care or treatment of the minor" (A.R.S. §13-3620) may include childcare, camp and youth program staff, and that their direct supervisors must also report.
- [Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#reporting): clarified that coaches and camp staff aren't named separately but may be covered by the listed roles.
- [Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#camps): clarified that the Office of Early Childhood's childcare licensing covers summer day camps.
- [Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#camps): confirmed against the official code that camps that don't run year-round apply for their permit "within 60 days prior to the opening date of the camp" (Ala. Admin. Code ch. 420-3-21).

### 2026-10-21: National rules pages, new guides and switching guides (New)
- Four pages compare one rule across all 50 states and DC: [staff ratios](https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-ratios-by-state), [mandated reporter laws](https://backpr.com/resources/mandated-reporter-laws-by-state), [summer camp licensing](https://backpr.com/resources/summer-camp-license-requirements-by-state) and [background checks](https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-background-checks-by-state).
- Guides: [how to start a daycare](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-a-daycare), [how to start a youth sports league](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-a-youth-sports-league), [VBS registration](https://backpr.com/resources/vbs-registration) and [summer camp budget](https://backpr.com/resources/summer-camp-budget).
- Guides for customers affected by recent deals: [PlayMetrics' merger with Sports Connect](https://backpr.com/switch/sports-connect), [its purchase of SportsEngine](https://backpr.com/switch/sportsengine) and [Procare's purchase of Playground](https://backpr.com/switch/playground).
- [BackPR for AI assistants](https://backpr.com/mcp): how admins and families use BackPR from Claude, ChatGPT and other assistants.
- [Program finder](https://backpr.com/find) pages now show only the program types listed in each city or state.

### 2026-10-21: The State of Youth Programs 2026: camp counts and revenue note (Correction)
- We applied one camp-license definition to every state (see the [report's method](https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026)). States where both day and overnight camps need a camp license went from 19 to 18, states where only some camps do from 22 to 20, and jurisdictions with no statewide camp license from 10 to 13.
- We clarified that the under-$50,000 revenue band includes organizations with no revenue amount on file.

### 2026-10-21: Program finder, share kit and the report's pricing index (New)
- Launched the [program finder](https://backpr.com/find): licensed childcare centers, after-school programs and camps from official state data.
- Added a [share kit](https://backpr.com/partners/share-kit) for umbrella organizations, with two embeddable widgets.
- Published the pricing index behind The State of Youth Programs 2026 as a CSV file.

### 2026-10-20: The State of Youth Programs 2026 (New)
- Published [The State of Youth Programs 2026](https://backpr.com/resources/state-of-youth-programs-2026): youth and community nonprofits by state, three state rules and what registration platforms publish about price.

### 2026-10-20: School-age ratios for Alaska and California (Correction)
- Corrected the school-age ratios for [Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#ratios) (now 1:18, was 1:10) and [California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#ratios) (now 1:14, was 1:12). We had shown a preschool ratio by mistake.

### 2026-10-19: State rules library now covers all 50 states and DC (New)
- The [state rules library](https://backpr.com/resources/states) now covers childcare licensing, staff ratios, camps, background checks, medication and mandated reporting in every state and DC, with links to sources.
- Added [free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates) with Spanish versions of the family forms and the [nonprofit status checker](https://backpr.com/tools/nonprofit-eligibility-checker).

### 2026-10-11: Registration software pricing report and free calculators (New)
- Published [what registration software costs](https://backpr.com/resources/registration-software-pricing), with each platform's published terms and sources.
- Added the first [free calculators](https://backpr.com/tools) for program directors.

## Use BackPR with Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants
BackPR is registration, payments and check-in software for camps, after-school programs, childcare and youth programs. Connect it to Claude, ChatGPT or another AI app that works with MCP servers, and ask for what you need in plain words. Your assistant signs in as you and can only do what your role in BackPR allows.

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to other apps. You sign in on BackPR's own sign-in page, so your assistant never sees your password, and you can remove the connection in your assistant's settings at any time.

### Two connections
- **BackPR Admin**, for program owners, directors and staff. Run your organization from a chat: programs, registrations, payments, attendance, messages, reports, camp operations and settings. Copy the connection URL from your BackPR admin portal.
- **BackPR Family**, for parents and guardians. Find programs, register your children, pay, keep your children's details up to date and read messages from programs. Family tools only reach your own household's records. Copy the connection URL from your BackPR family portal. Your BackPR account is the login you use to register with your program.

### Connect your assistant
You need your connection URL from your BackPR portal. Parents follow the same steps with the family URL and name the connection BackPR Family (backpr-family in config files). Some plans and work accounts don't let you add connectors yourself. If you don't see the option, ask your workspace admin.

#### Claude
1. On a Team or Enterprise plan, an owner adds the connector for the organization first.
2. In Claude, open **Customize**, then **Connectors**. Select **+** and choose **Add custom connector**.
3. Name it (for example, BackPR Admin or BackPR Family) and paste your connection URL.
4. Select **Connect** and sign in with your BackPR account.

#### Claude Code
1. Run this command with your connection URL.
2. Start Claude Code, type **/mcp**, choose **backpr-admin** and sign in with your BackPR account.

```sh
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user backpr-admin YOUR_CONNECTION_URL
```

#### ChatGPT
1. In ChatGPT, open **Plugins**, select **+** and choose **Add custom MCP server**.
2. Name it (for example, BackPR Admin or BackPR Family), paste your connection URL and choose **OAuth** for authentication.
3. ChatGPT warns that OpenAI doesn't check custom servers. Select **I understand and want to continue**, then **Create as a plugin**.
4. Install the plugin and sign in with your BackPR account.

#### Cursor
1. Add BackPR to your mcp.json file (~/.cursor/mcp.json) with your connection URL, as shown below. If the file already has an mcpServers block, add BackPR inside it.
2. Sign in with your BackPR account when Cursor asks.

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backpr-admin": { "url": "YOUR_CONNECTION_URL" }
  }
}
```

#### VS Code (GitHub Copilot)
1. Open the Command Palette and run **MCP: Add Server**. Choose **HTTP** and paste your connection URL, or add BackPR to .vscode/mcp.json as shown below.
2. Sign in with your BackPR account when VS Code asks.

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "backpr-admin": { "type": "http", "url": "YOUR_CONNECTION_URL" }
  }
}
```

### Things you can ask
#### Parents
- "Which summer camps for my 9-year-old still have spots in July?"
- "Register Maya for weeks 2 and 3 of day camp and send me the checkout link."
- "What do I still owe, and which forms are missing for my kids?"

#### Program staff
- "Show unpaid balances for this week's sessions."
- "Draft a reminder to families who haven't sent medical forms, and show me who it will reach."
- "Refund the Lopez family for week 3. (The refund waits until a person approves it in BackPR.)"

### Safety built in
AI should make you faster. It must never put your families or your money at risk. These rules apply to every request your assistant makes.

- **A person approves anything important:** Refunds, other changes involving money, messages to more than five families, deletions and other sensitive changes are prepared by the AI but only happen after a person approves them in BackPR with one tap. The AI can check on an approval, but it can never approve its own request.
- **A second person for high-risk changes:** Changes to allergies and medical information, authorized pickup adults, blocked adults, guardian contact details, staff roles, API keys and webhooks always need approval from a second person, not the person who asked.
- **Some things only a person can do:** Signing a waiver, setting a pickup PIN, waiving a late fee and starting a full data export are done in BackPR by a person, never by an AI. A full data export also needs a second person's approval. Everyday exports, such as a roster in a spreadsheet, work from chat.
- **Payments stay on BackPR's secure page:** Your assistant gives you a checkout or payment link. You never type card details into a chat.
- **Parents only reach their own family's records:** Every Family tool is locked to the signed-in parent's own household. Photo galleries show your child's programs, and children without photo consent aren't shown.
- **Everything is recorded:** Every action is written to an audit log, and many actions can be undone within 24 hours.
- **Private by design:** Children's health data is encrypted and shared only with staff who need it. Every access is logged. Admins decide in the organization's AI policy whether the AI can reach health data.

### What parents can do (BackPR Family)
#### Find and book programs
- Search programs by name, type, location, season, age, price and dates, with live counts of open spots
- See the registration forms and waivers a program needs before you book
- Register one or more children just by saying what you want
- Join a waitlist, accept a held spot and see how long each offer stays open
- Rank your children's elective choices

#### Cart and checkout
- Start a cart, add or remove sessions and see live prices with sibling, multi-week and early-bird discounts applied
- Apply a coupon code or gift card and add an optional donation
- Choose an installment plan if the program offers one
- Pick up a saved cart where you left off
- Get a secure BackPR checkout link, then check that your payment went through and your registration is confirmed

#### Payments and billing
- See your balance, payments, statements and receipts
- View your invoices and get a secure link to pay one
- Turn autopay on or off for your household (you confirm the change yourself)
- Get dependent care (tax) statements for your household

#### Your family and children
- New to BackPR? Set up your family account from your assistant after you sign in
- Add or update your children's details and emergency contacts
- View your children's health information and request changes (staff confirm allergy and medical changes before they take effect)

#### Pickup and safety
- Manage your authorized pickup adults, including photos and date ranges (staff confirm changes before they take effect)
- Get your child's rotating, secure pickup QR code to show at dismissal

#### Forms, documents and waivers
- See which waivers each child still needs, read the full text and get a link to sign them in BackPR
- Fill in registration forms and custom questions
- See which documents the program has asked for, upload them and track what's on file

#### Schedule and attendance
- See your children's schedule and get a calendar feed for your phone or computer
- Report an absence and see the absences you've reported

#### Messages and preferences
- Read your message history with the program, including replies
- Choose which kinds of email you receive (reminders and receipts always arrive)
- Turn on push notifications for reminders, pickups and payments

#### Camp
- Get a secure link to add money to your camper's store account, and set a daily spending limit
- See your child's elective schedule
- View photo galleries from your child's programs

#### Help
- Ask how anything in BackPR works and get answers from BackPR's help docs

### What program owners and staff can do (BackPR Admin)
#### Setup and organization
- View your organization's profile, locations and current season
- Update organization settings, including convenience fees, language, theme and payout settings
- Create and manage locations, each with its own connected Stripe account
- Invite staff and create custom roles. Give each person a role and the locations they can reach
- Set cancellation, refund, late-fee and attendance policies
- Set your organization's AI policy: refund caps, message limits, health data access and content screening
- Import families, children and programs from a spreadsheet or another system's export (CSV or Excel files), with AI that matches the columns for you
- Paste the text of a brochure and get a draft season with programs, prices and ages

#### Programs, sessions and catalog
- Create and edit programs of every type: classes, camps, after-school, childcare, events, courses, memberships, appointments, drop-ins, passes, teams and lessons
- Create sessions with dates, camp weeks, days of the week, times, capacity and day-based pricing
- Copy a whole season forward
- Save program templates and reuse them across locations
- Run partner-school catalogs with their own program pages
- Manage pricing rules, deposits, sibling and multi-week discounts, early-bird pricing and sliding scales
- Create coupon codes with limits and dates
- Create access codes for private programs and priority registration windows
- Build conditional registration forms and custom questions, or describe a form in words and let the AI draft it
- Create waivers and keep every version
- Set age, grade and other eligibility rules

#### Registrations
- Search, create, transfer and cancel registrations, with your policies calculating refunds and credits
- Register a family on their behalf and send them a link to pay
- Manage waitlists and send offers
- Run fair, verifiable lotteries
- Manage teams and group registrations, punch passes, drop-in passes, private lessons, appointments and memberships with recurring billing

#### Families and children
- Search and view families, guardians, children and balances
- Update family and guardian details, and merge duplicate families
- Manage children's details, emergency contacts and encrypted health profiles
- Manage authorized pickup adults and blocked adults
- Request documents from families

#### Payments and billing
- See family balances and search payments
- Create and send invoices with a secure link to pay
- Issue refunds and family credits
- Record cash and check payments
- Set up installment plans, autopay, recurring tuition and proration
- Track overdue accounts and automatic payment retries
- Set late fees and late-pickup fees
- Manage scholarships and financial aid
- Sell and manage gift cards
- Turn on optional donations at checkout
- Split a family's charges between households
- Bill subsidy agencies and other third-party payers
- Generate statements, including year-end dependent care statements
- Match Stripe payouts to your books
- Take payments by card, bank transfer (ACH), Apple Pay and Google Pay at checkout

#### Attendance and child safety
- See rosters with allergy and medication alerts (details for health staff only)
- Check children in and out and take attendance for a whole group
- Verify pickups with a rotating secure QR code, a PIN and a photo
- Run a dismissal board for pickup, bus, walkers and aftercare
- Print sign-in sheets that show only the details staff need
- Track staff hours with a time clock and timesheets
- See attendance history and hours reports for grants

#### Messaging
- Preview exactly who a message will reach before you send it
- Send email and push messages to any group, now or on a schedule
- Create templates and translate them automatically between English and Spanish
- Set up automatic session reminders, payment reminders, missing-form reminders and follow-ups on unfinished carts
- Run campaigns, including re-enrollment campaigns with a prefilled cart for returning families
- See delivery and click statistics
- Read each family's full message history, including replies

#### Reports and insights
- See a live dashboard with enrollment, revenue, attendance, balances and messages
- Run enrollment and fill-rate reports, compared with last year
- Ask a question in plain English and get a report
- Build, save and schedule custom reports, sent by email as a link
- Get a weekly summary of insights
- Export data to CSV or Excel, plus accounting exports for QuickBooks and Xero that use your own chart of accounts

#### Website and marketing
- Publish and edit pages on your BackPR website
- Connect your own domain
- Get an embed code to show programs on your current website
- See built-in website analytics
- Run a referral program that rewards the referring family and the new family

#### Camp operations
- Manage cabins, bunks and counselors, take bunkmate requests and assign bunks automatically, with a list of requests that couldn't be met
- Manage bus routes, stops and riders, scan children on and off the bus and read driver lists
- Log health office visits, manage medication schedules and record immunizations
- Run the camp store: prepaid accounts, point of sale and spending limits
- Hire staff: job postings, applicants, offer letters with e-signature, onboarding documents and certification tracking
- Assign electives automatically from campers' ranked choices and print schedules
- Manage photo galleries with photo consent controls

#### More modules
- Childcare daily sheets: meals, naps, diapers, mood, photos, room moves and live staff-to-child ratios
- Admissions: leads, tours and enrollment packets
- Learning and development: observations, milestones and lesson plans
- Facility rentals with quotes, deposits and protection against double bookings
- Courses and continuing education with certificates anyone can verify
- A public directory listing
- Volunteer shifts, sign-ups and hours
- Sports leagues: divisions, games and standings

#### Platform and integrations
- Send signed webhooks (automatic updates) to Zapier, Make.com and your own systems
- Create API keys for your own software, each limited to what it needs
- Track approvals and undo recent actions
- Search the full audit log
- Run several actions in one request (Code Mode) to save time. Approval rules still apply to each step
- Get answers from BackPR's help docs about how anything works
- Ask BackPR's built-in read-only assistant quick questions about your numbers

### Full tool list
Every tool your assistant can use. Tools marked Family are also on the BackPR Family connection, limited to the parent's own family. Every tool is on BackPR Admin, for staff whose role allows it.

- **Organization:** `org_overview`, `org_settings_update`, `location_manage`, `location_stripe_account`, `staff_invite`, `role_upsert`, `policy_upsert`, `ai_policy_manage`, `import_preview`, `import_commit`, `import_map`
- **Programs and catalog:** `program_search` (Family), `program_upsert`, `session_upsert`, `season_rollover`, `season_list`, `program_template_manage`, `school_site_manage`, `school_catalog_get`, `setup_draft`, `pricing_rule_upsert`, `pricing_rule_list`, `discount_upsert`, `discount_list`, `coupon_upsert`, `coupon_list`, `access_code_manage`, `access_code_list`, `registration_window_manage`, `registration_window_list`, `form_upsert`, `form_get`, `form_list`, `form_draft`, `form_response_list`, `registration_forms` (Family), `form_response_submit` (Family), `waiver_upsert`, `waivers_needed` (Family), `schedule_scope_feed` (Family)
- **Registrations:** `registration_search` (Family), `registration_create` (Family), `registration_transfer`, `registration_cancel`, `waitlist_manage` (Family), `waitlist_offers_list` (Family), `waitlist_offer_accept` (Family), `lottery_manage`, `lottery_run`, `lottery_list`, `team_manage`, `team_list`, `pass_manage`, `pass_list`, `appointment_manage`, `membership_manage`, `membership_list`, `membership_checkout_prepare`
- **Cart and checkout:** `cart_create` (Family), `cart_get` (Family), `cart_resume` (Family), `cart_add_item` (Family), `cart_remove_item` (Family), `cart_apply_coupon` (Family), `cart_remove_coupon` (Family), `cart_set_payment_plan` (Family), `cart_set_donation` (Family), `cart_apply_gift_card` (Family), `cart_remove_gift_card` (Family), `checkout_prepare` (Family), `checkout_attach` (Family), `checkout_status` (Family), `payment_status` (Family), `cart_billing_account`
- **Families and children:** `family_signup` (Family), `family_search` (Family), `family_get` (Family), `family_update`, `family_merge`, `child_update` (Family), `child_health_get` (Family), `child_health_update` (Family), `pickup_manage` (Family), `pickup_qr_token` (Family), `blocked_adult_manage`, `document_request`, `family_documents` (Family), `document_quota` (Family), `document_index` (Family), `document_attach` (Family), `schedule_feed` (Family)
- **Payments and billing:** `family_balance_get` (Family), `payment_search` (Family), `family_statement` (Family), `dependent_care_statement` (Family), `invoice_list` (Family), `invoice_get` (Family), `invoice_pay_prepare` (Family), `autopay_self_manage` (Family), `invoice_create`, `invoice_send`, `refund_issue`, `refund_list`, `family_credit_apply`, `credit_list`, `payment_record_offline`, `payment_plan_manage`, `payment_plan_list`, `autopay_manage`, `tuition_plan_manage`, `tuition_plan_list`, `card_update_link_send`, `dunning_status`, `late_fee_rules`, `late_fee_list`, `late_pickup_rules`, `scholarship_manage`, `scholarship_list`, `gift_card_manage`, `gift_card_list`, `donation_settings`, `donation_list`, `split_billing_set`, `split_billing_list`, `subsidy_manage`, `statement_generate`, `payout_report`, `payout_ledger_match`
- **Attendance and safety:** `absence_report` (Family), `roster_get`, `attendance_mark`, `checkin`, `checkout`, `kiosk_qr_verify`, `dismissal_manage`, `dismissal_list`, `dismissal_complete`, `attendance_report`, `signin_sheet_pdf`, `timeclock_entry`, `timeclock_today`, `timeclock_report`
- **Messaging:** `family_messages` (Family), `email_prefs_get` (Family), `email_prefs_set` (Family), `push_subscribe` (Family), `message_preview`, `message_send`, `message_history`, `template_upsert`, `template_list`, `template_translate`, `automation_upsert`, `automation_list`, `automation_toggle`, `automation_delete`, `campaign_create`, `campaign_preview`, `campaign_send`, `campaign_stats`, `reenroll_cart_prepare`
- **Reports:** `dashboard_kpis`, `fill_rate_report`, `report_run`, `report_ask`, `report_save`, `report_list`, `report_schedule`, `weekly_insights`, `export_data`, `export_csv`, `accounting_map`
- **Website and marketing:** `page_publish`, `site_data`, `embed_code_get`, `page_analytics`, `custom_domain_manage`, `referral_manage`
- **Camp:** `cabin_manage`, `bunk_request_manage`, `bunk_assign_auto`, `bunk_results`, `transport_manage`, `bus_scan`, `bus_manifest`, `health_log`, `health_visits_list`, `health_children_list`, `med_schedule`, `med_order_list`, `immunization_manage`, `store_account`, `store_pos` (Family), `hiring_manage`, `hiring_offer_docs`, `elective_assign_auto`, `elective_choice_submit` (Family), `elective_schedule_get` (Family), `gallery_manage`, `gallery_mine` (Family), `entity_list`
- **More modules:** `childcare_daily_ops`, `admissions_manage`, `learning_manage`, `facility_rental_manage`, `course_manage`, `directory_manage`, `volunteer_manage`, `league_manage`
- **Platform and help:** `webhook_manage`, `api_key_manage`, `approval_status`, `undo_action`, `audit_log_search`, `code_mode`, `help_search` (Family), `help_ask`, `ai_chat`

### Questions
**What is MCP?**
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to other apps. With BackPR's MCP server, your assistant can look things up and do tasks in BackPR for you, within what your BackPR role allows.

**Which AI assistants work with BackPR?**
We've tested Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and VS Code (with GitHub Copilot). Other apps that connect to MCP servers with sign-in, such as Claude Code, should work the same way.

**Where do I find my connection URL?**
Admins and staff copy it from the BackPR admin portal. Parents copy it from the BackPR family portal. You then sign in with your BackPR account, the same login you use to register with your program, so your assistant only gets the access your account has.

**Can the AI issue refunds or send messages on its own?**
Not refunds. Refunds, other changes involving money, messages to more than five families and deletions wait until a person approves them in BackPR. Changes that affect children's safety, such as allergies or authorized pickup adults, need a second person's approval.

**What does my AI assistant see?**
Only what BackPR sends back for each request, within your role. Your AI app (for example, Claude or ChatGPT) handles that information under its own terms and your account's data settings. Admins can decide in the AI policy whether the AI can reach children's health data.

**Will I type card numbers into the chat?**
No. Your assistant gives you a link to BackPR's secure checkout or payment page, and you pay there.

**Can a parent see other families' information?**
No. Every tool on the BackPR Family connection is locked to the signed-in parent's own household. Photo galleries show only your child's programs, and children without photo consent aren't shown.

**Can we control what the AI is allowed to do?**
Yes. Admins set an AI policy for the organization, including refund caps, message limits, access to health data and content screening. Staff roles still apply, and every action is written to an audit log.

**What if the AI makes a mistake?**
Many actions can be undone within 24 hours, and the audit log shows who asked for what and when. Sensitive changes wait for a person's approval, so you can catch a mistake before it takes effect.

**How do I disconnect BackPR?**
Remove the BackPR connector in your AI app's settings. Your BackPR account and data stay as they are.

**Who do I ask for help?**
Email support@backpr.com.
## Youth program rules by state
Licensing, staff-to-child ratios, background checks, medication rules and mandated reporting for camps, after-school programs and childcare centers in every state and DC, with links to each state's official sources.

| State | School-age ratio in centers | Camp license or permit | Every adult must report abuse |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama) | 1:21 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska) | 1:18 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona) | 1:20 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas) | 1:18 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california) | 1:14 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Colorado](https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado) | 1:15 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Connecticut](https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut) | 1:15 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Delaware](https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware) | 1:15 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [District of Columbia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia) | 1:15 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [Florida](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida) | 1:25 | No statewide camp license | Yes |
| [Georgia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia) | 1:25 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Hawaii](https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii) | 1:20 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [Idaho](https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho) | 1:25 | No statewide camp license | Yes |
| [Illinois](https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois) | 1:20 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Indiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana) | 1:20 | Some camp types only | Yes |
| [Iowa](https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa) | 1:15 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [Kansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas) | 1:16 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Kentucky](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky) | 1:15 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [Louisiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana) | 1:23 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Maine](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine) | 1:13 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Maryland](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland) | 1:15 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [Massachusetts](https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts) | 1:13 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Michigan](https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan) | 1:18 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Minnesota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota) | 1:15 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Mississippi](https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi) | 1:20 | Some camp types only | Yes |
| [Missouri](https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri) | 1:16 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [Montana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana) | 1:20 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Nebraska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska) | 1:15 | Some camp types only | Yes |
| [Nevada](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada) | 1:18 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [New Hampshire](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire) | 1:15 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [New Jersey](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey) | 1:15 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [New Mexico](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico) | 1:15 | No statewide camp license | Yes |
| [New York](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york) | 1:10 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [North Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina) | 1:25 | Some camp types only | Yes |
| [North Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota) | 1:20 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [Ohio](https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio) | See page | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Oklahoma](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma) | 1:20 | Some camp types only | Yes |
| [Oregon](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon) | 1:15 | Day and overnight camps | No, listed professions |
| [Pennsylvania](https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania) | 1:12 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Rhode Island](https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island) | 1:13 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [South Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina) | 1:23 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [South Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota) | 1:15 | No statewide camp license | No, listed professions |
| [Tennessee](https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee) | 1:20 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [Texas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas) | 1:26 | Day and overnight camps | Yes |
| [Utah](https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah) | 1:20 | Some camp types only | Yes |
| [Vermont](https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont) | 1:13 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia) | 1:18 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Washington](https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington) | 1:15 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [West Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia) | 1:16 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Wisconsin](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin) | 1:18 | Some camp types only | No, listed professions |
| [Wyoming](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming) | 1:18 | No statewide camp license | Yes |

Ratios are for licensed childcare centers; camps and license-exempt programs can differ. Rules change, so confirm with each state's agency.

### Child care staff-to-child ratios by state
How many children one adult may supervise in a licensed childcare center, for 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds and school-age children, in every state and DC. Checked October 2026 against each state's official rules.

- **1:10 to 1:26** school-age ratios in licensed centers
- **1:13 to 1:15** the most common school-age ratio range (20 jurisdictions)
- **1:8 to 1:20** ratios for 4-year-olds
- **50 of 51** jurisdictions with a confirmed school-age ratio

| State | 3-year-olds | 4-year-olds | School-age | Max school-age group size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#ratios) | 1:11 | 1:18 | 1:21 | No set maximum |
| [Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:18 | 36 children |
| [Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#ratios) | 1:13 | 1:15 | 1:20 | No set maximum |
| [Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:15 | 1:18 | 36 children |
| [California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:12 | 1:14 | No set maximum |
| [Colorado](https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:12 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [Connecticut](https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [Delaware](https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:12 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [District of Columbia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#ratios) | 1:8 | 1:10 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [Florida](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#ratios) | 1:15 | 1:20 | 1:25 | No set maximum |
| [Georgia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#ratios) | 1:15 | 1:18 | 1:25 | 50 children |
| [Hawaii](https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:16 | 1:20 | 40 children |
| [Idaho](https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#ratios) | 1:13 | 1:13 | 1:25 | No set maximum |
| [Illinois](https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:20 | 30 children |
| [Indiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#ratios) | 1:11 | 1:13 | 1:20 | 40 children |
| [Iowa](https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:12 | 1:15 | No set maximum |
| [Kansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:12 | 1:16 | 32 children |
| [Kentucky](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:14 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [Louisiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#ratios) | 1:13 | 1:15 | 1:23 | 46 children |
| [Maine](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#ratios) | 1:7 | 1:10 | 1:13 | No set maximum |
| [Maryland](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [Massachusetts](https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:13 | 26 children |
| [Michigan](https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:12 | 1:18 | 54 children |
| [Minnesota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [Mississippi](https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#ratios) | 1:14 | 1:16 | 1:20 | 40 children |
| [Missouri](https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:16 | 32 children |
| [Montana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:20 | 40 children |
| [Nebraska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:12 | 1:15 | No set maximum |
| [Nevada](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:13 | 1:18 | 36 children |
| [New Hampshire](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#ratios) | 1:8 | 1:12 | 1:15 | 45 children |
| [New Jersey](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:12 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [New Mexico](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:12 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [New York](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#ratios) | 1:7 | 1:8 | 1:10 | 20 children |
| [North Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#ratios) | 1:15 | 1:20 | 1:25 | 25 children |
| [North Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#ratios) | 1:7 | 1:10 | 1:20 | 40 children |
| [Ohio](https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#ratios) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | - |
| [Oklahoma](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:15 | 1:20 | 40 children |
| [Oregon](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [Pennsylvania](https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:12 | 24 children |
| [Rhode Island](https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#ratios) | 1:9 | 1:10 | 1:13 | 26 children |
| [South Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:17 | 1:23 | No set maximum |
| [South Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:15 | No set maximum |
| [Tennessee](https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#ratios) | 1:9 | 1:13 | 1:20 | No set maximum |
| [Texas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#ratios) | 1:15 | 1:18 | 1:26 | 35 children |
| [Utah](https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:15 | 1:20 | 40 children |
| [Vermont](https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:13 | 26 children |
| [Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:18 | No set maximum |
| [Washington](https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:10 | 1:15 | 30 children |
| [West Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:12 | 1:16 | 32 children |
| [Wisconsin](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#ratios) | 1:10 | 1:13 | 1:18 | 36 children |
| [Wyoming](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#ratios) | 1:12 | 1:12 | 1:18 | 40 children |

- Each ratio is the number of children one adult may supervise. A ratio of 1:15 means one adult for every 15 children.
- Where a state sets more than one school-age ratio, the table shows the ratio for the youngest school-age group. Each state page lists every age band.
- The table covers licensed childcare centers. Camps, after-school programs and license-exempt programs can follow different rules; each state page explains its exemptions.
- Infant and toddler ratios aren't in this table. Check your state's official rules, linked on each state page.
- We couldn't confirm a school-age ratio for Ohio when we checked.
- General information, not legal advice. Confirm with your state's licensing agency.

#### Questions

**Which state has the strictest ratio for school-age children?**
New York, at 1:10 for its youngest school-age group in licensed childcare centers, among the 50 jurisdictions we confirmed. That means one adult for every 10 children. Ratios for older groups may differ; see each state page.

**Which state allows the most school-age children per adult?**
Texas, at 1:26 for its youngest school-age group in licensed childcare centers, among the 50 jurisdictions we confirmed. Ratios for older groups may differ; see each state page.

**What does a 1:15 ratio mean?**
One adult for every 15 children. A group of 30 school-age children at 1:15 needs at least two adults. Many states also cap how large a group can be.

**Do these ratios apply to after-school programs and camps?**
The table shows the ratios for licensed childcare centers. Many after-school programs and camps are license-exempt or follow other rules. Each state page explains which programs are exempt.

**How many staff do I need for my group?**
Divide the number of children by the second number in your state's ratio (15 in 1:15) and round up. Then check group-size limits and mixed-age rules, which can require more staff. The free staff ratio calculator, linked below, does the math for you.

### Mandated reporter laws by state
Who must report suspected child abuse or neglect in every state and DC, and where to report it. Checked October 2026 against each state's official laws.

- **18** states where every person must report suspected abuse
- **33** jurisdictions where the duty falls on listed roles
- **51** jurisdictions covered, with official sources

| State | Who must report | How to report |
|---|---|---|
| [Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#reporting) | Listed roles | No single statewide hotline is published; call your county DHR office or local law enforcement |
| [Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-478-4444 (24/7); written reports to ReportChildAbuse@alaska.gov |
| [Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-888-SOS-CHILD (1-888-767-2445), 24/7 |
| [Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-482-5964 (Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline); non-emergency online reports at mandatedreporter.arkansas.gov |
| [California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#reporting) | Listed roles | No single statewide hotline; call the county Child Protective Services 24-hour line or local police/sheriff |
| [Colorado](https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-844-CO-4-KIDS (1-844-264-5437) |
| [Connecticut](https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-842-2288 (DCF Careline, 24/7; TDD 1-800-624-5518) |
| [Delaware](https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-292-9582 (Child Abuse and Neglect Report Line) |
| [District of Columbia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#reporting) | Listed roles | (202) 671-SAFE / (202) 671-7233 (CFSA, 24/7) |
| [Florida](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-962-2873 (1-800-96-ABUSE), 24/7 |
| [Georgia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-855-GACHILD (1-855-422-4453), 24/7 |
| [Hawaii](https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#reporting) | Listed roles | 808-832-5300 (Oahu, 24/7); 1-888-380-3088 (toll-free from neighbor islands) |
| [Idaho](https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#reporting) | Any person | 855-552-KIDS (5437) statewide; 208-334-KIDS (5437) in the Treasure Valley |
| [Illinois](https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873) |
| [Indiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-800-5556 |
| [Iowa](https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#reporting) | Listed roles | 800-362-2178 |
| [Kansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#reporting) | Listed roles | See the state page |
| [Kentucky](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#reporting) | Any person | See the state page |
| [Louisiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-855-452-5437 (1-855-4LA-KIDS) |
| [Maine](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-452-1999 |
| [Maryland](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-917-7383 (1-800-91-PREVENT) |
| [Massachusetts](https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-792-5200 (Child Abuse Emergency Line, nights, weekends and holidays; during business hours call the local DCF area office) |
| [Michigan](https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#reporting) | Listed roles | 855-444-3911 |
| [Minnesota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#reporting) | Listed roles | See the state page |
| [Mississippi](https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-222-8000 |
| [Missouri](https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-392-3738 |
| [Montana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-866-820-5437 |
| [Nebraska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-652-1999 |
| [Nevada](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#reporting) | Listed roles | Clark County: 702-399-0081; Washoe County: 833-900-7233; all other counties (DCFS): 833-571-1041 |
| [New Hampshire](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-894-5533 (in-state only); 603-271-6562 |
| [New Jersey](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#reporting) | Any person | 1-877-652-2873 (1-877-NJ ABUSE), 24/7 |
| [New Mexico](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#reporting) | Any person | 1-855-333-SAFE (7233), or #SAFE from a cell phone |
| [New York](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#reporting) | Listed roles | Mandated reporters: 1-800-635-1522; public: 1-800-342-3720 |
| [North Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#reporting) | Any person | No statewide hotline; call the county Department of Social Services and ask for CPS intake (911 in an emergency) |
| [North Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-833-958-3500 (Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Line, weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central); call 911 if a child is in immediate danger |
| [Ohio](https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#reporting) | Listed roles | 855-642-4453 (855-O-H-CHILD) |
| [Oklahoma](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-522-3511 |
| [Oregon](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-855-503-7233 (855-503-SAFE) |
| [Pennsylvania](https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-932-0313 (ChildLine) |
| [Rhode Island](https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-742-4453 (1-800-RI-CHILD) |
| [South Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#reporting) | Listed roles | See the state page |
| [South Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-877-244-0864 (DSS Child Protection Services intake, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays; after hours, call local law enforcement) |
| [Tennessee](https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#reporting) | Any person | 1-877-237-0004 |
| [Texas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#reporting) | Any person | 1-800-252-5400 |
| [Utah](https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#reporting) | Any person | 1-855-323-3237 (1-855-323-DCFS) |
| [Vermont](https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-649-5285 |
| [Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-552-7096 |
| [Washington](https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-866-363-4276 (statewide; DCYF also lists regional intake lines) |
| [West Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#reporting) | Listed roles | 1-800-352-6513 |
| [Wisconsin](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#reporting) | Listed roles | No single statewide number: call the county or tribal child protective services agency where the child lives (numbers listed by DCF) or local law enforcement; 911 in an emergency |
| [Wyoming](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#reporting) | Any person | No single statewide number published: call the local DFS field office (listed on the DFS contact page) or local law enforcement; 911 in an emergency |

- In the states where every person must report, that includes youth program staff, coaches and volunteers.
- Elsewhere, the duty falls on the roles each state lists, and the lists differ. Check your state's details below.
- In many states, telling a supervisor doesn't meet your own duty to report. Check your state's rules, and call the hotline or police yourself when in doubt.
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
- General information, not legal advice. Confirm with your state's child protection agency.

#### State by state

**[Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#reporting)**: Listed roles must report, including day care workers and employees, K-12 school employees, teachers and school officials, social workers, health care workers, clergy and anyone called on to give aid or medical help to a child. Coaches and camp staff aren't named separately, but they may be covered by these roles. Under Act 2026-375 (effective October 1, 2026), the oral report to DHR or law enforcement is due immediately and a written report within 72 hours (Ala. Code §26-14-3).

**[Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report, including child care providers, school teachers and staff (including athletic coaches; unpaid volunteer coaches only after a set number of hours plus training), school volunteers working more than four hours a week, and health care workers. Reports go to the Office of Children's Services immediately, and suspected sex offenses must also be reported immediately to law enforcement (AS 47.17.020).

**[Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#reporting)**: Listed reporters include school personnel, health and behavioral health professionals, clergy, parents and "any other person who has responsibility for the care or treatment of the minor." That phrase can include child care, camp and youth program staff, and their direct supervisors must also report. Reports must be made immediately by phone or electronically to DCS or a peace officer (A.R.S. §13-3620).

**[Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#reporting)**: A long list of mandated reporters includes child care and day care workers, school employees, coaches and directors of athletic and non-athletic organizations, clergy, health care workers, and people working for nonprofit charitable organizations. They must immediately notify the Child Abuse Hotline when they have reasonable cause to suspect maltreatment (Ark. Code § 12-18-402); licensed child care owners, staff and volunteers are named as mandated reporters in the licensing rules.

**[California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#reporting)**: Mandated reporters include child care administrators and employees, administrators and employees of day camps, youth centers and youth recreation programs, school staff and school athletic coaches, and HR staff at businesses that employ minors. They must report immediately by phone to the county child welfare agency or police/sheriff and send a written report within 36 hours (Penal Code §§11165.7, 11166); licensed child care staff must take mandated reporter training within 90 days of hire and every 2 years.

**[Colorado](https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#reporting)**: Listed reporters include school employees, health and mental health professionals, clergy, CDEC employees, and directors, coaches and athletic staff of private sports programs; the licensing rules also require every child care caregiver and staff member to report. Reports must be made immediately to the county human or social services department, local law enforcement, or the statewide hotline (C.R.S. §19-3-304; 8 CCR 1402-1 §2.126).

**[Connecticut](https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#reporting)**: Mandated reporters are listed professions. The list includes anyone paid to care for children in a licensed child care center or home, school employees, paid youth camp directors and staff aged 21 or older, and coaches or directors of youth athletics and private youth sports aged 18 or older (CGS §17a-101(b)). Report by phone (or electronically, for non-emergencies) within 12 hours, and file a written or electronic report within 48 hours after the oral report (CGS §17a-101b, §17a-101c).

**[Delaware](https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#reporting)**: Every person, agency or organization that knows or in good faith suspects child abuse or neglect must report it to the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (16 Del.C. §903). Call the report line immediately for sexual abuse, a child death, a current injury, a child needing urgent medical or mental health care, or a child left without a caregiver. Other reports can be made by phone or through the online portal (16 Del.C. §904). Licensed centers must call the line immediately if abuse is suspected at the center (933 §19.2.3).

**[District of Columbia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#reporting)**: Mandatory reporters are listed professions. The list includes day care workers, teachers, school officials, athletic coaches, Department of Parks and Recreation employees, social services workers and health professionals (DC Code §4-1321.02). They must make an oral report immediately to the Child and Family Services Agency or the Metropolitan Police Department, and a written report if asked (§4-1321.03). Non-emergency reports can also be filed through CFSA's online mandated reporter portal.

**[Florida](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#reporting)**: Every person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect child abuse, abandonment or neglect must report immediately to the Florida Abuse Hotline by phone, in writing or online (s. 39.201(1), F.S.). Professionals such as teachers and day care or child care workers must give their names when reporting.

**[Georgia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#reporting)**: Mandated reporters are listed in O.C.G.A. §19-7-5(c)(1). The list includes teachers, school staff, child welfare staff and 'child service organization personnel': employees and volunteers of any organization that provides care, education, supervision, coaching or recreation to children. That covers child care, camp, after-school and youth sports staff. Report immediately and no later than 24 hours by phone, online or by fax (§19-7-5(e)). Licensed centers must also tell DECAL within 24 hours or the next work day that a report was made (591-1-1-.29(1)).

**[Hawaii](https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#reporting)**: Mandated reporters are listed professions, including child care providers and employees of licensed or registered child care facilities, school employees, and employees of public or private agencies providing recreational or sports activities (HRS §350-1.1(a)). Report immediately by phone to DHS or the police, then follow up in writing to DHS as soon as possible.

**[Idaho](https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#reporting)**: Any person, including daycare owners, operators, and staff, who has reason to believe a child has been abused, abandoned, or neglected must report it within 24 hours to IDHW or law enforcement; failing to report is a misdemeanor (Idaho Code §16-1605; IDAPA 16.06.03.421).

**[Illinois](https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report immediately to DCFS when they have reasonable cause to believe a child they know through work may be abused or neglected, including child care and day care center staff, school personnel, and recreation or athletic program staff (325 ILCS 5/4). Anyone else may report.

**[Indiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#reporting)**: Indiana requires anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected to report it to the DCS hotline or police (IC 31-33-5); child care center staff must report immediately (470 IAC 3-4.7-13).

**[Iowa](https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report within 24 hours, including employees and operators of licensed child care centers, registered child development homes, and Head Start programs; school employees 18 and older; and holders of a state coaching authorization. Mandatory reporters must complete state training within 6 months of starting and every 3 years (Iowa Code §232.69).

**[Kansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report promptly when they suspect abuse or neglect, including licensed child care providers and their staff, teachers and other school employees, and medical, mental health, and law enforcement workers (K.S.A. 38-2223). Child care center staff must report to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) within 24 hours (K.A.R. 28-4-430).

**[Kentucky](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#reporting)**: Kentucky law requires any person who suspects child abuse, neglect, or dependency to report it (KRS 620.030); the federal Child Welfare Information Gateway lists Kentucky as an all-persons reporting state. Licensed child-care centers must report abuse or neglect to the Cabinet under KRS 620.030 (922 KAR 2:090, Section 13).

**[Louisiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#reporting)**: Listed professions must report, including child care and early learning center staff, teachers, coaches, and employees and volunteers of day camps, summer camps, youth centers and youth recreation programs (Children's Code Art. 603, 609). Reports must be made immediately, by the DCFS hotline for anything needing urgent help (Art. 610); separately, any adult who witnesses the sexual abuse of a child must report it (R.S. 14:403). Licensed center staff must also complete DCFS online mandated reporter training every year (LAC 28:CLXI.1727).

**[Maine](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#reporting)**: Listed adults must report when acting in a professional capacity, including school personnel, child care personnel, youth camp administrators and counselors, health care practitioners, social workers, clergy and others (22 M.R.S. §4011-A). They must report to DHHS immediately and within no more than 24 hours; anyone else may report.

**[Maryland](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#reporting)**: Everyone in Maryland who has reason to believe a child has been abused or neglected must report to the local department of social services or law enforcement (Family Law §5-705). Health practitioners, police, educators and human service workers must also report orally as soon as possible and in writing within 48 hours (Family Law §5-704); child care staff must report directly, not through their director (COMAR 13A.16.07.02).

**[Massachusetts](https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report, including teachers, early education, preschool, child care and after-school staff in state-licensed or state-funded programs, clergy, police and health care workers (M.G.L. c. 119, §§21, 51A, as summarized in DCF's Mandated Reporter Guide). They must call DCF immediately and file a written report within 48 hours; recreational camp staff must also report immediately to DCF or the camp director, who must report to DCF immediately (105 CMR 430.093).

**[Michigan](https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#reporting)**: Listed professions must report under the Child Protection Law (MCL 722.621 et seq.), including regulated child care providers, teachers, school administrators and counselors, clergy, social workers, health workers, athletic trainers and law enforcement; anyone else may report. Mandated reporters must make an immediate oral report to MDHHS Centralized Intake (or use the online system) and follow with a written report within 72 hours. Licensed camps must have a written plan for reporting under the Child Protection Law (R 400.11115).

**[Minnesota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#reporting)**: Professionals and their delegates in child care, education, health care, social services, mental health, corrections, probation and law enforcement, plus clergy, must report (Minn. Stat. §260E.06); anyone else may report. Reports go to the county or tribal social services agency or law enforcement immediately by phone, followed by a written report within 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) (§260E.09).

**[Mississippi](https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#reporting)**: Miss. Code Ann. § 43-21-353 lists professionals, including child caregivers, school employees and ministers, and then adds 'any other person' with reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect, so everyone must report. The report must be made right away by phone or otherwise, with a written report following as soon as possible.

**[Missouri](https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#reporting)**: RSMo 210.115 lists required reporters, including day care center workers and other child-care workers, teachers, principals and other school officials, health and mental health practitioners, social workers, ministers, law enforcement, and any 'other person with responsibility for the care of children'. They must report to the Children's Division immediately. Anyone else may report.

**[Montana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#reporting)**: MCA 41-3-201 lists required reporters, including teachers and school employees, operators and employees of registered or licensed day-care and child-care facilities, health and mental health professionals, clergy, social workers, law enforcement, and employees of groups that contract with DPHHS to serve children. They must report promptly to DPHHS. Anyone else may report.

**[Nebraska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#reporting)**: Nebraska requires any person who suspects child abuse or neglect to report it, not only listed professionals. Reports go to law enforcement or the DHHS hotline. Center directors must immediately report, or make sure a report is filed, with the Child Abuse-Neglect Hotline and/or local law enforcement (391 NAC 3-006.02).

**[Nevada](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#reporting)**: Nevada lists the professionals who must report (NRS 432B.220), and child care licensees and employees must report suspected abuse or neglect under that law. If the abuse may be happening in the facility, they must also report it to the licensing division (NAC 432A.410). Report to the county child welfare agency for your area.

**[New Hampshire](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#reporting)**: Any person who suspects that a child under 18 has been abused or neglected must report it immediately to DCYF (RSA 169-C:29-31). Proof isn't required, and DCYF may ask for a written report within 48 hours.

**[New Jersey](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#reporting)**: Every person who has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected must report it immediately to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10). Reports can be anonymous; call 911 as well if a child is in immediate danger.

**[New Mexico](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#reporting)**: Every person who knows or reasonably suspects a child is abused or neglected must report immediately to CYFD Statewide Central Intake, local law enforcement, or the tribal agency for an Indian child in Indian country (NMSA 32A-4-3).

**[New York](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report, including day care center workers, school-age child care workers, family and group family day care providers, other child care workers, directors of overnight, summer day and traveling day camps, school staff, and compensated school employees who hold a coaching license or certificate (Social Services Law §413). Reports must be made immediately by phone, followed by a written report within 48 hours (§415).

**[North Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#reporting)**: Any person or institution who suspects a child is abused, neglected or dependent must report to the county Department of Social Services where the child lives or is found, by phone, in person or in writing (G.S. 7B-301). Separately, any adult who knows or should reasonably know a child is the victim of a violent or sexual offense or misdemeanor child abuse must immediately report to local law enforcement (G.S. 14-318.6).

**[North Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report when they learn of suspected abuse or neglect through their work, including child care workers, schoolteachers, administrators and counselors, medical and mental health professionals, social workers, foster parents, law enforcement, clergy and child care licensors; anyone else may report (N.D.C.C. 50-25.1-03). Reports must be made immediately, orally or in writing, with a written follow-up within 48 hours if requested (50-25.1-04).

**[Ohio](https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#reporting)**: Ohio law lists required reporters by profession, including child care workers and day care staff, school employees and teachers, health professionals, clergy, social workers and children services staff (ORC 2151.421). Ohio is also among the states whose list covers directors, employees and volunteers of organized activities for children such as camps and recreation centers. Reports go to county children services or law enforcement.

**[Oklahoma](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#reporting)**: Every person who has reason to believe a child under 18 is being abused or neglected must report it immediately to OKDHS through the statewide hotline (10A O.S. §1-2-101(B), as amended effective Nov. 1, 2025). Knowingly failing to report promptly is a crime, and school employees must also notify local law enforcement.

**[Oregon](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#reporting)**: Oregon lists 'public or private officials' who must report immediately (ORS 419B.005, 419B.010), including school employees, registered or certified child care providers, operators of recorded programs, paid coaches and athletic trainers, and employees of organizations providing child-related services such as youth groups, scouts, and summer or day camps. Reports go to ODHS or law enforcement.

**[Pennsylvania](https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#reporting)**: Mandated reporters include school employees, child care employees with direct contact with children, and anyone, paid or unpaid, who as an integral part of a regularly scheduled program, activity or service is responsible for a child's welfare or has direct contact with children (23 Pa.C.S. §6311). They must report immediately to ChildLine by phone or online, then notify the person in charge of their organization.

**[Rhode Island](https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#reporting)**: Any person who has reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been abused or neglected must report it to the DCYF Child Protective Services hotline within 24 hours (R.I. Gen. Laws §40-11-3; 214-RICR-20-00-1 §1.6). Licensed programs must also notify the DHS licensing unit right after reporting if the incident happened at the program.

**[South Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report, including childcare workers in a childcare center, teachers, school counselors and principals, health and mental health professionals, clergy and law enforcement; anyone else may report and is encouraged to (S.C. Code §63-7-310). Reports go to the county DSS office or law enforcement; the statute does not set a specific deadline.

**[South Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report, including teachers, school counselors and officials, coaches of school activities, licensed or registered child welfare providers, employees and volunteers of child advocacy organizations or child welfare service providers, health professionals and law enforcement (SDCL 26-8A-3); the child care rules also require child care providers to report immediately (ARSD 67:42:17:47). Reports must be made orally and immediately to DSS, law enforcement or the county state's attorney (SDCL 26-8A-8); intentionally failing to report is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

**[Tennessee](https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#reporting)**: Everyone in Tennessee is a mandated reporter and must report suspected child abuse or neglect immediately (T.C.A. §§37-1-403 and 37-1-605). Child care rules make each owner, director, staff member, substitute, and volunteer personally responsible for reporting. Staff may not wait to investigate first, and a program may not have policies that get in the way of reporting (Rule 1240-04-01-.10).

**[Texas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#reporting)**: Anyone who has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected must report immediately. Professionals, including teachers, day-care employees, and anyone licensed by the state or working for a state-licensed facility who has direct contact with children, must report within 24 hours and cannot hand the duty to someone else (Texas Family Code §261.101).

**[Utah](https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#reporting)**: Any person who has reason to believe a child is being or has been abused or neglected must immediately report it to the Division of Child and Family Services or the nearest law enforcement agency (Utah Code §80-2-602). Narrow exceptions exist for certain clergy confessions and attorney-client information.

**[Vermont](https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#reporting)**: Mandated reporters include child care workers, school employees, camp owners, administrators, and counselors (at both residential and day recreation programs), health care providers, clergy, and other listed professions. They must report suspected abuse or neglect to DCF within 24 hours. Anyone else may report (33 V.S.A. §4913).

**[Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report suspected abuse or neglect immediately, and never later than 24 hours. The list includes anyone employed in a school or child day program, paid child care providers, coaches and other adults working with sports organizations, administrators and employees (18 and older) of day camps, youth centers, and recreation programs, and any adult employed by or associated with an organization responsible for children (Code of Virginia §63.2-1509). Reports go to the local department of social services or the state hotline. Starting July 1, 2027, reports must go to the state hotline.

**[Washington](https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#reporting)**: Mandated reporters include licensed or certified child care providers and their employees, school personnel, DCYF employees, clergy, nurses, and other listed professions. Supervisors at any nonprofit or for-profit organization must also report abuse by someone they supervise who coaches, trains, teaches, or has unsupervised access to children. Reports go to law enforcement or DCYF at the first opportunity, and no later than 48 hours (RCW 26.44.030).

**[West Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report, including child care workers, teachers and other school staff, youth camp administrators and counselors, and employees, coaches and volunteers of groups that run organized activities for children. They must report to DoHS immediately and within 24 hours at most, also report to the State Police and local law enforcement when serious physical abuse or sexual abuse is suspected, and tell the person in charge of their program; anyone else may report (W. Va. Code §49-2-803).

**[Wisconsin](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#reporting)**: Listed professionals must report, including child care workers in child care centers, child care providers, teachers, school administrators, school counselors and other school employees, social workers, nurses and police (Wis. Stat. 48.981(2)(a)); coaches and recreation staff are not named unless they fit a listed role, though anyone may report. Reporters must tell the county child protective services agency (DCF in Milwaukee County) or the sheriff or local police immediately, by phone or in person (48.981(3)(a)1.); licensed day camp staff and volunteers must also report immediately and get yearly abuse-reporting training (DCF 252.07(3)).

**[Wyoming](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#reporting)**: Every person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect a child is abused or neglected must report immediately to DFS (the local child protective agency) or local law enforcement (W.S. 14-3-205). Staff of a school, facility or agency must also tell the person in charge, who then also has to make sure a report is made.

#### Questions

**Which states require everyone to report suspected child abuse?**
18 states: Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

**Are youth program staff mandated reporters?**
In the 18 states where every person must report, yes. In the other 33 jurisdictions, it depends on the state's list of roles. Check your state below, and train staff on how and when to report.

**How do I report suspected abuse?**
Call your state's child abuse hotline or local law enforcement. Each state's details below show how to report there. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

### Summer camp license requirements by state
Whether day and overnight camps need a state license, permit or registration in every state and DC, and which agency is responsible. Checked October 2026 against official sources.

- **18** states where day and overnight camps need a camp license or permit
- **20** states where only some camp types need one
- **13** jurisdictions with no statewide camp license or permit

| State | Camp license or permit | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| [Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging (permits issued by the county health department) |
| [Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#camps) | No statewide camp license | Alaska Department of Health, Child Care Program Office (day camps, through child care licensing) |
| [Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#camps) | Some camp types only | Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Environmental Health (children's camp license; inspections often delegated to county health departments) |
| [Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#camps) | Some camp types only | Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood (child care licensing, which covers summer day camps) |
| [California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#camps) | Some camp types only | Local health officer (city or county environmental health), under California Department of Public Health organized camp standards |
| [Colorado](https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#camps) | Some camp types only | Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Division of Early Learning, Licensing, and Administration |
| [Connecticut](https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), Division of Licensing |
| [Delaware](https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Delaware Division of Public Health (camp permit) and Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (camp license or license exemption) |
| [District of Columbia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [Florida](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#camps) | No statewide camp license | Florida Department of Children and Families (background screening only) |
| [Georgia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#camps) | Some camp types only | Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), exemption process only |
| [Hawaii](https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [Idaho](https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [Illinois](https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) |
| [Indiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#camps) | Some camp types only | Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), Environmental Public Health |
| [Iowa](https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [Kansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#camps) | Some camp types only | Kansas Office of Early Childhood (licenses day camps as school-age programs) |
| [Kentucky](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Public Health (youth camp permits) |
| [Louisiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health (campsite sanitation permit) |
| [Maine](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), Health Inspection Program |
| [Maryland](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Maryland Department of Health (MDH), Youth Camps Program, Center for Recreation and Community Environmental Health Services |
| [Massachusetts](https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Local board of health in the camp's city or town, under Massachusetts Department of Public Health standards (105 CMR 430.000) |
| [Michigan](https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), camp licensing |
| [Minnesota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#camps) | Some camp types only | Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services Section |
| [Mississippi](https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#camps) | Some camp types only | Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Child Care Facilities Licensure Branch |
| [Missouri](https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [Montana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#camps) | Some camp types only | Montana DPHHS, Environmental Health and Food Safety Section (with local environmental health offices) |
| [Nebraska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#camps) | Some camp types only | Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health (environmental health) |
| [Nevada](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [New Hampshire](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#camps) | Day and overnight camps | New Hampshire DHHS, Child Care Licensing Unit, Youth Camp Program |
| [New Jersey](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#camps) | Day and overnight camps | New Jersey Department of Health, Youth Camp Safety program |
| [New Mexico](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [New York](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#camps) | Day and overnight camps | New York State Department of Health (Subpart 7-2 of the State Sanitary Code); permits are issued and camps inspected by the local health department (the NYC Health Department in New York City) |
| [North Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#camps) | Some camp types only | County health departments (sanitation permits under NC DHHS environmental health rules); DCDEE for camps that choose or need a summer day camp license |
| [North Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [Ohio](https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Ohio Department of Children and Youth (child day camp registration); local boards of health (resident camp permits under Ohio Department of Health rules) |
| [Oklahoma](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#camps) | Some camp types only | Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS), Child Care Services (licensed day camps) |
| [Oregon](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division (or a delegated county health department) |
| [Pennsylvania](https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#camps) | Some camp types only | Pennsylvania Department of Health or the local (county or municipal) health department, for organized camp sanitation permits |
| [Rhode Island](https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) |
| [South Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#camps) | No statewide camp license | South Carolina Department of Social Services (only for day camps that don't qualify for the exemption) |
| [South Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |
| [Tennessee](https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health Program (inspections by local health departments) |
| [Texas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#camps) | Day and overnight camps | Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Youth Camp Program |
| [Utah](https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#camps) | Some camp types only | Local health departments, under the DHHS Recreation Camp Sanitation rule (R392-300) |
| [Vermont](https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#camps) | Some camp types only | Vermont Department of Health, Food and Lodging Program |
| [Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#camps) | Some camp types only | Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Environmental Health (overnight camps); VDOE (day camps licensed as child day centers) |
| [Washington](https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#camps) | Some camp types only | Local health jurisdictions, under State Board of Health camp rules (Chapter 246-376 WAC) |
| [West Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#camps) | Some camp types only | Local health departments, under the WV Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services (sanitation permit for organized camps) |
| [Wisconsin](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#camps) | Some camp types only | Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and its agent local health departments for overnight recreational and educational camps; DCF for licensed day camps |
| [Wyoming](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#camps) | No statewide camp license | - |

- "Day and overnight camps" means the state has a camp-specific license, permit, certificate or registration that covers both. In some of these states, local health departments issue the permits under state rules, and some are sanitation permits that don't cover staffing or supervision.
- "Some camp types only" means a camp requirement covers only some camps, often only overnight camps. Day camps there may need a childcare license instead, unless they qualify for an exemption.
- "No statewide camp license" means no statewide requirement is written for camps. Camps can still need a childcare license or local permits, plus food, pool and fire approvals.
- General information, not legal advice. Confirm with the agency for your camp type before each season.

#### State by state

**[Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#camps)**: Day camps and resident (overnight) camps need an annual camp permit from the county health officer under Alabama's camp sanitation rules (Ala. Admin. Code ch. 420-3-21); camps that don't run year-round apply for the permit "within 60 days prior to the opening date of the camp", and the camp is inspected before the permit is issued and at least once during operation. These rules cover sanitation (water, sewage, food service, buildings, swimming areas), not staffing or supervision. A camp that cares for children in a way that meets the day care center definition may also fall under DHR child care licensing.

**[Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#camps)**: Alaska has no separate youth camp license that we could find. A day camp that regularly cares for five or more children needs a child care license unless it meets the camp exemption in 7 AAC 57.015(a)(11): accredited by the American Camp Association or a similar approved body, serving children 5 and older, running more than five weeks a year and only during school breaks, and doing fingerprint background checks (or meeting the state's barrier-crime rules). We found no state license requirement for overnight camps.

**[Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#camps)**: Overnight 'children's camps' (food and lodging for minors, open five or more days a year) need an annual ADHS children's camp license, applied for by May 1, with inspections focused on water, sewage, food service and layout (A.R.S. §36-3901 to 36-3916). Day camps are not children's camps; they need a child care facility license unless they qualify for the day camp exemption in A.R.S. §36-884(9): accredited by an ADHS-approved national day camp accreditor, open fewer than 10 weeks a year, serving only children 5 and older, posting a 'not licensed' notice, and requiring fingerprint clearance cards for all staff.

**[Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#camps)**: Summer day camps for school-age children are out-of-school-time programs and need an OEC child care license, which includes specific day camp rules, unless the camp runs no more than three weeks a year, stays under 5 hours a day and 10 hours a week, or is a drop-in recreational program. We found no separate state license for overnight (resident) camps in the Arkansas Department of Health's rules.

**[California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#camps)**: Organized camps (as defined in Health and Safety Code §18897) must send written notice to the local health officer at least 30 days before operating each year and meet Title 17 standards, including a camp director at least 25 years old with two seasons of camp supervisory experience, at least 1 counselor (18+ or a high school graduate) per 10 campers under 16, and a full-time health supervisor (17 CCR §30700-30753). Day programs that care for children may need a CDSS child care license unless they fit an exemption such as the public recreation or Scouts/Boys and Girls Clubs-type recreation exemptions.

**[Colorado](https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#camps)**: Colorado licenses camps as child care. Children's resident (overnight) camps that run three or more consecutive 24-hour days for five or more children need a CDEC resident camp license (8 CCR 1402-1 §2.400), with counselor ratios of 1:6 for ages 5-7, 1:8 for ages 8-10, 1:10 for ages 11-13 and 1:12 for ages 14 and up. Day camps (at least 4 hours a day, mainly in one season or school breaks, ages 5-18) are licensed as school-age child care centers (§2.500), and seasonal outdoor adventure day camps fall under the resident camp rules.

**[Connecticut](https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#camps)**: Both day camps and resident (overnight) camps need an annual youth camp license from OEC, applied for at least 30 days before opening (CGS §19a-421). The law covers camps serving 5 or more children aged 3 to 15 for 3 or more days a week during school vacations or weekends, or any program advertised as a camp. Exempt: classroom-based summer instruction with no risky activities, public and approved private school summer programs, licensed child care centers, Boys & Girls Club drop-in programs for ages 6 and up, and day camps run by a municipal agency (CGS §19a-420).

**[Delaware](https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#camps)**: Day, residential and other youth camps for 6 or more campers under 18 need an annual permit from the Division of Public Health (16 DE Admin. Code 4467), which also sets counselor-to-camper ratios. A camp for school-age children must also get either license-exempt approval or a youth camp license from OCCL. A license (14 DE Admin. Code 938) is required to receive Purchase of Care funding, and both routes require the DPH permit (14 Del.C. §3003A, amended August 17, 2026 by SB 293). A camp that serves children younger than kindergarten does not qualify for the camp exemption and falls under child care center licensing.

**[District of Columbia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#camps)**: We found no separate DC youth camp license. OSSE's child care rules exempt facilities that provide only summer camp to school-age children (5-A DCMR §101.5). A camp that serves children below school age does not fit that exemption and may need a Child Development Facility license from OSSE.

**[Florida](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#camps)**: Florida does not license summer camps; state law forbids DCF from licensing summer day camps and summer 24-hour camps (s. 409.175(6)(l), F.S.), and they are excluded from child care licensing (s. 402.302(2)). Camps for children 5 and older must still put all personnel through Level 2 background screening, and DCF can shut down a camp that refuses. DCF acts on complaints only and does not inspect camps or require staff training. A summer program for children under 5 is not a 'summer camp' under the statute and may need a child care license.

**[Georgia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#camps)**: Georgia has no youth camp license. Day camps and school-break programs for children 5 and older that run no more than 12 hours a day are exempt from child care licensing (Category 7, 591-1-1-.46(1)(c)7). They must complete DECAL's online self-assessment and keep a DECAL KOALA account, and camps that take Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) subsidies must apply for the exemption, meet background check rules and get annual DECAL monitoring visits. A day program serving children under 5 does not fit this exemption and may need a child care license.

**[Hawaii](https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#camps)**: We found no separate Hawaii youth camp license. DHS rules count summer care for elementary school-age children as child care, so a summer day program may need a DHS child care license unless it fits an HRS §346-152 exemption. Exemptions include DOE and county summer programs, programs run by incorporated multiservice or community organizations, sports or skill-only programs, and programs of no more than two consecutive weeks in a three-month period.

**[Idaho](https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#camps)**: Idaho has no youth camp license. Overnight children's camps where no child stays 9 or more consecutive weeks a year are exempt from children's residential care licensing (Idaho Code §39-1206), and day camps that run less than 12 weeks a year or no more than once a week are exempt from daycare licensing (Idaho Code §39-1103). A day program for 7 or more children that runs longer may need a daycare license.

**[Illinois](https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#camps)**: IDPH licenses youth camps under the Youth Camp Act (210 ILCS 100): any day or resident camp serving 5 or more children under 18 away from their parents for 3 or more consecutive days, or 5 or more days a year. Apply at least 45 days before opening; licenses expire December 31 and are renewed yearly after inspection of water, sewage, sanitation, food service, and swimming facilities.

**[Indiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#camps)**: IDOH regulates youth camps under 410 IAC 6-7.2, which covers places giving more than 72 continuous hours of outdoor group living to 10 or more children under 18 without a parent (in practice, overnight camps); IDOH inspects these camps and must approve plans before a camp is built or altered. Day camps are not covered by that rule; a day camp may need an FSSA child care license if it meets the child care center definition and no exemption applies.

**[Iowa](https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#camps)**: Iowa has no state youth camp license; the Iowa Code has no youth camp chapter. Nationally accredited camps are excluded from child care licensing, but a non-accredited day camp serving 7 or more children may need a child care center license unless another exclusion applies, such as a city recreation program for school children or a summer-only program with only a nominal fee (Iowa Code §237A.1).

**[Kansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#camps)**: We found no separate Kansas youth camp license, but day camps for school-age children are licensed as school-age programs, with specific rules for outdoor summer camps and mobile summer programs (K.A.R. 28-4-586), when children attend 12 or more hours a week for more than 2 weeks. Summer instructional camps run by a nonprofit, school, or nonpublic school are exempt (K.S.A. 75-7707). How overnight (resident) camps are regulated was not confirmed.

**[Kentucky](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#camps)**: A Cabinet youth camp permit is required to operate a day, primitive, or residential camp for 5 or more children (902 KAR 10:040); permits are issued after inspection, expire December 31, and day camps file an extra day-camp application. Instructional studios, vacation Bible schools, and youth troop trips under 72 hours are not youth camps. Summer camps permitted as youth camps that serve school-age children are exempt from child care licensing (922 KAR 2:090, Section 3).

**[Louisiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#camps)**: Camps (programs serving only children 5 and older that run only when school is out) are exempt from child care licensing. Separately, the state Sanitary Code requires a permit from the state health officer to operate a campsite, and the definition covers youth camps and day camps; this permit covers sanitation, water, toilets and sleeping areas, not staffing or program rules (LAC 51:XVI.101, 501). A program that also serves children under 5 does not fit the camp exemption.

**[Maine](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#camps)**: Youth camps, including day camps, residential camps and trip and travel camps, need an annual license from Maine CDC's Health Inspection Program if they run 5 or more consecutive days and are operated for direct or indirect compensation (22 M.R.S. §§2491, 2495; 10-144 CMR Ch. 208). Programs run by municipal or school employees or volunteers mostly on municipal or school property are not youth camps under the law. A licensed youth camp does not also need a child care license; day camps may not charge hourly rates for child care.

**[Maryland](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#camps)**: Day, residential, travel and trip camps must get a youth camp certificate (or letter of compliance) from MDH before operating (COMAR 10.16.06.07). A youth camp serves 7 or more unrelated campers aged 3.5 to under 18 with mainly recreational or outdoor activities; a day camp runs at least 7 days within a 3-week period. Not covered: licensed child care, before- and after-school programs, programs that enroll children under 3.5, sports-league competitions, specialized instruction of 2 hours or less a day, and (subject to local standards) programs run by county or municipal recreation departments.

**[Massachusetts](https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#camps)**: Recreational camps for children (day, residential, sports, travel or trip camps serving 5 or more children, operating any time from June 1 to September 30 or fewer than 15 business days at other times) must be licensed each year by the local board of health under DPH rules; any program that advertises itself as a camp must be licensed (105 CMR 430.020, 430.050). Not covered unless advertised as a camp: single-purpose classes or clinics run by municipal recreation departments, drop-in programs, and classroom-based instruction without high-risk activities. EEC-licensed child care programs running a summer camp in their licensed space are exempt from the camp rules (105 CMR 430.010).

**[Michigan](https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#camps)**: Children's camps (day, residential, troop and travel camps) need a state license under 1973 PA 116 when they serve more than 4 children apart from their parents for 5 or more days in a 14-day period in a natural environment; a day camp runs more than 4 but less than 24 hours a day. Michigan treats 'natural environment' as at least 51 percent of activities outdoors; a program that calls itself a day camp but does not meet the definition may need a child care center license instead.

**[Minnesota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#camps)**: The Department of Health licenses youth camps, defined as camps that provide both food and lodging (overnight) for 10 or more people for 5 or more days a year; its rules cover the site, sanitation, food, water, health care and first aid (Minn. Stat. §§144.71-144.74; Minn. R. 4630.2300-4630.4700). Day camps without lodging are not youth camps under that law; they need a DCYF child care license unless they fit a licensing exclusion (for example park and recreation programs, sports or art programs, nonprofit youth development programs, or programs running fewer than 30 days a year).

**[Mississippi](https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#camps)**: Overnight youth camps need an MSDH youth camp license under the Mississippi Youth Camp Safety and Health Law (Miss. Code Ann. Title 75, Ch. 74). This applies to camps on a permanent site running four or more consecutive 24-hour periods for 20 or more children aged 6 to 18. Athletic camps and hunting or fishing camps are excluded. Day camps are generally covered by child care licensing, which has specific summer day camp rules (Rule 1.22), unless an exemption applies, such as running three weeks or less a year.

**[Missouri](https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#camps)**: We found no Missouri state license for youth camps. Summer and day camps run in good faith mainly for recreation are exempt from child care licensing (RSMo 210.211.1(4)). A 'day camp' runs between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. when local schools are not in session, and a 'summer camp' runs May to September (RSMo 210.201). Both serve children 5 and older in kindergarten or above and can't share space with care for younger children. A camp that receives state or federal child care funds can't use the exemption.

**[Montana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#camps)**: Montana licenses 'youth camps' under Title 50, Ch. 52, MCA and ARM 37.111 subchapter 12. A youth camp is land with buildings, tents or other structures used as living quarters for 10 or more people, mainly for minors' education or recreation. The license covers sanitation (water, sewage, solid waste and food service), not staffing or programming, and applications go through the local environmental health office. Day programs without living quarters don't appear to be covered. Programs for school-age children may choose to be licensed as school-age care.

**[Nebraska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#camps)**: Recreation camps need an annual DHHS permit to operate under 178 NAC 1, Rules and Regulations Relating to Recreation Camps. The rules mainly cover the campsite, buildings, water, plumbing, sewage, food, swimming pools, safety, first aid and health records. Recreation camps are exempt from child care licensing. A summer-only program for school-age children is also exempt from child care licensing.

**[Nevada](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#camps)**: We found no Nevada state license or permit specifically for youth day or overnight camps. 'Outdoor youth programs' are a separately licensed category under NAC 432A.630-.780, but those rules focus on clients' treatment plans and psychological oversight, not general recreation camps. A day camp serving school-age children 10 or more hours a week may count as an Out of School Time program under child care licensing, so check with DSS.

**[New Hampshire](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#camps)**: Youth recreation camps, both residence camps and seasonal or year-round day camps, need a DHHS license (RSA 170-E:56; He-C 4003). This covers programs running at least 10 days a license year for 10 or more youth a day. Programs licensed as child care, or exempt from child care licensing under RSA 170-E:3, I, don't need a camp license. 'Youth skill camps' (a set curriculum over 3 or more consecutive days) are not licensed but must run criminal background checks on anyone who may be alone with children.

**[New Jersey](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#camps)**: Private day camps and resident (overnight) camps need an annual youth camp certificate of approval from the Department of Health under the Youth Camp Safety Act (N.J.S.A. 26:12-1 et seq.) and N.J.A.C. 8:25. A youth camp serves five or more children under 18 for two or more days in the same week; a day program with only a minimal recreational part and no high-risk activity is not a camp. Municipally run camps are not required to be licensed, and a licensed youth camp does not also need a DCF child care license.

**[New Mexico](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#camps)**: We found no New Mexico youth camp license. Summer camps, wilderness camps and recreation-only programs run by recognized organizations (churches, schools, scouts) are exempt from ECECD child care licensing as long as they are not in a private residence (8.9.4.9(G) NMAC). A day program for school-age children that does not fit that exemption may need an ECECD out-of-school-time license.

**[New York](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#camps)**: Summer day camps, traveling summer day camps and overnight camps need a permit from the local health department and are inspected twice a year. A summer day camp, for this rule, serves children under 16 between June 1 and September 15 with organized activities, at least one of which is a non-passive recreational activity with significant risk of injury (10 NYCRR 7-2.2). Programs that do not meet the camp definition are not permitted as camps; summer programs may instead be run by OCFS-licensed child care programs.

**[North Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#camps)**: North Carolina has no general youth camp license covering staffing or program safety. Summer camps that serve food or provide overnight lodging for pay need a sanitation permit and inspections from the local health department (15A NCAC 18A .1000; resident camps under .3600). Summer day camps running less than four consecutive months are exempt from DCDEE child care licensing unless they want to serve subsidized children, in which case they must be licensed as summer day camps (school-age children only).

**[North Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#camps)**: North Dakota has no youth camp licensing law that we could find. Summer resident or day camps are excluded from child care licensing as long as they serve no children under 6 for more than two weeks (N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-02(6)(g)); a camp that serves younger children longer than that may need a child care license.

**[Ohio](https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#camps)**: Child day camps must register with DCY every year (by March 14) and pay a fee unless they meet an exemption in ORC 5104.21; camps that want to serve publicly funded children must also be accredited by the American Camp Association (or another DCY-approved body) and become DCY 'approved' day camps. Resident (overnight) camps need an annual permit from the local board of health and inspections under OAC Chapter 3701-25.

**[Oklahoma](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#camps)**: OKDHS licenses 'day camps' (run during school breaks, up to 12 hours a day, for children 5 and up who have attended kindergarten, outdoors at least half the day) unless the camp is exempt under 10 O.S. §403, for example accredited or national-nonprofit-affiliated camps, camps running under 10 weeks a year or under 8 hours a day in summer, and single-activity camps; summer resident (overnight) camps are exempt from child care licensing. A new law, HB 1675 (effective Nov. 1, 2026), requires all youth camps (day and overnight), camp facilities and outdoor programs to complete a severe-weather hazard assessment and emergency action plan by Jan. 1, 2027, file them with the county emergency management director, keep two weather-alert methods (one that doesn't rely on cell service), train staff every year, and give parents written notice of site hazards.

**[Oregon](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#camps)**: Operating an 'organizational camp' requires a yearly license from the Oregon Health Authority or a delegated county health department; licenses expire Dec. 31 (OAR 333-030-0020). State law defines organizational camps to include youth, scout, summer, day, nature, survival and athletic camps, including those run by religious, school or community groups (ORS 446.310), and the rules cover sanitation, water, food service and camp health care. Separately, a school-age day program may need to be recorded with DELC or, if it works as child care, certified.

**[Pennsylvania](https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#camps)**: Pennsylvania has no state program license for youth camps. An 'organized camp' (an outdoor group-living program run for 5 or more consecutive days) and campgrounds need a yearly sanitation permit covering water, sewage and toilets from the Department of Health or local health department (28 Pa. Code §§19.1, 19.11). School-age day camps (kindergarten and up) running fewer than 90 consecutive days are usually exempt from child care certification, but that exemption doesn't cover preschool-age children; camp employees and volunteers still need child abuse clearances.

**[Rhode Island](https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#camps)**: RIDOH's recreational facility rules define youth camps as day or residential camps with 10 or more campers and set sanitation standards for them (water, sewage, toilets, handwashing, showers for residential camps); a RIDOH license is required to operate a recreational facility (216-RICR-50-10-3). These are environmental health rules, not a program or staffing license; no separate RI youth camp program license was found.

**[South Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#camps)**: South Carolina has no youth camp license: the former state health regulation for camps (Reg. 61-39) was repealed in 2016. Summer resident (overnight) camps are exempt from child care licensing, and school vacation day camps are exempt only if they run in sessions under 3 weeks and don't let children enroll in back-to-back sessions totaling more than 3 weeks; other day camps fall under DSS child care licensing (S.C. Code §63-13-20(4)(e)–(f)).

**[South Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#camps)**: No South Dakota youth camp licensing law was found. The Department of Health licenses campgrounds for the traveling public (ARSD 44:02:14), which is not a camp program license. A summer program that regularly cares for and supervises children may need a DSS child care license; DSS says school-age programs need a license even when they run full days during school breaks.

**[Tennessee](https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#camps)**: An organized camp needs a Department of Health permit before it opens (T.C.A. §68-110-103; Rule 1200-01-05). The permit covers health and sanitation, such as facilities, water, and sewage, rather than program staffing. The rules cover camps with outdoor group living or sleeping quarters and define a day camp as an organized camp program. Separately, a camp that meets the legal definition of child care is exempt from a TDHS license only if it runs in summer (under 90 days a year) or during school breaks, serves school-age children, registers with TDHS, and has written approval to operate (T.C.A. §71-3-503(b)(9)).

**[Texas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#camps)**: Day camps, resident camps, and travel camps that meet the state's youth camp definition need a DSHS youth camp license before operating (Health and Safety Code Chapter 141; 25 TAC Chapter 265, Subchapter B). A program counts as a youth camp only if it serves at least 5 minors away from their parents for 4 or more consecutive days, 4 or more hours a day, only during school vacations, for no more than 120 days a year, and offers at least two outdoor specialized activities such as swimming, archery, or horseback riding (25 TAC §265.11). A program that misses any of these criteria is not a youth camp but may need a child care license from HHSC. The Legislature rewrote the camp safety law in 2025 (HB 1 and SB 1), and DSHS adopted new rules in early 2026.

**[Utah](https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#camps)**: We found no state youth camp license in Utah. Camps used for temporary overnight stays must meet the state Recreation Camp Sanitation rule (R392-300), which covers water, sewer, and facilities and is enforced by the local health department. That rule does not set staffing or program standards. A day camp or other summer program that cares for 5 or more children age 5 and up, 3 or more days a week for 30 or more days a year, may need an out-of-school-time child care license unless it qualifies for an exemption, such as a summer camp on federal land under a federal permit or a nonprofit program run under a city or county agreement (R381-70-3; Utah Code §26B-2-405).

**[Vermont](https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#camps)**: Residential (overnight) children's camps that run 5 or more consecutive days and supervise children around the clock need an annual Department of Health license (18 V.S.A. §4351; Licensed Children's Camps Rule, effective 1/1/2018). The license covers sanitation, facilities, and health. We found no state license for day camps. A day camp that provides child care may need a DCF child care license unless it qualifies as an exempt recreation program, for example one that runs no more than 13 consecutive weeks for children who have finished kindergarten.

**[Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#camps)**: Overnight summer camps that host 12 or more unrelated minors overnight for any part of more than 2 consecutive days must have a VDH permit and are inspected each year by the local health department. The permit covers water, sewage, grounds, pools, and food (Code of Virginia §§35.1-1, 35.1-18; 12VAC5-440). Day camps are child day programs and need a VDOE child day center license unless they qualify for an exemption, for example a local-government recreation program or a program that runs no more than 20 days a year (Code of Virginia §22.1-289.030). VDH says its summer camp regulations are being updated.

**[Washington](https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#camps)**: Washington has no youth camp license. Seasonal camps (3 months or less a year, mainly recreational or educational) are excluded from DCYF child care licensing (RCW 43.216.010(2)(g)). Group camps that provide food and lodging must register each year with the local health officer at least 30 days before opening and meet State Board of Health sanitation and site rules (WAC 246-376-010 and -020). Those rules were last updated in 1997.

**[West Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#camps)**: West Virginia has no youth camp license. Organized camps (places that give children or adults an outdoor group-living experience or have sleeping quarters) need an operating permit from the local health officer under the General Sanitation rule, with plan review for new or remodeled facilities and an inspection before the permit is issued (64 CSR 18 §§64-18-2, 64-18-3). Summer recreation camps with sessions of 30 days or less are exempt from child care licensing (W. Va. Code §49-2-113(e)(3)), and day camps run by county parks and recreation commissions or municipalities can be exempt if they meet the §49-2-113(e)(8) conditions.

**[Wisconsin](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#camps)**: Overnight camps (recreational and educational camps with overnight living quarters and planned group programs) need an annual license from DATCP or its agent local health department, whether free or fee-based (Wis. Stat. 97.67; ATCP 78.03, 78.07). Day camps caring for 4 or more children under 7 need a DCF day camp license under DCF 252, which covers seasonal, outdoor-oriented programs for children 3 and older. Day camps run by a county, city, village, town, school district or library mainly for recreation are exempt by statute, as are seasonal programs of 10 days or less in any 3-month period (DCF 252.03).

**[Wyoming](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#camps)**: Wyoming has no youth camp licensing law in its statutes. Summer camps run by nonprofit organizations are exempt from DFS child care licensing (W.S. 14-4-102(b)(viii)), but a for-profit day camp caring for more than two unrelated children may need a DFS child care license unless another exemption applies, such as the after-school and summer program exemption for children of compulsory school age (14-4-102(b)(x)). 'Ranches for children', including summer-only ranches, are listed as child caring facilities that need DFS certification (W.S. 14-4-101(a)(vi)(J)).

#### Questions

**Do day camps need a license?**
In 18 states, both day and overnight camps need a camp license or permit. In others, a day camp may need a childcare license unless it qualifies for an exemption. Check your state below.

**Where is there no statewide summer camp license?**
Alaska, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming. Camps there can still need a childcare license, local health permits or background checks.

**Who issues camp licenses?**
Usually the state health department or the childcare licensing agency. In some states, local health departments issue permits under state rules. Each state below names its agency.

### Child care background check requirements by state
The background checks staff and others need before working in licensed childcare, in every state and DC. Checked October 2026 against each state's official rules.

- **51** jurisdictions covered, with official sources


- These summaries cover licensed childcare. Camps and license-exempt programs can have different rules; each state page covers camps too.
- Rules often set who needs a check (staff, volunteers, household members), which checks (state and FBI fingerprints, sex offender registry, child abuse and neglect registry) and how often they're renewed.
- General information, not legal advice. Confirm with your state's licensing agency.

#### State by state

**[Alabama](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#background-checks)**: All licensed child care staff, and volunteers with unsupervised access to children, need an FBI fingerprint check, a National Sex Offender Registry (NCIC) check, a state fingerprint criminal history check, the state sex offender registry, and the Alabama child abuse/neglect central registry, plus the same registry checks in any state lived in during the past 5 years. Checks are done before hire and at least every 5 years (and again if the person has been out of child care for more than 180 days); staff can't count toward ratio until checks are complete. Alabama's camp sanitation permit rules do not set a separate background check requirement for camps.

**[Alaska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#background-checks)**: Everyone 16 or older who works, volunteers unsupervised, lives in or regularly has contact with children at a licensed facility needs a state background check, including fingerprints for a state and FBI criminal history check plus the Alaska sex offender/child kidnapper registry and other state registries; child protection records may also be reviewed. The check must be done before the person starts (a 90-day provisional clearance is possible), names stay flagged for ongoing monitoring, and the fingerprint check is good for five years if the person stays continuously associated with a provider (a break of 100 days or more voids it). Exempt accredited day camps must still do fingerprint-based checks to the same standard.

**[Arizona](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#background-checks)**: All child care staff and volunteers must have a valid DPS Level One fingerprint clearance card (state and FBI criminal history, with ongoing rap-back updates) before starting work, and sign a disclosure form on criminal history and child abuse findings (A.R.S. §36-883.02). Licensees must also submit staff for a Department of Child Safety central registry (child abuse and neglect) check and make good-faith efforts to contact previous employers. Exempt accredited day camps must still require fingerprint clearance cards; the overnight children's camp law has no background check rule of its own.

**[Arkansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#background-checks)**: Owners, staff, and volunteers or others with routine contact with children need an Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry check before starting and every 2 years, plus an Arkansas State Police fingerprint check (including the state sex offender registry) and an FBI fingerprint check before starting and every 5 years; a National Sex Offender Registry check is also run, and anyone who lived in another state in the past 5 years is checked there too. New staff can start only after a satisfactory state police result and must be supervised by fully cleared staff until all checks are back.

**[California](https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#background-checks)**: Licensed child care staff, and most volunteers, need a criminal record clearance from both the California DOJ and the FBI (Live Scan fingerprints) plus a Child Abuse Central Index check before they work or are present in the facility; DOJ then sends CDSS any later arrests or child abuse reports. A clearance stays active while the person is linked to a licensed facility and lapses after 3 years without one. At organized camps, the director and all counselors need a satisfactory California DOJ criminal history check or a National Sex Offender Public Registry check, plus a voluntary disclosure statement, before any unsupervised contact with campers (17 CCR §30751).

**[Colorado](https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#background-checks)**: Staff who care for or have unsupervised access to children need a CBI and FBI fingerprint check, a National Sex Offender Registry check, a Colorado child abuse and neglect (Trails) check, and criminal, sex offender and abuse registry checks in any other state lived in during the past five years, completed before working alone with children (someone with a cleared CBI or FBI check may work up to 90 days under supervision while the rest finish). FBI and Trails checks are renewed every five years. Resident camps and school-age centers may use out-of-state staff hired for less than 90 days without fingerprints or Trails checks if they sign a no-convictions statement, references are checked, and they are supervised at all times by fully cleared staff.

**[Connecticut](https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#background-checks)**: Child care staff who care for children or have unsupervised access to them need a comprehensive background check: a state criminal history check and an FBI fingerprint check, the CT DCF child abuse registry, sex offender registries, and the criminal, abuse and sex offender registries of any state they lived in during the past 5 years. New hires cannot start work until the conditions of federal rule 45 CFR 98.43(d)(4) are met, and the check is repeated at least every 5 years (CGS §19a-80(c), §10-530(b); Regs. §19a-79-4a(b)-(c)). Youth camps have their own rule: staff aged 18 and older in care roles need a state criminal check (or a search of the Judicial Branch conviction database), the DCF registry, the CT sex offender registry and the national sex offender website, or else a fingerprint check through an OEC-listed provider. New hires may work only under supervision until the check is complete, and the check is repeated every 5 years (CGS §19a-421(b)-(d)).

**[Delaware](https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#background-checks)**: Before starting work, center staff must be fingerprinted by Delaware State Police for state (SBI) and FBI checks. The center must also have an eligibility or provisional eligibility notice from the DSCYF Criminal History Unit. The full check also covers sex offender and child abuse registries, plus criminal and child abuse checks in every state the person lived in during the past 5 years. Staff are supervised and may not be alone with children until found eligible. Centers must also check the Delaware adult abuse registry. All parts are repeated every 5 years (933 §3.0, §28.3-28.4). Licensed youth camps have the same fingerprint, out-of-state and adult abuse registry requirements for adult staff (938 §22.3-22.4).

**[District of Columbia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#background-checks)**: Licensed facilities must request an OSSE background check before a person starts work and at least every 3 years after that (5-A DCMR §133.3). The check covers an FBI fingerprint check, the national sex offender registry, and the criminal, sex offender and child abuse and neglect registries for DC and every state lived in during the past 5 years (§132.2). Staff are also subject to a drug and alcohol testing program, and drivers need a traffic records check. A new hire may start once the request is submitted, but only under constant supervision by someone with a qualifying check (§133.5). License-exempt camps have no OSSE background check rule. Programs run by or under contract with the DC government must run FBI and police criminal checks under DC Code §4-1501.01 et seq.

**[Florida](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#background-checks)**: All child care personnel need Level 2 screening under chapter 435, F.S. This means FDLE and FBI fingerprint checks, plus employment history checks, sex offender registries, and child abuse and neglect registries for every state lived in during the past 5 years. If DCF cannot finish within 3 business days, a new hire gets 45-day provisional status and must be directly supervised by screened staff (s. 402.305(2)(a)). Re-screening is every 5 years (Child Care Facility Handbook). Summer camp owners, staff and most volunteers (including those under 18) also need Level 2 screening through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. Per DCF, that screening must be done within 60 days before starting and repeated each year unless certain conditions are met. Starting July 1, 2026, private youth sports organizations must run Level 2 screening on every coach (s. 943.0438, F.S.).

**[Georgia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#background-checks)**: Every director and employee must have a satisfactory DECAL Comprehensive Records Check Determination before being at the center while children are present. That check combines an FBI fingerprint check with sex offender registries and the criminal, sex offender and child abuse and neglect registries of every state lived in during the past 5 years. Provisional employees may start with a satisfactory fingerprint check if supervised at all times. Rechecks are required at least every 5 years, after a 180-day gap in child care work, or after an arrest (591-1-1-.09; O.C.G.A. §20-1A-30 et seq.). Exempt camps and programs must meet these rules only if they receive CAPS subsidy funding (591-1-1-.46(1)(a)8).

**[Hawaii](https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#background-checks)**: Everyone in a licensed or registered child care facility must consent to DHS background checks before working on site, and again every year by the anniversary of their last consent. The checks are an FBI fingerprint check, a fingerprint-based state criminal check, state and national sex offender registries, the child abuse and neglect registry, the adult abuse perpetrator registry, and employment history (HAR §17-801-4; §17-892.2-3(d)). The rules also apply to 'exempt child care facilities', but how that reaches license-exempt camps is not confirmed. We found no separate camp background check law.

**[Idaho](https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#background-checks)**: Owners, operators, staff, and anyone 13 or older who has unsupervised contact with children or is regularly on the premises must clear an IDHW enhanced background check: fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history plus child protection registry checks in every state lived in during the past 5 years. Checks must be renewed at least every 5 years, and 13- to 17-year-olds also need juvenile justice record checks (Idaho Code §39-1105; IDAPA 16.06.03.009; IDAPA 16.05.06). Camps that are exempt from daycare licensing are not covered by these rules, and we found no separate camp check law.

**[Illinois](https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#background-checks)**: Licensed child care staff, volunteers, and others with access to children need fingerprint-based Illinois State Police and FBI criminal history checks, checks of Illinois' child abuse and neglect tracking system (CANTS) and other states' child protection registries, and the Illinois and national sex offender registries; authorizations are filed at hiring and at each license renewal (89 Ill. Adm. Code 385.20, 385.40). DCFS still processes these checks for IDEC until about July 1, 2027. We found no background check rule for IDPH-licensed youth camps, but license-exempt school-age programs must run the same ISP/FBI, sex offender registry, and CANTS checks (225 ILCS 10/2.09(j)).

**[Indiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#background-checks)**: Child care staff and volunteers in licensed centers and homes, registered ministries, and exempt providers that take vouchers need a federal and an Indiana fingerprint-based criminal history check (including juvenile history), plus checks of the Indiana Child Protection Index and the Indiana Sex Offender Registry, and out-of-state checks if they lived elsewhere. The fingerprint check is redone every 3 years (or after more than 180 days out of Indiana child care work), and the registry checks every year. Indiana's youth camp rule (410 IAC 6-7.2) has no background check requirement.

**[Iowa](https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#background-checks)**: Owners, directors, staff, volunteers, and subcontractors with direct responsibility for children or access to a child alone, plus household members 14 and older, need Iowa criminal history, child abuse, and sex offender registry checks before starting, repeated at least every 2 years, and a national FBI fingerprint check repeated every 4 years (441 IAC 109.6(4)). Because Iowa has no camp licensing law, there is no separate camp check requirement.

**[Kansas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#background-checks)**: Applicants, licensees, center employees, volunteers counted in the ratio, and anyone with unsupervised access to children need fingerprint-based Kansas Bureau of Investigation and FBI checks covering every state lived in during the past 5 years; others regularly in the facility need name-based KBI and Kansas DCF checks. Checks are submitted with each initial and renewal license application and before anyone starts, and people on child abuse and neglect or sex offender registries are barred (K.A.R. 28-4-125; K.S.A. 75-7719). Licensed school-age programs and summer camps follow the same process (K.A.R. 28-4-584).

**[Kentucky](https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#background-checks)**: Child care staff (owners, directors, employees present while children are in care, adult household members in home-based programs, and anyone with supervisory control or unsupervised contact) must clear checks before starting: Kentucky's child abuse and neglect central registry, the Kentucky and national sex offender registries, and a fingerprint-based Kentucky State Police and FBI check with rap back. Checks are repeated at least once every 5 years and after a break of 180 days or more from Kentucky child care work (922 KAR 2:280). Youth camp staff, contractors, and volunteers need a Cabinet child abuse and neglect records check (or a 922 KAR 2:280 check or a state and national criminal check) before working at camp (902 KAR 10:040, Section 14).

**[Louisiana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#background-checks)**: Every owner, staff member, volunteer and most visitors and contractors at a licensed early learning center need an LDOE eligibility determination (CCCBC) before being present with children: fingerprint-based Louisiana and FBI criminal history, the Louisiana child abuse and neglect central registry, state and national sex offender registries, and registry checks in every state lived in during the past five years. A new determination is required at least once every five years. New hires may work provisionally only after a fingerprint result is back and only while monitored. Camps exempt from licensing have no state check requirement found.

**[Maine](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#background-checks)**: Licensed child care providers must get a comprehensive check for the owner and every staff member or other person with care duties or unsupervised access to children: FBI fingerprint check, national sex offender registry, and state criminal, sex offender and child abuse and neglect registry checks for the current state and every state lived in during the past five years. Staff cannot start until OCFS issues a letter of eligibility, and checks are repeated at least every five years (10-148 CMR Ch. 34). Licensed youth camps must run a background check on all staff, counselors, volunteers and directors every year (national sex offender registry, state criminal and sex offender records, SSN and 5-year address trace), and registered sex offenders may not work there (10-144 CMR Ch. 208, §11(B)-(C)).

**[Maryland](https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#background-checks)**: Child care center staff need a comprehensive check at least every five years: Maryland fingerprint criminal check, FBI fingerprint check, Maryland and national sex offender registries, the Maryland child abuse and neglect registry, and the same registries in any state lived in during the past five years; Maryland also uses fingerprint rap-back alerts (MSDE). Certain convictions bar employment outright (COMAR 13A.16.06.03). Youth camps must have a Maryland and FBI criminal history check and a Child Protective Services clearance on file for everyone in a position with access to campers, including volunteers, plus a checked personnel administrator before the camp opens (COMAR 10.16.06.21).

**[Massachusetts](https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#background-checks)**: All employees and interns of licensed group and school age programs, plus volunteers and others with unsupervised access to children, need an EEC Background Record Check: Massachusetts CORI, DCF child abuse/neglect findings, state sex offender registry (SORI), national sex offender registry, a fingerprint-based state and FBI check, and out-of-state checks for places lived in the past five years; it is renewed every 3 years (606 CMR 14.05; EEC). Recreational camps must get a CORI and state sex offender registry check for all staff and volunteers before they start (repeated at least every 3 years for continuously employed staff), plus out-of-state checks where practicable for non-residents (105 CMR 430.090).

**[Michigan](https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#background-checks)**: Licensees, program directors, child care staff and unsupervised volunteers at licensed centers must pass a state comprehensive background check, including FBI fingerprints, before having unsupervised contact with children, and new staff awaiting results must always be supervised (R 400.8201; MCL 722.115n, 722.115q). Supervised volunteers need a sex offender registry check. Licensed camps must keep, before a staff member starts, a criminal history record from the Michigan State Police (or home-state equivalent), three references, and, for staff 21 and older, proof they are not a substantiated child abuse or neglect perpetrator (R 400.11109).

**[Minnesota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#background-checks)**: Child care center staff and others with direct contact need a state background study that includes fingerprints for a national (FBI) criminal check, Minnesota criminal and predatory offender records, Minnesota maltreatment records, the national sex offender registry, and criminal, sex offender and child abuse registries in every state lived in during the past five years; the study must be repeated within five years (Minn. Stat. §§245C.04, 245C.08). No background check requirement was found in the state youth camp rules (Minn. R. ch. 4630).

**[Mississippi](https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#background-checks)**: All operators, employees and prospective employees of a licensed child care facility need a comprehensive fingerprint-based check before starting work. It covers the FBI and Mississippi criminal history, the state child abuse registry, the national and state sex offender registries, and other states when applicable. Staff can't start until MSDH issues a Letter of Suitability. The check is repeated every five years, and again after a break in service of more than 180 days. Volunteers who work 120 or more hours a year need the same check (Rule 1.5.2). The MSDH youth camp regulations do not include their own background check requirement.

**[Missouri](https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#background-checks)**: Before working, child care staff must have a qualifying result on a check that includes an FBI fingerprint check, the national sex offender registry, and the criminal, sex offender and child abuse/neglect registries (including the Family Care Safety Registry) for Missouri and every state lived in during the past five years. New staff may start on a temporary eligibility notice if they are supervised at all times. Checks are repeated every five years (5 CSR 25-600.010 and .020; RSMo 210.1080). We found no separate state requirement for exempt camps.

**[Montana](https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#background-checks)**: Directors, owners, teachers, substitutes, trainees, support staff, volunteers with unsupervised contact and adults living in the facility need satisfactory checks before working (ARM 37.96.1002). The checks are a Montana DOJ/FBI fingerprint check, the national (NCIC) and Montana sex offender registries, child protective services checks, and name-based criminal checks for Montana and every state lived in during the past five years. State checks are repeated every year and national checks every five years. We found no separate background check rule for youth camps.

**[Nebraska](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#background-checks)**: Under the center rules, the licensee, every staff member and volunteer aged 19 or older (and household members if the center is in a home) need a criminal history check before employment, through the Nebraska State Patrol or local law enforcement. Everyone must also clear the Nebraska child abuse/neglect central register (age 13 and older), the adult protective services registry (18 and older) and the State Patrol sex offender registry before caring for children (391 NAC 3-006.03). The recreation camp rules contain no background check requirement.

**[Nevada](https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#background-checks)**: Every employee, and every resident or volunteer aged 18 or older (other than a parent of an enrolled child), must be fingerprinted within 24 hours of being hired or first being present, and again every five years. The state reviews criminal history and any substantiated child abuse or neglect reports (NAC 432A.200). New hires are entered in the Nevada Automated Background System (NABS). We found no state background check rule specific to camps.

**[New Hampshire](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#background-checks)**: Child care staff, substitutes, other employees, volunteers who may be alone with children or count in ratios, and household members 18 and older need a background check before starting and every five years (He-C 4002.40; RSA 170-E:7). The check covers NH criminal records, the NH abuse/neglect registry, the NH sex offender registry, an FBI fingerprint check, the national sex offender registry, and other states lived in during the past five years. Staff can't be with children until CCLU confirms eligibility, apart from supervised presence after clean fingerprint results. Youth recreation camp staff need criminal checks in every state they have lived in, a national sex offender registry check, an NH central registry check if they lived in NH in the past seven years, and references (He-C 4003.17).

**[New Jersey](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#background-checks)**: Licensed centers: the sponsor and every staff member working on a regular schedule must consent to a Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) check, resubmitted with each license renewal, and the sponsor and staff 18 and older must complete a fingerprint-based criminal history (CHRI) check through the State Police and FBI. New staff must start both within two weeks of hire and cannot be left alone with children until results arrive (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.10, 4.11). Youth camps have their own rule (N.J.A.C. 8:25-3.2): adult staff with unsupervised access need a 50-state name-based criminal check (resident camps also need an FBI fingerprint check), all staff need an annual sex offender registry check, and full checks repeat every five years, with the first deadline June 15, 2026.

**[New Mexico](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#background-checks)**: All staff, volunteers and anyone with unsupervised access to children in licensed centers and OST programs need a comprehensive check: fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history, state and national sex offender registries, New Mexico abuse and neglect records, plus criminal, sex offender and abuse/neglect checks in any state lived in during the past five years. A person may not start until cleared or issued a notice of provisional employment, and must be directly supervised until cleared. Checks repeat at least every five years (8.9.6 NMAC; 8.9.4.21 and 8.9.4.40 NMAC). No separate camp requirement was found.

**[New York](https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#background-checks)**: Prospective child care employees, directors, operators and volunteers with potential unsupervised contact need state (DCJS) and FBI fingerprint checks, a Statewide Central Register (child abuse) database check, New York and national sex offender registry searches, and criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry checks for any other state lived in during the past five years. Clearances must be repeated at least every five years (Social Services Law §390-b). Children's camps: camp directors undergo background checks and operators must check staff and volunteers against the New York State and national sex offender registries.

**[North Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#background-checks)**: Every child care provider (and household members 16 and older in home-based care) needs a DCDEE criminal background check qualification letter before starting work. The check covers federal and NC fingerprint databases, national and NC sex offender registries, an NC court records name check, the Responsible Individuals List, the Child Maltreatment Registry, and criminal, sex offender and abuse/neglect checks in any state lived in during the past five years. Letters are valid five years and must be renewed (G.S. 110-90.2; 10A NCAC 09 .2703). Unlicensed summer camps have no state background check requirement that we found.

**[North Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#background-checks)**: Owners, staff, and volunteers or support staff who may be alone with children need a check approved before any unsupervised access: an FBI fingerprint check, national and state sex offender registry searches, state criminal history, ND child abuse and neglect records, and criminal, sex offender and abuse/neglect checks in any state lived in during the past five years. Center owners and staff must submit a fingerprint-based check at hire and at least every five years (N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-27, 75-03-10-28; N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-06.2). No camp-specific requirement was found.

**[Ohio](https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#background-checks)**: Center owners, administrators, employees and child care staff submit a request in the Ohio Professional Registry and get BCI and FBI fingerprints; DCY then reviews five checks: BCI, FBI, national sex offender registry, Ohio sex offender registry, and Ohio child abuse and neglect records (SACWIS). Checks must be redone every five years, after a six-month gap in child care work, or when joining a new program (new fingerprints not needed then). Registered day camps must run BCI and FBI checks before staff start and the camp administrator reviews results; approved day camps go through the full five-part DCY review.

**[Oklahoma](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#background-checks)**: Owners, staff, and adults living in the facility need an OKDHS criminal history review before hire or unsupervised access: Oklahoma court records search, fingerprint-based national (FBI) check, sex offender registry, the Restricted Registry (Joshua's List), child abuse and neglect registries for any state lived in during the past 5 years, out-of-state criminal and sex offender checks when applicable, and two state caregiver abuse registries (10 O.S. §404.1; OAC 340:110-3-282). The review (without new fingerprints) is repeated every 5 years. Camps that are exempt from licensing are not covered by these licensing checks.

**[Oregon](https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#background-checks)**: The operator, all center staff, and anyone 18 or older who may have unsupervised access to children must be enrolled in DELC's Central Background Registry (CBR) before working (OAR 414-305-0310). The CBR check covers Oregon State Police records, ODHS child protective services records, an FBI fingerprint check and sex offender registries, plus out-of-state checks for anyone who lived elsewhere in the past 5 years; enrollment expires every 5 years (OAR 414-061-0090). Recorded (license-exempt) school-age and preschool programs must also enroll staff and volunteers 18 and older. No separate background check rule for organizational camps was found.

**[Pennsylvania](https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#background-checks)**: Under the Child Protective Services Law, employees of child care and of any program, activity or service where they are responsible for children need three clearances: PA child abuse history, PA State Police criminal record, and an FBI fingerprint check, renewed every 60 months. Certified child care staff and volunteers also need a National Sex Offender Registry check and out-of-state checks if they lived outside PA in the past 5 years. Adult volunteers in youth programs need the child abuse and State Police clearances; the FBI check is needed only if they haven't lived in PA for the full past 10 years (otherwise a signed statement). Provisional hiring for up to 45 days is allowed under set conditions.

**[Rhode Island](https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#background-checks)**: Every employee and volunteer working directly with children must complete a DHS comprehensive background check before starting and every 5 years: state and national criminal and sex offender registry checks (fingerprints for adults), a DCYF child abuse and neglect clearance, and out-of-state checks if the person lived outside Rhode Island in the past 5 years. Staff and volunteers under 18 need only the child abuse and neglect registry check (218-RICR-70-00-1 §§1.6, 1.12(A)).

**[South Carolina](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#background-checks)**: Before working in a licensed, approved or registered facility, caregivers and staff need a SLED state fingerprint check, an FBI fingerprint check, a DSS Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect check, and national (NCIC) and state sex offender registry searches, plus criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry checks in every state lived in during the past 5 years (S.C. Code §63-13-40(D)). Fingerprint checks are repeated every 5 years, or sooner if the person leaves child care for 6 months or more. Provisional hiring is allowed under strict supervision once the first checks clear.

**[South Dakota](https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#background-checks)**: All child care providers and program employees 14 and older must meet federal background check requirements, repeated at least every 5 years (ARSD 67:42:17:13). In-state checks: South Dakota criminal records (fingerprints), state sex offender registry, the DSS child abuse and neglect central registry, NCIC, and an FBI fingerprint check; out-of-state criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry checks are required for each state lived in during the past 5 years. DSS pays the fees. No camp-specific requirement was found.

**[Tennessee](https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#background-checks)**: Owners, operators, directors, employees, substitutes counted in ratio who work more than 36 hours a year, and household members 15 or older need a fingerprint-based criminal background check and a registry review no more than 90 days before they have access to the agency. The registry review covers the Vulnerable Persons Registry, the sex offender registry, and Department of Children's Services abuse/neglect records. Checks must be repeated at least every 5 years and after a break in child care employment of more than 180 days. No one may have unsupervised contact with children until cleared (Rule 1240-04-01-.07; T.C.A. §71-3-507). We did not find a separate state background check requirement for youth camps.

**[Texas](https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#background-checks)**: In licensed child care, staff and others who need a check must have a criminal history check (fingerprint-based for most staff), a check of the DFPS central registry of child abuse and neglect, a SEMARC check (misconduct findings held by HHSC's Employee Misconduct Registry, TEA, and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department), and, for child day-care operations, a National Sex Offender Registry check. People who lived outside Texas in the past 5 years also need out-of-state criminal, abuse/neglect registry, and sex offender registry checks. Fingerprint-based checks must be renewed at least every 5 years (26 TAC §§745.609-745.621). Licensed youth camps must run a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check on every adult staff member and adult volunteer before they have unsupervised contact with campers, and repeat both checks every year (25 TAC §265.12(f)).

**[Utah](https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#background-checks)**: Before a new staff member or other covered individual starts, the provider must confirm their eligibility in the licensing provider portal. Anyone not already cleared submits an online application and fingerprints (age 16 and older) for a check by the DHHS Office of Background Processing. The check covers criminal history, the Utah and national sex offender registries, and supported child abuse/neglect findings in the state Licensing Information System (LIS). A new check is required if the person has been away from a licensed program for more than 180 days, has lived outside Utah since the last check, or turns 18. Providers and staff must report any new arrest, charge, or finding within 48 hours (R381-100-8). License-exempt programs, except school-run ones, must also submit these checks (R430-8-5).

**[Vermont](https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#background-checks)**: Before working with children, new staff, auxiliary staff, and others regularly present must submit a Records Check Authorization form to the Division. Staff and the licensee's representative must also be fingerprinted. No one may be left alone with children until the Division approves them based on a check that includes fingerprints. People on a sex offender registry, people with substantiated child abuse/neglect reports, and people with certain convictions are barred (CBCCPP 7.2). Staff must repeat the records check at least every 5 years (CBCCPP 2.3.9.3). We found no background check requirement in the Health Department's children's camp rule.

**[Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#background-checks)**: All employees and volunteers at licensed child day centers, and at centers exempt under the religious exemption, must have a background check before starting and every 5 years after. The check includes a sworn disclosure, fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history, a search of Virginia's child abuse and neglect central registry, and criminal, sex offender, and abuse registry checks in any state lived in during the past 5 years. People with a barrier crime or a founded abuse/neglect complaint may not work or volunteer. A new hire may start under supervision once their fingerprint check comes back clear, while other results are pending (Code of Virginia §22.1-289.035). Exempt out-of-school-time programs affiliated with national organizations must also run these checks (§22.1-289.030(B)(11)).

**[Washington](https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#background-checks)**: Licensed providers, staff, volunteers, and family-home household members must pass a DCYF background check before having unsupervised access to children, and repeat it at least every 3 years (WAC 110-06-0040; WAC 110-300-0105). The check includes fingerprints, an interstate check for every state lived in during the past 5 years, and disclosure of convictions, pending charges, and 'negative actions' such as founded child abuse or neglect findings. Fingerprints must be redone at renewal only if the person has lived outside Washington since the last check. We found no state background check requirement for seasonal camps, which are excluded from licensing.

**[West Virginia](https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#background-checks)**: Licensed centers must have a state and FBI fingerprint-based check run through WV CARES on every staff member and volunteer, and no one may work with children until WV CARES issues a fitness determination; staff stay enrolled in Rap Back for ongoing alerts. Centers must also check sex offender registries and child abuse and neglect registries in West Virginia and in every state lived in during the past 5 years, repeating the abuse registry search every 5 years (78 CSR 1 §8.4). There is no separate camp rule, but out-of-school-time and county parks and recreation or municipal camp programs claiming the §49-2-113(e)(8) exemption must run state and federal checks on all staff and volunteers.

**[Wisconsin](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#background-checks)**: Every caregiver, non-caregiver employee and household member (age 10 and up) at a licensed center or DCF-licensed day camp needs a DCF child care background check before starting: Wisconsin criminal history, an FBI fingerprint check, national and Wisconsin sex offender registries, Wisconsin abuse and neglect findings and caregiver misconduct registry, and criminal, sex offender and child abuse registries in any state lived in during the past 5 years. Fingerprints must be redone every 5 years (Wis. Stat. 48.686; DCF 13). DATCP-licensed overnight camps must have applicants disclose sexual criminal history and consent to a check, review the national sex offender public registry before hiring, and adopt a policy barring people with listed offenses (ATCP 78.26(1)).

**[Wyoming](https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#background-checks)**: Before working, owners, directors, staff, substitutes, volunteers present during operating hours, and household members 18 and older need a Central Registry (child abuse and neglect) check in Wyoming and every state lived in for the past 5 years, national and state sex offender registry checks, an FBI fingerprint check, and state criminal history checks (Ch. 11 §3(g)). The Central Registry and Wyoming sex offender checks repeat every year, and the FBI, state criminal and national sex offender checks repeat every 5 years. No state background check requirement for youth camps was found.

#### Questions

**Do volunteers need background checks?**
It depends on the state and on whether the volunteer is alone with children. Check your state's summary below and its official rules.

**Do camp staff need background checks?**
It depends on the state and the type of camp. Each state page covers camp rules alongside childcare.

### Alabama
Checked October 2026 against Alabama's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#licensing

A day care center (any facility caring for more than 12 children for all or part of a day) and day care/nighttime homes must be licensed by DHR, with licenses renewed every two years. Centers follow DHR's Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards for Day Care Centers and Nighttime Centers (Ala. Admin. Code ch. 660-5-26).

After-school and recreation programs: Ala. Code §38-7-2(4) excludes programs run by public school systems, and organized, periodic special-activity programs for school-age children (athletics, crafts instruction and similar) run by civic, charitable or governmental groups, as long as they meet local and state fire and health rules. Preschool programs that are part of a church ministry or religious nonprofit school can be license-exempt under §38-7-3 if they file with DHR and meet its inspection, background check and insurance conditions; exempt out-of-school-time programs that take child care subsidy must follow DHR health and safety guidelines.

Licensing agency: Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR), Child Care Services Division, Office of Child Care Licensing (https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-care/licensing-overview/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (2½ up to 4 years) | 1:11 | Not set |
| 4 years (4 up to school age) | 1:18 | Not set |
| 5 years, not yet enrolled in school | 1:18 | Not set |
| School-age, enrolled in school, up to 8 years | 1:21 | Not set |
| 8 years and older | 1:22 | Not set |

Rule: Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-5-26-.04(1)(a). 'School age' means a child who is 5 on or before September 1 and is enrolled in public or private school. Alabama sets no fixed maximum group size; group size depends on room capacity, children's ages, staff and equipment. In mixed-age groups, use the youngest child's ratio if more than 20% of the group is in the youngest age band. Separate ratios apply for swimming, nap time, transport and nighttime care.

Sources: Alabama DHR child care licensing overview (https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-care/licensing-overview/); Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-5-26-.04 (Child Care Program) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/alabama/Ala-Admin-Code-r-660-5-26-.04); DHR Licensing and Performance Standards for Day Care Centers (eff. Sept. 13, 2021) (https://dhr.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/PROPOSED-Centers-Child-Care-Licensing-and-Performance-Standards-8-26-21.pdf); DHR license-exempt day care facilities (https://dhr.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/For-Website-LICENSE-EXEMPT-DAY-CARE-FACILITIES-8-2026-002.pdf); DHR health and safety guidelines for out-of-school-time facilities in the subsidy program (https://dhr.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/PROPOSED-Pink-Book-Health-and-Safety-Guidelines-for-Out-of-School-Time-Facilities-9-21.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#camps

Day camps and resident (overnight) camps need an annual camp permit from the county health officer under Alabama's camp sanitation rules (Ala. Admin. Code ch. 420-3-21); camps that don't run year-round apply for the permit "within 60 days prior to the opening date of the camp", and the camp is inspected before the permit is issued and at least once during operation. These rules cover sanitation (water, sewage, food service, buildings, swimming areas), not staffing or supervision. A camp that cares for children in a way that meets the day care center definition may also fall under DHR child care licensing.

Sources: Ala. Admin. Code ch. 420-3-21, Camp Sanitation (official code) (https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/420-3-21); ADPH Food and Lodging (camp rules listed) (https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/foodsafety/food-and-lodging.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#background-checks

All licensed child care staff, and volunteers with unsupervised access to children, need an FBI fingerprint check, a National Sex Offender Registry (NCIC) check, a state fingerprint criminal history check, the state sex offender registry, and the Alabama child abuse/neglect central registry, plus the same registry checks in any state lived in during the past 5 years. Checks are done before hire and at least every 5 years (and again if the person has been out of child care for more than 180 days); staff can't count toward ratio until checks are complete. Alabama's camp sanitation permit rules do not set a separate background check requirement for camps.

Sources: DHR instructions for child care comprehensive background checks (https://dhr.alabama.gov/instructions-for-child-care-licensing-background-checks/); Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-5-26-.07 (Character and Suitability) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/alabama/Ala-Admin-Code-r-660-5-26-.07)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#medication

No prescription or over-the-counter medication may be given without a health professional's order and a signed parent authorization on DHR's form (the form also covers items applied to skin, such as sunscreen and bug spray); blanket authorizations are not allowed and each form is valid for no more than 7 days unless backed by a physician's statement. Medicine must be in its original labeled container, kept locked, given by designated staff, and each dose logged with a full signature; staff need medication administration training before service and yearly.

Sources: Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-5-26-.04 (health; medication) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/alabama/Ala-Admin-Code-r-660-5-26-.04); Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-5-26-.06 (Staff; training) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/alabama/Ala-Admin-Code-r-660-5-26-.06)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alabama#reporting

Listed roles must report, including day care workers and employees, K-12 school employees, teachers and school officials, social workers, health care workers, clergy and anyone called on to give aid or medical help to a child. Coaches and camp staff aren't named separately, but they may be covered by these roles. Under Act 2026-375 (effective October 1, 2026), the oral report to DHR or law enforcement is due immediately and a written report within 72 hours (Ala. Code §26-14-3). Hotline: No single statewide hotline is published; call your county DHR office or local law enforcement (https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-abuse-neglect-reporting/).

Sources: DHR: Report child abuse and neglect (https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-abuse-neglect-reporting/); DHR county office contacts (https://dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Alabama mandatory reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect-alabama/); SB203 (Act 2026-375) enrolled text amending Ala. Code §26-14-3 (https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB203-enr.pdf)

### Alaska
Checked October 2026 against Alaska's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#licensing

Any place that regularly cares for five or more children who are not the caregiver's relatives must be licensed unless exempt (7 AAC 57.010). License types are child care homes (up to 8 children), group homes (9 to 12) and centers (13 or more); inside the Municipality of Anchorage, the city licenses child care under Anchorage Municipal Code 16.55 plus the state rules.

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt programs include recreation programs that let children attend but don't take responsibility for their care, programs where each parent stays on site, K-6 school programs of seven hours or less a day (but not before- or after-school care at the school), and one-time events under five weeks a year (7 AAC 57.015). A day camp is exempt only if it holds American Camp Association (or similar approved) accreditation, serves children 5 and older, runs more than five weeks a year and only during school breaks, and does fingerprint-based background checks.

Licensing agency: Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance, Child Care Program Office (in Anchorage: Anchorage Health Department, Child Care Licensing) (https://health.alaska.gov/en/division-of-public-assistance/child-care-program-office/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (preschoolers, 3 and 4) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years (preschoolers, 3 and 4) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (kindergartners, 5 and 6) | 1:14 | 28 |
| School-age (7 through 12) | 1:18 | 36 |

Rule: 7 AAC 57.505(c) and 7 AAC 57.510. Alaska groups children as preschoolers (3 and 4), kindergartners (5 and 6) and school age (7 through 12); children 13 and older count as school age. When kindergartners and school-age children are mixed, the ratio follows the age of the majority; when infants, toddlers and preschoolers are mixed, the youngest child's ratio applies. Group size limits don't apply during naps, meals, outdoor play, field trips or special events. Anchorage aligned its ratios with the state rule effective July 15, 2025.

Sources: 7 AAC 57 (Child Care Facilities Licensing), Alaska Legislature official code (https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp?media=print&secStart=7.57.010&secEnd=7.57.999); Alaska Child Care Program Office (https://health.alaska.gov/en/division-of-public-assistance/child-care-program-office/); Anchorage Health Department Child Care Licensing (https://www.muni.org/Departments/health/Childcare/Pages/default.aspx); Anchorage licensure exemptions (https://muni.org/Departments/health/childcare/Pages/Exemptions.aspx)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#camps

Alaska has no separate youth camp license that we could find. A day camp that regularly cares for five or more children needs a child care license unless it meets the camp exemption in 7 AAC 57.015(a)(11): accredited by the American Camp Association or a similar approved body, serving children 5 and older, running more than five weeks a year and only during school breaks, and doing fingerprint background checks (or meeting the state's barrier-crime rules). We found no state license requirement for overnight camps.

Sources: 7 AAC 57.015 exemptions from licensure (official code) (https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp?media=print&secStart=7.57.010&secEnd=7.57.999)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#background-checks

Everyone 16 or older who works, volunteers unsupervised, lives in or regularly has contact with children at a licensed facility needs a state background check, including fingerprints for a state and FBI criminal history check plus the Alaska sex offender/child kidnapper registry and other state registries; child protection records may also be reviewed. The check must be done before the person starts (a 90-day provisional clearance is possible), names stay flagged for ongoing monitoring, and the fingerprint check is good for five years if the person stays continuously associated with a provider (a break of 100 days or more voids it). Exempt accredited day camps must still do fingerprint-based checks to the same standard.

Sources: 7 AAC 57.315 child protection and background checks (https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp?media=print&secStart=7.57.010&secEnd=7.57.999); 7 AAC 10.900-10.990 barrier crimes and background checks (https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp?media=print&secStart=7.10.900&secEnd=7.10.1095)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#medication

Get written parent permission before giving any prescription medicine, and give it only as prescribed; common over-the-counter or first-aid-kit medicines need written or documented phone permission. Keep medicine in its original container labeled with the child's name, drug, dose, expiration date and directions, stored out of children's reach; only one designated employee per shift gives medication and records and initials each dose, and unused medicine goes back to the parent.

Sources: 7 AAC 57.540 and 7 AAC 10.1070 (Medications) (https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp?media=print&secStart=7.10.900&secEnd=7.10.1095)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/alaska#reporting

Listed professionals must report, including child care providers, school teachers and staff (including athletic coaches; unpaid volunteer coaches only after a set number of hours plus training), school volunteers working more than four hours a week, and health care workers. Reports go to the Office of Children's Services immediately, and suspected sex offenses must also be reported immediately to law enforcement (AS 47.17.020). Hotline: 1-800-478-4444 (24/7); written reports to ReportChildAbuse@alaska.gov (https://dfcs.alaska.gov/office-of-childrens-services/report-child-abuse/).

Sources: AS 47.17.020, Alaska Statutes (official) (https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=47.17.010&secEnd=47.17.290); Office of Children's Services: Report child abuse (https://dfcs.alaska.gov/office-of-childrens-services/report-child-abuse/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Alaska mandatory reporting (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect-alaska/)

### Arizona
Checked October 2026 against Arizona's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#licensing

Any facility that regularly cares for five or more unrelated children for pay, for less than 24 hours a day, is a child care facility and must be licensed by ADHS (A.R.S. §36-881, §36-882); 'child' generally means through age 14. Licensed centers follow 9 A.A.C. 5; smaller in-home child care group homes are certified under separate rules (9 A.A.C. 3).

After-school and recreation programs: A.R.S. §36-884 exempts programs that offer only recreational or instructional activities to school-age children who may come and go on their own (they must post a 'not licensed' notice), training only in specific subjects such as dance, drama, music, self-defense or religion, and public or private schools during the regular school day. Before- and after-school care run by a school is not exempt; public school child care must meet ADHS standards. Accredited day camps can also be exempt (see camps).

Licensing agency: Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Bureau of Child Care Licensing (https://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/childcare-facilities/index.php)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:13 | Not set |
| 4 years | 1:15 | Not set |
| 5 years (not yet school-age) | 1:20 | Not set |
| School-age | 1:20 | Not set |

Rule: Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-404(A). Arizona sets no maximum group size for centers. The ratio for a group is based on the youngest child in it. 'School-age' means a child who is 5 by January 1 of the school year and attends (or attended last school year) kindergarten or higher, including home school (R9-5-101). When six or more children are present, a director or designee plus one more staff member must be on site, and a lifeguard used at a pool can't count toward ratio.

Sources: Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-404 Staff-to-children ratios (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arizona/Ariz-Admin-Code-SS-R9-5-404); Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-101 Definitions (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arizona/Ariz-Admin-Code-SS-R9-5-101); A.R.S. §36-881 Definitions (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/00881.htm); A.R.S. §36-884 Exemptions (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/00884.htm); A.R.S. §36-883.04 Public school child care standards (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/00883-04.htm)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#camps

Overnight 'children's camps' (food and lodging for minors, open five or more days a year) need an annual ADHS children's camp license, applied for by May 1, with inspections focused on water, sewage, food service and layout (A.R.S. §36-3901 to 36-3916). Day camps are not children's camps; they need a child care facility license unless they qualify for the day camp exemption in A.R.S. §36-884(9): accredited by an ADHS-approved national day camp accreditor, open fewer than 10 weeks a year, serving only children 5 and older, posting a 'not licensed' notice, and requiring fingerprint clearance cards for all staff.

Sources: A.R.S. §36-3901 Children's camp definition (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/03901.htm); A.R.S. §36-3902 Children's camp license (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/03902.htm); Ariz. Admin. Code R9-8-402 Children's camp licensing (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arizona/Ariz-Admin-Code-SS-R9-8-402); A.R.S. §36-884(9) day camp exemption (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/00884.htm)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#background-checks

All child care staff and volunteers must have a valid DPS Level One fingerprint clearance card (state and FBI criminal history, with ongoing rap-back updates) before starting work, and sign a disclosure form on criminal history and child abuse findings (A.R.S. §36-883.02). Licensees must also submit staff for a Department of Child Safety central registry (child abuse and neglect) check and make good-faith efforts to contact previous employers. Exempt accredited day camps must still require fingerprint clearance cards; the overnight children's camp law has no background check rule of its own.

Sources: A.R.S. §36-883.02 Child care personnel; fingerprints (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/00883-02.htm); A.R.S. §41-1758.07 Level I fingerprint clearance cards (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/41/01758-07.htm); A.R.S. §8-804 DCS central registry checks (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/8/00804.htm); Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-402 Staff records (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arizona/Ariz-Admin-Code-SS-R9-5-402)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#medication

A center that gives medicine must have a written medication policy, and only the director or one staff member designated in writing (one at a time) may give it, with signed parent or health care provider authorization listing the drug, dose, route, times and reason. Prescriptions must be in the pharmacy container and over-the-counter medicine in the original package labeled with the child's name; medicine is kept locked and out of reach, the center may not keep its own stock, and every dose is logged with the staff member's signature and kept for 12 months.

Sources: Ariz. Admin. Code R9-5-516 Medications (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arizona/Ariz-Admin-Code-SS-R9-5-516)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arizona#reporting

Listed reporters include school personnel, health and behavioral health professionals, clergy, parents and "any other person who has responsibility for the care or treatment of the minor." That phrase can include child care, camp and youth program staff, and their direct supervisors must also report. Reports must be made immediately by phone or electronically to DCS or a peace officer (A.R.S. §13-3620). Hotline: 1-888-SOS-CHILD (1-888-767-2445), 24/7 (https://dcs.az.gov/report-child-abuse/child-abuse-hotline).

Sources: A.R.S. §13-3620 Duty to report (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03620.htm); Arizona DCS child abuse hotline (https://dcs.az.gov/report-child-abuse/child-abuse-hotline); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Arizona mandatory reporting (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect-arizona/)

### Arkansas
Checked October 2026 against Arkansas's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#licensing

Child care centers caring for six or more children from more than one family, licensed family homes (6 to 16 children) and out-of-school-time (OST) facilities serving only school-age children must be licensed by OEC; homes with fewer children can register. A program open more than 5 hours in any 24-hour period or more than 10 hours a week counts as a child care center.

After-school and recreation programs: Programs open no more than 5 hours a day or 10 hours a week, and programs that run no more than three weeks a year (such as summer Bible schools and camps), don't need a license. Recreational programs where children arrive and leave on their own for scheduled classes, practices, games or meetings are exempt, as are schools providing short before/after-school care (up to 20 hours a week) for their own K-12 students; church-run programs can apply for a church-operated exemption but must still meet the standards.

Licensing agency: Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood (OEC), Child Care Licensing Unit (https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/office-of-early-childhood/child-care-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (2½ to 3 years) | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| 5 years to kindergarten | 1:18 | 36 |
| Kindergarten and above (school-age) | 1:18 | 36 |

Rule: 20 CAR § 1025-401 (child care centers); 20 CAR § 1027-301 (out-of-school-time facilities, 1:18). Maximum group size is twice the one-staff ratio (buildings licensed before November 1, 2002 are grandfathered, and the limit doesn't apply to periodic or special group activities). In mixed-age groups, the youngest child's ratio applies. OST facilities serving only kindergarten and older use 1:18 with the same 2x group-size rule. Children 30 to 36 months may be placed in the group that best fits their development.

Sources: OEC Child Care Licensing (https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/office-of-early-childhood/child-care-licensing); 20 CAR § 1025-401 Staff-to-child ratio (Code of Arkansas Rules) (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=569&subPartID=7808&sectionID=51232); 20 CAR § 1027-101 OST definitions and license exemptions (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=571&subPartID=5634&sectionID=36449); 20 CAR § 1027-301 OST staff-to-participant ratio (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=571&subPartID=5636&sectionID=36461); 20 CAR § 1025-207 Church-operated exemptions (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=569&subPartID=7806&sectionID=51227); Minimum Licensing Requirements for Out-of-School Time Facilities (PDF) (https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/2020-OST-Clean-Copy_20230506120357.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#camps

Summer day camps for school-age children are out-of-school-time programs and need an OEC child care license, which includes specific day camp rules, unless the camp runs no more than three weeks a year, stays under 5 hours a day and 10 hours a week, or is a drop-in recreational program. We found no separate state license for overnight (resident) camps in the Arkansas Department of Health's rules.

Sources: 20 CAR § 1027-101 OST definitions (summer day camps; three-week exemption) (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=571&subPartID=5634&sectionID=36449); OST Minimum Licensing Requirements, Section 1500 Day Camp (PDF) (https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/2020-OST-Clean-Copy_20230506120357.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#background-checks

Owners, staff, and volunteers or others with routine contact with children need an Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry check before starting and every 2 years, plus an Arkansas State Police fingerprint check (including the state sex offender registry) and an FBI fingerprint check before starting and every 5 years; a National Sex Offender Registry check is also run, and anyone who lived in another state in the past 5 years is checked there too. New staff can start only after a satisfactory state police result and must be supervised by fully cleared staff until all checks are back.

Sources: 20 CAR § 1025-209 Child Maltreatment Central Registry checks (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=569&subPartID=7806&sectionID=51229); 20 CAR § 1025-210 FBI and State Police criminal records checks (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=569&subPartID=7806&sectionID=51230)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#medication

Medicine may be given only with signed parent permission listing the date, drug name, dose and time, how long to give it and the reason; it must be in the original child-resistant container, unexpired and labeled with the child's name, and never given above the label dose. Medicines are kept locked, the staff member who gives a dose initials the permission slip and records date, time and dose, children with special health needs need a care plan, and staff orientation covers medication administration.

Sources: 20 CAR § 1025-1201 General health requirements (medication) (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=569&subPartID=7816&sectionID=51263); Minimum Licensing Requirements for Child Care Centers (PDF) (https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/2020-CCC-Clean-Copy_20230506115600.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/arkansas#reporting

A long list of mandated reporters includes child care and day care workers, school employees, coaches and directors of athletic and non-athletic organizations, clergy, health care workers, and people working for nonprofit charitable organizations. They must immediately notify the Child Abuse Hotline when they have reasonable cause to suspect maltreatment (Ark. Code § 12-18-402); licensed child care owners, staff and volunteers are named as mandated reporters in the licensing rules. Hotline: 1-800-482-5964 (Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline); non-emergency online reports at mandatedreporter.arkansas.gov (https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/children-family-services/how-to-report-child-abuse-neglect/).

Sources: Arkansas DHS: How to report child abuse and neglect (https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/children-family-services/how-to-report-child-abuse-neglect/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Arkansas mandatory reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect-arkansas/); 20 CAR § 1025-201 (child care staff are mandated reporters; hotline) (https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?levelType=section&titleID=20&chapterID=127&subChapterID=169&partID=569&subPartID=7806&sectionID=51221)

### California
Checked October 2026 against California's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#licensing

Child care centers (including infant centers, preschool programs and school-age child care centers) and family child care homes must be licensed by CDSS under Title 22, Division 12 of the California Code of Regulations. A school-age child care center is any center, of any size, that provides less-than-24-hour care to school-age children in a group.

After-school and recreation programs: Before- and after-school programs run by a public or private school with its own qualified teachers are exempt, but an outside group running a program on a school site needs a license (22 CCR §101158). CDSS also lists exemptions from Health and Safety Code §1596.792, including public recreation programs run by the state, a city, county, special district or school district outside school hours for under 16 hours a week or 12 weeks or less a year, recreation programs run by groups like Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs or Camp Fire, programs open one day a week for four hours or less, and classroom-style instructional programs during school breaks totaling 30 days or less for school-age children.

Licensing agency: California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing Division, Child Care Licensing Program (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (preschool-age) | 1:12 | Not set |
| 4 years (preschool-age) | 1:12 | Not set |
| 5 years (preschool-age, not in a school-age program) | 1:12 | Not set |
| School-age (school-age child care center) | 1:14 | Not set |

Rule: 22 CCR §101216.3 (preschool-age); 22 CCR §101516.5 (school-age child care centers). Preschool ratios are per teacher: 1 teacher can have 12 children, 1 teacher plus 1 aide can have 15, and a fully qualified teacher plus a qualified aide can have 18. In school-age centers, 1 teacher can have 14 children or 28 with an aide, and mixed-age groups follow the youngest child. California sets no maximum group size for these age groups. A school-age child is one in first grade or above, or any child in a program serving only kindergarten and older. Programs funded by the California Department of Education under Title 5 use different staffing ratios.

Sources: CDSS Child Care Licensing (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing); 22 CCR §101216.3 Teacher-child ratio (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/22-CCR-101216.3); 22 CCR §101516.5 School-age center ratio (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/22-CCR-101516.5); 22 CCR §101158 Exemption from licensure (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/22-CCR-101158); CDSS Title 22 child care center manual, Articles 1-2 (definitions; exemptions quoting HSC §1596.792) (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Regs/Man/CCL/1cccman.docx)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#camps

Organized camps (as defined in Health and Safety Code §18897) must send written notice to the local health officer at least 30 days before operating each year and meet Title 17 standards, including a camp director at least 25 years old with two seasons of camp supervisory experience, at least 1 counselor (18+ or a high school graduate) per 10 campers under 16, and a full-time health supervisor (17 CCR §30700-30753). Day programs that care for children may need a CDSS child care license unless they fit an exemption such as the public recreation or Scouts/Boys and Girls Clubs-type recreation exemptions.

Sources: 17 CCR §30700 Organized camp definitions (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/17-CCR-30700); 17 CCR §30703 Notice of intention to operate (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/17-CCR-30703); 17 CCR §30750 Health supervision (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/17-CCR-30750); 17 CCR §30751 General and safety supervision (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/17-CCR-30751)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#background-checks

Licensed child care staff, and most volunteers, need a criminal record clearance from both the California DOJ and the FBI (Live Scan fingerprints) plus a Child Abuse Central Index check before they work or are present in the facility; DOJ then sends CDSS any later arrests or child abuse reports. A clearance stays active while the person is linked to a licensed facility and lapses after 3 years without one. At organized camps, the director and all counselors need a satisfactory California DOJ criminal history check or a National Sex Offender Public Registry check, plus a voluntary disclosure statement, before any unsupervised contact with campers (17 CCR §30751).

Sources: CDSS background check process (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/community-care/caregiver-background-check/background-check-process); 22 CCR §101170 Criminal record clearance (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/22-CCR-101170); 22 CCR §101170.2 Child Abuse Central Index (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/22-CCR-101170.2); 17 CCR §30751 (camp director and counselor checks) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/17-CCR-30751)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#medication

If a center chooses to give medication, it needs written approval and instructions from the parent for each prescription and over-the-counter medicine, and must follow the pharmacy or product label. Medicines are stored out of children's reach with unaltered labels, marked with the child's name and date; the center must keep a written plan to record each dose and tell parents daily, and return unused medicine. At organized camps, a medical logbook records every dose, and camper medicine stays in its original labeled container (or comes with written instructions) and is locked up when unattended.

Sources: 22 CCR §101226 Health-related services (medication) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/22-CCR-101226); 17 CCR §30750 Health supervision (camps) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/17-CCR-30750)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/california#reporting

Mandated reporters include child care administrators and employees, administrators and employees of day camps, youth centers and youth recreation programs, school staff and school athletic coaches, and HR staff at businesses that employ minors. They must report immediately by phone to the county child welfare agency or police/sheriff and send a written report within 36 hours (Penal Code §§11165.7, 11166); licensed child care staff must take mandated reporter training within 90 days of hire and every 2 years. Hotline: No single statewide hotline; call the county Child Protective Services 24-hour line or local police/sheriff (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Reporting/Report-Abuse/Report-Child-Abuse).

Sources: CDSS: Report child abuse (county numbers) (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Reporting/Report-Abuse/Report-Child-Abuse); Child Welfare Information Gateway: California mandatory reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect-california/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: California making and screening reports (Nov. 2021) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/making-and-screening-reports-child-abuse-and-neglect-california/)

### Colorado
Checked October 2026 against Colorado's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#licensing

CDEC licenses child care centers and school-age child care centers caring for five or more children, family child care homes, children's resident camps and neighborhood youth organizations under 8 CCR 1402-1. School-age child care centers include before- and after-school programs, extended-day programs, day camps and summer camps for ages 5 to 18 that run more than one week a year.

After-school and recreation programs: No license is needed for a class in a single skill (one subject, with no naps or other activities), religious instruction, short care (3 hours or less) while parents are on site at a church, store or business, occasional care, or programs already licensed and inspected by another state or federal agency (8 CCR 1402-1 §2.112). Nonprofit neighborhood youth organizations serving kindergarten through age 18 follow their own lighter rules (§2.700) instead of school-age center rules. The rules include provisions for school-age centers run by public school districts, and public schools are not on the exemption list.

Licensing agency: Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Division of Early Learning, Licensing, and Administration (https://cdec.colorado.gov/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (3 to 4) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years (4 to 5) | 1:12 | 24 |
| 5 years and older (child care center) | 1:15 | 30 |
| School-age (school-age child care center, ages 5-18) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: 8 CCR 1402-1 §2.217(A)(14)-(15) (child care centers); §2.510(D)-(E) (school-age child care centers). A mixed preschool group of 2½ to 6 years can run at 1:10 with a group of 20; in other preschool mixes, the youngest child's ratio applies if more than 20% of the group is younger. Formal kindergarten class sessions in a center may run 1:25. In a school-age center, any time 4-year-olds attend after certain violations, the center must use 1:12 with a group of 24 for one year. Group size may be exceeded for meals, circle time and special activities, but room capacity may not.

Sources: 8 CCR 1402-1 Child Care Facility Licensing Rules (Code of Colorado Regulations, eff. 2/14/2026) (https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/DisplayRule.do?action=ruleinfo&ruleId=3433&deptID=26&agencyID=215&deptName=Department%20of%20Early%20Childhood&agencyName=Division%20of%20Early%20Learning,%20Licensing,%20and%20Administration&seriesNum=8%20CCR%201402-1); 8 CCR 1402-1 full text (PDF) (https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=12417&fileName=8%20CCR%201402-1)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#camps

Colorado licenses camps as child care. Children's resident (overnight) camps that run three or more consecutive 24-hour days for five or more children need a CDEC resident camp license (8 CCR 1402-1 §2.400), with counselor ratios of 1:6 for ages 5-7, 1:8 for ages 8-10, 1:10 for ages 11-13 and 1:12 for ages 14 and up. Day camps (at least 4 hours a day, mainly in one season or school breaks, ages 5-18) are licensed as school-age child care centers (§2.500), and seasonal outdoor adventure day camps fall under the resident camp rules.

Sources: 8 CCR 1402-1 §2.400 Children's Resident Camps and §2.500 School-Age Child Care Centers (PDF) (https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=12417&fileName=8%20CCR%201402-1)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#background-checks

Staff who care for or have unsupervised access to children need a CBI and FBI fingerprint check, a National Sex Offender Registry check, a Colorado child abuse and neglect (Trails) check, and criminal, sex offender and abuse registry checks in any other state lived in during the past five years, completed before working alone with children (someone with a cleared CBI or FBI check may work up to 90 days under supervision while the rest finish). FBI and Trails checks are renewed every five years. Resident camps and school-age centers may use out-of-state staff hired for less than 90 days without fingerprints or Trails checks if they sign a no-convictions statement, references are checked, and they are supervised at all times by fully cleared staff.

Sources: 8 CCR 1402-1 §2.120 (Trails child abuse and neglect checks) and §2.121 (criminal record checks) (PDF) (https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=12417&fileName=8%20CCR%201402-1)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#medication

Any prescription or over-the-counter medicine needs both a written order from a health care provider with prescriptive authority and written parent consent; home remedies, vitamins and supplements may not be given, while sunscreen and insect repellent need only parent permission. Medicine stays in its original labeled container (OTC labeled with the child's name), is locked up except emergency medicine, is given only by staff with Department-approved medication administration training and current delegation from a child care health consultant, and each dose is recorded in a medication log.

Sources: 8 CCR 1402-1 §2.220 Medication (child care centers) (PDF) (https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=12417&fileName=8%20CCR%201402-1)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/colorado#reporting

Listed reporters include school employees, health and mental health professionals, clergy, CDEC employees, and directors, coaches and athletic staff of private sports programs; the licensing rules also require every child care caregiver and staff member to report. Reports must be made immediately to the county human or social services department, local law enforcement, or the statewide hotline (C.R.S. §19-3-304; 8 CCR 1402-1 §2.126). Hotline: 1-844-CO-4-KIDS (1-844-264-5437) (https://co4kids.org/).

Sources: CO4Kids (Colorado Department of Human Services hotline) (https://co4kids.org/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Colorado mandatory reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect-colorado/); 8 CCR 1402-1 §2.126 Reporting child abuse (PDF) (https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=12417&fileName=8%20CCR%201402-1)

### Connecticut
Checked October 2026 against Connecticut's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#licensing

A license from OEC is required for child care centers (more than 12 children), group child care homes (7 to 12 children, or a family-home-sized program run outside a private home) and family child care homes (care in a private home on a regular basis). A center or group home that serves school-age children also needs a separate school-age endorsement on its license.

After-school and recreation programs: State law exempts programs run by a public school system or a municipal agency, approved or accredited private schools, music/dance/drama/art or single-skill classes of 2 hours or less, scouting, sports-only programs, academic tutoring, programs only for children 13 and older, nationally chartered Boys & Girls Clubs serving only school-age children, and occasional recreational care where parents stay on the premises (CGS §19a-77(b)). An exempt program must tell parents in writing that it is not licensed by OEC (CGS §19a-77(c)).

Licensing agency: Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), Division of Licensing (https://www.ctoec.org/licensing/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (not yet school age) | 1:10 | 20 |
| School-age (5 by Sept. 1, under 13) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: Regs. Conn. State Agencies §19a-79-4a(d)(4)-(5) (preschool); §19a-79-11(d)-(e) (school-age endorsement). Connecticut uses one ratio (1:10, group of 20) for all children 3 and older who are not school age. 'School age' means at least 5 by September 1 of the school year and under 13 (§19a-79-1a). In a mixed-age group, the ratio and group size for the youngest child apply. Under-3 care (separate endorsement, §19a-79-10): 1:4 with a group of 8 under age 2, and 1:5 with a group of 10 for 2-year-olds. Stricter ratios apply during swimming (1:4 for ages 3-5, 1:6 for school-age), and at least two staff aged 18 or older must be on site whenever children are present.

Sources: CGS §19a-77 (definitions and exemptions) and §19a-80 (license required) (https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_368a.htm); Regs. Conn. State Agencies §19a-79-4a (staffing, ratios, group size) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/connecticut/Regs-Conn-State-Agencies-SS-19a-79-4a); Regs. Conn. State Agencies §19a-79-11 (school-age endorsement) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/connecticut/Regs-Conn-State-Agencies-SS-19a-79-11); Regs. Conn. State Agencies §19a-79-10 (under-3 endorsement) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/connecticut/Regs-Conn-State-Agencies-SS-19a-79-10); OEC Licensing (https://www.ctoec.org/licensing/)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#camps

Both day camps and resident (overnight) camps need an annual youth camp license from OEC, applied for at least 30 days before opening (CGS §19a-421). The law covers camps serving 5 or more children aged 3 to 15 for 3 or more days a week during school vacations or weekends, or any program advertised as a camp. Exempt: classroom-based summer instruction with no risky activities, public and approved private school summer programs, licensed child care centers, Boys & Girls Club drop-in programs for ages 6 and up, and day camps run by a municipal agency (CGS §19a-420).

Sources: CGS chapter 368r, Youth Camps (§19a-420 to §19a-430) (https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_368r.htm); 2026 Supplement, chapter 368r (2025 amendments) (https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/sup/chap_368r.htm); OEC Licensing for Youth Camps (https://www.ctoec.org/licensing/youth-camps/)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#background-checks

Child care staff who care for children or have unsupervised access to them need a comprehensive background check: a state criminal history check and an FBI fingerprint check, the CT DCF child abuse registry, sex offender registries, and the criminal, abuse and sex offender registries of any state they lived in during the past 5 years. New hires cannot start work until the conditions of federal rule 45 CFR 98.43(d)(4) are met, and the check is repeated at least every 5 years (CGS §19a-80(c), §10-530(b); Regs. §19a-79-4a(b)-(c)). Youth camps have their own rule: staff aged 18 and older in care roles need a state criminal check (or a search of the Judicial Branch conviction database), the DCF registry, the CT sex offender registry and the national sex offender website, or else a fingerprint check through an OEC-listed provider. New hires may work only under supervision until the check is complete, and the check is repeated every 5 years (CGS §19a-421(b)-(d)).

Sources: CGS §10-530 (5-year rechecks) (https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_184c.htm); CGS §19a-80(c) (https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_368a.htm); Regs. Conn. State Agencies §19a-79-4a(b)-(c) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/connecticut/Regs-Conn-State-Agencies-SS-19a-79-4a); CGS §19a-421 (youth camp background checks) (https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_368r.htm)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#medication

Apart from over-the-counter topical products such as diaper cream (which need written parent permission only), no medicine may be given without a written order from an authorized prescriber and written parent permission. Staff who give medicine must first be trained and approved by a pharmacist, physician, PA, APRN or RN, renewed every 3 years (every year for epinephrine auto-injectors). Medicine must be kept in its original labeled container, and each dose is recorded on the child's individual administration record (Regs. §19a-79-9a).

Sources: Regs. Conn. State Agencies §19a-79-9a (administration of medications) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/connecticut/Regs-Conn-State-Agencies-SS-19a-79-9a)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/connecticut#reporting

Mandated reporters are listed professions. The list includes anyone paid to care for children in a licensed child care center or home, school employees, paid youth camp directors and staff aged 21 or older, and coaches or directors of youth athletics and private youth sports aged 18 or older (CGS §17a-101(b)). Report by phone (or electronically, for non-emergencies) within 12 hours, and file a written or electronic report within 48 hours after the oral report (CGS §17a-101b, §17a-101c). Hotline: 1-800-842-2288 (DCF Careline, 24/7; TDD 1-800-624-5518) (https://portal.ct.gov/dcf/supports-for-children-and-families/child-abuse-and-neglect).

Sources: CGS §17a-101 to §17a-101c (mandated reporters, timing) (https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_319a.htm); CT DCF: Report child abuse and neglect (https://portal.ct.gov/dcf/supports-for-children-and-families/child-abuse-and-neglect)

### Delaware
Checked October 2026 against Delaware's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#licensing

Anyone who is paid to care for children without a parent present and offers child care to the public needs an OCCL license (14 Del.C. §3002A, §3004A). Early care and education and school-age centers (13 or more children) are licensed under 14 DE Admin. Code 933. This includes before- and after-school care, summer child care programs that are not exempt, and summer camps that receive Purchase of Care funding (933 §4.1). Family and large family child care homes have separate rules.

After-school and recreation programs: A center license is not required for: youth camps that serve only school-age children, hold a Division of Public Health camp permit and take no Purchase of Care funding; state-run programs; summer religion classes of 4 weeks or less; brief care while parents stay on site; free drop-in 'open door' programs with no agreement to supervise; school-age care offered only for emergencies or on in-service days, holidays or vacations; lessons or classes only (tutoring, music, dance, sports, art); and public or private schools teaching kindergarten and up (933 §4.3). A program run by another organization inside a school building still needs a license unless the school itself runs it (933 §4.2).

Licensing agency: Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) (https://education.delaware.gov/families/birth-age-5/occl/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 5 years (not yet in kindergarten) | 1:12 | 24 |
| School-age (kindergarten and up) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: 14 DE Admin. Code 933 §27.1 (ratio and group size table). Delaware uses age in months: 3-year-olds are 36-47 months, and the 4-year-old band covers 48 months and older until the child starts kindergarten. Once a child attends kindergarten they count as school-age. OCCL may approve a school-age variance to 1:20 when a certified Delaware teacher teaches in their subject area, but group size stays capped at 30. In mixed-age groups, the youngest child's ratio and group size apply (§27.3). Licensed youth camps follow different ratios: 1:8 (group 16) for ages 5-8, 1:10 (group 20) for ages 9-14, and 1:12 (group 24) for ages 15 and up (14 DE Admin. Code 938 §29.2).

Sources: 14 DE Admin. Code 933, DELACARE Regulations for Early Care and Education and School-Age Centers (https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/900/933.shtml); 14 Del.C. ch. 30A (child care licensing law) (https://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c030a/index.html); Office of Child Care Licensing (https://education.delaware.gov/families/birth-age-5/occl/)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#camps

Day, residential and other youth camps for 6 or more campers under 18 need an annual permit from the Division of Public Health (16 DE Admin. Code 4467), which also sets counselor-to-camper ratios. A camp for school-age children must also get either license-exempt approval or a youth camp license from OCCL. A license (14 DE Admin. Code 938) is required to receive Purchase of Care funding, and both routes require the DPH permit (14 Del.C. §3003A, amended August 17, 2026 by SB 293). A camp that serves children younger than kindergarten does not qualify for the camp exemption and falls under child care center licensing.

Sources: 16 DE Admin. Code 4467, Sanitation of Recreational Camps (DPH permit) (https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title16/Department%20of%20Health%20and%20Social%20Services/Division%20of%20Public%20Health/Health%20Systems%20Protection%20(HSP)/4467.shtml); 14 DE Admin. Code 938, Regulations for Youth Camps (OCCL license) (https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/900/938.shtml); 14 Del.C. §3002A-3003A (youth camp definition, license and exemption) (https://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c030a/index.html); SB 293 (153rd GA), signed August 17, 2026 (https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail/143177); State of Delaware: Recreational Camps permit (https://firststeps.delaware.gov/recreational_camps/)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#background-checks

Before starting work, center staff must be fingerprinted by Delaware State Police for state (SBI) and FBI checks. The center must also have an eligibility or provisional eligibility notice from the DSCYF Criminal History Unit. The full check also covers sex offender and child abuse registries, plus criminal and child abuse checks in every state the person lived in during the past 5 years. Staff are supervised and may not be alone with children until found eligible. Centers must also check the Delaware adult abuse registry. All parts are repeated every 5 years (933 §3.0, §28.3-28.4). Licensed youth camps have the same fingerprint, out-of-state and adult abuse registry requirements for adult staff (938 §22.3-22.4).

Sources: 14 DE Admin. Code 933 §28.3-28.4 (https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/900/933.shtml); 14 DE Admin. Code 938 §22.3-22.4 (youth camps) (https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/900/938.shtml)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#medication

Medicine may be given only by a staff member aged 18 or older who holds an OCCL administration of medication certificate (or by a health professional), and a certified staff member must be on site at all times and on field trips. Each medicine needs written parent permission and must be in its original labeled container. Every dose and every error is logged on a Medication Administration Record, and errors are reported to the parent right away (933 §63).

Sources: 14 DE Admin. Code 933 §63, Administration of Medication (https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title14/900/933.shtml)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/delaware#reporting

Every person, agency or organization that knows or in good faith suspects child abuse or neglect must report it to the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (16 Del.C. §903). Call the report line immediately for sexual abuse, a child death, a current injury, a child needing urgent medical or mental health care, or a child left without a caregiver. Other reports can be made by phone or through the online portal (16 Del.C. §904). Licensed centers must call the line immediately if abuse is suspected at the center (933 §19.2.3). Hotline: 1-800-292-9582 (Child Abuse and Neglect Report Line) (https://kids.delaware.gov/family-services/child-abuse-and-neglect-reporting/).

Sources: 16 Del.C. §903-904 (https://delcode.delaware.gov/title16/c009/sc01/index.html); DSCYF: Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting (https://kids.delaware.gov/family-services/child-abuse-and-neglect-reporting/)

### District of Columbia
Checked October 2026 against District of Columbia's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#licensing

Any center, home or other setting that regularly cares for more than two unrelated children needs an OSSE license as a Child Development Facility unless it is exempt. Licensed facility types are child development centers, child development homes, expanded homes and out-of-school-time (OST) programs (5-A DCMR §101.3-101.4).

After-school and recreation programs: Facilities that provide only before-school care, only after-school care, or only summer camp to school-age children do not need a license (5-A DCMR §101.5). Also exempt: public, charter and private schools during the full school day, classes or activities such as tutoring, music, dance, sport or art while parents stay on the premises, care during religious services, and care by relatives.

Licensing agency: Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Division of Early Learning, Licensing and Compliance (https://osse.dc.gov/service/licensing-and-compliance)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (30-48 months) | 1:8 | 16 |
| 4 years (48-60 months) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (out-of-school-time care, under 6) | 1:12 | 24 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: 5-A DCMR §121.3(a)-(b). DC sets age bands in months. The 1:8 band runs from 30 to 48 months, so it covers most 3-year-olds. The center table for infants, toddlers and preschoolers ends at 60 months. Out-of-school-time care for school-age children uses 1:12 (group of 24) for children under 6 and 1:15 (group of 30) for ages 6 and up. In mixed-age groups the youngest child's ratio applies (§121.6). Centers serving infants, toddlers or preschoolers need two staff members (a teacher plus an assistant teacher or aide) with each group at all times (§121.8). Ratios must be met at all times, including naps and transport (§121.2).

Sources: OSSE Licensing and Compliance (includes exemption list) (https://osse.dc.gov/service/licensing-and-compliance); 5-A DCMR §121, Adult-to-Child Ratios and Group Size (DC Register) (https://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/SectionList.aspx?SectionNumber=5-A121); 5-A DCMR §101, Applicability and exemptions (DC Register) (https://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/SectionList.aspx?SectionNumber=5-A101); OSSE Final Rulemaking, Licensing of Child Development Facilities (Dec. 2016, full text) (https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/Final%20Rulemaking%20for%20the%20Licensing%20of%20Child%20Development%20Facilities.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#camps

We found no separate DC youth camp license. OSSE's child care rules exempt facilities that provide only summer camp to school-age children (5-A DCMR §101.5). A camp that serves children below school age does not fit that exemption and may need a Child Development Facility license from OSSE.

Sources: 5-A DCMR §101.5 exemptions (OSSE Licensing and Compliance page) (https://osse.dc.gov/service/licensing-and-compliance)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#background-checks

Licensed facilities must request an OSSE background check before a person starts work and at least every 3 years after that (5-A DCMR §133.3). The check covers an FBI fingerprint check, the national sex offender registry, and the criminal, sex offender and child abuse and neglect registries for DC and every state lived in during the past 5 years (§132.2). Staff are also subject to a drug and alcohol testing program, and drivers need a traffic records check. A new hire may start once the request is submitted, but only under constant supervision by someone with a qualifying check (§133.5). License-exempt camps have no OSSE background check rule. Programs run by or under contract with the DC government must run FBI and police criminal checks under DC Code §4-1501.01 et seq.

Sources: 5-A DCMR §132-133 (DC Register) (https://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/SectionList.aspx?SectionNumber=5-A133); OSSE Final Rulemaking, Licensing of Child Development Facilities (Dec. 2016, full text) (https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/Final%20Rulemaking%20for%20the%20Licensing%20of%20Child%20Development%20Facilities.pdf); DC Code §4-1501.02 (covered child or youth services providers) (https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/4-1501.02)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#medication

Before any medicine is given (other than emergency first aid), the facility needs a signed parent authorization form, approval of the medicine and dose by a licensed health care practitioner, and a staff member who has completed approved medication training or is a nurse or certified medication technician. Prescription medicine needs a pharmacy label, and the child must already have had at least one dose at home. All medicine stays in its original container and is labeled with the child's name, and every dose goes in the medication log. Parent-supplied sunscreen, diaper cream and insect repellent need written parent consent only (5-A DCMR §153).

Sources: 5-A DCMR §153, Medication Administration and Storage (DC Register) (https://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/SectionList.aspx?SectionNumber=5-A153)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/district-of-columbia#reporting

Mandatory reporters are listed professions. The list includes day care workers, teachers, school officials, athletic coaches, Department of Parks and Recreation employees, social services workers and health professionals (DC Code §4-1321.02). They must make an oral report immediately to the Child and Family Services Agency or the Metropolitan Police Department, and a written report if asked (§4-1321.03). Non-emergency reports can also be filed through CFSA's online mandated reporter portal. Hotline: (202) 671-SAFE / (202) 671-7233 (CFSA, 24/7) (https://cfsa.dc.gov/service/report-child-abuse-and-neglect).

Sources: DC Code §4-1321.02 (mandatory reporters) (https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/4-1321.02); DC Code §4-1321.03 (timing and content of reports) (https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/4-1321.03); CFSA: Report Child Abuse and Neglect (https://cfsa.dc.gov/service/report-child-abuse-and-neglect)

### Florida
Checked October 2026 against Florida's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#licensing

A license is required for any child care center or arrangement caring for more than five unrelated children for pay (s. 402.302(2), F.S.), and for family and large family child care homes. School-age child care programs need their own school-age license under Rule 65C-22.008, F.A.C., unless exempt.

After-school and recreation programs: Public and nonpublic schools' own programs for kindergarten and up are not child care (s. 402.3025, F.S.). Summer day camps, residential summer camps and vacation Bible schools are also excluded (s. 402.302(2)). A school-age program needs no license if it is (a) on a school site, run by the school or under a formal contract with it, and serving only that school's students; (b) a single-purpose class such as tutoring, karate or a sport, limited to 2 hours a day (3 for multi-subject tutoring); (c) an open-access drop-in program under 4 hours a day where children come and go freely; (d) run by a certified national youth membership organization that notifies DCF each year; or (e) only for grades 6 and up. Exempt programs must still meet background screening rules and file an attestation with DCF (Rule 65C-22.008(3)-(4), F.A.C.).

Licensing agency: Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Child Care Regulation. Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties license through their own local licensing agencies. (https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/about-child-care-licensure)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:15 | Not set |
| 4 years | 1:20 | Not set |
| 5 years | 1:25 | Not set |
| School-age (5 and up) | 1:25 | Not set |

Rule: s. 402.305(4), F.S.; Rule 65C-22.001(6), F.A.C. (Child Care Facility Handbook, Dec. 2025); Rule 65C-22.008(5), F.A.C. (School-Age Child Care Facility Handbook, Dec. 2025). Florida sets no maximum group size for these ages. When children 2 and older are grouped together, the ratio follows the age group with the most children in the group (s. 402.305(4)(a)7). A group that includes a child under 1 is capped at 1:4, and one that includes a child aged 1 is capped at 1:6. Stricter ratios apply during swimming (1:4 for ages 3-4, 1:10 for ages 5 and up), and one extra adult must go on field trips.

Sources: s. 402.305, F.S. (2026), licensing standards and ratios (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/402.305); s. 402.302, F.S. (2026), definitions and exclusions (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/402.302); Chapter 65C-22, F.A.C. (Rules 65C-22.001 and 65C-22.008) (https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=65C-22); Child Care Facility Handbook (Dec. 2025), Ref-19085 (https://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19085); School-Age Child Care Facility Handbook (Dec. 2025), Ref-19084 (https://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19084); DCF: About Child Care Licensure (https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/about-child-care-licensure)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#camps

Florida does not license summer camps; state law forbids DCF from licensing summer day camps and summer 24-hour camps (s. 409.175(6)(l), F.S.), and they are excluded from child care licensing (s. 402.302(2)). Camps for children 5 and older must still put all personnel through Level 2 background screening, and DCF can shut down a camp that refuses. DCF acts on complaints only and does not inspect camps or require staff training. A summer program for children under 5 is not a 'summer camp' under the statute and may need a child care license.

Sources: s. 409.175, F.S. (2026), summer camp definitions and screening (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/409.175); DCF: Summer Camp Requirements (https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/child-care-providers-and-staff/summer-camp-requirements/)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#background-checks

All child care personnel need Level 2 screening under chapter 435, F.S. This means FDLE and FBI fingerprint checks, plus employment history checks, sex offender registries, and child abuse and neglect registries for every state lived in during the past 5 years. If DCF cannot finish within 3 business days, a new hire gets 45-day provisional status and must be directly supervised by screened staff (s. 402.305(2)(a)). Re-screening is every 5 years (Child Care Facility Handbook). Summer camp owners, staff and most volunteers (including those under 18) also need Level 2 screening through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. Per DCF, that screening must be done within 60 days before starting and repeated each year unless certain conditions are met. Starting July 1, 2026, private youth sports organizations must run Level 2 screening on every coach (s. 943.0438, F.S.).

Sources: s. 402.305(2), F.S. (2026) (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/402.305); Child Care Facility Handbook (Dec. 2025), definitions of initial and re-screening (https://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19085); DCF: Summer Camp Requirements (https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/child-care-providers-and-staff/summer-camp-requirements/); s. 943.0438, F.S. (2026), youth athletic coaches (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/943.0438)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#medication

Programs do not have to give medicine. If they do, they need a dated, signed parent authorization listing the child, the medicine, and the dose and times. Medicine stays in its original container (prescriptions with the pharmacy label), is stored locked or out of reach, and staff giving it must be trained in proper administration, with that training documented. Each dose is logged with the date, time, amount and the giver's signature, and the log is kept 12 months (Child Care Facility Handbook, Medication section). Sunscreen, diaper cream and insect repellent need not be logged.

Sources: Child Care Facility Handbook (Dec. 2025), incorporated by Rule 65C-22.001(6), F.A.C. (https://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19085)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida#reporting

Every person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect child abuse, abandonment or neglect must report immediately to the Florida Abuse Hotline by phone, in writing or online (s. 39.201(1), F.S.). Professionals such as teachers and day care or child care workers must give their names when reporting. Hotline: 1-800-962-2873 (1-800-96-ABUSE), 24/7 (https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/abuse/abuse-hotline).

Sources: s. 39.201, F.S. (2026) (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/39.201); DCF: Florida Abuse Hotline (https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/abuse/abuse-hotline)

### Georgia
Checked October 2026 against Georgia's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#licensing

Child care learning centers, meaning any place that cares for seven or more children under 18 for pay for less than 24 hours a day, need a DECAL license (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 591-1-1-.02). Family child care learning homes are licensed under separate rules. Every program providing group care must hold a license or an exemption, or complete DECAL's online self-assessment (591-1-1-.46(1)).

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt from licensing (591-1-1-.46(1)(c)): programs run by state, county or city government, including public-school before- and after-school programs staffed by school employees and parks and recreation programs; school-age programs run by or affiliated with a certified national youth membership nonprofit; certain private-school programs; programs serving children no more than 4 hours a day (not counting before- and after-school care); and day camps or school-break programs for children 5 and up that run no more than 12 hours a day. Exempt programs must complete DECAL's self-assessment, and some categories must apply for and keep an exemption. They must post a notice that they are not licensed, and parents must sign a form acknowledging it.

Licensing agency: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), Child Care Services (https://www.decal.ga.gov/CCS/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| 4 years | 1:18 | 36 |
| 5 years | 1:20 | 40 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:25 | 50 |

Rule: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 591-1-1-.32(1). Group size limits do not apply to routine outdoor play, special activities of up to 2 hours, or centers licensed for 18 or fewer children, but ratios still apply. In centers licensed for 19 or more, a mixed-age group's ratio follows the youngest age group that makes up more than 20% of the group (591-1-1-.32(2)). Ratios may be doubled for children 3 and older during scheduled rest periods if a staff member stays in each room. Note that Georgia's rules define 'school-age children' as children at least 4 by September 1, but the ratio table is set by age.

Sources: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 591-1-1, Rules for Child Care Learning Centers (incl. .32 ratios, .46 exemptions) (https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/591-1-1); DECAL Child Care Services (https://www.decal.ga.gov/CCS/); DECAL Exemptions (https://www.decal.ga.gov/CCS/Exemptions.aspx)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#camps

Georgia has no youth camp license. Day camps and school-break programs for children 5 and older that run no more than 12 hours a day are exempt from child care licensing (Category 7, 591-1-1-.46(1)(c)7). They must complete DECAL's online self-assessment and keep a DECAL KOALA account, and camps that take Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) subsidies must apply for the exemption, meet background check rules and get annual DECAL monitoring visits. A day program serving children under 5 does not fit this exemption and may need a child care license.

Sources: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 591-1-1-.46 (Exemptions) (https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/591-1-1); DECAL Exemptions (https://www.decal.ga.gov/CCS/Exemptions.aspx)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#background-checks

Every director and employee must have a satisfactory DECAL Comprehensive Records Check Determination before being at the center while children are present. That check combines an FBI fingerprint check with sex offender registries and the criminal, sex offender and child abuse and neglect registries of every state lived in during the past 5 years. Provisional employees may start with a satisfactory fingerprint check if supervised at all times. Rechecks are required at least every 5 years, after a 180-day gap in child care work, or after an arrest (591-1-1-.09; O.C.G.A. §20-1A-30 et seq.). Exempt camps and programs must meet these rules only if they receive CAPS subsidy funding (591-1-1-.46(1)(a)8).

Sources: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 591-1-1-.09 and .02 (definitions) (https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/591-1-1)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#medication

Except for first aid, staff may give prescription or over-the-counter medicine only with specific written authorization from the parent or the child's physician. The authorization lists the child, medicine, dose, dates and times, and is valid for 2 weeks unless a physician orders longer. Medicine must be in its original container labeled with the child's name and stored locked or out of children's reach. Each dose is recorded with date, time, amount, any reaction, and the giver's initials (591-1-1-.20).

Sources: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 591-1-1-.20 (Medications) (https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/591-1-1)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/georgia#reporting

Mandated reporters are listed in O.C.G.A. §19-7-5(c)(1). The list includes teachers, school staff, child welfare staff and 'child service organization personnel': employees and volunteers of any organization that provides care, education, supervision, coaching or recreation to children. That covers child care, camp, after-school and youth sports staff. Report immediately and no later than 24 hours by phone, online or by fax (§19-7-5(e)). Licensed centers must also tell DECAL within 24 hours or the next work day that a report was made (591-1-1-.29(1)). Hotline: 1-855-GACHILD (1-855-422-4453), 24/7 (https://dfcs.georgia.gov/services/child-abuse-neglect).

Sources: Georgia Office of the Child Advocate: Mandated Reporting (text of O.C.G.A. §19-7-5) (https://oca.georgia.gov/training/mandated-reporting); Georgia DFCS: Child Abuse & Neglect (https://dfcs.georgia.gov/services/child-abuse-neglect); Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 591-1-1-.29 (Required Reporting) (https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/591-1-1)

### Hawaii
Checked October 2026 against Hawaii's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#licensing

DHS licenses group child care centers (age 2 and up) and group child care homes (7-12 children), infant and toddler centers (6 weeks to 36 months), and before- and after-school child care facilities (children 4 years 8 months and older enrolled in elementary school). Family child care homes caring for 3-6 unrelated children must register. Under the rules, a 'child care center' includes holiday and summer care for elementary school-age children (HAR §17-892.2-1, §17-896.1-1).

After-school and recreation programs: HRS §346-152 exempts, among others: care for less than 6 hours a week; programs licensed or certified by the Department of Education; DOE after-school, weekend and summer recess programs and county programs under HRS §302A-408; programs offering only specialized training or skill development to K-12 students (such as sports, dance, music, language or martial arts); incorporated multiservice organizations or community associations running recreation programs for students through age 17; programs for children 4 and older that run no more than two consecutive weeks in a three-month period; and programs licensed by the Hawaii Council of Private Schools (on application to DHS).

Licensing agency: Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS), Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division, Child Care Licensing (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/child-care-licensing/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:16 | 32 |
| 5 years | 1:20 | 40 |
| School-age (before/after-school facilities) | 1:20 | 40 |

Rule: HAR §17-892.2-36 (group child care centers); HAR §17-896.1-36 (before and after school child care facilities). Group child care centers use '5 years and older' at 1:20 (group of 40), and 2-year-olds are 1:8 (group of 16). In mixed-age groups the youngest child's ratio applies, except during nap time or where the curriculum requires mixed ages. Children 2 years 8 months or older who enroll between September 1 and December 31 and have birthdays in that period may be counted in the next older age group (§17-892.2-36). In before- and after-school facilities, ratios may not exceed 20 children per staff member, and aides may make up no more than one-third of the required staff (§17-896.1-36). Group size may be exceeded for assemblies, meals and outdoor play if ratios are kept.

Sources: DHS Child Care Regulations (links to HAR ch. 17-891.2, 17-892.2, 17-895.1, 17-896.1) (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/child-care-licensing/child-care-regulations/); HAR ch. 17-892.2, Group Child Care Centers and Group Child Care Homes (eff. June 2024) (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2024/09/Licensing-of-Group-Child-Care-Centers-and-Group-Child-Care-Homes-Chapter-17-892.2-6-6-24.pdf); HAR ch. 17-896.1, Before and After School Child Care Facilities (eff. April 19, 2024) (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2024/09/Licensing-of-Before-and-After-School-Child-Care-Facilities-Chapter-17-896.1-4-11-24.pdf); DHS: Exemptions from Child Care Regulation (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/child-care-licensing/exemptions-from-child-care-regulation/); HRS §346-152, Exclusions; exemptions (https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol07_Ch0346-0398/HRS0346/HRS_0346-0152.htm)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#camps

We found no separate Hawaii youth camp license. DHS rules count summer care for elementary school-age children as child care, so a summer day program may need a DHS child care license unless it fits an HRS §346-152 exemption. Exemptions include DOE and county summer programs, programs run by incorporated multiservice or community organizations, sports or skill-only programs, and programs of no more than two consecutive weeks in a three-month period.

Sources: DHS: Exemptions from Child Care Regulation (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/child-care-licensing/exemptions-from-child-care-regulation/); HAR ch. 17-892.2 (definition of child care center includes summer care) (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2024/09/Licensing-of-Group-Child-Care-Centers-and-Group-Child-Care-Homes-Chapter-17-892.2-6-6-24.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#background-checks

Everyone in a licensed or registered child care facility must consent to DHS background checks before working on site, and again every year by the anniversary of their last consent. The checks are an FBI fingerprint check, a fingerprint-based state criminal check, state and national sex offender registries, the child abuse and neglect registry, the adult abuse perpetrator registry, and employment history (HAR §17-801-4; §17-892.2-3(d)). The rules also apply to 'exempt child care facilities', but how that reaches license-exempt camps is not confirmed. We found no separate camp background check law.

Sources: HAR §17-801-4, Background checks (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/hawaii/Haw-Code-R-SS-17-801-4); HAR §17-801-2, Definitions (exempt child care facility) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/hawaii/Haw-Code-R-SS-17-801-2); HAR ch. 17-892.2 (annual background checks) (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2024/09/Licensing-of-Group-Child-Care-Centers-and-Group-Child-Care-Homes-Chapter-17-892.2-6-6-24.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#medication

Prescription medicine must be in its original container with the pharmacy label showing date filled, directions and the child's name, kept out of children's reach, and returned to parents when no longer used. A parent must sign an authorization. Over-the-counter medicine needs written permission and instructions from the parent or physician (HAR §17-892.2-45; §17-896.1-45).

Sources: HAR §17-892.2-45, Administration of medication (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2024/09/Licensing-of-Group-Child-Care-Centers-and-Group-Child-Care-Homes-Chapter-17-892.2-6-6-24.pdf); HAR §17-896.1-45, Administration of medication (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2024/09/Licensing-of-Before-and-After-School-Child-Care-Facilities-Chapter-17-896.1-4-11-24.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/hawaii#reporting

Mandated reporters are listed professions, including child care providers and employees of licensed or registered child care facilities, school employees, and employees of public or private agencies providing recreational or sports activities (HRS §350-1.1(a)). Report immediately by phone to DHS or the police, then follow up in writing to DHS as soon as possible. Hotline: 808-832-5300 (Oahu, 24/7); 1-888-380-3088 (toll-free from neighbor islands) (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/ssd/home/child-welfare-services/).

Sources: HRS §350-1.1, Reports (https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol07_Ch0346-0398/HRS0350/HRS_0350-0001_0001.htm); DHS Child Welfare Services (reporting numbers) (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/ssd/home/child-welfare-services/)

### Idaho
Checked October 2026 against Idaho's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#licensing

A state daycare license is required to care for 7 or more children for pay: a group daycare facility (7 to 12 children) or a daycare center (13 or more). Family daycare homes with 6 or fewer children don't need a state license (though anyone caring for 4 or more must pass the state background check), and a city or county with its own daycare ordinance can license providers locally instead (Idaho Code §§39-1102, 39-1108, 39-1114; IDAPA 16.06.03.009, 16.06.03.101).

After-school and recreation programs: Idaho's daycare licensing law does not apply to day camps, programs, and religious schools that run less than 12 weeks a year or no more than once a week, to after-school programs for children over 4 or in kindergarten, to school educational programs for children over 4, or to occasional care while parents are in the same building (Idaho Code §39-1103; IDAPA 16.06.03.100.06).

Licensing agency: Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW), Daycare Licensing (https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/providers/child-care-providers/becoming-child-care-provider)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:13 | Not set |
| 4 years | 1:13 | Not set |
| 5 years | 1:25 | Not set |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:25 | Not set |

Rule: Idaho Code §39-1109(4) (amended 2025); IDAPA 16.06.03.300. Idaho uses a point system instead of a ratio table: each staff member may have up to 12 points. Children under 24 months count 2 points (6 per staff), 24 to 36 months 1.33 (9), 36 months to under 5 years 0.923 (13), and 5 to under 13 years 0.48 (25); mixed groups are figured by adding points. No state group-size limit. Staff aged 16 or 17 count only when supervised by an adult, and staff without current pediatric CPR and first aid don't count.

Sources: Idaho Code §39-1109 (safety standards, ratio points) (https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title39/T39CH11/SECT39-1109/); Idaho Code §39-1103 (exemptions) (https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title39/t39ch11/sect39-1103/); IDAPA 16.06.03 Daycare Licensing (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/title-IDAPA-16/rule-16.06.03); IDAPA 16.06.03.300 Child-staff ratio (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/IDAPA-16.06.03.300); IDHW: Becoming a child care provider (https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/providers/child-care-providers/becoming-child-care-provider)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#camps

Idaho has no youth camp license. Overnight children's camps where no child stays 9 or more consecutive weeks a year are exempt from children's residential care licensing (Idaho Code §39-1206), and day camps that run less than 12 weeks a year or no more than once a week are exempt from daycare licensing (Idaho Code §39-1103). A day program for 7 or more children that runs longer may need a daycare license.

Sources: Idaho Code §39-1206 (children's camps) (https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title39/T39CH12/SECT39-1206/); Idaho Code §39-1103 (daycare exemptions) (https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title39/t39ch11/sect39-1103/); IDAPA 16.06.03.100 (exemptions) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/IDAPA-16.06.03.100)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#background-checks

Owners, operators, staff, and anyone 13 or older who has unsupervised contact with children or is regularly on the premises must clear an IDHW enhanced background check: fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history plus child protection registry checks in every state lived in during the past 5 years. Checks must be renewed at least every 5 years, and 13- to 17-year-olds also need juvenile justice record checks (Idaho Code §39-1105; IDAPA 16.06.03.009; IDAPA 16.05.06). Camps that are exempt from daycare licensing are not covered by these rules, and we found no separate camp check law.

Sources: IDAPA 16.06.03.009 Background check requirements (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/IDAPA-16.06.03.009); IDAPA 16.05.06.010 Definitions (enhanced clearance) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/IDAPA-16.05.06.010); Idaho Code §39-1105 (criminal history checks) (https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title39/t39ch11/sect39-1105/); IDHW Background Check Unit (https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/bcu)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#medication

No one may give a child any medication without authorization from the parent or caretaker, and all medications, refrigerated or not, must be kept in a locked box or otherwise out of children's reach (IDAPA 16.06.03.380.20). The state rule does not set container, log, or staff-training requirements.

Sources: IDAPA 16.06.03.380 Health standards (item 20, Medication) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/IDAPA-16.06.03.380)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/idaho#reporting

Any person, including daycare owners, operators, and staff, who has reason to believe a child has been abused, abandoned, or neglected must report it within 24 hours to IDHW or law enforcement; failing to report is a misdemeanor (Idaho Code §16-1605; IDAPA 16.06.03.421). Hotline: 855-552-KIDS (5437) statewide; 208-334-KIDS (5437) in the Treasure Valley (https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/children-families-older-adults/child-and-family-services-and-foster-care-3).

Sources: IDHW: Reporting neglect, abuse, or abandonment (https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/children-families-older-adults/child-and-family-services-and-foster-care-3); IDAPA 16.06.03.421 Mandatory reporting (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/IDAPA-16.06.03.421); Idaho Code §16-1605 (https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title16/t16ch16/sect16-1605/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Illinois
Checked October 2026 against Illinois's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#licensing

Day care centers (care for more than 3 children in a facility other than a family home, or more than 8 in a family home) need a state license, and so do day care homes and group day care homes. Homes caring for no more than 3 children, or only children from one household, are exempt (225 ILCS 10/2.09; 89 Ill. Adm. Code 377.3).

After-school and recreation programs: No license is needed for programs run by public or private schools, or for out-of-school-time programs serving only kindergarten-age and older children that meet set conditions: IDPH or local health and fire safety standards, ISP/FBI fingerprint, sex offender registry, and CANTS checks for staff and volunteers, and written notice to parents that the program is not licensed. Recreation, athletics, and crafts programs run by civic, charitable, or government groups are also exempt, with park district programs limited to 3.5 hours at a time and 25 hours a week (225 ILCS 10/2.09); a new exemption structure starts July 1, 2027 (July 1, 2028 for park districts) under Public Act 104-0480.

Licensing agency: Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC), Child Care Licensing (took over from DCFS on July 1, 2026) (https://idec.illinois.gov/forproviders/licensure.html)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years | 1:20 | 20 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:20 | 30 |

Rule: 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190. 5-year-olds in a preschool group: 1:20, max 20. School-age groups (kindergartners present): 1:20, max 30. One early childhood teacher with an assistant may supervise up to 30 children if all are at least 5. Mixed-age groups use the youngest child's ratio and group size. Younger groups: infants 1:4 (max 12), toddlers 1:5 (15), 2-year-olds 1:8 (16).

Sources: 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190 Grouping and staffing (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/illinois/Ill-Admin-Code-tit-89-SS-407.190); IDEC: Child care licensure (ratios, background checks) (https://idec.illinois.gov/forproviders/licensure.html); 89 Ill. Adm. Code 377.3 Programs exempt from licensure (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/illinois/Ill-Admin-Code-tit-89-SS-377.3); 225 ILCS 10/2.09 (day care center definition and exemptions) (https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/022500100K2.09.htm); IDEC transition FAQ (July 2026) (https://idec.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idec/documents/faqs/idec-faqs/Transition%20Update%20Meeting%20FAQ%20Document_07.28.2026%20-%20English.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#camps

IDPH licenses youth camps under the Youth Camp Act (210 ILCS 100): any day or resident camp serving 5 or more children under 18 away from their parents for 3 or more consecutive days, or 5 or more days a year. Apply at least 45 days before opening; licenses expire December 31 and are renewed yearly after inspection of water, sewage, sanitation, food service, and swimming facilities.

Sources: IDPH: Youth camps and campgrounds (https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/youth-camps-campgrounds.html); 210 ILCS 100/3.01 (youth camp definition) (https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/021001000K3.01.htm); 210 ILCS 100/5 (license required) (https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/021001000K5.htm)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#background-checks

Licensed child care staff, volunteers, and others with access to children need fingerprint-based Illinois State Police and FBI criminal history checks, checks of Illinois' child abuse and neglect tracking system (CANTS) and other states' child protection registries, and the Illinois and national sex offender registries; authorizations are filed at hiring and at each license renewal (89 Ill. Adm. Code 385.20, 385.40). DCFS still processes these checks for IDEC until about July 1, 2027. We found no background check rule for IDPH-licensed youth camps, but license-exempt school-age programs must run the same ISP/FBI, sex offender registry, and CANTS checks (225 ILCS 10/2.09(j)).

Sources: 89 Ill. Adm. Code 385.20 Definitions (background check) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/illinois/Ill-Admin-Code-tit-89-SS-385.20); 89 Ill. Adm. Code 385.40 Authorization for background checks (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/illinois/Ill-Admin-Code-tit-89-SS-385.40); IDEC: Child care licensure (background checks) (https://idec.illinois.gov/forproviders/licensure.html)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#medication

Centers need a written medication policy. Medicine must be in its original container (prescriptions with the full pharmacy label, over-the-counter labeled with the child's name), given only with parent permission by a designated staff member, logged with date, time, dose, and who gave it, and kept locked and out of children's reach; sunscreen, diaper cream, and similar products need written parent approval (89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360).

Sources: 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360 Medications (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/illinois/Ill-Admin-Code-tit-89-SS-407.360)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/illinois#reporting

Listed professionals must report immediately to DCFS when they have reasonable cause to believe a child they know through work may be abused or neglected, including child care and day care center staff, school personnel, and recreation or athletic program staff (325 ILCS 5/4). Anyone else may report. Hotline: 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873) (https://dcfs.illinois.gov/safe-kids/reporting.html).

Sources: DCFS: Reporting child abuse and neglect (https://dcfs.illinois.gov/safe-kids/reporting.html); DCFS online reporting form (https://childabuse.illinois.gov/); 325 ILCS 5/4 (persons required to report) (https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/032500050K4.htm); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Indiana
Checked October 2026 against Indiana's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#licensing

Child care centers (a nonresidential building where at least one child gets paid care for more than 4 hours a day for 10 consecutive days) and child care homes must be licensed by FSSA; church-run programs may instead register as unlicensed registered child care ministries (IC 12-17.2; 470 IAC 3-4.7).

After-school and recreation programs: Programs that meet an exemption in IC 12-17.2-2-8 do not need a license. Since July 1, 2025, programs run by public or private schools on school property for their own students can qualify if they meet health, safety, and fire standards (House Bill 1253), and certain school-age child care programs are listed as exempt (IC 12-17.2-2-8(10)); exempt programs that accept CCDF child care vouchers must still meet state health and safety standards as Legally Licensed Exempt Providers.

Licensing agency: Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) (https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/become-a-child-care-provider)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:11 | 25 |
| 4 years | 1:13 | 29 |
| 5 years | 1:17 | 31 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:20 | 40 |

Rule: IC 12-17.2-4-14.5 (in effect December 1, 2025), as posted in FSSA's Licensed Child Care Center ratio chart. Indiana's bands are by months: 3 years = 36 to 47 months, 4 years = 48 to 59, 5 years = 60 to 71, and 6 years and over = 72 months and up. The youngest child in the group sets the ratio (470 IAC 3-4.7-48). Younger groups: infants 1:5 (max 12), 12 to 17 months 1:5 (12), 18 to 23 months 1:6 (14), 2 years 1:8 (16), 30 to 35 months 1:9 (17). Group-size exceptions are in IC 12-17.2-4-14.5(l) and (m). The older chart in 470 IAC 3-4.7-47 (3s at 1:10, 4s at 1:12, 5 and up at 1:15) is out of date.

Sources: FSSA: Licensed child care center ratio chart (2026) (https://www.in.gov/dA/41fa8175e8/Child-Staff-Ratios-Centers.pdf?language_id=1); FSSA: 2025 early childhood legislative and rule changes (https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/early-child-care-and-education-legislative-changes); FSSA: Laws, rules and related policies (https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/laws-rules-and-related-policies); FSSA: Indiana child care program matrix (https://www.in.gov/dA/e809786e2e/MatrixforIndianaCCProgramJan.pdf?language_id=1); 470 IAC 3-4.7-48 Child/staff ratios and supervision (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/indiana/470-IAC-3-4.7-48)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#camps

IDOH regulates youth camps under 410 IAC 6-7.2, which covers places giving more than 72 continuous hours of outdoor group living to 10 or more children under 18 without a parent (in practice, overnight camps); IDOH inspects these camps and must approve plans before a camp is built or altered. Day camps are not covered by that rule; a day camp may need an FSSA child care license if it meets the child care center definition and no exemption applies.

Sources: IDOH: Youth camps (https://www.in.gov/health/eph/youth-camps); 410 IAC 6-7.2 Youth camps (PDF) (https://www.in.gov/dA/e0d5d9df8d/410_iac_6_7_2.pdf?language_id=1)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#background-checks

Child care staff and volunteers in licensed centers and homes, registered ministries, and exempt providers that take vouchers need a federal and an Indiana fingerprint-based criminal history check (including juvenile history), plus checks of the Indiana Child Protection Index and the Indiana Sex Offender Registry, and out-of-state checks if they lived elsewhere. The fingerprint check is redone every 3 years (or after more than 180 days out of Indiana child care work), and the registry checks every year. Indiana's youth camp rule (410 IAC 6-7.2) has no background check requirement.

Sources: FSSA: Background check requirements (https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/background-check-requirements); 410 IAC 6-7.2 Youth camps (PDF) (https://www.in.gov/dA/e0d5d9df8d/410_iac_6_7_2.pdf?language_id=1)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#medication

Medicine must be in its original container and given only with written parent permission and, except for a few over-the-counter products named in the center's approved health plan, a written order or prescription from a licensed prescriber. It must be locked up (not in the kitchen or a bathroom), and each dose is recorded with the child's name, medicine, dose, date, time, and caregiver's name; sunscreen, insect repellent, and similar products need written parent approval (470 IAC 3-4.7-88, 3-4.7-40).

Sources: 470 IAC 3-4.7-88 Medication (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/indiana/470-IAC-3-4.7-88); 470 IAC 3-4.7-40 Children's medication records (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/indiana/470-IAC-3-4.7-40)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/indiana#reporting

Indiana requires anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected to report it to the DCS hotline or police (IC 31-33-5); child care center staff must report immediately (470 IAC 3-4.7-13). Hotline: 1-800-800-5556 (https://www.in.gov/dcs/hotline).

Sources: Indiana DCS: Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline (https://www.in.gov/dcs/hotline); 470 IAC 3-4.7-13 Reporting child abuse or neglect (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/indiana/470-IAC-3-4.7-13); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Iowa
Checked October 2026 against Iowa's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#licensing

A facility giving child care or preschool to 7 or more children must be licensed as a child care center or preschool unless it is registered as a child development home; home-based providers are regulated through child development home registration (Iowa Code §237A.1; 441 IAC 109).

After-school and recreation programs: Iowa's definition of child care leaves out school-run instructional programs (prekindergarten and up), recreation or social programs run by a city or other political subdivision for school children 5 and older, after-school or summer-only programs for enrolled students 5 and older that charge only a nominal membership fee or nothing, special activity programs (sports, music, scouting, and similar) meeting under 4 hours a day, nationally accredited camps, and classes under 2 weeks held during school breaks (Iowa Code §237A.1(2)).

Licensing agency: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS), Child Care Licensing (https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/programs-and-services/child-care/child-care-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | Not set |
| 4 years | 1:12 | Not set |
| 5 years | 1:15 | Not set |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:15 | Not set |

Rule: 441 IAC 109.8(2). Iowa's bands: 5 to 10 years 1:15; 10 years and over 1:20. Mixed groups of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds may run at 1:12, and mixed groups of children 4 and older (or 5 and older) use the majority age. Younger: 2 weeks to 2 years 1:4, 2 years 1:7. There is no fixed group size; it is set with the state fire marshal and printed on the license (441 IAC 109.8(3)). Staff counted in the ratio must be at least 16.

Sources: 441 IAC 109 Child care centers (rule 109.8 staff ratio) (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/441.109.pdf); Iowa Code §237A.1 Definitions and exclusions (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/237A.1.pdf); Iowa HHS: Child care licensing (https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/programs-and-services/child-care/child-care-licensing)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#camps

Iowa has no state youth camp license; the Iowa Code has no youth camp chapter. Nationally accredited camps are excluded from child care licensing, but a non-accredited day camp serving 7 or more children may need a child care center license unless another exclusion applies, such as a city recreation program for school children or a summer-only program with only a nominal fee (Iowa Code §237A.1).

Sources: Iowa Code §237A.1 Definitions and exclusions (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/237A.1.pdf); Iowa Code chapter list (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/iowaCode)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#background-checks

Owners, directors, staff, volunteers, and subcontractors with direct responsibility for children or access to a child alone, plus household members 14 and older, need Iowa criminal history, child abuse, and sex offender registry checks before starting, repeated at least every 2 years, and a national FBI fingerprint check repeated every 4 years (441 IAC 109.6(4)). Because Iowa has no camp licensing law, there is no separate camp check requirement.

Sources: 441 IAC 109.6(4) Record checks (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/441.109.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#medication

Centers must have written procedures for authorizing, storing, giving, and recording all medicines. Only staff over 18 who have completed medication training may give medicine; it must be in the original labeled container (over-the-counter medicine labeled with the child's name) and stored out of reach, each dose is logged, and long-term authorizations can't run longer than the prescription (441 IAC 109.10(1)).

Sources: 441 IAC 109.10(1) Medications (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/441.109.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/iowa#reporting

Listed professionals must report within 24 hours, including employees and operators of licensed child care centers, registered child development homes, and Head Start programs; school employees 18 and older; and holders of a state coaching authorization. Mandatory reporters must complete state training within 6 months of starting and every 3 years (Iowa Code §232.69). Hotline: 800-362-2178 (https://hhs.iowa.gov/report-abuse-fraud).

Sources: Iowa HHS: Report abuse and fraud (https://hhs.iowa.gov/report-abuse-fraud); Iowa HHS: Mandatory reporters (https://hhs.iowa.gov/report-abuse-fraud/mandatory-reporters); Iowa Code §232.69 (https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/232.69.pdf)

### Kansas
Checked October 2026 against Kansas's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#licensing

Since July 1, 2026, the Kansas Office of Early Childhood licenses every day care facility for children under 16: day care homes, group day care homes, preschools, child care centers (13 or more children, or fewer if licensed as a center), school-age programs, and youth development programs (K.S.A. 75-7707, 75-7708; K.A.R. 28-4-420).

After-school and recreation programs: A program serving only school-age children needs a license if 2 or more children attend 12 or more hours a week for more than 2 consecutive weeks. Single-subject classes or activities (a sports league, dance class, martial arts), programs run by a local government or school district for no more than 4 consecutive hours a day or no more than 2 consecutive weeks, and summer instructional camps run by a nonprofit or school are not licensed (K.A.R. 28-4-578; K.S.A. 75-7707).

Licensing agency: Kansas Office of Early Childhood (KOEC), Child Care Licensing (took over from KDHE on July 1, 2026) (https://www.koec.ks.gov/providers/child-care-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 5 years | 1:16 | 32 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:16 | 32 |

Rule: K.A.R. 28-4-428(a). Kansas uses 1:12 (max 24) for children 2.5 years to school-age and 1:16 (max 32) for school-age. Under K.A.R. 28-4-420, school-age starts at the age of kindergarten eligibility, so most 5-year-olds are school-age, but a child not yet in kindergarten may stay in a preschool unit until the school year starts. Mixed school-age groups use the youngest child's ratio. Younger: infants 1:3 (max 9) or 1:4 (max 8), toddlers 1:6 (12), 2 to 2.5 years 1:7 (14). Separately licensed school-age programs follow K.A.R. 28-4-576 to 28-4-596.

Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-428 Staff requirements (ratio table, LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-428); K.A.R. 28-4-420 Definitions (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-420); K.A.R. 28-4-578 School-age program licensure and exclusions (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-578); K.S.A. 75-7707 License required; exemptions (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_077_0007.html); K.S.A. 75-7706 Transfer of rules to the Office of Early Childhood (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_077_0006.html); Kansas Office of Early Childhood: Child care licensing (https://www.koec.ks.gov/providers/child-care-licensing)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#camps

We found no separate Kansas youth camp license, but day camps for school-age children are licensed as school-age programs, with specific rules for outdoor summer camps and mobile summer programs (K.A.R. 28-4-586), when children attend 12 or more hours a week for more than 2 weeks. Summer instructional camps run by a nonprofit, school, or nonpublic school are exempt (K.S.A. 75-7707). How overnight (resident) camps are regulated was not confirmed.

Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-586 Outdoor summer camps and mobile summer programs (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-586); K.A.R. 28-4-578 School-age program licensure and exclusions (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-578); K.S.A. 75-7707 License required; exemptions (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_077_0007.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#background-checks

Applicants, licensees, center employees, volunteers counted in the ratio, and anyone with unsupervised access to children need fingerprint-based Kansas Bureau of Investigation and FBI checks covering every state lived in during the past 5 years; others regularly in the facility need name-based KBI and Kansas DCF checks. Checks are submitted with each initial and renewal license application and before anyone starts, and people on child abuse and neglect or sex offender registries are barred (K.A.R. 28-4-125; K.S.A. 75-7719). Licensed school-age programs and summer camps follow the same process (K.A.R. 28-4-584).

Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-125 Background checks (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-125); K.A.R. 28-4-584 Background checks (school-age programs) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-584); K.S.A. 75-7719 Prohibited persons; fingerprinting (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_077_0019.html)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#medication

Staff must complete medication administration training before giving any medicine and need written parent permission; medicine must be in its original container (pharmacy label for prescriptions, child's first and last name on over-the-counter medicine), given as the label directs, documented on the state form in the child's file, and kept in locked storage (K.A.R. 28-4-132(i), 28-4-423).

Sources: K.A.R. 28-4-132 Child care practices (medication administration) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-132); K.A.R. 28-4-423 Physical plant (locked medication storage) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-423)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kansas#reporting

Listed professionals must report promptly when they suspect abuse or neglect, including licensed child care providers and their staff, teachers and other school employees, and medical, mental health, and law enforcement workers (K.S.A. 38-2223). Child care center staff must report to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) within 24 hours (K.A.R. 28-4-430).

Sources: K.S.A. 38-2223 Persons required to report (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch38/038_022_0023.html); K.A.R. 28-4-430 Health practices; illness and abuse (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-28-4-430); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Kentucky
Checked October 2026 against Kentucky's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#licensing

Child-care centers must be licensed: Type I centers care for 4 or more children in a nonresidential setting (or 13 or more in space separate from the licensee's home), and Type II centers care for 7 to 12 children in the licensee's own home. Family child-care homes are regulated separately through certification (922 KAR 2:090; 922 KAR 2:100).

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt from center licensing: summer camps permitted by the Cabinet as youth camps that serve school-age children; K-12 private schools while in session; programs regulated by the Kentucky Department of Education; after-school programs that continue the school day, are run and staffed by an accredited school, and don't take Child Care Assistance Program funds; instructional programs open no more than 20 hours a week that a child attends no more than 10 hours a week; and religious summer programs a child attends for 2 weeks or less (922 KAR 2:090, Section 3).

Licensing agency: Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS): Office of Inspector General, Division of Regulated Child Care (licensing and inspections), with rules set by the Department for Community Based Services, Division of Child Care

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:14 | 28 |
| 5 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: 922 KAR 2:120, Section 2(2). Kentucky's bands: preschool 3 to 4 years 1:12 (max 24), 4 to 5 years 1:14 (28), school-age 5 to 7 years 1:15 (30), and 7 and older 1:20 for full-day care or 1:25 before and after school (max 30). The youngest child in the group sets the ratio and group size, and group-size limits apply only to Type I centers. Younger: infants 1:5 (max 10), 12 to 24 months 1:6 (12), 24 to 36 months 1:10 (20).

Sources: 922 KAR 2:120 Child-care center health and safety standards (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/922-KAR-2-120); 922 KAR 2:090 Child-care center licensure (effective 7/18/2025, LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/922-KAR-2-090_v2)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#camps

A Cabinet youth camp permit is required to operate a day, primitive, or residential camp for 5 or more children (902 KAR 10:040); permits are issued after inspection, expire December 31, and day camps file an extra day-camp application. Instructional studios, vacation Bible schools, and youth troop trips under 72 hours are not youth camps. Summer camps permitted as youth camps that serve school-age children are exempt from child care licensing (922 KAR 2:090, Section 3).

Sources: 902 KAR 10:040 Kentucky youth camps (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/902-KAR-10-040); 922 KAR 2:090 Child-care center licensure, Section 3 exemptions (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/922-KAR-2-090_v2)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#background-checks

Child care staff (owners, directors, employees present while children are in care, adult household members in home-based programs, and anyone with supervisory control or unsupervised contact) must clear checks before starting: Kentucky's child abuse and neglect central registry, the Kentucky and national sex offender registries, and a fingerprint-based Kentucky State Police and FBI check with rap back. Checks are repeated at least once every 5 years and after a break of 180 days or more from Kentucky child care work (922 KAR 2:280). Youth camp staff, contractors, and volunteers need a Cabinet child abuse and neglect records check (or a 922 KAR 2:280 check or a state and national criminal check) before working at camp (902 KAR 10:040, Section 14).

Sources: 922 KAR 2:280 Background checks for child care staff members (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/922-KAR-2-280); 902 KAR 10:040 Kentucky youth camps, Section 14 (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/902-KAR-10-040)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#medication

Prescription and over-the-counter medicine may be given only with a written request from the parent or the child's prescriber and according to the label; the center keeps a written log of time, date, amount, staff member, child, and medicine. Medicine must be in the original bottle, properly labeled, not expired, and stored in a separate locked place out of children's reach (epinephrine and rescue medicine have their own rules) (922 KAR 2:120, Section 7).

Sources: 922 KAR 2:120 Section 7 First aid and medicine (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/922-KAR-2-120)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/kentucky#reporting

Kentucky law requires any person who suspects child abuse, neglect, or dependency to report it (KRS 620.030); the federal Child Welfare Information Gateway lists Kentucky as an all-persons reporting state. Licensed child-care centers must report abuse or neglect to the Cabinet under KRS 620.030 (922 KAR 2:090, Section 13).

Sources: Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/); 922 KAR 2:090 Section 13 Reports (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/922-KAR-2-090_v2); 922 KAR 1:330 Child protective services (24-hour hotline) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/kentucky/922-KAR-1-330)

### Louisiana
Checked October 2026 against Louisiana's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#licensing

Any early learning center must be licensed by LDOE before it opens. A child day care center is any place that cares for seven or more unrelated children, without a parent present, on a regular basis for at least 12.5 hours in a 7-day week (transport time counts); this includes school-age programs that meet that test.

After-school and recreation programs: State law exempts public and nonpublic schools serving kindergarten and up, camps (programs serving only children 5 and older that run only when school is out for summer or holidays, including Vacation Bible School), care given free of charge, registered family child day care homes, and 501(c) religious programs open no more than 24 hours a week (R.S. 17:407.35; LAC 28:CLXI.303). A private after-school program that charges a fee and meets the 7-children / 12.5-hours test needs a license.

Licensing agency: Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), Licensing Division, under rules adopted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE Bulletin 137) (https://doe.louisiana.gov/early-childhood/licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:13 | 26 |
| 4 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| 5 years | 1:19 | 38 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:23 | 46 |

Rule: LAC 28:CLXI.1711 (BESE Bulletin 137). At least two staff must be on site when more than four children are present. Ratios may be averaged for mixed groups of 2- to 5-year-olds, and for groups made up only of children 5 and older. Field trips and walks off site need the ratio plus one extra adult. Swimming has stricter ratios (e.g. 30:2 for age 5 and up).

Sources: LAC 28:CLXI.1711 child-to-staff ratios (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-28-SS-CLXI-1711); LAC 28:CLXI.303 exemptions from licensure (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-28-SS-CLXI-303); R.S. 17:407.33 definitions (child day care center, camp) (https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=920012); R.S. 17:407.35 exemptions from licensure (https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=920014)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#camps

Camps (programs serving only children 5 and older that run only when school is out) are exempt from child care licensing. Separately, the state Sanitary Code requires a permit from the state health officer to operate a campsite, and the definition covers youth camps and day camps; this permit covers sanitation, water, toilets and sleeping areas, not staffing or program rules (LAC 51:XVI.101, 501). A program that also serves children under 5 does not fit the camp exemption.

Sources: R.S. 17:407.33 definition of camp (https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=920012); LAC 51:XVI.101 Sanitary Code campsite definitions (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-51-SS-XVI-101); LAC 51:XVI.501 campsite permits (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-51-SS-XVI-501)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#background-checks

Every owner, staff member, volunteer and most visitors and contractors at a licensed early learning center need an LDOE eligibility determination (CCCBC) before being present with children: fingerprint-based Louisiana and FBI criminal history, the Louisiana child abuse and neglect central registry, state and national sex offender registries, and registry checks in every state lived in during the past five years. A new determination is required at least once every five years. New hires may work provisionally only after a fingerprint result is back and only while monitored. Camps exempt from licensing have no state check requirement found.

Sources: R.S. 17:407.42 criminal history and central registry review (https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=920021); LAC 28:CLXI.1803 components of a CCCBC (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-28-SS-CLXI-1803); LAC 28:CLXI.1807 who needs a CCCBC (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-28-SS-CLXI-1807); LAC 28:CLXI.1811 five-year renewal and provisional hires (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-28-SS-CLXI-1811)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#medication

Medication (prescription or over-the-counter) needs written, dated parent authorization with the drug, dose, route, times and dates, and must come in its original container labeled with the child's name; a log is kept for every dose, and as-needed and emergency medication plans are renewed at least every six months. Staff who give medication need LDOE-approved medication administration training (including epinephrine auto-injectors) every two years, and every center must have at least two trained staff, with one on site during operating hours.

Sources: LAC 28:CLXI.1917 medication administration (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-28-SS-CLXI-1917); LAC 28:CLXI.1725 medication management training (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/louisiana/La-Admin-Code-tit-28-SS-CLXI-1725)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/louisiana#reporting

Listed professions must report, including child care and early learning center staff, teachers, coaches, and employees and volunteers of day camps, summer camps, youth centers and youth recreation programs (Children's Code Art. 603, 609). Reports must be made immediately, by the DCFS hotline for anything needing urgent help (Art. 610); separately, any adult who witnesses the sexual abuse of a child must report it (R.S. 14:403). Licensed center staff must also complete DCFS online mandated reporter training every year (LAC 28:CLXI.1727). Hotline: 1-855-452-5437 (1-855-4LA-KIDS) (https://www.dcfs.la.gov/child-welfare/reporting-child-abuse-neglect/).

Sources: Children's Code Art. 603 definitions (mandatory reporters) (https://legis.la.gov/legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=73195); Children's Code Art. 609 mandatory and permitted reporting (https://legis.la.gov/legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=73201); Children's Code Art. 610 reporting procedure (https://legis.la.gov/legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=73202); R.S. 14:403 failure to report; adult witnesses of sexual abuse (https://legis.la.gov/Legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=78520); DCFS: reporting child abuse and neglect (https://www.dcfs.la.gov/child-welfare/reporting-child-abuse-neglect/)

### Maine
Checked October 2026 against Maine's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#licensing

Any program that regularly cares for more than two children under 13 for pay needs a license: child care centers (13 or more children), small child care facilities (3 to 12 children, not in the operator's home), nursery schools (sessions of 3.5 hours or less), and family child care homes, which have their own rule (10-148 CMR Ch. 33).

After-school and recreation programs: State law excludes licensed youth camps (including day camps), programs that teach a single skill such as karate, dance or basketball, and approved public or private K-12 schools (22 M.R.S. §8301-A(1-A)(B)). No separate exemption was found for school-age or after-school programs run by other operators; they are licensed like any child care facility.

Licensing agency: Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), Children's Licensing and Investigation (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/provider-resources/child-care-licensing/becoming-a-childcare-provider)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (2.5 to 3.5 age band) | 1:7 | 21 |
| 4 years (3 to under 5 age band) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years | 1:13 | Not set |
| School-age (5 to 12) | 1:13 | Not set |

Rule: 10-148 CMR Ch. 32, §7(C)(2)(b) (facilities serving 13 or more children). Maine's age bands overlap: 2.5 to 3.5 years is 1:7 (group 21), and 3 years to under 5 may run at 1:10 with a max group of 20 or 1:8 with a max group of 24. Maine treats age 5 as school age (1:13, no group limit). In mixed groups the youngest child sets the ratio. At least two staff must be on site whenever seven or more children are present. Small facilities (3-12 children) use different ratios (1:8 for ages 2-5, 1:12 over age 5).

Sources: 10-148 CMR Ch. 32 Child Care Facility Licensing Rule (OCFS PDF, eff. Sept. 27, 2021) (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/inline-files/10-148%20Ch.%2032%20Child%20Care%20Facility%20Licensing%20Rule%20Effective%209-27-21_jpf%20edits.pdf); 22 M.R.S. §8301-A licensure and definitions (https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22sec8301-A.html); OCFS Child Care Provider Licensing (rules page) (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/provider-resources/child-care-licensing/becoming-a-childcare-provider)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#camps

Youth camps, including day camps, residential camps and trip and travel camps, need an annual license from Maine CDC's Health Inspection Program if they run 5 or more consecutive days and are operated for direct or indirect compensation (22 M.R.S. §§2491, 2495; 10-144 CMR Ch. 208). Programs run by municipal or school employees or volunteers mostly on municipal or school property are not youth camps under the law. A licensed youth camp does not also need a child care license; day camps may not charge hourly rates for child care.

Sources: 10-144 CMR Ch. 208 Youth Camps Rule (last amended May 5, 2025) (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/sites/maine.gov.dhhs.mecdc/files/HIP%20Youth%20Camps%20Rule%205-5-25.pdf); 22 M.R.S. §2491 definitions (youth camp) (https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22sec2491.html); 22 M.R.S. §2495 issuance of licenses (https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22sec2495.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#background-checks

Licensed child care providers must get a comprehensive check for the owner and every staff member or other person with care duties or unsupervised access to children: FBI fingerprint check, national sex offender registry, and state criminal, sex offender and child abuse and neglect registry checks for the current state and every state lived in during the past five years. Staff cannot start until OCFS issues a letter of eligibility, and checks are repeated at least every five years (10-148 CMR Ch. 34). Licensed youth camps must run a background check on all staff, counselors, volunteers and directors every year (national sex offender registry, state criminal and sex offender records, SSN and 5-year address trace), and registered sex offenders may not work there (10-144 CMR Ch. 208, §11(B)-(C)).

Sources: 10-148 CMR Ch. 34 Child Care Provider Background Check Licensing Rule (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/inline-files/10-148%20Ch.%2034%20CC%20Background%20Check%20Licensing%20Rule%20Final%20Adoption%20Effective%205-12-22_1.pdf); 10-144 CMR Ch. 208 Youth Camps Rule, employee screening (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/sites/maine.gov.dhhs.mecdc/files/HIP%20Youth%20Camps%20Rule%205-5-25.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#medication

Prescription medication may be given only with written, signed and dated parent permission, only to the child it was prescribed for, and following the original container's label; over-the-counter medication also needs written parent permission (phone, text or email allowed in an emergency, followed by written permission). Every dose is logged, medications are kept out of children's reach and discarded when expired, and staff may not give medication until they have had medication training (10-148 CMR Ch. 32, §§12(H), 8(B)).

Sources: 10-148 CMR Ch. 32, §12(H) medication administration (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/inline-files/10-148%20Ch.%2032%20Child%20Care%20Facility%20Licensing%20Rule%20Effective%209-27-21_jpf%20edits.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maine#reporting

Listed adults must report when acting in a professional capacity, including school personnel, child care personnel, youth camp administrators and counselors, health care practitioners, social workers, clergy and others (22 M.R.S. §4011-A). They must report to DHHS immediately and within no more than 24 hours; anyone else may report. Hotline: 1-800-452-1999 (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/provider-resources/reporting-suspected-child-abuse-and-neglect).

Sources: 22 M.R.S. §4011-A reporting of suspected abuse or neglect (https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22sec4011-A.html); OCFS: reporting suspected child abuse and neglect (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/provider-resources/reporting-suspected-child-abuse-and-neglect)

### Maryland
Checked October 2026 against Maryland's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#licensing

Child care centers must be licensed by MSDE's Office of Child Care; a center is any program that gives child care at least twice a week on a regular schedule to children who are not siblings, including preschools, nursery schools and before- and after-school (school-age) programs. Family child care homes are registered under separate rules (COMAR 13A.15).

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt from center licensing: public schools during instructional hours, nonpublic kindergartens and elementary schools during instructional hours, certified youth camps, programs that run 6 weeks or less in a calendar year, and certain programs of tax-exempt religious organizations (COMAR 13A.16.01.01B; Education Art. §9.5-405). A before- or after-school program held in a school building still needs a license, but does not have to meet extra physical-plant rules beyond those for the school building.

Licensing agency: Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), Division of Early Childhood, Office of Child Care, Licensing Branch (https://earlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/child-care-providers/licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| School-age (5 and older) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: COMAR 13A.16.08.03. Maryland sets one band for 3- and 4-year-olds (1:10, group of 20) and one for children 5 and older (1:15, group of 30). Age is counted from the child's most recent birthday. Mixed-age groups have their own staffing tables, including groups where enrolled 3- and 4-year-olds are mixed with school-age children. Approved educational programs during the school day allow 1:12 (group 24) for ages 3-4.

Sources: COMAR 13A.16.08.03 group size and staffing (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/13A.16.08.03); COMAR 13A.16.01.01 scope and exemptions (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/13A.16.01.01); Education Art. §9.5-401 definitions (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ged&section=9.5-401&enactments=false); Education Art. §9.5-405 license required; exemptions (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ged&section=9.5-405&enactments=false)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#camps

Day, residential, travel and trip camps must get a youth camp certificate (or letter of compliance) from MDH before operating (COMAR 10.16.06.07). A youth camp serves 7 or more unrelated campers aged 3.5 to under 18 with mainly recreational or outdoor activities; a day camp runs at least 7 days within a 3-week period. Not covered: licensed child care, before- and after-school programs, programs that enroll children under 3.5, sports-league competitions, specialized instruction of 2 hours or less a day, and (subject to local standards) programs run by county or municipal recreation departments.

Sources: COMAR 10.16.06.01 scope (youth camps) (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/10.16.06.01); COMAR 10.16.06.02 definitions (youth camp, day camp) (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/10.16.06.02); COMAR 10.16.06.07 certificate required (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/10.16.06.07); MDH Youth Camp Certification (https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/OEHFP/CHS/Pages/YCCertification.aspx)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#background-checks

Child care center staff need a comprehensive check at least every five years: Maryland fingerprint criminal check, FBI fingerprint check, Maryland and national sex offender registries, the Maryland child abuse and neglect registry, and the same registries in any state lived in during the past five years; Maryland also uses fingerprint rap-back alerts (MSDE). Certain convictions bar employment outright (COMAR 13A.16.06.03). Youth camps must have a Maryland and FBI criminal history check and a Child Protective Services clearance on file for everyone in a position with access to campers, including volunteers, plus a checked personnel administrator before the camp opens (COMAR 10.16.06.21).

Sources: MSDE: background checks and fingerprinting (https://earlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/node/895); COMAR 13A.16.06.03 suitability for employment (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/13A.16.06.03); COMAR 10.16.06.21 youth camp criminal background investigations (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/10.16.06.21)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#medication

Any medication, prescription or over-the-counter, needs a signed and dated parent authorization on the state form plus approval from a licensed health practitioner; prescriptions must carry the pharmacy label, and at least one dose must have been given at home first. Every dose is recorded in the child's record, and only staff who have completed state-approved medication administration training may give medication, with at least one trained staff member present whenever children are (COMAR 13A.16.11.04).

Sources: COMAR 13A.16.11.04 medication administration and storage (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/13A.16.11.04)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/maryland#reporting

Everyone in Maryland who has reason to believe a child has been abused or neglected must report to the local department of social services or law enforcement (Family Law §5-705). Health practitioners, police, educators and human service workers must also report orally as soon as possible and in writing within 48 hours (Family Law §5-704); child care staff must report directly, not through their director (COMAR 13A.16.07.02). Hotline: 1-800-917-7383 (1-800-91-PREVENT) (https://dhs.maryland.gov/child-protective-services/reporting-suspected-child-abuse-or-neglect/).

Sources: Family Law §5-704 professionals' duty to report (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gfl&section=5-704&enactments=false); Family Law §5-705 duty of all other persons to report (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gfl&section=5-705&enactments=false); COMAR 13A.16.07.02 abuse/neglect reporting in centers (https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/13A.16.07.02); Maryland DHS: reporting suspected child abuse or neglect (https://dhs.maryland.gov/child-protective-services/reporting-suspected-child-abuse-or-neglect/)

### Massachusetts
Checked October 2026 against Massachusetts's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#licensing

EEC licenses family child care homes and group and school age child care programs: small group (10 or fewer children) and large group (more than 10 children) programs that regularly care for unrelated children under 14 outside their homes, including preschools, before- and after-school programs and summer programs, wherever they are located.

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt: any part of a public school system; private school programs for their own enrolled students (unless the program is mainly a school-age child care program or mainly preschool/kindergarten); Sunday school and religious classes; care while parents attend religious services; informal neighbor or relative arrangements; and occasional care (606 CMR 7.02). Recreational camps licensed by the local board of health are not licensed by EEC.

Licensing agency: Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) (https://www.mass.gov/child-care-program-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (kindergarten) | 1:15 | 30 |
| School-age | 1:13 | 26 |

Rule: 606 CMR 7.10(9)(b) (large group and school age child care). Preschool means 2 years 9 months until first grade; the 1:10 (group 20) ratio is for full-day programs, and half-day preschool (4 hours or less) may run at 1:12 with a group of 24. Kindergarten children (age 5 or attending first grade next year) are 1:15, group 30; school-age children are 1:13, group 26. Mixed-age groups have separate limits (e.g. preschool/school age 1:10, group 20, max age 8; kindergarten/school age 1:13, group 26). Small group programs (10 or fewer) use multi-age ratios in 606 CMR 7.10(4).

Sources: 606 CMR 7.10 ratios and supervision (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/606-CMR-7-10); 606 CMR 7.02 definitions and exclusions (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/606-CMR-7-02); 606 CMR 7.00 official PDF (EEC) (https://www.mass.gov/doc/family-group-school-age-child-care-programs-606-cmr-7-0/download); EEC: Learn about group and school age child care programs (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/learn-about-group-and-school-age-child-care-programs)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#camps

Recreational camps for children (day, residential, sports, travel or trip camps serving 5 or more children, operating any time from June 1 to September 30 or fewer than 15 business days at other times) must be licensed each year by the local board of health under DPH rules; any program that advertises itself as a camp must be licensed (105 CMR 430.020, 430.050). Not covered unless advertised as a camp: single-purpose classes or clinics run by municipal recreation departments, drop-in programs, and classroom-based instruction without high-risk activities. EEC-licensed child care programs running a summer camp in their licensed space are exempt from the camp rules (105 CMR 430.010).

Sources: 105 CMR 430.010 scope and exemptions (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/105-CMR-430-010); 105 CMR 430.020 definitions (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/105-CMR-430-020); 105 CMR 430.050 license required (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/105-CMR-430-050); 105 CMR 430.000 (Mass.gov, eff. March 1, 2024) (https://www.mass.gov/regulations/105-CMR-43000-minimum-standards-for-recreational-camps-for-children-state-sanitary-code-chapter-iv); Mass.gov: Recreational camps (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/recreational-camps)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#background-checks

All employees and interns of licensed group and school age programs, plus volunteers and others with unsupervised access to children, need an EEC Background Record Check: Massachusetts CORI, DCF child abuse/neglect findings, state sex offender registry (SORI), national sex offender registry, a fingerprint-based state and FBI check, and out-of-state checks for places lived in the past five years; it is renewed every 3 years (606 CMR 14.05; EEC). Recreational camps must get a CORI and state sex offender registry check for all staff and volunteers before they start (repeated at least every 3 years for continuously employed staff), plus out-of-state checks where practicable for non-residents (105 CMR 430.090).

Sources: 606 CMR 14.05 who needs a BRC and which checks (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/606-CMR-14-05); EEC Background Record Checks (https://www.mass.gov/eec-background-record-checks); EEC BRC requirements: applicability, frequency (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/eec-brc-requirements-applicability-frequency); 105 CMR 430.090 camp background information (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/105-CMR-430-090)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#medication

Medication must be supplied by the parent in its original labeled container and given with written parent consent; prescription medication also needs health care practitioner authorization, and oral over-the-counter medication consent must be renewed weekly in group programs. Each dose is logged (child, dose, date, time, staff signature, missed doses), the first dose should not be given at the program except in extraordinary circumstances, staff who give medication must be trained and show competency, and at least one trained educator must be present whenever children are in care (606 CMR 7.11(1)(b), 7.11(2)).

Sources: 606 CMR 7.00 official PDF, §7.11 health and medication (EEC) (https://www.mass.gov/doc/family-group-school-age-child-care-programs-606-cmr-7-0/download)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/massachusetts#reporting

Listed professionals must report, including teachers, early education, preschool, child care and after-school staff in state-licensed or state-funded programs, clergy, police and health care workers (M.G.L. c. 119, §§21, 51A, as summarized in DCF's Mandated Reporter Guide). They must call DCF immediately and file a written report within 48 hours; recreational camp staff must also report immediately to DCF or the camp director, who must report to DCF immediately (105 CMR 430.093). Hotline: 1-800-792-5200 (Child Abuse Emergency Line, nights, weekends and holidays; during business hours call the local DCF area office) (https://www.mass.gov/how-to/report-child-abuse-or-neglect).

Sources: DCF: Report child abuse or neglect (https://www.mass.gov/how-to/report-child-abuse-or-neglect); DCF: Report as a mandated reporter (https://www.mass.gov/how-to/report-child-abuse-or-neglect-as-a-mandated-reporter); DCF Mandated Reporter Guide (https://www.mass.gov/doc/dcf-mandated-reporter-guide/download); 105 CMR 430.093 camp abuse and neglect reporting (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/105-CMR-430-093)

### Michigan
Checked October 2026 against Michigan's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#licensing

Any facility other than a private home that cares for one or more children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day without parents present must be licensed as a child care center; this includes preschools, before- and after-school programs and out-of-school-time programs, including those run by schools. Family and group child care homes are licensed under separate home rules.

After-school and recreation programs: Not a child care center under 1973 PA 116, per MiLEAP: Sunday school, vacation Bible school and short religious classes; care during religious services; programs mainly focused on teaching school-age children a specific subject such as dance, drama, music or religion (only during that instruction); drop-in group athletic or social programs for school-age children run by clubs or hobby groups such as scouting or youth clubs, where children can come and go at will; therapeutic programs; and care at recreation sites where parents stay on site. A school-age program run in a school building is still licensed but is excused from some facility rules (R 400.8401).

Licensing agency: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), Child Care Licensing Bureau (https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/early-childhood-education/cclb)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 30 |
| 4 years (until school age) | 1:12 | 40 |
| 5 years | 1:18 | 54 |
| School-age (kindergarten-eligible to 12) | 1:18 | 54 |

Rule: Mich. Admin. Code R 400.8222 (eff. May 7, 2025). Michigan counts a child as school-aged from the first day of the school year in which they are eligible for kindergarten (R 400.8101), so most 5-year-olds fall under 1:18; a 5-year-old not yet kindergarten-eligible stays at the 4-year-old ratio (1:12, group 40). Mixed groups use the youngest child's ratio, and at least 2 adults must be present when 7 or more children over 3 are present. Small capacity centers (20 or fewer children) use 1:6 with a maximum group of 20.

Sources: R 400.8222 capacity, ratio and group size (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-400-8222); R 400.8101 definitions, ages (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-400-8101); R 400.8401 school-age center provisions and exemptions (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-400-8401); MiLEAP: A Parent's Guide to Child Care Licensing (rev. May 11, 2026) (https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/-/media/Project/Websites/mileap/Documents/Early-Childhood-Education/CCLB/ADA/Forms/A-Parents-Guide-to-Child-Care-Licensing.pdf?rev=6bbbdf98fb1940a3afb3a9c88ac7ee78&hash=3ADE8C337AC0F30AE11802A6E0457A38); MiLEAP: Rules, statutes and technical assistance (https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/early-childhood-education/cclb/provider-resources/rules-statutes-technical-assistance)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#camps

Children's camps (day, residential, troop and travel camps) need a state license under 1973 PA 116 when they serve more than 4 children apart from their parents for 5 or more days in a 14-day period in a natural environment; a day camp runs more than 4 but less than 24 hours a day. Michigan treats 'natural environment' as at least 51 percent of activities outdoors; a program that calls itself a day camp but does not meet the definition may need a child care center license instead.

Sources: MiLEAP: Start a licensed camp (camp types and when a license is needed) (https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/education-partnerships/out-of-school-time-and-summer-learning/camps/operate); MiLEAP: A Parent's Guide to Child Care Licensing (day camp definition) (https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/-/media/Project/Websites/mileap/Documents/Early-Childhood-Education/CCLB/ADA/Forms/A-Parents-Guide-to-Child-Care-Licensing.pdf?rev=6bbbdf98fb1940a3afb3a9c88ac7ee78&hash=3ADE8C337AC0F30AE11802A6E0457A38); Children's and adult foster care camp rules, R 400.11101 et seq. (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/department-lifelong-education-advancement-and-potential/office-of-education-partnerships/childrens-and-adult-foster-care-camps)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#background-checks

Licensees, program directors, child care staff and unsupervised volunteers at licensed centers must pass a state comprehensive background check, including FBI fingerprints, before having unsupervised contact with children, and new staff awaiting results must always be supervised (R 400.8201; MCL 722.115n, 722.115q). Supervised volunteers need a sex offender registry check. Licensed camps must keep, before a staff member starts, a criminal history record from the Michigan State Police (or home-state equivalent), three references, and, for staff 21 and older, proof they are not a substantiated child abuse or neglect perpetrator (R 400.11109).

Sources: R 400.8201 comprehensive background check; fingerprinting (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-400-8201); Michigan Child Care Background Check program (https://www.michigan.gov/ccbc); R 400.11109 camp staff records (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-400-11109)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#medication

Only program staff may give medication, and only with prior written parent permission; medication must be in its original container labeled for the child, and prescriptions must carry the pharmacy label and be given as directed. Each dose is recorded (time, amount, staff signature) on a state form or approved substitute, one form per medication; topical over-the-counter products such as sunscreen need written parent permission once a year (R 400.8260).

Sources: R 400.8260 medication (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-400-8260)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/michigan#reporting

Listed professions must report under the Child Protection Law (MCL 722.621 et seq.), including regulated child care providers, teachers, school administrators and counselors, clergy, social workers, health workers, athletic trainers and law enforcement; anyone else may report. Mandated reporters must make an immediate oral report to MDHHS Centralized Intake (or use the online system) and follow with a written report within 72 hours. Licensed camps must have a written plan for reporting under the Child Protection Law (R 400.11115). Hotline: 855-444-3911 (https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/abuse-neglect/childrens/mandated-reporters).

Sources: MDHHS: Mandated reporters (https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/abuse-neglect/childrens/mandated-reporters); MDHHS Mandated Reporter Resource Guide (Sept. 2025) (https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Adult-and-Childrens-Services/Abuse-and-Neglect/Childrens-Protective-Services/Mandated_Reporter_Resource_Guide.pdf?rev=ad9f229bb84e4e30817fb703da3ef16b&hash=CC065E7B0DC678CCA02713D0D99F0A1C); R 400.11115 camp child protection plan (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-400-11115)

### Minnesota
Checked October 2026 against Minnesota's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#licensing

Anyone operating a nonresidential child care program (care outside the child's home for less than 24 hours a day) needs a DCYF license unless excluded by law (Minn. Stat. §142B.05); centers follow Minn. R. ch. 9503, and school-age child care programs (more than 10 children, mainly school-age care) and drop-in programs are licensed as centers with some special rules (§142B.41, subd. 6).

After-school and recreation programs: Excluded from licensing (Minn. Stat. §142B.05, subd. 2): programs run by a public school for children 33 months or older; school-age programs run by a school, YMCA, YWCA or JCC; park and recreation board programs; scouting, clubs, sports and art programs; nonresidential programs running fewer than 30 days total in 12 months; qualifying nonprofit youth development programs for grades K-12 that give parents written notice they are unlicensed; religious instruction; and youth camps licensed by the Department of Health. Excluded programs that take child care assistance funds must be certified as license-exempt centers (ch. 142C).

Licensing agency: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Licensing Division (https://dcyf.mn.gov/partners-and-providers/licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years (preschooler) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years (preschooler) | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| School-age | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: Minn. R. 9503.0040, subp. 1; Minn. Stat. §142B.41, subd. 6 (school-age programs). Preschoolers are 33 months old until their first day of kindergarten (1:10, group 20). A child in kindergarten, or eligible to start within four months, is school-age (1:15, group 30), so a 5-year-old not yet near kindergarten stays at 1:10. Licensed school-age-only programs must keep 1:15 but are exempt from the rule's group-size limit. Mixed groups use the youngest child's ratio and may span no more than 36 months unless all are school-age.

Sources: Minn. R. 9503.0040 staff ratios and group size (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9503.0040/); Minn. R. 9503.0005 definitions (age categories) (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9503.0005/); Minn. Stat. §142B.05 who must be licensed; exclusions (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/142B.05); Minn. Stat. §142B.01 definitions (school-age child) (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/142B.01); Minn. Stat. ch. 142B full text (§142B.41 subd. 6) (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/142B/full)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#camps

The Department of Health licenses youth camps, defined as camps that provide both food and lodging (overnight) for 10 or more people for 5 or more days a year; its rules cover the site, sanitation, food, water, health care and first aid (Minn. Stat. §§144.71-144.74; Minn. R. 4630.2300-4630.4700). Day camps without lodging are not youth camps under that law; they need a DCYF child care license unless they fit a licensing exclusion (for example park and recreation programs, sports or art programs, nonprofit youth development programs, or programs running fewer than 30 days a year).

Sources: Minn. Stat. §144.71 youth camp definition (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144.71); Minn. Stat. §144.72 license required (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144.72); MDH: Youth camps (https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/recreation/lodging/rules/youthcamp.html); Minn. Stat. §142B.05 licensing exclusions (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/142B.05)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#background-checks

Child care center staff and others with direct contact need a state background study that includes fingerprints for a national (FBI) criminal check, Minnesota criminal and predatory offender records, Minnesota maltreatment records, the national sex offender registry, and criminal, sex offender and child abuse registries in every state lived in during the past five years; the study must be repeated within five years (Minn. Stat. §§245C.04, 245C.08). No background check requirement was found in the state youth camp rules (Minn. R. ch. 4630).

Sources: Minn. Stat. §245C.04 when background studies are required (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/245C.04); Minn. Stat. §245C.08 information reviewed (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/245C.08)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#medication

A center that chooses to give medicine needs written parent permission (also for diapering products, sunscreen and insect repellent) and written instructions from a physician or dentist for each prescription; a current pharmacy label counts as instructions. Medicine must be in its original container labeled with the child's name, never given past its expiration date, stored out of children's reach, and every dose recorded with the child's name, medication, date, time, dose and the signature of the person who gave it (Minn. R. 9503.0140, subp. 7).

Sources: Minn. R. 9503.0140 health (subp. 7, administration of medicine) (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9503.0140/)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/minnesota#reporting

Professionals and their delegates in child care, education, health care, social services, mental health, corrections, probation and law enforcement, plus clergy, must report (Minn. Stat. §260E.06); anyone else may report. Reports go to the county or tribal social services agency or law enforcement immediately by phone, followed by a written report within 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) (§260E.09).

Sources: Minn. Stat. §260E.06 maltreatment reporting (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/260E.06); Minn. Stat. §260E.09 reporting requirements (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/260E.09)

### Mississippi
Checked October 2026 against Mississippi's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#licensing

A license is needed for any place that cares for six or more unrelated children under age 13 for any part of the day. This covers day care centers, preschools, school-age programs and summer day camps unless an exemption applies. Homes caring for five or fewer children can register voluntarily, and homes caring for 12 or fewer children in the operator's home have their own regulations.

After-school and recreation programs: Programs run inside an accredited elementary or secondary school are exempt. Accreditors include the Mississippi Department of Education, SACS, the Mississippi Private School Association, AACS, ACSI and Accelerated Christian Education. Also exempt: programs that run three weeks or less a year (such as vacation Bible school or scout day camps), care offered no more than two days a week as respite, and national membership groups such as Boys & Girls Clubs or the YMCA that charge only a nominal yearly fee ($600 or less) and meet their national standards (Miss. Code Ann. § 43-20-5).

Licensing agency: Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Child Care Facilities Licensure Branch (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/30,0,183.html)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:14 | 28 |
| 4 years | 1:16 | 32 |
| 5 years | 1:20 | 40 |
| School-age (6-9 years) | 1:20 | 40 |

Rule: Miss. Admin. Code Title 15, Part 11, Subpart 55, Ch. 1, Rule 1.8.2 (ratios) and Rule 1.8.3 (group size); school-age group sizes repeated in Rule 1.22.3. Mississippi uses a single 5-through-9-years band (1:20, group of 40). Children aged 10-12 are 1:25 with a maximum group of 50. In a mixed-age group, the youngest child sets the ratio, and preschoolers may not be grouped with school-age children. A five-year-old counts as school-age only if they turned 5 by September 1. Rules effective February 26, 2026.

Sources: MSDH Child Care Facilities Licensure (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/30,0,183.html); MSDH Regulations Governing Licensure of Child Care Facilities (effective Feb. 26, 2026) (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/78.pdf); MSDH Child Care Regulations and Guidelines page (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/30,0,183,225.html); MSDH How to Get a Child Care License (exemptions list) (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/22018.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#camps

Overnight youth camps need an MSDH youth camp license under the Mississippi Youth Camp Safety and Health Law (Miss. Code Ann. Title 75, Ch. 74). This applies to camps on a permanent site running four or more consecutive 24-hour periods for 20 or more children aged 6 to 18. Athletic camps and hunting or fishing camps are excluded. Day camps are generally covered by child care licensing, which has specific summer day camp rules (Rule 1.22), unless an exemption applies, such as running three weeks or less a year.

Sources: MSDH Child Care Facilities Licensure (licenses day care facilities and youth camps) (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/30,0,183.html); MSDH Youth Camp Regulations (Title 15, Part 11, Subpart 55, Ch. 4) (https://msdh.ms.gov/Page/resources/77.pdf); MSDH Child Care Facility Laws page (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/30,0,183,650.html); MSDH child care regulations (Rule 1.22, school-age and summer day camp programs) (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/78.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#background-checks

All operators, employees and prospective employees of a licensed child care facility need a comprehensive fingerprint-based check before starting work. It covers the FBI and Mississippi criminal history, the state child abuse registry, the national and state sex offender registries, and other states when applicable. Staff can't start until MSDH issues a Letter of Suitability. The check is repeated every five years, and again after a break in service of more than 180 days. Volunteers who work 120 or more hours a year need the same check (Rule 1.5.2). The MSDH youth camp regulations do not include their own background check requirement.

Sources: MSDH child care regulations, Rule 1.5.2 (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/78.pdf); MSDH Comprehensive Background Checks (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/30,0,206.html)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#medication

The child's file must hold a parent's signed written authorization to give medication (Rule 1.6.7), and the facility's written procedures for storing and giving medication must be shared with parents before enrollment (Rule 1.4.1). Each dose must be logged with the date, time and the signature of the staff member who gave it (Rule 1.6.3). Staff who give medication must be able to read the directions and dispense it correctly (Rule 1.5.1).

Sources: MSDH child care regulations (Rules 1.4.1, 1.5.1, 1.6.3, 1.6.7) (https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/78.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/mississippi#reporting

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-21-353 lists professionals, including child caregivers, school employees and ministers, and then adds 'any other person' with reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect, so everyone must report. The report must be made right away by phone or otherwise, with a written report following as soon as possible. Hotline: 1-800-222-8000 (https://reportabuse.mdcps.ms.gov/).

Sources: MDCPS Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.mdcps.ms.gov/node/44); MDCPS online reporting (https://reportabuse.mdcps.ms.gov/); Child Welfare Information Gateway, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (current through May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Missouri
Checked October 2026 against Missouri's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#licensing

Anyone caring for more than six children, or more than three children under age 2, must be licensed by DESE unless exempt (RSMo 210.201, 210.211). License types are family child care homes (up to 10 children), group child care homes (up to 20) and child care centers.

After-school and recreation programs: Several programs are exempt under RSMo 210.211: school systems, summer or day camps run in good faith mainly for recreation, programs serving only children in grade 6 or above, neighborhood youth development programs, and child care under the exclusive control of a religious organization. Any program that receives state or federal child care funds (other than USDA food program funds) cannot claim an exemption, and unlicensed programs must tell parents in writing that they are not licensed.

Licensing agency: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Office of Childhood, Child Care Compliance and Regulation (https://dese.mo.gov/childhood/child-care-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years | 1:16 | 32 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:16 | 32 |

Rule: 5 CSR 25-500.112. These figures apply to groups made up only of that age: 3- and 4-year-olds together are 1:10 (group of 20), and children 5 and older are 1:16 (group of 32). A mixed group of 2-year-olds and older children is 1:10 (group of 20) with no more than four 2-year-olds. Outdoors, ratios may be 1.5 times the indoor ratio when no children 2 or younger are present. School-age means age 5 or older and in kindergarten or above. Amended effective January 30, 2024.

Sources: DESE Child Care Licensing (https://dese.mo.gov/childhood/child-care-licensing); 5 CSR 25-500, Licensing Rules for Group Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers (Secretary of State) (https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/AdRules/csr/current/5csr/5c25-500.pdf); RSMo 210.211, license required and exemptions (https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=210.211); RSMo 210.201, definitions (https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=210.201)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#camps

We found no Missouri state license for youth camps. Summer and day camps run in good faith mainly for recreation are exempt from child care licensing (RSMo 210.211.1(4)). A 'day camp' runs between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. when local schools are not in session, and a 'summer camp' runs May to September (RSMo 210.201). Both serve children 5 and older in kindergarten or above and can't share space with care for younger children. A camp that receives state or federal child care funds can't use the exemption.

Sources: RSMo 210.211 (https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=210.211); RSMo 210.201 (day camp and summer camp definitions) (https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=210.201); Missouri House, HB 3142 (2026) status (https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB3142&year=2026&code=R)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#background-checks

Before working, child care staff must have a qualifying result on a check that includes an FBI fingerprint check, the national sex offender registry, and the criminal, sex offender and child abuse/neglect registries (including the Family Care Safety Registry) for Missouri and every state lived in during the past five years. New staff may start on a temporary eligibility notice if they are supervised at all times. Checks are repeated every five years (5 CSR 25-600.010 and .020; RSMo 210.1080). We found no separate state requirement for exempt camps.

Sources: 5 CSR 25-600, Background Screening (Secretary of State) (https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/AdRules/csr/current/5csr/5c25-600.pdf); DESE Background Check Process (https://dese.mo.gov/childhood/child-care/background-check-process)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#medication

Providers don't have to give medication, but if they do they need the parent's dated written permission stating how long it may be given. Prescription medicine must be in its original container labeled with the child's name, instructions and physician's name, and over-the-counter medicine in its original container labeled by the parent. All medication is stored out of children's reach or locked. Each dose is recorded with the date, time, amount and name of the person giving it (5 CSR 25-500.192(3)).

Sources: 5 CSR 25-500.192 Health Care (https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/AdRules/csr/current/5csr/5c25-500.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/missouri#reporting

RSMo 210.115 lists required reporters, including day care center workers and other child-care workers, teachers, principals and other school officials, health and mental health practitioners, social workers, ministers, law enforcement, and any 'other person with responsibility for the care of children'. They must report to the Children's Division immediately. Anyone else may report. Hotline: 1-800-392-3738 (https://dss.mo.gov/cd/can.htm).

Sources: RSMo 210.115 (https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=210.115); Missouri DSS Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline (https://dss.mo.gov/cd/can.htm); Child Welfare Information Gateway, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (current through May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Montana
Checked October 2026 against Montana's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#licensing

Any provider regularly caring for seven or more children must be licensed or registered. Child care centers (16 or more children in an out-of-home setting) must be licensed. Group homes (9-15 children) and family homes (7-8 children) must register (ARM 37.96.102).

After-school and recreation programs: School-age care facilities, which serve only school-age children during out-of-school time, and drop-in facilities may choose to be licensed but are not required to be (ARM 37.96.102(3)(a)(i)). DPHHS says before-school, after-school, drop-in and preschool programs do not need a license.

Licensing agency: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Early Childhood and Family Support Division, Child Care Licensing Program (https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/childcare/childcarelicensing/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:20 | 40 |

Rule: ARM 37.96.106. Centers use a single 3-through-5-years band (10:1, group of 20) and 20:1 (group of 40) for age 6 and over. Licensed school-age care providers may use 20:1 (group of 40) for children 5 and over. In a mixed-age group, the youngest child sets the ratio. Group sizes may be exceeded at meals, outdoor play, rest and large assemblies. New rules effective May 1, 2025; they replace the old ARM 37.95.623.

Sources: DPHHS Child Care Licensing (https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/childcare/childcarelicensing/); ARM 37.96.106 Child-to-Staff Ratios (Montana Secretary of State) (https://rules.mt.gov/browse/collections/aec52c46-128e-4279-9068-8af5d5432d74/policies/9115d9cd-2786-4088-ad4d-7db512a303f1); ARM 37.96.102 Types of Licenses and Registration (https://rules.mt.gov/browse/collections/aec52c46-128e-4279-9068-8af5d5432d74/policies/914ed886-c74e-4070-b33f-3c9088971538); DPHHS Become a Child Care Provider (https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/childcare/childcarelicensing/becomeachildcareprovider/); DPHHS Child Care Rules and Regulations (ARM 37.96) (https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/childcare/childcarelicensing/rulesandregulations)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#camps

Montana licenses 'youth camps' under Title 50, Ch. 52, MCA and ARM 37.111 subchapter 12. A youth camp is land with buildings, tents or other structures used as living quarters for 10 or more people, mainly for minors' education or recreation. The license covers sanitation (water, sewage, solid waste and food service), not staffing or programming, and applications go through the local environmental health office. Day programs without living quarters don't appear to be covered. Programs for school-age children may choose to be licensed as school-age care.

Sources: DPHHS Trailer Courts, Campgrounds, Youth Camps and Work Camps (https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/EHFS/TrailerCourtsAndCampgrounds); MCA 50-52-101 (youth camp definition) (https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0500/chapter_0520/part_0010/section_0010/0500-0520-0010-0010.html); MCA 50-52-201 (license application) (https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0500/chapter_0520/part_0020/section_0010/0500-0520-0020-0010.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#background-checks

Directors, owners, teachers, substitutes, trainees, support staff, volunteers with unsupervised contact and adults living in the facility need satisfactory checks before working (ARM 37.96.1002). The checks are a Montana DOJ/FBI fingerprint check, the national (NCIC) and Montana sex offender registries, child protective services checks, and name-based criminal checks for Montana and every state lived in during the past five years. State checks are repeated every year and national checks every five years. We found no separate background check rule for youth camps.

Sources: ARM 37.96.1002 Fingerprint and Background Checks (https://rules.mt.gov/browse/collections/aec52c46-128e-4279-9068-8af5d5432d74/policies/8440c7d2-5f32-4f14-a0f1-62c20113621e)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#medication

Staff may give medication only with the parent's written authorization, which must list the child's name, how long it applies, dosage amount and time, and the parent's signature. Medicine must be labeled, and prescription medicine kept in the original pharmacy-labeled container. All medicine is stored out of children's reach with child-protective caps, and expired medicine can't be used. Programs that give medication keep a log of the date, time and dose (ARM 37.96.502).

Sources: ARM 37.96.502 Medication Administration (https://rules.mt.gov/browse/collections/aec52c46-128e-4279-9068-8af5d5432d74/policies/749ee6ee-0440-464b-9e02-b81a0390a051)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/montana#reporting

MCA 41-3-201 lists required reporters, including teachers and school employees, operators and employees of registered or licensed day-care and child-care facilities, health and mental health professionals, clergy, social workers, law enforcement, and employees of groups that contract with DPHHS to serve children. They must report promptly to DPHHS. Anyone else may report. Hotline: 1-866-820-5437 (https://dphhs.mt.gov/CFSD/contacts).

Sources: MCA 41-3-201 (https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0410/chapter_0030/part_0020/section_0010/0410-0030-0020-0010.html); DPHHS Child and Family Services contacts (hotline) (https://dphhs.mt.gov/CFSD/contacts); Child Welfare Information Gateway, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (current through May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Nebraska
Checked October 2026 against Nebraska's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#licensing

Child care for four or more children at a time generally needs a DHHS license under the Child Care Licensing Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 71-1908 to 71-1923). Rules exist for Family Child Care Homes I and II, child care centers (13 or more children), school-age-only centers (13 or more children in kindergarten or above) and preschools (391 NAC chapters 1-5).

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt programs include services offered only to school-age children during summer and other long school breaks, programs run or contracted by a public school district under State Department of Education rules, recreation camps (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-3101), and recreation programs run by a city, county or other local government. Care averaging less than two hours a week and care only for children 13 and older are also exempt (391 NAC 3-001.02 and 4-001.02). Exempt programs may still choose to be licensed.

Licensing agency: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Child Care Licensing) (https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Child-Care-Licensing.aspx)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | Not set |
| 4 years | 1:12 | Not set |
| 5 years | 1:12 | Not set |
| School-age (kindergarten and up) | 1:15 | Not set |

Rule: 391 NAC 3-006.15C (child care centers); 391 NAC 4-006.14C (school-age-only centers). Nebraska uses a '4 and 5 years' band (1:12). A child counts as school-age (1:15) once in kindergarten, so a 5-year-old in kindergarten is 1:15. Ratios are measured center-wide, and the rules set no maximum group size. Two staff must be on the premises unless there are 12 or fewer children (or 15 or fewer when all are school-age). Center rules effective February 20, 2013.

Sources: 391 NAC 3-006 Standards of Operation and Care (Cornell LII copy of the Nebraska Administrative Code) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/391-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-3-SS-006); 391 NAC 3-001 Scope and exemptions (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/391-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-3-SS-001); 391 NAC 4-006 School-age-only centers (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/391-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-4-SS-006); ChildCare.gov Nebraska licensing resources (links to DHHS pages) (https://childcare.gov/state-resources/nebraska/understanding-and-finding-child-care-resources)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#camps

Recreation camps need an annual DHHS permit to operate under 178 NAC 1, Rules and Regulations Relating to Recreation Camps. The rules mainly cover the campsite, buildings, water, plumbing, sewage, food, swimming pools, safety, first aid and health records. Recreation camps are exempt from child care licensing. A summer-only program for school-age children is also exempt from child care licensing.

Sources: 178 NAC 1, Recreation Camps (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/health-and-human-services-system/title-178/chapter-1); 178 NAC 1-012 Health of campers and staff (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/178-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-1-SS-012); 391 NAC 3-001 exemptions (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/391-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-3-SS-001)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#background-checks

Under the center rules, the licensee, every staff member and volunteer aged 19 or older (and household members if the center is in a home) need a criminal history check before employment, through the Nebraska State Patrol or local law enforcement. Everyone must also clear the Nebraska child abuse/neglect central register (age 13 and older), the adult protective services registry (18 and older) and the State Patrol sex offender registry before caring for children (391 NAC 3-006.03). The recreation camp rules contain no background check requirement.

Sources: 391 NAC 3-006.03 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/391-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-3-SS-006)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#medication

Staff may give prescription or over-the-counter medication only with prior written permission and written instructions from a parent, following the 'Five Rights' (right drug, child, dose, route and time). A prescriber's written statement is needed for as-needed prescriptions or unusual routes. All medication is kept locked in its original container labeled for the child, and the time and amount of each dose is recorded. Errors must be reported to the parent (391 NAC 3-006.27).

Sources: 391 NAC 3-006.27 Medications (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/391-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-3-SS-006)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nebraska#reporting

Nebraska requires any person who suspects child abuse or neglect to report it, not only listed professionals. Reports go to law enforcement or the DHHS hotline. Center directors must immediately report, or make sure a report is filed, with the Child Abuse-Neglect Hotline and/or local law enforcement (391 NAC 3-006.02). Hotline: 1-800-652-1999 (https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/LB281Posters-Break-the-Silence.pdf).

Sources: Child Welfare Information Gateway, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (current through May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/); Nebraska Department of Education hotline poster (https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/LB281Posters-Break-the-Silence.pdf); 391 NAC 3-006.02 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nebraska/391-Neb-Admin-Code-ch-3-SS-006)

### Nevada
Checked October 2026 against Nevada's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#licensing

A state license is required to care for more than four children who are not your relatives, or for whom you are paid, under NRS and NAC Chapter 432A. License types include family homes (up to 6 children), group homes (up to 12), child care centers (13 or more), out-of-school-time programs, accommodation facilities and institutions. Cities and counties may also require business licenses or special use permits.

After-school and recreation programs: Not confirmed. DSS lists two program types it oversees: Out of School Time programs (running 10 or more hours a week on an ongoing basis for K-12 children) and Out of School Recreation programs run by local governments. We couldn't load NRS 432A to confirm which school-age or recreation programs are exempt.

Licensing agency: Nevada Division of Social Services (DSS), Child Care Licensing (CCL) (https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/child-care-licensing-ccl/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:13 | 26 |
| 5 years | 1:18 | 36 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:18 | 36 |

Rule: NAC 432A.5205. These are daytime ratios (6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.) for centers. The rule's top band is '5 years of age or older'. At night, ratios are 1:6 (group of 12) under age 3 and 1:10 (group of 20) for age 3 and up. In a mixed-age group, the youngest child sets the ratio. Water activities have stricter ratios (NAC 432A.546). In effect since September 21, 2017.

Sources: DSS Child Care Licensing (https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/child-care-licensing-ccl/); NAC 432A.5205 staffing ratios (Cornell LII copy of the Nevada Administrative Code) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nevada/NAC-432A-5205); DSS Child Care Licensing Reference Guide (ratio chart) (https://www.dss.nv.gov/siteassets/dwss.nv.gov/content/care/ccl/licensing-info/State_of_Nevada_Child_Care_Reference_Guide.pdf); DSS Child Care Facility Types (https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/child-care-licensing-ccl/ccl-complaints/childcare-facilities/); DSS Child Care Licensing FAQs (https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/child-care-licensing-ccl/ccl-faqs/)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#camps

We found no Nevada state license or permit specifically for youth day or overnight camps. 'Outdoor youth programs' are a separately licensed category under NAC 432A.630-.780, but those rules focus on clients' treatment plans and psychological oversight, not general recreation camps. A day camp serving school-age children 10 or more hours a week may count as an Out of School Time program under child care licensing, so check with DSS.

Sources: NAC Chapter 432A index, including Outdoor Youth Programs (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nevada/chapter-432A); DSS Child Care Facility Types (Out of School Time) (https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/child-care-licensing-ccl/ccl-complaints/childcare-facilities/)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#background-checks

Every employee, and every resident or volunteer aged 18 or older (other than a parent of an enrolled child), must be fingerprinted within 24 hours of being hired or first being present, and again every five years. The state reviews criminal history and any substantiated child abuse or neglect reports (NAC 432A.200). New hires are entered in the Nevada Automated Background System (NABS). We found no state background check rule specific to camps.

Sources: NAC 432A.200 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nevada/NAC-432A-200); DSS Child Care Licensing FAQs (new employee requirements) (https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/child-care-licensing-ccl/ccl-faqs/)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#medication

Prescription medicine must be in its original container with a child-proof lid, plainly labeled with the child's name and locked up or kept out of reach. Except in an emergency, only one person chosen by the licensee and trained by a health professional or the child's parent may give medication. A written record of each medication, child, date and time is kept in the child's file (NAC 432A.376).

Sources: NAC 432A.376 Medication (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nevada/NAC-432A-376)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/nevada#reporting

Nevada lists the professionals who must report (NRS 432B.220), and child care licensees and employees must report suspected abuse or neglect under that law. If the abuse may be happening in the facility, they must also report it to the licensing division (NAC 432A.410). Report to the county child welfare agency for your area. Hotline: Clark County: 702-399-0081; Washoe County: 833-900-7233; all other counties (DCFS): 833-571-1041 (https://www.dcfs.nv.gov/contact-us/report-suspected-child-abuse-neglect/).

Sources: Nevada DCFS, Report Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect (https://www.dcfs.nv.gov/contact-us/report-suspected-child-abuse-neglect/); NAC 432A.410 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/nevada/NAC-432A-410); Child Welfare Information Gateway, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (current through May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### New Hampshire
Checked October 2026 against New Hampshire's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#licensing

CCLU licenses family child care homes, family group child care homes, group child care centers, child care nurseries, preschools, school-age programs, night care and residential programs under RSA 170-E and He-C 4002. A private home caring for its own children plus up to four others is exempt.

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt programs include those run by a public or private school or college; skill-instruction programs such as athletics, crafts, music or dance; and municipal recreation programs, including after-school and summer programs. Also exempt are recreational programs for children 6 and older run by a school, religious group, Boys & Girls Club, Girls Inc., YMCA or YWCA, if they notify parents they are unlicensed, have a grievance policy and meet national standards (RSA 170-E:3). Exempt programs serving children on a state child care scholarship must still meet certain health and safety rules, including background checks.

Licensing agency: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Child Care Licensing Unit (CCLU) (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/childcare-parenting-childbirth/child-care-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:8 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 5 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:15 | 45 |

Rule: He-C 4002.35 (group child care centers); He-C 4002.38 (school-age programs). Age bands are in months: 36-47 months is 1:8 (group of 24), 48-59 months is 1:12 (group of 24), and 60 months and over is 1:15 (group of 30) in group child care centers. Licensed school-age programs are 1:15 with groups up to 45. In a mixed-age group, ratio and group size are based on the average age of the children. A second staff person must be in the building at 11 or more children (centers) or 13 or more (school-age programs). Rules adopted August 26, 2025.

Sources: NH DHHS Child Care Licensing (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/childcare-parenting-childbirth/child-care-licensing); He-C 4002 NH Child Care Licensing Rule (adopted 8/26/25) (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents2/he-c-4002-formatted.pdf); 2025 Summary of Major Changes to He-C 4002 (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents2/he-c4002-summary.pdf); NH DHHS Licensing Exemptions (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/childcare-parenting-childbirth/child-care-licensing/licensing-exemptions)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#camps

Youth recreation camps, both residence camps and seasonal or year-round day camps, need a DHHS license (RSA 170-E:56; He-C 4003). This covers programs running at least 10 days a license year for 10 or more youth a day. Programs licensed as child care, or exempt from child care licensing under RSA 170-E:3, I, don't need a camp license. 'Youth skill camps' (a set curriculum over 3 or more consecutive days) are not licensed but must run criminal background checks on anyone who may be alone with children.

Sources: NH DHHS Youth Camp Programs (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/childcare-parenting-childbirth/child-care-licensing/youth-camp-programs); NH DHHS Youth Recreation Camp Licensing Program (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/childcare-parenting-childbirth/child-care-licensing/youth-camp-programs/youth); He-C 4003 Youth Recreation Camp rules (adopted 5/21/25) (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents2/he-c-4003-youth-recreation-camps.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#background-checks

Child care staff, substitutes, other employees, volunteers who may be alone with children or count in ratios, and household members 18 and older need a background check before starting and every five years (He-C 4002.40; RSA 170-E:7). The check covers NH criminal records, the NH abuse/neglect registry, the NH sex offender registry, an FBI fingerprint check, the national sex offender registry, and other states lived in during the past five years. Staff can't be with children until CCLU confirms eligibility, apart from supervised presence after clean fingerprint results. Youth recreation camp staff need criminal checks in every state they have lived in, a national sex offender registry check, an NH central registry check if they lived in NH in the past seven years, and references (He-C 4003.17).

Sources: NH DHHS Background Checks for Child Care Personnel (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/childcare-parenting-childbirth/child-care-licensing/background-checks-child-care); He-C 4002.40 (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents2/he-c-4002-formatted.pdf); He-C 4003.17 (youth recreation camps) (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents2/he-c-4003-youth-recreation-camps.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#medication

Only trained, authorized staff (or a nurse or licensed practitioner) may give medication. They need a medication order (a prescription label or a licensed practitioner's order) plus the parent's written permission. Staff must complete medication training before giving any medicine and again every year. Medicine stays in its original container and out of children's reach, each dose is logged with the date, time and staff signature, and parents are told immediately of any error (He-C 4002.20).

Sources: He-C 4002.20 Administration and Storage of Medication (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents2/he-c-4002-formatted.pdf); CCLU Authorization to Administer Medication form (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents/2021-11/cclu-medication.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-hampshire#reporting

Any person who suspects that a child under 18 has been abused or neglected must report it immediately to DCYF (RSA 169-C:29-31). Proof isn't required, and DCYF may ask for a written report within 48 hours. Hotline: 1-800-894-5533 (in-state only); 603-271-6562 (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/report-concern/report-child-abuse).

Sources: NH DHHS Report Child Abuse (https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/report-concern/report-child-abuse); Child Welfare Information Gateway, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (current through May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### New Jersey
Checked October 2026 against New Jersey's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#licensing

Any home or facility that cares for six or more children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day needs a DCF child care center license. That includes school-age child care programs and recreation-type centers run by county or municipal recreation or park departments. Family child care homes (five or fewer children) are not licensed; they may register voluntarily.

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt from licensing: programs run by a local public school board; programs that are an integral part of a private K-6 school; single-activity programs such as sports, art, music or dance (limited to 2 hours a day for children under 6); qualifying homework/tutoring programs; and youth camps holding a Department of Health youth camp license. Drop-in programs of 2 hours or less with the parent in the building, and 'open door' programs where children come and go on their own, are not centers. Sources: N.J.A.C. 3A:52-1.2 and 1.3.

Licensing agency: New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Licensing (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/divisions-offices/ool/index.shtml)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 20 |
| 5 years | 1:15 | 20 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.3(c) (ratios); N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.4 (group sizes). The rule's age bands are 2 1/2 up to 4 years (1:10), 4 years (1:12), and 5 years and older (1:15). Group size is 20 in early childhood programs (children under 6) and 30 in school-age child care programs, so a 5-year-old group in a school-age program can reach 30. In mixed-age rooms, staff are computed for each age group to the nearest tenth and any fraction over a whole number needs another staff member. School-age programs need at least two staff (one 18 or older) when six or more children are present, and only staff 16 or older count toward ratio.

Sources: N.J.A.C. 3A:52 Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (effective Dec. 20, 2023) (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/providers/licensing/laws/CCCmanual.pdf); DCF Office of Licensing (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/divisions-offices/ool/index.shtml); DCF licensing laws and regulations (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers-contractors/licensing-and-billing/laws-and-regulations.shtml)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#camps

Private day camps and resident (overnight) camps need an annual youth camp certificate of approval from the Department of Health under the Youth Camp Safety Act (N.J.S.A. 26:12-1 et seq.) and N.J.A.C. 8:25. A youth camp serves five or more children under 18 for two or more days in the same week; a day program with only a minimal recreational part and no high-risk activity is not a camp. Municipally run camps are not required to be licensed, and a licensed youth camp does not also need a DCF child care license.

Sources: NJ DOH Youth Camps (https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/phfpp/youthcamps/); N.J.A.C. 8:25 Youth Camp Safety Standards (current through March 18, 2026) (https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/phfpp/Youth_Camp_Rule_Updated_March_18_2026.pdf); NJ DOH Youth Camp FAQ (https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/phfpp/youthcamps/faq.shtml)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#background-checks

Licensed centers: the sponsor and every staff member working on a regular schedule must consent to a Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) check, resubmitted with each license renewal, and the sponsor and staff 18 and older must complete a fingerprint-based criminal history (CHRI) check through the State Police and FBI. New staff must start both within two weeks of hire and cannot be left alone with children until results arrive (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.10, 4.11). Youth camps have their own rule (N.J.A.C. 8:25-3.2): adult staff with unsupervised access need a 50-state name-based criminal check (resident camps also need an FBI fingerprint check), all staff need an annual sex offender registry check, and full checks repeat every five years, with the first deadline June 15, 2026.

Sources: N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.10 and 4.11 (center manual) (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/providers/licensing/laws/CCCmanual.pdf); N.J.A.C. 8:25-3.2 (youth camp rule) (https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/phfpp/Youth_Camp_Rule_Updated_March_18_2026.pdf); NJ DOH Youth Camp FAQ (background checks) (https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/phfpp/youthcamps/faq.shtml)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#medication

Centers must tell parents their medication policy at enrollment and give medicine only with the parent's written approval, by designated trained staff. Medicine stays in its original container (prescriptions labeled for the child) in a locked or inaccessible place, each dose is logged, over-the-counter medicine is limited to listed types given per the label unless a health care provider authorizes otherwise in writing, and school-age children may self-administer with written parent authorization under staff supervision (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-7.5).

Sources: N.J.A.C. 3A:52-7.5 (center manual) (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/providers/licensing/laws/CCCmanual.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-jersey#reporting

Every person who has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected must report it immediately to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10). Reports can be anonymous; call 911 as well if a child is in immediate danger. Hotline: 1-877-652-2873 (1-877-NJ ABUSE), 24/7 (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/stay-connected/get-involved/hotlines-helplines/index.shtml).

Sources: NJ DCF Hotlines and Helplines (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/stay-connected/get-involved/hotlines-helplines/index.shtml); NJ DCF educational materials (how to report) (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/stay-connected/get-involved/educational-materials.shtml); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### New Mexico
Checked October 2026 against New Mexico's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#licensing

ECECD licenses child care centers, out-of-school-time (OST) programs for school-age children (ages 5 to 18, before and after school or when school is out), and licensed family and group child care homes. A person caring for four or fewer non-resident children in their own home is exempt from licensing (8.9.4.9 NMAC).

After-school and recreation programs: The licensing rules do not apply to programs run by a public school system and governed by the local school board; accredited private schools serving children 5 and older for education only; summer camps, wilderness camps and recreation-only programs run by recognized organizations such as churches, schools and scouts (if not in a private residence); summer religious schools; and care where parents stay on the premises (8.9.4.9 NMAC). Other before/after-school programs need an OST license.

Licensing agency: New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD), Child Care Services Bureau, Regulatory Oversight Unit (https://www.nmececd.org/child-care-licensing-and-registered-homes/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 5 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: 8.9.4.23(C) NMAC (centers); 8.9.4.42(A)(9) NMAC (out-of-school-time programs). These are the center ratios when children are grouped by age. Centers that combine ages use 1:12 (group 24) for 2-4 year olds and 1:14 (group 28) for 3-5 year olds; ratios follow the age of the majority of the group. Licensed OST programs need one adult per 15 children age 5 or older, maximum group 30. Proposed amendments posted in June 2026 would add Montessori mixed-age options but keep these ratios.

Sources: 8.9.4 NMAC (State Records Center) (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title08/08.009.0004.html); 8.9.4 NMAC as amended effective Nov. 4, 2025 (ECECD) (https://www.nmececd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/8.9.4-NMAC-10.23.25-FINAL.pdf); ECECD Regulatory Oversight Unit (https://www.nmececd.org/child-care-licensing-and-registered-homes/); Proposed amendments to 8.9.4 NMAC (June 2026) (https://www.nmececd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Proposed-Amendments-to-8.9.4-NMAC.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#camps

We found no New Mexico youth camp license. Summer camps, wilderness camps and recreation-only programs run by recognized organizations (churches, schools, scouts) are exempt from ECECD child care licensing as long as they are not in a private residence (8.9.4.9(G) NMAC). A day program for school-age children that does not fit that exemption may need an ECECD out-of-school-time license.

Sources: 8.9.4.9 NMAC exemptions (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title08/08.009.0004.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#background-checks

All staff, volunteers and anyone with unsupervised access to children in licensed centers and OST programs need a comprehensive check: fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history, state and national sex offender registries, New Mexico abuse and neglect records, plus criminal, sex offender and abuse/neglect checks in any state lived in during the past five years. A person may not start until cleared or issued a notice of provisional employment, and must be directly supervised until cleared. Checks repeat at least every five years (8.9.6 NMAC; 8.9.4.21 and 8.9.4.40 NMAC). No separate camp requirement was found.

Sources: ECECD comprehensive background check process (https://www.nmececd.org/comprehensive-background-check-process/); 8.9.6 NMAC background checks (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title08/08.009.0006.html); 8.9.4 NMAC (five-year re-check) (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title08/08.009.0004.html)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#medication

Medicine may be given only with written permission from a parent, following the prescriber's written directions (or the parent's written instructions for over-the-counter products, including sunscreen and insect repellent). A designated staff member gives it from the original container labeled with the child's name and date, keeps it locked, signs a log of each dose that the parent initials the same day, and never gives expired medicine (8.9.4.26(C) NMAC). New staff must complete approved training that covers medication administration within three months of hire (8.9.4.23 NMAC).

Sources: 8.9.4.26 and 8.9.4.23 NMAC (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title08/08.009.0004.html)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-mexico#reporting

Every person who knows or reasonably suspects a child is abused or neglected must report immediately to CYFD Statewide Central Intake, local law enforcement, or the tribal agency for an Indian child in Indian country (NMSA 32A-4-3). Hotline: 1-855-333-SAFE (7233), or #SAFE from a cell phone (https://www.cyfd.nm.gov/report-abuse-and-neglect/).

Sources: CYFD Report Abuse and Neglect (https://www.cyfd.nm.gov/report-abuse-and-neglect/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### New York
Checked October 2026 against New York's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#licensing

OCFS licenses child day care centers (seven or more children, more than three hours a day) and group family day care homes. Family day care homes, small day care centers (three to six children) and school-age child care programs (more than six school-age children) register with OCFS instead (Social Services Law §390). In New York City, center-based care for children under 6 needs a NYC Health Department permit under Article 47 of the NYC Health Code; school-age programs in NYC still register with OCFS.

After-school and recreation programs: Not child day care, so no license or registration: day camps as defined in the State Sanitary Code; after-school programs run for religious education, sports or recreation; and kindergarten, pre-K or after-school programs run by a public school district or a private elementary/secondary school on its own premises (Social Services Law §390(1)(a)).

Licensing agency: New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Division of Child Care Services; in New York City, child care centers for children under 6 are permitted by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/childcare/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:7 | 18 |
| 4 years | 1:8 | 21 |
| 5 years | 1:9 | 24 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:10 | 20 |

Rule: 18 NYCRR 418-1.8(k) (child day care centers); 18 NYCRR 414.8(k) (school-age child care programs). The school-age row is for children through age 9; children 10 to 12 are 1:15 with a maximum group of 30. School-age child care programs use the same school-age ratios, and groups mixing children over and under 10 use the ratio for the youngest child. When 3- to 5-year-olds are grouped together all day, use the ratio for the age of the majority. These are state OCFS rules; New York City centers permitted under NYC Health Code Article 47 follow the city's own staffing rules.

Sources: 18 NYCRR 418-1.8 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/18-NYCRR-418-1.8); 18 NYCRR 414.8 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/18-NYCRR-414.8); Social Services Law §390 (NY Senate) (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/SOS/390); NYC Health: Child Care Center Based permits (https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/business/permits-and-licenses/child-care-center-based.page)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#camps

Summer day camps, traveling summer day camps and overnight camps need a permit from the local health department and are inspected twice a year. A summer day camp, for this rule, serves children under 16 between June 1 and September 15 with organized activities, at least one of which is a non-passive recreational activity with significant risk of injury (10 NYCRR 7-2.2). Programs that do not meet the camp definition are not permitted as camps; summer programs may instead be run by OCFS-licensed child care programs.

Sources: NYS DOH Children's Camps (https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/camps/); 10 NYCRR 7-2.2 definitions (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/10-NYCRR-7-2.2); NYC Health Code Article 48 (camps) (https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/about/healthcode/health-code-article48.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#background-checks

Prospective child care employees, directors, operators and volunteers with potential unsupervised contact need state (DCJS) and FBI fingerprint checks, a Statewide Central Register (child abuse) database check, New York and national sex offender registry searches, and criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry checks for any other state lived in during the past five years. Clearances must be repeated at least every five years (Social Services Law §390-b). Children's camps: camp directors undergo background checks and operators must check staff and volunteers against the New York State and national sex offender registries.

Sources: Social Services Law §390-b (NY Senate) (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/SOS/390-B); NYS DOH Children's Camps (https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/camps/)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#medication

A program that gives medicine needs an OCFS health care plan (approved by a health care consultant if it gives more than topical products and emergency medicines), and only designated staff who completed OCFS Medication Administration Training (or hold a nursing or medical license) may give it. Ongoing doses need written parent permission plus written instructions from the prescriber, medicine stays in its original container, each dose is documented, and errors must be reported to the parent immediately and to OCFS within 24 hours (18 NYCRR 418-1.11).

Sources: 18 NYCRR 418-1.11 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/18-NYCRR-418-1.11)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/new-york#reporting

Listed professionals must report, including day care center workers, school-age child care workers, family and group family day care providers, other child care workers, directors of overnight, summer day and traveling day camps, school staff, and compensated school employees who hold a coaching license or certificate (Social Services Law §413). Reports must be made immediately by phone, followed by a written report within 48 hours (§415). Hotline: Mandated reporters: 1-800-635-1522; public: 1-800-342-3720 (https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cps/).

Sources: Social Services Law §413 (NY Senate) (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/SOS/413); Social Services Law §415 (NY Senate) (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/SOS/415); OCFS Child Protective Services (https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cps/)

### North Carolina
Checked October 2026 against North Carolina's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#licensing

DCDEE licenses child care centers and family child care homes. North Carolina's child care law covers regular care of three or more children under 13 for more than four hours a day by people who are not their relatives (G.S. 110-86). School-age programs and licensed summer day camps are licensed as centers under Section .2500 of the rules.

After-school and recreation programs: Programs operated by public schools are exempt. Seasonal recreational programs that run less than four consecutive months a year (summer day camps, typically May 15 to September 15) do not need a license, but must be licensed to serve children paid for by child care subsidy. After-school programs operating four hours a day or less are not required to be licensed. (G.S. 110-86; 10A NCAC 09 .2502; DCDEE guidance.)

Licensing agency: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Licensing-Requirements)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:15 | 25 |
| 4 years | 1:20 | 25 |
| 5 years | 1:25 | 25 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:25 | 25 |

Rule: 10A NCAC 09 .0713(a). The rule's bands are 3 to 4 years (1:15), 4 to 5 years (1:20), and 5 years and older (1:25), all with a maximum group of 25. When ages are combined, use the ratio for the youngest child. Centers may instead choose multi-age grouping under .0713(d): 4 to 6 years 1:9 (group 18) and 6 through 12 years 1:19 (group 25). Centers in a residence have different ratios. Rule last amended Nov. 1, 2024.

Sources: 10A NCAC 09 .0713 (NC Office of Administrative Hearings) (http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2010a%20-%20health%20and%20human%20services/chapter%2009%20-%20child%20care%20rules/10a%20ncac%2009%20.0713.pdf); Chapter 9 Child Care Rules, effective July 1, 2025 (DCDEE) (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/C/Chapter_9_Child_Care_Rules_Effective_July_1_2025.pdf?ver=9gQO5ZV3KdVI8BanULluoA%3d%3d); DCDEE Licensing Requirements (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Licensing-Requirements); DCDEE Summer Day Camp licensing packet (rev. 5/2026) (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/S/summer_day_camp.pdf); DCDEE Child Care Center Handbook, ch. 16 School-Age Care (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/C/center_chp16.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#camps

North Carolina has no general youth camp license covering staffing or program safety. Summer camps that serve food or provide overnight lodging for pay need a sanitation permit and inspections from the local health department (15A NCAC 18A .1000; resident camps under .3600). Summer day camps running less than four consecutive months are exempt from DCDEE child care licensing unless they want to serve subsidized children, in which case they must be licensed as summer day camps (school-age children only).

Sources: 15A NCAC 18A .1001 Sanitation of Summer Camps (definitions) (http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2015a%20-%20environmental%20quality/chapter%2018%20-%20environmental%20health/subchapter%20a/15a%20ncac%2018a%20.1001.pdf); 15A NCAC 18A .3601 Sanitation of Resident Camps (definitions) (http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2015a%20-%20environmental%20quality/chapter%2018%20-%20environmental%20health/subchapter%20a/15a%20ncac%2018a%20.3601.pdf); DCDEE Summer Day Camp licensing packet (rev. 5/2026) (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/S/summer_day_camp.pdf); DCDEE Licensing Requirements (summer day camp exemption) (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Licensing-Requirements)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#background-checks

Every child care provider (and household members 16 and older in home-based care) needs a DCDEE criminal background check qualification letter before starting work. The check covers federal and NC fingerprint databases, national and NC sex offender registries, an NC court records name check, the Responsible Individuals List, the Child Maltreatment Registry, and criminal, sex offender and abuse/neglect checks in any state lived in during the past five years. Letters are valid five years and must be renewed (G.S. 110-90.2; 10A NCAC 09 .2703). Unlicensed summer camps have no state background check requirement that we found.

Sources: DCDEE Criminal Background Checks - Basic Information (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Home/DCDEE-Sections/Criminal-Background-Check-Unit/Basic-Information/dhhs-criminal-background-checks); 10A NCAC 09 .2703 (Chapter 9 rules, July 1, 2025) (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/C/Chapter_9_Child_Care_Rules_Effective_July_1_2025.pdf?ver=9gQO5ZV3KdVI8BanULluoA%3d%3d)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#medication

No medicine, or even topical ointment, sunscreen or repellent, may be given without the parent's written authorization and written instructions. Prescriptions stay in the original pharmacy-labeled container, over-the-counter medicine stays in its original package labeled with the child's name (permission good for up to 30 days unless it is a standing authorization for chronic conditions or topicals), and every dose is recorded with the child's name, date, time, amount and the staff member's signature (10A NCAC 09 .0803). New staff get medication administration instruction during orientation (.1101).

Sources: 10A NCAC 09 .0803 and .1101 (Chapter 9 rules, July 1, 2025) (https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Portals/0/documents/pdf/C/Chapter_9_Child_Care_Rules_Effective_July_1_2025.pdf?ver=9gQO5ZV3KdVI8BanULluoA%3d%3d)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-carolina#reporting

Any person or institution who suspects a child is abused, neglected or dependent must report to the county Department of Social Services where the child lives or is found, by phone, in person or in writing (G.S. 7B-301). Separately, any adult who knows or should reasonably know a child is the victim of a violent or sexual offense or misdemeanor child abuse must immediately report to local law enforcement (G.S. 14-318.6). Hotline: No statewide hotline; call the county Department of Social Services and ask for CPS intake (911 in an emergency) (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/local-dss-directory).

Sources: NCDHHS: About Child Abuse and Child Neglect (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/child-welfare-services/child-protective-services/about-child-abuse-and-child-neglect); NCDHHS Local DSS Directory (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/local-dss-directory); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### North Dakota
Checked October 2026 against North Dakota's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#licensing

A license is required to care for more than five children, or more than three under 24 months, in exchange for payment; smaller home providers may self-declare instead. License types are family child care, group child care (up to 30 children), child care centers (larger programs), preschools, and school-age child care programs for ages 5 through 11 (N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-02, 50-11.1-03). Programs run by a government entity self-certify compliance ('public approval') instead of getting a license.

After-school and recreation programs: Not considered early childhood services, so no license: care in a public or private school in grade 1 or above; approved school-based programs for children under 6; summer resident or day camps that serve no children under 6 for more than two weeks; sporting events, practices or physical activities supervised by an adult; short religious classes; and care of up to four hours while the parent is on the same premises (N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-02(6)).

Licensing agency: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Early Childhood Licensing (https://www.hhs.nd.gov/cfs/early-childhood-services/child-care-licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:7 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 25 |
| 5 years | 1:12 | 30 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:20 | 40 |

Rule: N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-08(2)(a) (child care centers); 75-03-11.1-09 (school-age child care programs). Rule bands are 3 to 4 years (1:7), 4 to 5 years (1:10), 5 to 6 years (1:12), and 6 to 12 years (1:20). For mixed-age groups, each age count is multiplied by its decimal ratio and summed; a fraction of .35 or more requires another staff member. Licensed school-age programs (ages 5-11) use 1:20 with a maximum group of 40. Operators licensed two years or more may apply for a limited ratio waiver. Rule last amended April 1, 2024.

Sources: N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-03-10 (child care centers) (https://www.ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/75-03-10.pdf); N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-03-11.1 (school-age child care) (https://www.ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/75-03-11.1.pdf); N.D.C.C. ch. 50-11.1 (early childhood services) (https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t50c11-1.pdf); ND HHS Childcare Licensing (https://www.hhs.nd.gov/cfs/early-childhood-services/child-care-licensing)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#camps

North Dakota has no youth camp licensing law that we could find. Summer resident or day camps are excluded from child care licensing as long as they serve no children under 6 for more than two weeks (N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-02(6)(g)); a camp that serves younger children longer than that may need a child care license.

Sources: N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-02 definitions (https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t50c11-1.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#background-checks

Owners, staff, and volunteers or support staff who may be alone with children need a check approved before any unsupervised access: an FBI fingerprint check, national and state sex offender registry searches, state criminal history, ND child abuse and neglect records, and criminal, sex offender and abuse/neglect checks in any state lived in during the past five years. Center owners and staff must submit a fingerprint-based check at hire and at least every five years (N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-27, 75-03-10-28; N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-06.2). No camp-specific requirement was found.

Sources: ND HHS Childcare Licensing (background checks) (https://www.hhs.nd.gov/cfs/early-childhood-services/child-care-licensing); N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-27 and -28 (https://www.ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/75-03-10.pdf); N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-06.2 (https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t50c11-1.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#medication

Centers need written parent permission and proper instructions before giving any medicine; prescription medicine must come with the medical provider's written dosage and storage instructions and be labeled with the child's name and date. Medicine is stored out of children's reach (refrigerated medicine kept together in a spillproof container), and every dose, including over-the-counter, is logged with date, time, dosage, child's name and the staff member's name and kept in the child's record (N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-26(7)).

Sources: N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-26 (https://www.ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/75-03-10.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/north-dakota#reporting

Listed professionals must report when they learn of suspected abuse or neglect through their work, including child care workers, schoolteachers, administrators and counselors, medical and mental health professionals, social workers, foster parents, law enforcement, clergy and child care licensors; anyone else may report (N.D.C.C. 50-25.1-03). Reports must be made immediately, orally or in writing, with a written follow-up within 48 hours if requested (50-25.1-04). Hotline: 1-833-958-3500 (Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Line, weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central); call 911 if a child is in immediate danger (https://www.hhs.nd.gov/cfs/cps).

Sources: ND HHS Child Protection Program (https://www.hhs.nd.gov/cfs/cps); N.D.C.C. ch. 50-25.1 (https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t50c25-1.pdf)

### Ohio
Checked October 2026 against Ohio's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#licensing

DCY licenses child care centers (care for seven or more children at one time), Type A and Type B family child care homes, and school-based preschool and school-age programs. Child care rules moved from the Department of Job and Family Services to DCY and were renumbered from OAC 5101:2 to 5180:2 (centers: Chapter 5180:2-12).

After-school and recreation programs: Child day camps (school-age children only, up to 12 hours a day and no more than 15 weeks in summer) are not licensed as child care; they register with DCY each year unless exempt under ORC 5104.21. Other licensing exemptions in ORC Chapter 5104: Not confirmed.

Licensing agency: Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) (https://childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/for-providers/child-care-information)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | Not confirmed | Not set |
| 4 years | Not confirmed | Not set |
| 5 years | Not confirmed | Not set |
| School-age (6 and up) | Not confirmed | Not set |

Rule: OAC 5180:2-12-18, Appendix A (formerly 5101:2-12-18). Not confirmed: the ratio and group size table is in Appendix A to OAC 5180:2-12-18, and neither the official Ohio code site nor an official copy of the appendix could be loaded. The rule text confirms that mixed-age groups use the ratio for the youngest child, all ages may be combined when 12 or fewer children are in the center, and preschoolers may move to the school-age group (and ratio) the summer before kindergarten.

Sources: DCY Child Care Center Licensing - Getting Started (06/2026) (https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/For%20Partners%20and%20Providers/Licensing%20Compliance/01316-_Child_Care_Licensing_Getting_Started_06-2026.pdf); OAC 5101:2-12-18 group size and ratios (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/ohio/Ohio-Admin-Code-5101-2-12-18); DCY Rule Number Tracker (5101:2 to 5180:2) (https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/For%20Partners/Rules%20and%20Resources/2025/Rule_Number_Tracker.pdf); DCY Child Care Information (https://childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/for-providers/child-care-information)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#camps

Child day camps must register with DCY every year (by March 14) and pay a fee unless they meet an exemption in ORC 5104.21; camps that want to serve publicly funded children must also be accredited by the American Camp Association (or another DCY-approved body) and become DCY 'approved' day camps. Resident (overnight) camps need an annual permit from the local board of health and inspections under OAC Chapter 3701-25.

Sources: DCY Child Care Day Camps - Getting Started (rev. 08/2026) (https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/For%20Partners%20and%20Providers/Licensing%20Compliance/01314_Day_Camp_Licensing_Getting_Started_6.2026.pdf); OAC 3701-25-01 resident camp definitions (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/ohio/Ohio-Admin-Code-3701-25-01); OAC 3701-25-02 board of health permits (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/ohio/Ohio-Admin-Code-3701-25-02)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#background-checks

Center owners, administrators, employees and child care staff submit a request in the Ohio Professional Registry and get BCI and FBI fingerprints; DCY then reviews five checks: BCI, FBI, national sex offender registry, Ohio sex offender registry, and Ohio child abuse and neglect records (SACWIS). Checks must be redone every five years, after a six-month gap in child care work, or when joining a new program (new fingerprints not needed then). Registered day camps must run BCI and FBI checks before staff start and the camp administrator reviews results; approved day camps go through the full five-part DCY review.

Sources: DCY Background Checks (https://childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/for-providers/resources/background-checks); DCY Background Check and Staff File Requirements for ECE Programs (https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/For%20Partners%20and%20Providers/Rules%20and%20Resources/2026/Background_Check_and_Staff_File_Requirements_for_ECE_Programs.pdf); DCY Child Care Day Camps - Getting Started (https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/For%20Partners%20and%20Providers/Licensing%20Compliance/01314_Day_Camp_Licensing_Getting_Started_6.2026.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#medication

Under the 2021 center rule, parents complete and sign a state 'Request for Administration of Medication' form for prescription and non-prescription medicine; a physician, dentist, APRN or PA must also sign instructions unless the medicine is in its original container with a current pharmacy or manufacturer label. The child must have had at least one earlier dose before the center gives any (except listed emergency medicines), medicine is stored out of reach in its labeled original container, each dose is documented on the form right away, and forms are good for up to 12 months (OAC 5101:2-12-25). This rule was replaced as OAC 5180:2-12-25 effective July 1, 2026.

Sources: OAC 5101:2-12-25 (2021 version, Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/ohio/Ohio-Admin-Code-5101-2-12-25); DCY Rule Number Tracker (5180:2-12-25 rescind/new 7/1/26) (https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/For%20Partners/Rules%20and%20Resources/2025/Rule_Number_Tracker.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/ohio#reporting

Ohio law lists required reporters by profession, including child care workers and day care staff, school employees and teachers, health professionals, clergy, social workers and children services staff (ORC 2151.421). Ohio is also among the states whose list covers directors, employees and volunteers of organized activities for children such as camps and recreation centers. Reports go to county children services or law enforcement. Hotline: 855-642-4453 (855-O-H-CHILD) (https://childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/for-families/children-services-foster-kinship-adoption/report-abuse-neglect).

Sources: DCY Report Abuse and Neglect (https://childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/for-families/children-services-foster-kinship-adoption/report-abuse-neglect); DCY Resource Guide (hotline) (https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/childrenandyouth.ohio.gov/For%20Providers/Resource_Guide.pdf); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting (May 2023) (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Oklahoma
Checked October 2026 against Oklahoma's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#licensing

OKDHS licenses child care centers (open 30 or more hours a week), part-day programs (more than 15 but under 30 hours a week), out-of-school time programs, day camps, drop-in programs, programs for sick children, and family and large family child care homes (10 O.S. §402; OAC 340:110-3-275). A program may not take children until OKDHS issues its permit or license (OAC 340:110-3-276).

After-school and recreation programs: 10 O.S. §403 exempts, among others: programs run by a public school district during typical school hours for children 3 and up; summer youth camps and summer or after-school programs for children 4 and up that are accredited by a national standard-setting or church camp accrediting body, or chartered by or affiliated with a national nonprofit; single-activity programs such as sports, art, music, dance, scouts and 4-H; programs open 15 or fewer hours a week, fewer than 10 weeks a year, or under 8 hours a day in summer; school-age-only center programs of 21 or fewer hours a week in counties under 100,000 people; drop-in programs with parents on site; and programs where children are not enrolled and come and go freely.

Licensing agency: Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS), Child Care Services – Licensing (https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/child-care-services/child-care-licensing.html)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| 5 years | 1:20 | 40 |
| School-age (5 and older) | 1:20 | 40 |

Rule: OAC 340:110-3-286 and OAC 340 Appendix GG (Ratios and Group Sizes). These are the single-age figures for child care centers, drop-in and part-day programs; the '5-year-olds and older' row also covers school-age groups. Mixed-age groups use a separate chart (for example, 3-year-olds and older: 1:15, max 30, with no more than six 3-year-olds per staff member). Licensed out-of-school time programs: 3-year-olds 1:12 (max 24), 4-year-olds 1:15 (max 30), 5 and older 1:20 (no set maximum group). Licensed day camps (age 5 and up): 1:15. Stricter ratios apply while children swim (age 6 and up: 1:10). Only teaching staff count toward ratios.

Sources: OKDHS Licensing Requirements for Child Care Programs, Pub. 14-05 (effective 11/1/2025) (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/okdhs/documents/okdhs-publication-library/14-05_LicensingRequirementsforChildCarePrograms_ccs_07312025.pdf); OKDHS child care licensing requirements page (https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/child-care-services/child-care-licensing/licensing-requirements.html)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#camps

OKDHS licenses 'day camps' (run during school breaks, up to 12 hours a day, for children 5 and up who have attended kindergarten, outdoors at least half the day) unless the camp is exempt under 10 O.S. §403, for example accredited or national-nonprofit-affiliated camps, camps running under 10 weeks a year or under 8 hours a day in summer, and single-activity camps; summer resident (overnight) camps are exempt from child care licensing. A new law, HB 1675 (effective Nov. 1, 2026), requires all youth camps (day and overnight), camp facilities and outdoor programs to complete a severe-weather hazard assessment and emergency action plan by Jan. 1, 2027, file them with the county emergency management director, keep two weather-alert methods (one that doesn't rely on cell service), train staff every year, and give parents written notice of site hazards.

Sources: OKDHS Pub. 14-05 (day camp definition, 10 O.S. §403 exemptions) (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/okdhs/documents/okdhs-publication-library/14-05_LicensingRequirementsforChildCarePrograms_ccs_07312025.pdf); HB 1675 (2026), enrolled text (https://www.oklegislature.gov/cf_pdf/2025-26%20ENR/hB/HB1675%20ENR.PDF); Governor's office: camp safety bill signed (https://oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom/2026/governor-stitt-signs-camp-safety-bill-to-help-protect-oklahoma-kids1.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#background-checks

Owners, staff, and adults living in the facility need an OKDHS criminal history review before hire or unsupervised access: Oklahoma court records search, fingerprint-based national (FBI) check, sex offender registry, the Restricted Registry (Joshua's List), child abuse and neglect registries for any state lived in during the past 5 years, out-of-state criminal and sex offender checks when applicable, and two state caregiver abuse registries (10 O.S. §404.1; OAC 340:110-3-282). The review (without new fingerprints) is repeated every 5 years. Camps that are exempt from licensing are not covered by these licensing checks.

Sources: OKDHS Pub. 14-05 (OAC 340:110-3-282 and 10 O.S. §404.1) (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/okdhs/documents/okdhs-publication-library/14-05_LicensingRequirementsforChildCarePrograms_ccs_07312025.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#medication

Parents supply the medicine and sign permission for each medication before it is given (up to 12 months at a time for chronic conditions). Only designated staff give it, from the original container labeled with the child's full name, following the label or a physician's instructions, never after it expires; each dose is logged right away, and medicines are kept out of children's reach except emergency medicines like epinephrine pens and inhalers, which stay near the child (OAC 340:110-3-295).

Sources: OKDHS Pub. 14-05 (OAC 340:110-3-295, Medication) (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/okdhs/documents/okdhs-publication-library/14-05_LicensingRequirementsforChildCarePrograms_ccs_07312025.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma#reporting

Every person who has reason to believe a child under 18 is being abused or neglected must report it immediately to OKDHS through the statewide hotline (10A O.S. §1-2-101(B), as amended effective Nov. 1, 2025). Knowingly failing to report promptly is a crime, and school employees must also notify local law enforcement. Hotline: 1-800-522-3511 (https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/reportabuse.html).

Sources: OKDHS Report Abuse page (https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/reportabuse.html); HB 2798 (2025), amending 10A O.S. §1-2-101, enrolled text (https://www.oklegislature.gov/cf_pdf/2025-26%20ENR/hB/HB2798%20ENR.PDF); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Oregon
Checked October 2026 against Oregon's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#licensing

DELC certifies child care centers serving children from 6 weeks through age 12 (OAR 414-305) and school-age-only centers (OAR 414-310), and licenses family child care homes. Certain license-exempt preschool and school-age programs must still be 'recorded' with DELC.

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt from certification (OAR 414-305-0120): programs run by a school district, charter school, city, county or other government agency; single-enrichment activities such as sports practice, lessons or tutoring where no child attends more than 8 hours a week; group athletic or social activities of an organized club; care given only during summer or holiday breaks for fewer than 70 days a year; and youth development activities for school-age children when school is out. Programs offering youth development activities to school-age children must register as 'recorded programs': all staff and volunteers 18 and older enroll in the Central Background Registry and the program posts a notice for parents.

Licensing agency: Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC), Child Care Licensing Division (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/pages/certified-center.aspx)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (not yet kindergarten-eligible) | 1:10 | 20 |
| School-age (kindergarten-eligible and up) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: OAR 414-305-0400 (Table 3A). Oregon groups children from 36 months to school-age together (1:10, max 20). 'School-age' means eligible for kindergarten by the first day of the current school year, including the summer before kindergarten, so most 5-year-olds use the school-age ratio. Table 3A applies to centers first certified after July 15, 2001; older centers may use Table 3B (school-age is also 1:15, max 30). Mixed-age groups use the youngest child's ratio, except centers with 16 or fewer children may use the Mixed-Age Ratio Table. School-age-only centers: 1:15, max 30 (OAR 414-310-0360).

Sources: DELC Rules for Certified Child Care Centers, CCLD-0084 (OAR 414-305) (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/CCLD_Library/CCLD-0084-Rules-for-Certified-Child-Care-Centers-EN.pdf); OAR 414-305-0400 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/oregon/Or-Admin-Code-SS-414-305-0400); DELC Rules for Certified School-Age Centers, CCLD-0542 (OAR 414-310) (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/CCLD_Library/CCLD-0542-Rules-for-Certified-School-Age-Child-Care-Centers-EN.pdf); DELC Recorded Programs (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/Pages/recorded-programs.aspx)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#camps

Operating an 'organizational camp' requires a yearly license from the Oregon Health Authority or a delegated county health department; licenses expire Dec. 31 (OAR 333-030-0020). State law defines organizational camps to include youth, scout, summer, day, nature, survival and athletic camps, including those run by religious, school or community groups (ORS 446.310), and the rules cover sanitation, water, food service and camp health care. Separately, a school-age day program may need to be recorded with DELC or, if it works as child care, certified.

Sources: OAR 333-030-0020 Licensing Required (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/oregon/Or-Admin-Code-SS-333-030-0020); OAR 333-030-0015 Definitions, incl. day camp (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/oregon/Or-Admin-Code-SS-333-030-0015); ORS 446.310 definitions (oregon.public.law mirror) (https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_446.310); OHA Pools and Lodging (organizational camps) (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/healthyenvironments/recreation/poolslodging/pages/index.aspx)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#background-checks

The operator, all center staff, and anyone 18 or older who may have unsupervised access to children must be enrolled in DELC's Central Background Registry (CBR) before working (OAR 414-305-0310). The CBR check covers Oregon State Police records, ODHS child protective services records, an FBI fingerprint check and sex offender registries, plus out-of-state checks for anyone who lived elsewhere in the past 5 years; enrollment expires every 5 years (OAR 414-061-0090). Recorded (license-exempt) school-age and preschool programs must also enroll staff and volunteers 18 and older. No separate background check rule for organizational camps was found.

Sources: DELC Central Background Registry (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/pages/cbr.aspx); OAR 414-061-0090 (Cornell LII) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/oregon/Or-Admin-Code-SS-414-061-0090); DELC Recorded Programs (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/Pages/recorded-programs.aspx)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#medication

Before giving any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, a center needs signed, dated parent authorization (up to 12 months for chronic conditions; phone permission is allowed for a single dose of a non-prescription medicine). Medicine must be in its original labeled container (prescriptions labeled with the child's name), not expired, given as labeled unless a physician writes otherwise; each dose is logged right away with any side effects, parents are told daily, and medicines are kept out of children's reach (OAR 414-305-1030).

Sources: DELC CCLD-0084 (OAR 414-305-1030, Medications) (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/CCLD_Library/CCLD-0084-Rules-for-Certified-Child-Care-Centers-EN.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oregon#reporting

Oregon lists 'public or private officials' who must report immediately (ORS 419B.005, 419B.010), including school employees, registered or certified child care providers, operators of recorded programs, paid coaches and athletic trainers, and employees of organizations providing child-related services such as youth groups, scouts, and summer or day camps. Reports go to ODHS or law enforcement. Hotline: 1-855-503-7233 (855-503-SAFE) (https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/report-abuse/Pages/mandatory-reporting.aspx).

Sources: ODHS: Reporting Child Abuse in Oregon / Mandatory Reporting (https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/report-abuse/Pages/mandatory-reporting.aspx); ODHS: How to Report Abuse or Neglect (https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/report-abuse/pages/default.aspx); ORS 419B.005 (oregon.public.law mirror) (https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_419B.005)

### Pennsylvania
Checked October 2026 against Pennsylvania's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#licensing

A DHS certificate of compliance is required for child care centers (7 or more children), group child care homes and family child care homes (4 to 6 children) caring for children 15 and younger for part of a 24-hour day, including before- and after-school care in public or private, for-profit or nonprofit facilities (55 Pa. Code §3270.3).

After-school and recreation programs: Under an OCDEL policy statement (55 Pa. Code §3270.3a), part-day school-age programs for children in kindergarten through age 15 don't need certification if they run fewer than 90 consecutive days a year (most summer camps), operate 2 hours or less a day on 3 or fewer days a week, have a single focus such as basketball or art, are drop-in programs where children come and go, or are PDE-licensed or approved tutoring programs. A certified center that adds school-age children in summer doesn't qualify, and care during instruction hours in nonpublic schools is also exempt. OCDEL restated these rules for school-age programs in school buildings in Announcement C-26-01 (June 2026).

Licensing agency: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Certification Services (https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/departments-offices/ocdel-info/ocdel-bureau-certification-services.html)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (before kindergarten) | 1:10 | 20 |
| Young school-age (kindergarten through 3rd grade) | 1:12 | 24 |
| Older school-age (4th grade through age 15) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: 55 Pa. Code §3270.51. Pennsylvania uses grade, not age: 'preschool' runs from age 3 until the child enters kindergarten; 'young school-age' is kindergarten until entering 4th grade; 'older school-age' is 4th grade through age 15 (55 Pa. Code §3270.4). Mixed-age groups follow §3270.52.

Sources: 55 Pa. Code §3270.51 (ratios) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.51.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.4 (definitions) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.4.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.3a (school-age exemptions) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.3a.html); OCDEL Announcement C-26-01 (June 10, 2026) (https://www.pakeys.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FINAL-OCDEL_C-26-01-Applicability-of-Regulations-Accessible.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#camps

Pennsylvania has no state program license for youth camps. An 'organized camp' (an outdoor group-living program run for 5 or more consecutive days) and campgrounds need a yearly sanitation permit covering water, sewage and toilets from the Department of Health or local health department (28 Pa. Code §§19.1, 19.11). School-age day camps (kindergarten and up) running fewer than 90 consecutive days are usually exempt from child care certification, but that exemption doesn't cover preschool-age children; camp employees and volunteers still need child abuse clearances.

Sources: 28 Pa. Code §19.11 (organized camp permit) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/028/chapter19/s19.11.html); 28 Pa. Code §19.1 (definitions) (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/028/chapter19/s19.1.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.3a (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.3a.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#background-checks

Under the Child Protective Services Law, employees of child care and of any program, activity or service where they are responsible for children need three clearances: PA child abuse history, PA State Police criminal record, and an FBI fingerprint check, renewed every 60 months. Certified child care staff and volunteers also need a National Sex Offender Registry check and out-of-state checks if they lived outside PA in the past 5 years. Adult volunteers in youth programs need the child abuse and State Police clearances; the FBI check is needed only if they haven't lived in PA for the full past 10 years (otherwise a signed statement). Provisional hiring for up to 45 days is allowed under set conditions.

Sources: PA DHS: Child Abuse Clearances (https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dhs/resources/keep-kids-safe/child-abuse-clearances.html); PA DHS FAQ: Employees Having Contact with Children (10/01/2026) (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/kks-faq-employees.pdf); PA DHS FAQ: Certified Child Care Providers (10/01/2026) (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/kks-faq-child-care-providers.pdf); PA DHS FAQ: Volunteers (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/kks-faq-volunteers.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#medication

Centers must reasonably accommodate medication a child needs for a special need but are not required to give other medication. When they do: original container labeled with the medication and child's name, prescriber's written instructions for prescriptions (the label counts), written parent consent, locked or out-of-reach storage, and a medication log with dose, date, time and staff initials (55 Pa. Code §3270.133). Staff complete medication administration training within 90 days of hire (§3270.31(f)).

Sources: 55 Pa. Code §3270.133 (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.133.html); 55 Pa. Code §3270.31 (https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.31.html)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/pennsylvania#reporting

Mandated reporters include school employees, child care employees with direct contact with children, and anyone, paid or unpaid, who as an integral part of a regularly scheduled program, activity or service is responsible for a child's welfare or has direct contact with children (23 Pa.C.S. §6311). They must report immediately to ChildLine by phone or online, then notify the person in charge of their organization. Hotline: 1-800-932-0313 (ChildLine) (https://www.pa.gov/services/dhs/report-child-abuse-or-neglect-as-a-mandated-reporter).

Sources: PA DHS: Report as a Mandated Reporter (https://www.pa.gov/services/dhs/report-child-abuse-or-neglect-as-a-mandated-reporter); PA DHS Mandated Reporters FAQ (https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/keepkidssafe/clearances/documents/FAQ_Mandated%20Reporter.pdf); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Rhode Island
Checked October 2026 against Rhode Island's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#licensing

DHS licenses child care centers and school-age programs under one regulation (218-RICR-70-00-1, amended effective July 7, 2026), plus family and group family child care homes (218-RICR-70-00-2 and -7). New programs apply through the RISES online system, complete DHS orientation training, and start on a 6-month provisional license.

After-school and recreation programs: Not confirmed. The licensing statute (R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 42-12.5) that would list exempt programs could not be reached, and the current DHS regulation does not list exemptions.

Licensing agency: Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Child Care Licensing (https://dhs.ri.gov)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:9 | 18 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (not yet in kindergarten) | 1:12 | 24 |
| School-age (kindergarten through age 15) | 1:13 | 26 |

Rule: 218-RICR-70-00-1 §1.11(B). A 5-year-old in kindergarten counts as school-age (1:13, max 26), and a child may join a school-age K group the summer before kindergarten. The 1:13 ratio applies to every school-age band (K, grades 1–3, 4–6, and 7 and up, under 16). Mixed-age groups use the youngest child's ratio. Stricter ratios apply on field trips and during swimming.

Sources: 218-RICR-70-00-1 Child Care Center and School Age Program Regulations for Licensure (https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/218-70-00-1)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#camps

RIDOH's recreational facility rules define youth camps as day or residential camps with 10 or more campers and set sanitation standards for them (water, sewage, toilets, handwashing, showers for residential camps); a RIDOH license is required to operate a recreational facility (216-RICR-50-10-3). These are environmental health rules, not a program or staffing license; no separate RI youth camp program license was found.

Sources: 216-RICR-50-10-3 Licensing of Recreational Facilities and Beaches (https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/216-50-10-3)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#background-checks

Every employee and volunteer working directly with children must complete a DHS comprehensive background check before starting and every 5 years: state and national criminal and sex offender registry checks (fingerprints for adults), a DCYF child abuse and neglect clearance, and out-of-state checks if the person lived outside Rhode Island in the past 5 years. Staff and volunteers under 18 need only the child abuse and neglect registry check (218-RICR-70-00-1 §§1.6, 1.12(A)).

Sources: 218-RICR-70-00-1 (§1.6 definition; §1.12(A) background checks) (https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/218-70-00-1); RI DHS background check page (cited in the regulation) (https://dhs.ri.gov/programs-and-services/child-care/child-care-providers/background-checks)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#medication

No medication, prescription or over-the-counter, is given without written parent permission and a written order from a physician, PA or nurse practitioner (the pharmacy label can serve) in the original container. The program administrator or designee gives medications when no nurse is on site, the parent gives the first dose, every dose is logged, and medications are stored locked and labeled; sunscreen, insect repellent and diaper cream need parent consent only (218-RICR-70-00-1 §1.9(C)).

Sources: 218-RICR-70-00-1 §1.9(C) Medication Administration (https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/218-70-00-1)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/rhode-island#reporting

Any person who has reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been abused or neglected must report it to the DCYF Child Protective Services hotline within 24 hours (R.I. Gen. Laws §40-11-3; 214-RICR-20-00-1 §1.6). Licensed programs must also notify the DHS licensing unit right after reporting if the incident happened at the program. Hotline: 1-800-742-4453 (1-800-RI-CHILD) (https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/214-20-00-1).

Sources: 214-RICR-20-00-1 Child Protective Services (§1.6 Reporting) (https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/214-20-00-1); 218-RICR-70-00-1 §1.9(E) (hotline number) (https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/218-70-00-1); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### South Carolina
Checked October 2026 against South Carolina's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#licensing

DSS licenses private child care centers (13 or more children) and group child care homes (7 to 12 children); government-run centers get DSS 'approval', and church-run centers that take no public child care money and family child care homes (6 or fewer) are 'registered' (S.C. Code §§63-13-20, 63-13-1010). State law defines childcare as care for more than 4 but less than 24 hours a day on more than two days a week.

After-school and recreation programs: S.C. Code §63-13-20(4) excludes schools operating solely for education in grade 1 and up; 5-year-old kindergarten; programs of 4 hours a day or less for children under school age; school vacation or holiday day camps run in sessions under 3 weeks (unless children can enroll in back-to-back sessions totaling more than 3 weeks); summer resident camps; and vacation Bible schools. Because 'childcare' means care for more than 4 hours a day on more than two days a week, school-age programs open 4 hours a day or less appear to fall outside licensing; confirm with DSS.

Licensing agency: South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS), Division of Early Care and Education – Child Care Licensing (https://www.scchildcare.org)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | Not set |
| 4 years | 1:17 | Not set |
| 5 years | 1:20 | Not set |
| School-age (6 to 12 years) | 1:23 | Not set |

Rule: S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 114-504(B). Bands are 3–4, 4–5, 5–6 and 6–12 years; the regulations set no maximum group size. In mixed-age groups without infants or toddlers, the ratio follows the age of most of the children; with any infant or toddler, the youngest child's ratio applies. Church-operated centers follow a separate table (Regs. 114-524), and stricter ratios apply around water (age 5 and up: 2 staff per 25 children).

Sources: S.C. Code Regs. Chapter 114 (Regs. 114-500 to 114-509, licensed centers) (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/coderegs/Chapter%20114.pdf); S.C. Code Title 63, Chapter 13 (Childcare Facilities) (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t63c013.php)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#camps

South Carolina has no youth camp license: the former state health regulation for camps (Reg. 61-39) was repealed in 2016. Summer resident (overnight) camps are exempt from child care licensing, and school vacation day camps are exempt only if they run in sessions under 3 weeks and don't let children enroll in back-to-back sessions totaling more than 3 weeks; other day camps fall under DSS child care licensing (S.C. Code §63-13-20(4)(e)–(f)).

Sources: S.C. Code §63-13-20 (definitions and exclusions) (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t63c013.php); S.C. Code Regs. 61-39 Camps (repealed 2016), in Chapter 61-18 to 61-58.17 (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/coderegs/Chapter%2061-18%20through%2061-58.17.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#background-checks

Before working in a licensed, approved or registered facility, caregivers and staff need a SLED state fingerprint check, an FBI fingerprint check, a DSS Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect check, and national (NCIC) and state sex offender registry searches, plus criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry checks in every state lived in during the past 5 years (S.C. Code §63-13-40(D)). Fingerprint checks are repeated every 5 years, or sooner if the person leaves child care for 6 months or more. Provisional hiring is allowed under strict supervision once the first checks clear.

Sources: S.C. Code §63-13-40 (background checks) (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t63c013.php)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#medication

Staff may give medication only with a signed, dated parent consent form good for no more than one year (an electronic authorization, or phone authorization for a single dose, is allowed), following the label or the health care provider's written changes, and never expired (S.C. Code §63-13-185). Medicines stay in the original labeled container with the child's first and last name and child-protective caps, are kept locked, and each dose is logged right away with a copy to the parent; medication errors must be recorded and parents told immediately (Regs. 114-505(D)).

Sources: S.C. Code §63-13-185 (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t63c013.php); S.C. Code Regs. 114-505(D) (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/coderegs/Chapter%20114.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-carolina#reporting

Listed professionals must report, including childcare workers in a childcare center, teachers, school counselors and principals, health and mental health professionals, clergy and law enforcement; anyone else may report and is encouraged to (S.C. Code §63-7-310). Reports go to the county DSS office or law enforcement; the statute does not set a specific deadline.

Sources: S.C. Code Title 63, Chapter 7 (§63-7-310) (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t63c007.php); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### South Dakota
Checked October 2026 against South Dakota's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#licensing

DSS must license day care centers (21 or more children), group family day care homes (13 to 20 children) and before-and-after-school programs, regardless of funding source (SDCL 26-6-14). Family day care homes (12 or fewer children) register with DSS only if they are paid with public funds; others may register voluntarily (SDCL 26-6-14.1, 26-6-14.2).

After-school and recreation programs: Day care run by a school board for children of its enrolled students is exempt (SDCL 26-6-1.1). DSS says other before-and-after-school programs, including full-day care during school breaks, must be licensed whatever their location; the only exemption is a program offering educational or recreational activities where children come and go on their own.

Licensing agency: South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS), Office of Licensing and Accreditation – Child Care Licensing (https://dss.sd.gov/childcare/licensing/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | Not set |
| 4 years | 1:10 | Not set |
| 5 years | 1:15 | Not set |
| School-age | 1:15 | Not set |

Rule: ARSD 67:42:17:21. Bands are under 3 years (1:5), 3 through 4 years (1:10), and 5 years and over (1:15), for both centers and school-age programs. There is no fixed maximum group size: group size is set by each room's approved capacity (ARSD 67:42:17:19). Programs with 20 or fewer children in a routine mixed-age group use 1:10; larger mixed groups use 1:5 if three or more children are under 3, otherwise the ratio for the age of most children (ARSD 67:42:17:22).

Sources: ARSD 67:42:17 Child Care Licensing (https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/67:42:17); SDCL 26-6-14 (license categories) (https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/26-6-14); SDCL 26-6-1.1 (school board exemption) (https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/26-6-1.1); DSS: Before & After School Programs fact sheet (https://dss.sd.gov/docs/childcare/licensing/Before_and_After_School_Programs/before_and_after.pdf); DSS: Licensed Child Care Program fact sheet (https://dss.sd.gov/docs/childcare/licensing/Licensed_Day_Care_Center/Licensed_Child_Care_Programs.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#camps

No South Dakota youth camp licensing law was found. The Department of Health licenses campgrounds for the traveling public (ARSD 44:02:14), which is not a camp program license. A summer program that regularly cares for and supervises children may need a DSS child care license; DSS says school-age programs need a license even when they run full days during school breaks.

Sources: ARSD 44:02:14 Campground regulation (https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/44:02:14); DSS: Before & After School Programs fact sheet (https://dss.sd.gov/docs/childcare/licensing/Before_and_After_School_Programs/before_and_after.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#background-checks

All child care providers and program employees 14 and older must meet federal background check requirements, repeated at least every 5 years (ARSD 67:42:17:13). In-state checks: South Dakota criminal records (fingerprints), state sex offender registry, the DSS child abuse and neglect central registry, NCIC, and an FBI fingerprint check; out-of-state criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry checks are required for each state lived in during the past 5 years. DSS pays the fees. No camp-specific requirement was found.

Sources: DSS: Child Care Provider Background Screening (https://dss.sd.gov/childcare/background_screening.aspx); ARSD 67:42:17:13 (https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/67:42:17)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#medication

Before any medication is given, the parent's permission must be documented with the child's name, medication, dates, times and dosage. The parent supplies it in the original labeled container (prescription labels must show the child's name, dose and frequency, expiration date, prescriber and storage instructions); each dose is recorded with dose, time, date and who gave it, records are kept 6 months, medicines are stored out of children's reach, and unused or expired medicine goes back to the parent (ARSD 67:42:17:27–28).

Sources: ARSD 67:42:17:27 and :28 (https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/67:42:17)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/south-dakota#reporting

Listed professionals must report, including teachers, school counselors and officials, coaches of school activities, licensed or registered child welfare providers, employees and volunteers of child advocacy organizations or child welfare service providers, health professionals and law enforcement (SDCL 26-8A-3); the child care rules also require child care providers to report immediately (ARSD 67:42:17:47). Reports must be made orally and immediately to DSS, law enforcement or the county state's attorney (SDCL 26-8A-8); intentionally failing to report is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Hotline: 1-877-244-0864 (DSS Child Protection Services intake, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays; after hours, call local law enforcement) (https://dss.sd.gov/childcare/).

Sources: SDCL 26-8A-3 (who must report) (https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/26-8A-3); SDCL 26-8A-8 (how to report) (https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/26-8A-8); DSS Child Care Services (reporting number) (https://dss.sd.gov/childcare/); ARSD 67:42:17:47 (child care providers must report immediately) (https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/67:42:17)

### Tennessee
Checked October 2026 against Tennessee's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#licensing

A program needs a TDHS license if it provides care for 3 or more hours a day to 5 or more children who are not related to the caregiver. Family child care homes care for 5-7 children, group child care homes for 8-12, and child care centers for 13 or more (Rule 1240-04-01-.02; T.C.A. §71-3-501 et seq.).

After-school and recreation programs: Programs, such as after-school programs, that do not care for 5 or more unrelated children for 3 or more hours a day do not need a license. School-administered preschool and school-age programs are regulated by the Department of Education instead of TDHS. Other exemptions include recreational programs, camps that run only in summer (under 90 days a year) or only during school breaks, Boys & Girls Clubs, and YMCA school-age programs. Most exempt programs must register with TDHS, get written approval before operating, post a sign saying they are not licensed, and keep attendance records (T.C.A. §71-3-503, as amended July 1, 2025).

Licensing agency: Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS), Child Care Services (https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-care-services.html)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:9 | 18 |
| 4 years | 1:13 | 24 |
| 5 years | 1:16 | 24 |
| School-age (enrolled in and attending school) | 1:20 | Not set |

Rule: Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-04-01-.22(1)(c), Chart 1 (rules revised February 2026). School-age groups have no maximum group size. Chart 2 sets mixed-age ratios, for example 1:13 (group of 24) for 3-5 years and 1:20 for 5-12 years. Chart 3 allows larger combined groups during the first and last 1.5 hours of the day. Centers may exceed ratios and group sizes by up to 10% no more than 3 days a week, but never for infants or toddlers. When more than 12 children in first grade or above are present, they need their own educator, group, space, and program.

Sources: Rule 1240-04-01, Licensure Rules for Child Care Agencies (TN Secretary of State, Feb 2026) (https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1240/1240-04/1240-04-01.20260208.pdf); T.C.A. §71-3-503, exemptions as amended July 1, 2025 (TDHS) (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/human-services/documents/71-3-503.%20Programs%20and%20facilities%20exempt%20from%20licensing%20amended%20effective%20July%201,%202025.pdf); TDHS: Procedures for Requesting an Exemption from Licensure (https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-care-services/how-to-become-a-licensed-child-care-provider/procedures-for-requesting-an-exemption-from-licensure.html)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#camps

An organized camp needs a Department of Health permit before it opens (T.C.A. §68-110-103; Rule 1200-01-05). The permit covers health and sanitation, such as facilities, water, and sewage, rather than program staffing. The rules cover camps with outdoor group living or sleeping quarters and define a day camp as an organized camp program. Separately, a camp that meets the legal definition of child care is exempt from a TDHS license only if it runs in summer (under 90 days a year) or during school breaks, serves school-age children, registers with TDHS, and has written approval to operate (T.C.A. §71-3-503(b)(9)).

Sources: TN Department of Health, Environmental Health (Organized Campgrounds) (https://www.tn.gov/health/eh.html); Rule 1200-01-05, Organized Camps (TN Secretary of State) (https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1200/1200-01/1200-01-05.pdf); T.C.A. §71-3-503 exemptions (TDHS) (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/human-services/documents/71-3-503.%20Programs%20and%20facilities%20exempt%20from%20licensing%20amended%20effective%20July%201,%202025.pdf)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#background-checks

Owners, operators, directors, employees, substitutes counted in ratio who work more than 36 hours a year, and household members 15 or older need a fingerprint-based criminal background check and a registry review no more than 90 days before they have access to the agency. The registry review covers the Vulnerable Persons Registry, the sex offender registry, and Department of Children's Services abuse/neglect records. Checks must be repeated at least every 5 years and after a break in child care employment of more than 180 days. No one may have unsupervised contact with children until cleared (Rule 1240-04-01-.07; T.C.A. §71-3-507). We did not find a separate state background check requirement for youth camps.

Sources: Rule 1240-04-01-.07 (TN Secretary of State, Feb 2026) (https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1240/1240-04/1240-04-01.20260208.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#medication

A designated staff member must accept medication from the parent, get written parent authorization for each medication, and confirm that it is in its original container, not expired, and labeled with the child's name. Only staff trained in medication administration may give it, and each dose is documented (time, amount, side effects, staff name) with a copy to the parent. Medication is stored in a child-proof container, though emergency medications such as an EpiPen or inhaler may be kept unlocked out of children's reach (Rule 1240-04-01-.12(12)).

Sources: Rule 1240-04-01-.12(12) (TN Secretary of State, Feb 2026) (https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1240/1240-04/1240-04-01.20260208.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/tennessee#reporting

Everyone in Tennessee is a mandated reporter and must report suspected child abuse or neglect immediately (T.C.A. §§37-1-403 and 37-1-605). Child care rules make each owner, director, staff member, substitute, and volunteer personally responsible for reporting. Staff may not wait to investigate first, and a program may not have policies that get in the way of reporting (Rule 1240-04-01-.10). Hotline: 1-877-237-0004 (https://www.tn.gov/dcs/program-areas/child-safety/report-child-abuse.html).

Sources: TN Department of Children's Services: Report Child Abuse (https://www.tn.gov/dcs/program-areas/child-safety/report-child-abuse.html); Rule 1240-04-01-.10, Duty to Report (TN Secretary of State, Feb 2026) (https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1240/1240-04/1240-04-01.20260208.pdf); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Texas
Checked October 2026 against Texas's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#licensing

Child-care centers, licensed and registered child-care homes, and listed family homes are regulated by HHSC under Human Resources Code Chapter 42. Programs that offer before- or after-school care or school-age program services are licensed under their own standards (26 TAC Chapter 744), which use the center ratios and group sizes.

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt programs include before/after-school programs run by (or under contract with) a school accredited by TEA or another recognized body, municipal recreation programs for ages 5-13 that meet city standards of care, neighborhood recreation programs, single-skill programs (such as sports or dance), short-term programs running less than 3 consecutive weeks and fewer than 40 days a year, programs where parents stay on the premises, and youth camps licensed by DSHS (26 TAC §§745.115-745.129; HRC §42.041(b)). Most of these exemptions come with conditions, such as telling parents the program is not licensed and running background checks.

Licensing agency: Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Child Care Regulation (https://www.hhs.texas.gov/providers/child-care-regulation)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| 4 years | 1:18 | 35 |
| 5 years | 1:22 | 35 |
| School-age (6-13 years) | 1:26 | 35 |

Rule: 26 TAC §746.1601 (ratios) and §746.1609 (maximum group size); 26 TAC §744.1601 and §744.1607 apply the same numbers to licensed school-age and before/after-school programs. These figures apply to centers licensed for 13 or more children. Ratios are based on the group's 'specified age': the age of the middle child when the children are listed from youngest to oldest (26 TAC §746.1603). Texas lists 6-8 years and 9-13 years separately, and both are 26 children per caregiver with a group of 35. Centers caring for 12 or fewer children follow different rules (Division 3, starting at §746.1701).

Sources: HHSC Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers (26 TAC Ch. 746), revised December 2025 (https://www.hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/doing-business-with-hhs/provider-portal/protective-services/ccl/min-standards/chapter-746-centers.pdf); HHSC Minimum Standards for School-Age and Before or After-School Programs (26 TAC Ch. 744) (https://www.hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/chapter-744-school-age.pdf); HHSC Child Care Regulation Handbook, 2300 Exemption Categories and Types (https://fhb.hhs.texas.gov/node/310056); HHSC Minimum Standards page (https://www.hhs.texas.gov/providers/child-care-regulation/minimum-standards)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#camps

Day camps, resident camps, and travel camps that meet the state's youth camp definition need a DSHS youth camp license before operating (Health and Safety Code Chapter 141; 25 TAC Chapter 265, Subchapter B). A program counts as a youth camp only if it serves at least 5 minors away from their parents for 4 or more consecutive days, 4 or more hours a day, only during school vacations, for no more than 120 days a year, and offers at least two outdoor specialized activities such as swimming, archery, or horseback riding (25 TAC §265.11). A program that misses any of these criteria is not a youth camp but may need a child care license from HHSC. The Legislature rewrote the camp safety law in 2025 (HB 1 and SB 1), and DSHS adopted new rules in early 2026.

Sources: DSHS Youth Camp Program (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/youth-camp-program); DSHS License Qualification Package (youth camp definition) (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/youth-camp-program/license-qualification-package-youth-camp-program); 25 TAC Ch. 265 Subch. B, rules as in effect 02/02/2026 (DSHS PDF) (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/youthcamp/pdf/25-tac-p1-ch-265-subch-b-master-rules-as-of-02.02.2026.pdf); DSHS Youth Camp Laws and Rules (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/youth-camp-program/laws-rules-youth-camp-program)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#background-checks

In licensed child care, staff and others who need a check must have a criminal history check (fingerprint-based for most staff), a check of the DFPS central registry of child abuse and neglect, a SEMARC check (misconduct findings held by HHSC's Employee Misconduct Registry, TEA, and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department), and, for child day-care operations, a National Sex Offender Registry check. People who lived outside Texas in the past 5 years also need out-of-state criminal, abuse/neglect registry, and sex offender registry checks. Fingerprint-based checks must be renewed at least every 5 years (26 TAC §§745.609-745.621). Licensed youth camps must run a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check on every adult staff member and adult volunteer before they have unsupervised contact with campers, and repeat both checks every year (25 TAC §265.12(f)).

Sources: HHSC Background Check Rules, 26 TAC Ch. 745 Subch. F (revised 8/2026) (https://www.hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/doing-business-with-hhs/provider-portal/protective-services/ccl/min-standards/745-sub-f-background-checks.pdf); 25 TAC §265.12(f), youth camp background checks (DSHS PDF) (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/youthcamp/pdf/25-tac-p1-ch-265-subch-b-master-rules-as-of-02.02.2026.pdf)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#medication

Centers need the parent's authorization before giving any medication: in writing (signed and dated), electronically, or by phone for a single dose. An authorization expires after one year. Medication must be in its original container labeled with the child's full name, given as the label or the child's health-care professional directs, and logged with the child's name, medication, date, time, amount, and the staff member's name. Records must be kept 3 months (26 TAC §§746.3803-746.3809). A center that will not give medication must tell parents in writing before enrollment (§746.3811).

Sources: HHSC Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers, Subchapter S Division 2 (https://www.hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/doing-business-with-hhs/provider-portal/protective-services/ccl/min-standards/chapter-746-centers.pdf)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/texas#reporting

Anyone who has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected must report immediately. Professionals, including teachers, day-care employees, and anyone licensed by the state or working for a state-licensed facility who has direct contact with children, must report within 24 hours and cannot hand the duty to someone else (Texas Family Code §261.101). Hotline: 1-800-252-5400 (https://www.txabusehotline.org).

Sources: Texas Family Code §261.101 (official statutes) (https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/FA/htm/FA.261.htm); DFPS: Report Abuse (https://www.dfps.texas.gov/Contact_Us/report_abuse.asp); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Utah
Checked October 2026 against Utah's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#licensing

A child care center license is required to care for 5 or more unrelated children, for pay, away from the provider's or child's home, without the parent present, on an ongoing basis for 4 or more weeks a year (R381-100-3). An out-of-school-time license is required for programs that serve 5 or more children age 5 and older, for pay, 3 or more days a week and 30 or more days a year (R381-70-3). Home-based providers are licensed or certified separately.

After-school and recreation programs: No license is needed for care that is part of a program run by a school regulated by the state or local boards of education, or for care at a public school by an outside organization under contract with the school or with the school's oversight. Also exempt are nonprofit (501(c)(3)) programs for children over 4 and under 13 run under a written agreement with a city or county that oversees them, summer camps on federal land under a federal permit, and short, sporadic care (under 4 hours) with the parent in the building (Utah Code §26B-2-405; R430-8-4). Exempt programs must apply each year to verify their exempt status, post a notice that they are not licensed, and, except school-run programs, submit fingerprint background checks for staff (R430-8-5).

Licensing agency: Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Licensing and Background Checks (DLBC), Office of Licensing - Child Care (https://dlbc.utah.gov/home/office-of-licensing/child-care/rules/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 4 years | 1:15 | 30 |
| 5 years | 1:20 | 40 |
| School-age (5 years and older) | 1:20 | 40 |

Rule: Utah Admin. Code R381-100-10, Table 1 (child care centers); R381-70-10 (out-of-school-time programs: 1 staff per 20 children, maximum group 40). Utah's center rule puts 5-year-olds in the 'school-age' band (5 and older), so the 5-year and school-age rows are the same. In mixed-age groups without infants or toddlers, the ratio is based on the oldest child's age group minus one child, and the maximum group size on the oldest child's age group minus two children. At least two caregivers must be present when a single group has more than 8 children. Volunteers age 16 and older may count in ratio at centers.

Sources: Utah Admin. Code R381-100-10, Ratios and Group Size (LII mirror, amended eff. 5/8/2025) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R381-100-10); Utah Admin. Code R381-100-3, License Required (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R381-100-3); Utah Admin. Code R381-70-10, Out-of-School-Time ratios (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R381-70-10); Utah Code §26B-2-405, Exclusions from child care licensing (Utah Legislature) (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title26B/Chapter2/26B-2-S405.html); Utah Admin. Code R430-8-4, Exempt care (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R430-8-4)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#camps

We found no state youth camp license in Utah. Camps used for temporary overnight stays must meet the state Recreation Camp Sanitation rule (R392-300), which covers water, sewer, and facilities and is enforced by the local health department. That rule does not set staffing or program standards. A day camp or other summer program that cares for 5 or more children age 5 and up, 3 or more days a week for 30 or more days a year, may need an out-of-school-time child care license unless it qualifies for an exemption, such as a summer camp on federal land under a federal permit or a nonprofit program run under a city or county agreement (R381-70-3; Utah Code §26B-2-405).

Sources: Utah Admin. Code R392-300, Recreation Camp Sanitation (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/health/title-R392/rule-R392-300); Utah Admin. Code R381-70-3, Out-of-School-Time license required (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R381-70-3); Utah Code §26B-2-405 (Utah Legislature) (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title26B/Chapter2/26B-2-S405.html)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#background-checks

Before a new staff member or other covered individual starts, the provider must confirm their eligibility in the licensing provider portal. Anyone not already cleared submits an online application and fingerprints (age 16 and older) for a check by the DHHS Office of Background Processing. The check covers criminal history, the Utah and national sex offender registries, and supported child abuse/neglect findings in the state Licensing Information System (LIS). A new check is required if the person has been away from a licensed program for more than 180 days, has lived outside Utah since the last check, or turns 18. Providers and staff must report any new arrest, charge, or finding within 48 hours (R381-100-8). License-exempt programs, except school-run ones, must also submit these checks (R430-8-5).

Sources: Utah Admin. Code R381-100-8, Background Checks (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R381-100-8); Utah Admin. Code R430-8-5, Background checks for exempt programs (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R430-8-5)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#medication

Parent-supplied medication must be in its original or pharmacy container, with the original label and the child's full name. A signed, dated parent permission form must list the medication, dose, times, how it is given, and the condition being treated. Medication supplied by the center needs parent consent each time it is given. Staff record the date, time, dose, and any error or reaction, and must tell the parent about errors or reactions right away. Medication must be locked or stored out of reach (48 inches up, or 36 inches if refrigerated), and records are kept for 6 weeks (R381-100-17).

Sources: Utah Admin. Code R381-100-17, Medications (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/utah/Utah-Admin-Code-R381-100-17)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/utah#reporting

Any person who has reason to believe a child is being or has been abused or neglected must immediately report it to the Division of Child and Family Services or the nearest law enforcement agency (Utah Code §80-2-602). Narrow exceptions exist for certain clergy confessions and attorney-client information. Hotline: 1-855-323-3237 (1-855-323-DCFS) (https://dcfs.utah.gov/services/child-protective-services/).

Sources: Utah Code §80-2-602 (Utah Legislature) (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title80/Chapter2/80-2-S602.html); Utah DCFS: Child Protective Services / Make a report (https://dcfs.utah.gov/services/child-protective-services/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Vermont
Checked October 2026 against Vermont's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#licensing

Any place or program run regularly to care for and supervise children outside their homes for less than 24 hours a day needs a DCF license, or registration for a family child care home, unless it is exempt (33 V.S.A. §§3502, 3511). Vermont has separate license rules for Center Based Child Care and Preschool Programs, Afterschool Child Care Programs, and family child care homes.

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt programs include recreation programs that run less than 4 hours a day and no more than 13 weeks a year for children ages 3-5, or no more than 13 consecutive weeks for children who have finished kindergarten. Also exempt are programs that meet only 4 hours one day a week or 2 hours two days a week, single-skill activities, and programs run mainly for recreation where care is only incidental. A school-age program funded by 21st Century Community Learning Centers and overseen by the Agency of Education is exempt unless it takes child care subsidy (33 V.S.A. §3502(b); Afterschool Regulations ASP 1.5).

Licensing agency: Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), Child Development Division (CDD), Child Care Licensing (https://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/laws-rules/licensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (through kindergarten) | 1:10 | 20 |
| School-age (1st grade and up) | 1:13 | 26 |

Rule: Licensing Regulations for Center Based Child Care and Preschool Programs, CBCCPP 6.2.1.3 (Code Vt. R. 13-171-004); Afterschool Child Care Programs ASP 6.2-6.3 (Code Vt. R. 13-171-003). Vermont uses one band for 36 months through kindergarten (1:10, group of 20) and one for 1st grade and up (1:13, group of 26). In mixed-age groups, the ratio and group size for the youngest child apply (CBCCPP 6.2.2). Licensed afterschool programs also use 1:13 with groups of 26, and when more than 10 children are present, another staff member must be available on site nearby (ASP 6.3).

Sources: DCF CDD: Child Care Licensing Regulations (current rules and memos) (https://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/laws-rules/licensing); Licensing Regulations for Center Based Child Care and Preschool Programs, 13-171-004 (LII mirror, amended 4/17/2022) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/vermont/13-004-Code-Vt-R-13-171-004-X); Licensing Regulations for Afterschool Child Care Programs, 13-171-003 (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/vermont/13-003-Code-Vt-R-13-171-003-X); 33 V.S.A. §3502, license required and exemptions (https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/33/035/03502); 33 V.S.A. §3511, definitions (https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/33/035/03511)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#camps

Residential (overnight) children's camps that run 5 or more consecutive days and supervise children around the clock need an annual Department of Health license (18 V.S.A. §4351; Licensed Children's Camps Rule, effective 1/1/2018). The license covers sanitation, facilities, and health. We found no state license for day camps. A day camp that provides child care may need a DCF child care license unless it qualifies as an exempt recreation program, for example one that runs no more than 13 consecutive weeks for children who have finished kindergarten.

Sources: Vermont Department of Health: Lodging Establishments and Children's Camps (https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/food-lodging-program/lodging-establishments); Licensed Children's Camps Rule (Vermont Department of Health PDF) (https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/document/reg-childrens-camp.pdf); 33 V.S.A. §3502 (child care exemptions) (https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/33/035/03502)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#background-checks

Before working with children, new staff, auxiliary staff, and others regularly present must submit a Records Check Authorization form to the Division. Staff and the licensee's representative must also be fingerprinted. No one may be left alone with children until the Division approves them based on a check that includes fingerprints. People on a sex offender registry, people with substantiated child abuse/neglect reports, and people with certain convictions are barred (CBCCPP 7.2). Staff must repeat the records check at least every 5 years (CBCCPP 2.3.9.3). We found no background check requirement in the Health Department's children's camp rule.

Sources: CBCCPP 7.2 and 2.3.9.3, 13-171-004 (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/vermont/13-004-Code-Vt-R-13-171-004-X)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#medication

Only staff who have completed a Division-approved medication course may give medication, and only with the parent's written permission for each medication. The permission must list the child, date of birth, allergies, drug, dose, time, route, reason, start and end dates, and any special instructions. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs must be in their original, labeled containers and not expired. Each dose is logged, and records are kept 365 days. Rescue medications such as EpiPens and inhalers must be kept immediately accessible (CBCCPP 5.6).

Sources: CBCCPP 5.6, Administration of Medication, 13-171-004 (LII mirror) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/vermont/13-004-Code-Vt-R-13-171-004-X)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/vermont#reporting

Mandated reporters include child care workers, school employees, camp owners, administrators, and counselors (at both residential and day recreation programs), health care providers, clergy, and other listed professions. They must report suspected abuse or neglect to DCF within 24 hours. Anyone else may report (33 V.S.A. §4913). Hotline: 1-800-649-5285 (https://dcf.vermont.gov/fsd/contact/report).

Sources: 33 V.S.A. §4913, mandated reporters (https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/33/049/04913); DCF Family Services: Report Child Abuse (https://dcf.vermont.gov/fsd/contact/report); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Virginia
Checked October 2026 against Virginia's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#licensing

A child day center needs a VDOE license if it cares for 2 or more children under 13 in a building that is not anyone's home, or for 13 or more children at any location. This includes short-term programs such as summer day camps (8VAC20-780-10; Code of Virginia Title 22.1, Chapter 14.1). Home-based child care is licensed separately.

After-school and recreation programs: No license is needed for single-focus instruction such as sports clinics or music, as long as no child under 6 attends and no child attends more than 25 days in 3 months. Also exempt are recreation or instruction programs within weekly hour limits (for example, no more than 6 hours a week for school-age children while school is in session), organized competitive sports leagues, programs where school-age children may come and go freely under a signed parent policy, and programs that run no more than 20 days a year. Local-government recreation programs for school-age children staffed by government employees, school-division programs staffed by division employees, and out-of-school-time programs affiliated with a national organization that meet set conditions are exempt too. Most exempt programs must file an annual notice with VDOE, tell parents in writing, post a notice, and report serious injuries (Code of Virginia §22.1-289.030).

Licensing agency: Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), child care licensing under State Board of Education regulations (https://www.childcare.virginia.gov/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 30 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 30 |
| 5 years (not yet school-age eligible) | 1:10 | 30 |
| School-age eligible up to 9 years | 1:18 | Not set |

Rule: 8VAC20-780-350, Tables 1 and 2. Virginia uses one band from 3 years up to school-age eligible (1:10, group of 30). 'School age' means eligible for public school, that is, 5 or older by September 30. A 5-year-old in kindergarten falls under the school-age ratio, and 4- or 5-year-olds entering kindergarten may be counted as school-age during the summer. School-age children up to 9 are 1:18 and ages 9-12 are 1:20, with no maximum group size for school-age children. In mixed-age groups, the youngest child's ratio and group size apply.

Sources: 8VAC20-780-350, Staff-to-children ratio and group size (Virginia Administrative Code) (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title8/agency20/chapter780/section350/); 8VAC20-780-10, Definitions (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title8/agency20/chapter780/section10/); Code of Virginia §22.1-289.030, Exemptions from licensure (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14.1/section22.1-289.030/)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#camps

Overnight summer camps that host 12 or more unrelated minors overnight for any part of more than 2 consecutive days must have a VDH permit and are inspected each year by the local health department. The permit covers water, sewage, grounds, pools, and food (Code of Virginia §§35.1-1, 35.1-18; 12VAC5-440). Day camps are child day programs and need a VDOE child day center license unless they qualify for an exemption, for example a local-government recreation program or a program that runs no more than 20 days a year (Code of Virginia §22.1-289.030). VDH says its summer camp regulations are being updated.

Sources: VDH: Summer Camps (https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/summer-camps/); Code of Virginia §35.1-1, definition of summer camp (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title35.1/chapter1/section35.1-1/); Code of Virginia §35.1-18, license required (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title35.1/chapter3/section35.1-18/); 12VAC5-440, Regulations for Summer Camps (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title12/agency5/chapter440/)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#background-checks

All employees and volunteers at licensed child day centers, and at centers exempt under the religious exemption, must have a background check before starting and every 5 years after. The check includes a sworn disclosure, fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history, a search of Virginia's child abuse and neglect central registry, and criminal, sex offender, and abuse registry checks in any state lived in during the past 5 years. People with a barrier crime or a founded abuse/neglect complaint may not work or volunteer. A new hire may start under supervision once their fingerprint check comes back clear, while other results are pending (Code of Virginia §22.1-289.035). Exempt out-of-school-time programs affiliated with national organizations must also run these checks (§22.1-289.030(B)(11)).

Sources: Code of Virginia §22.1-289.035, background checks for child day centers (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14.1/section22.1-289.035/); Code of Virginia §22.1-289.030 (exempt OST programs) (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14.1/section22.1-289.030/)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#medication

A center may choose to give prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, or only emergency medication, and it must have a written policy. Every medication needs written parent authorization, which expires or must be renewed after 10 work days unless a physician authorizes long-term use. Medication must be labeled with the child's name, drug, dose, and times. Prescriptions must be in the original pharmacy container, and over-the-counter drugs in the original container with directions. Only staff 18 or older with approved medication administration training (MAT for prescriptions, retrained every 3 years) may give it. Medication is kept locked, and each dose, reaction, and error is logged and reported to parents right away (8VAC20-780-510; 8VAC20-780-245 J).

Sources: 8VAC20-780-510, Medication (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title8/agency20/chapter780/section510/); 8VAC20-780-245, Ongoing training (medication administration) (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title8/agency20/chapter780/section245/)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/virginia#reporting

Listed professionals must report suspected abuse or neglect immediately, and never later than 24 hours. The list includes anyone employed in a school or child day program, paid child care providers, coaches and other adults working with sports organizations, administrators and employees (18 and older) of day camps, youth centers, and recreation programs, and any adult employed by or associated with an organization responsible for children (Code of Virginia §63.2-1509). Reports go to the local department of social services or the state hotline. Starting July 1, 2027, reports must go to the state hotline. Hotline: 1-800-552-7096 (https://www.dss.virginia.gov/supporting-families/child-protective-services/report-abuse/).

Sources: Code of Virginia §63.2-1509, mandated reporters (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title63.2/chapter15/section63.2-1509/); VDSS: Report Abuse and Neglect (https://www.dss.virginia.gov/supporting-families/child-protective-services/report-abuse/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### Washington
Checked October 2026 against Washington's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#licensing

DCYF licenses child care centers and family homes (up to 12 children) under Chapter 110-300 WAC, and school-age programs under Chapter 110-301 WAC. An agency that regularly provides early learning or child care for less than 24 hours needs a license unless the law excludes it (RCW 43.216.010).

After-school and recreation programs: Excluded from licensing are seasonal camps, meaning programs that run 3 months or less in any 12-month period and focus mainly on closely supervised recreation or education. Also excluded are programs run by any unit of local, state, or federal government (such as a school district or parks department), schools that accept only school-age children, and drop-in recreation or education programs for school-age children run by a local affiliate of a national nonprofit that follows the national group's safety standards. Programs where parents stay on site are also excluded (RCW 43.216.010(2)). Exempt school-age programs must report their exempt status on a DCYF form (WAC 110-301-0025).

Licensing agency: Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) (https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/early-learning-providers/licensed-provider)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 5 years (not in kindergarten) | 1:10 | 20 |
| School-age (5-12, in kindergarten or elementary school) | 1:15 | 30 |

Rule: WAC 110-300-0356(5) (centers); WAC 110-301-0356(5) (licensed school-age programs: 1:15, group of 30). Washington's preschool band runs from 30 months through 6 years for children not in kindergarten (1:10, group of 20). Kindergartners and elementary students up to age 12 are school-age (1:15, group of 30). A 5-year-old in kindergarten may join either the preschool or the school-age group if appropriate and the parent agrees. Mixed-age groups are allowed only during the first or last 2 hours of the day, using the youngest child's ratio. Licensed school-age programs may exceed a group of 30 only for special events such as assemblies.

Sources: WAC 110-300-0356, Center capacity, ratio, and group size (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=110-300-0356); WAC 110-301-0356, School-age capacity, ratio, and group size (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=110-301-0356); RCW 43.216.010, definitions and exclusions from licensing (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.216.010); WAC 110-301-0025, Certified and exempt school-age programs (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=110-301-0025)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#camps

Washington has no youth camp license. Seasonal camps (3 months or less a year, mainly recreational or educational) are excluded from DCYF child care licensing (RCW 43.216.010(2)(g)). Group camps that provide food and lodging must register each year with the local health officer at least 30 days before opening and meet State Board of Health sanitation and site rules (WAC 246-376-010 and -020). Those rules were last updated in 1997.

Sources: Chapter 246-376 WAC, Camps (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-376); WAC 246-376-020, Registration (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-376-020); RCW 43.216.010(2)(g), seasonal camp exclusion (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.216.010)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#background-checks

Licensed providers, staff, volunteers, and family-home household members must pass a DCYF background check before having unsupervised access to children, and repeat it at least every 3 years (WAC 110-06-0040; WAC 110-300-0105). The check includes fingerprints, an interstate check for every state lived in during the past 5 years, and disclosure of convictions, pending charges, and 'negative actions' such as founded child abuse or neglect findings. Fingerprints must be redone at renewal only if the person has lived outside Washington since the last check. We found no state background check requirement for seasonal camps, which are excluded from licensing.

Sources: WAC 110-06-0040, Background clearance requirements (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=110-06-0040); WAC 110-300-0105, Preservice requirements (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=110-300-0105); RCW 43.216.010 (definition of negative action and nonconviction information) (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.216.010)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#medication

Staff may give medication only after completing the program's medication orientation and DCYF's standardized medication administration training. They also need written, signed parent consent and must follow the label. Prescriptions must be for that child and labeled with the child's name, prescriber, dose, and duration. Over-the-counter medication must be in its original packaging, labeled with the child's name, and come with an authorization form. Every dose goes in a medication log (name, drug, dose, date and time, side effects, and the signature of the person giving it), and medication must be stored out of children's reach (WAC 110-300-0215).

Sources: WAC 110-300-0215, Medication (https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=110-300-0215)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/washington#reporting

Mandated reporters include licensed or certified child care providers and their employees, school personnel, DCYF employees, clergy, nurses, and other listed professions. Supervisors at any nonprofit or for-profit organization must also report abuse by someone they supervise who coaches, trains, teaches, or has unsupervised access to children. Reports go to law enforcement or DCYF at the first opportunity, and no later than 48 hours (RCW 26.44.030). Hotline: 1-866-363-4276 (statewide; DCYF also lists regional intake lines) (https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/safety/report-abuse).

Sources: RCW 26.44.030, mandated reporters (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.44.030); DCYF: How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect (https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/safety/report-abuse); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### West Virginia
Checked October 2026 against West Virginia's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#licensing

A child care center license is required for care of 13 or more children in any setting when the facility is open more than 30 days a year per child (78 CSR 1 §2.1; W. Va. Code §49-1-206). Family child care facilities (7 to 12 children) need a certificate and family child care homes (4 to 6 children) need a registration, and centers running out-of-school-time (before/after school, school holiday) programs are licensed under a separate rule, 78 CSR 21.

After-school and recreation programs: W. Va. Code §49-2-113(e) exempts public-school or WVDE-accredited school programs, school programs with sessions of 4 hours a day or less, summer recreation camps with sessions of 30 days or less, out-of-school-time programs funded and monitored by the WV Department of Education, and out-of-school-time programs for children 6 and older (including programs of national congressionally chartered groups and county parks and recreation or municipal camps) that meet fire and health codes, run state and federal background checks on all staff and volunteers, are not mainly fee-funded (parks and rec and municipal programs excepted) and have a formal monitoring system. Every out-of-school-time program, exempt or not, must register with DoHS when it opens and every year after (§49-2-113(h)).

Licensing agency: West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Family Assistance, Early Care and Education (child care licensing) (https://bfa.wv.gov/child-care-centers)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| 5 years | 1:12 | 24 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:16 | 32 |

Rule: 78 CSR 1 §10.5 and Appendix 78-1-E, Table A (child care centers); 78 CSR 21 §9.2 (out-of-school-time centers). Table A bands: 3 years (36-47 months) 1:10, group 20; 4 years (48-59 months) 1:12, group 24; 5 years to school age (60 months to school age) 1:12, group 24; school-age 1:16, group 32. Mixed-age groups use the ratio and group size for the youngest child. At least two staff must be on duty whenever children are present, and water activities have tighter ratios (Table B). Licensed out-of-school-time centers (78 CSR 21) use 1:16 for school-age-only programs, with group size set by the activity, and 1:12 with a maximum group of 24 when a Pre-K child is in the group.

Sources: 78 CSR 1, Child Care Centers Licensing (DoHS, effective April 1, 2023) (https://bfa.wv.gov/media/6931/download?inline); 78 CSR 21, Out-of-School-Time Child Care Center Licensing (DoHS) (https://bfa.wv.gov/media/33236/download?inline); DoHS Out of School Time Centers page (https://bfa.wv.gov/page/out-school-time-centers); W. Va. Code §49-2-113 (licensing exemptions, OST registration) (https://code.wvlegislature.gov/49-2-113/); W. Va. Code §49-1-206 (definitions) (https://code.wvlegislature.gov/49-1-206/); WV Secretary of State: 78-01 rule versions (4/1/2023 version active) (https://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/rule.aspx?rule=78-01)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#camps

West Virginia has no youth camp license. Organized camps (places that give children or adults an outdoor group-living experience or have sleeping quarters) need an operating permit from the local health officer under the General Sanitation rule, with plan review for new or remodeled facilities and an inspection before the permit is issued (64 CSR 18 §§64-18-2, 64-18-3). Summer recreation camps with sessions of 30 days or less are exempt from child care licensing (W. Va. Code §49-2-113(e)(3)), and day camps run by county parks and recreation commissions or municipalities can be exempt if they meet the §49-2-113(e)(8) conditions.

Sources: 64 CSR 18 §64-18-2, General Sanitation definitions (organized camp) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/west-virginia/W-Va-C-S-R-SS-64-18-2); 64 CSR 18 §64-18-3, plan review and permit to operate (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/west-virginia/W-Va-C-S-R-SS-64-18-3); WV Secretary of State: 64-18 rule versions (8/12/2013 version active) (https://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/rule.aspx?rule=64-18); W. Va. Code §49-2-113(e) (camp exemptions from child care licensing) (https://code.wvlegislature.gov/49-2-113/)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#background-checks

Licensed centers must have a state and FBI fingerprint-based check run through WV CARES on every staff member and volunteer, and no one may work with children until WV CARES issues a fitness determination; staff stay enrolled in Rap Back for ongoing alerts. Centers must also check sex offender registries and child abuse and neglect registries in West Virginia and in every state lived in during the past 5 years, repeating the abuse registry search every 5 years (78 CSR 1 §8.4). There is no separate camp rule, but out-of-school-time and county parks and recreation or municipal camp programs claiming the §49-2-113(e)(8) exemption must run state and federal checks on all staff and volunteers.

Sources: 78 CSR 1 §8.4 Staff Character and Background (https://bfa.wv.gov/media/6931/download?inline); W. Va. Code §49-2-113(e)(8)(B) (https://code.wvlegislature.gov/49-2-113/)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#medication

Centers may give medicine only with the parent's written, signed instructions (child's name, medicine, reason, dose, time and route) and, except for limited over-the-counter use, a prescription or written order from a licensed health care provider; prescription medicine must be in its original pharmacy-labeled package, and medicine is kept in a locked container out of children's reach (sunscreen, diaper ointment and emergency medicine need not be locked but must be out of reach). Only staff who have passed approved medication administration training may give it, each dose is recorded in ink in a cumulative medication log, and medication errors must be reported to the director and parent (78 CSR 1 §§8.6.g, 15.4.h).

Sources: 78 CSR 1 §15.4.h Medication Administration (https://bfa.wv.gov/media/6931/download?inline)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/west-virginia#reporting

Listed professionals must report, including child care workers, teachers and other school staff, youth camp administrators and counselors, and employees, coaches and volunteers of groups that run organized activities for children. They must report to DoHS immediately and within 24 hours at most, also report to the State Police and local law enforcement when serious physical abuse or sexual abuse is suspected, and tell the person in charge of their program; anyone else may report (W. Va. Code §49-2-803). Hotline: 1-800-352-6513 (https://bss.wv.gov/centralized-intake-abuse-and-neglect).

Sources: W. Va. Code §49-2-803 (https://code.wvlegislature.gov/49-2-803/); DoHS Centralized Intake for Abuse and Neglect (https://bss.wv.gov/centralized-intake-abuse-and-neglect)

### Wisconsin
Checked October 2026 against Wisconsin's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#licensing

Anyone who cares for 4 or more children under age 7 for pay, for less than 24 hours a day, needs a DCF child care license (Wis. Stat. 48.65(1)). DCF licenses family child care centers (up to 12 children from August 1, 2026), group child care centers (13 or more from August 1, 2026) and day camps, and school-age programs in a licensed center follow the group center rules in DCF 251.

After-school and recreation programs: The license requirement only covers care of children under 7, so a program serving only children 7 and older does not need a license (Wis. Stat. 48.65(1)). Also exempt: public, parochial and tribal schools, and counties, cities, villages, towns, school districts and libraries running programs mainly for recreation or social purposes (48.65(2)); DCF 251.02 also excludes programs of 4 hours a week or less, group lessons and athletic activities, and seasonal programs of 10 days or less in any 3-month period. School-run programs that want Wisconsin Shares subsidy or YoungStar must be monitored by DCF against part of DCF 251.

Licensing agency: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Early Care and Education, Bureau of Early Care Regulation (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:10 | 20 |
| 4 years | 1:13 | 26 |
| 5 years | 1:18 | 36 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:18 | 36 |

Rule: Wis. Admin. Code DCF 251.055(2) and Table DCF 251.055 (group child care centers). Table bands: 3 years to 4 years 1:10, group 20; 4 years to 5 years 1:13, group 26; 5 years and over 1:18, group 36 (the 5-and-over row also covers school-age children). Mixed-age groups use ratios pro-rated by the children's ages. 2025 Wis. Act 15 changed only the toddler rows (1:7 for 18-30 months, a pilot set to end August 1, 2027); the rows above were unchanged. Licensed day camps use their own ratios in DCF 252.

Sources: DCF 251.055, supervision and grouping (Table DCF 251.055) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-DCF-251-055); DCF 251.02, applicability and excluded care (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-DCF-251-02); Wis. Stat. ch. 48 (s. 48.65 license requirement and exemptions) (https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/48.pdf); DCF Child Care Licensing home page (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing); DCF summary of 2025-27 budget child care changes (ratio pilot) (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/tribal/pdf/2026%20Consultation/ece-biennial-budget-items.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#camps

Overnight camps (recreational and educational camps with overnight living quarters and planned group programs) need an annual license from DATCP or its agent local health department, whether free or fee-based (Wis. Stat. 97.67; ATCP 78.03, 78.07). Day camps caring for 4 or more children under 7 need a DCF day camp license under DCF 252, which covers seasonal, outdoor-oriented programs for children 3 and older. Day camps run by a county, city, village, town, school district or library mainly for recreation are exempt by statute, as are seasonal programs of 10 days or less in any 3-month period (DCF 252.03).

Sources: DATCP Recreational and Educational Camps (https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/RecEdCamp.aspx); ATCP 78.03, definitions (recreational and educational camp) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-ATCP-78-03); ATCP 78.07, license required (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-ATCP-78-07); DCF 252.04, day camp definition (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-DCF-252-04); DCF 252.03, day camp exclusions (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-DCF-252-03)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#background-checks

Every caregiver, non-caregiver employee and household member (age 10 and up) at a licensed center or DCF-licensed day camp needs a DCF child care background check before starting: Wisconsin criminal history, an FBI fingerprint check, national and Wisconsin sex offender registries, Wisconsin abuse and neglect findings and caregiver misconduct registry, and criminal, sex offender and child abuse registries in any state lived in during the past 5 years. Fingerprints must be redone every 5 years (Wis. Stat. 48.686; DCF 13). DATCP-licensed overnight camps must have applicants disclose sexual criminal history and consent to a check, review the national sex offender public registry before hiring, and adopt a policy barring people with listed offenses (ATCP 78.26(1)).

Sources: Wis. Stat. 48.686 (child care background checks) (https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/48.pdf); DCF Child Care Background Check page (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/ccbgcheck); ATCP 78.26, camp staff screening (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-ATCP-78-26)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#medication

Staff may give prescription or over-the-counter medicine only with a dated, parent-signed authorization on file listing the child's name and birth date, the medicine, instructions, dosing interval and how long it lasts; blanket authorizations longer than the label allows are not permitted. Medicine must be in its original container labeled with the child's name, dose and directions, stored out of children's reach (refrigerated medicine in a separate labeled container), and given as labeled; new staff orientation must cover medication administration (DCF 251.07(6)(f); DCF 251.05(4)(a)6.).

Sources: DCF 251.07(6)(f), medications (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-DCF-251-07); DCF 251.05(4)(a), staff orientation (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-DCF-251-05)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wisconsin#reporting

Listed professionals must report, including child care workers in child care centers, child care providers, teachers, school administrators, school counselors and other school employees, social workers, nurses and police (Wis. Stat. 48.981(2)(a)); coaches and recreation staff are not named unless they fit a listed role, though anyone may report. Reporters must tell the county child protective services agency (DCF in Milwaukee County) or the sheriff or local police immediately, by phone or in person (48.981(3)(a)1.); licensed day camp staff and volunteers must also report immediately and get yearly abuse-reporting training (DCF 252.07(3)). Hotline: No single statewide number: call the county or tribal child protective services agency where the child lives (numbers listed by DCF) or local law enforcement; 911 in an emergency (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/reportabuse).

Sources: Wis. Stat. 48.981 (persons required to report; how to report) (https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/48.pdf); DCF 252.07(3), day camp abuse reporting (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/wisconsin/Wis-Admin-Code-SS-DCF-252-07); DCF Report Child Abuse and Neglect (county contacts) (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/reportabuse)

### Wyoming
Checked October 2026 against Wyoming's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

#### Child care licensing
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#licensing

Anyone caring for more than two unrelated children must be licensed by DFS unless an exemption applies (W.S. 14-4-102; Ch. 2 §1). License types are family child care homes (up to 10 children in the owner's home), family child care centers (up to 15) and child care centers (16 or more, in a non-residential building) (Ch. 11 §2(a)).

After-school and recreation programs: Exempt are after-school programs that operate mainly when school is out (before and after school and in summer), serve only children of compulsory school age, are organized for learning, youth development, enrichment, recreation or character-building, and follow local health, safety and fire codes (W.S. 14-4-102(b)(x)). Programs run or supervised by the state, a local government or a school district fall outside the definition of a child caring facility (W.S. 14-4-101(a)(vi)), and summer camps run by nonprofits are exempt (14-4-102(b)(viii)).

Licensing agency: Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS), Child Care Licensing (https://dfs.wyo.gov/providers/child-care-2/)

#### Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#ratios

| Ages | Children per staff member | Largest group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 years | 1:12 | 30 |
| 4 years | 1:12 | 30 |
| 5 years | 1:18 | 40 |
| School-age (6 and up) | 1:18 | 40 |

Rule: Wyoming DFS Child Care Licensing Rules, Ch. 11 §2(b) (rules updated April 2026). One table covers all licensed facility types. '3 and 4-Year-Olds' are 1:12 (2 staff for 24, maximum group 30 with 3 staff); 'School Age (5+)' is 1:18 (2 staff for 32, maximum group 40 with 3 staff), so 5-year-olds use the school-age ratio. Mixed groups of 2-year-olds and older use the youngest child's ratio, and group size may be exceeded for up to an hour at opening and closing, meals and special events as long as ratios are kept.

Sources: DFS Child Care Licensing Rules page (updated April 2026) (https://dfs.wyo.gov/providers/child-care-2/licensing-rules/); Ch. 11, Health and Safety Requirements for All Facility Types (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bAw-NIsp6WQXL3RAuPqPBiBrPXVTnOPE); DFS: Who Needs to be Licensed? (https://dfs.wyo.gov/providers/child-care-2/who-needs-to-be-licensed/); Wyoming Statutes Title 14 (W.S. 14-4-101, 14-4-102) (https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title14.pdf)

#### Summer camps
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#camps

Wyoming has no youth camp licensing law in its statutes. Summer camps run by nonprofit organizations are exempt from DFS child care licensing (W.S. 14-4-102(b)(viii)), but a for-profit day camp caring for more than two unrelated children may need a DFS child care license unless another exemption applies, such as the after-school and summer program exemption for children of compulsory school age (14-4-102(b)(x)). 'Ranches for children', including summer-only ranches, are listed as child caring facilities that need DFS certification (W.S. 14-4-101(a)(vi)(J)).

Sources: Wyoming Statutes Title 14 (W.S. 14-4-101, 14-4-102) (https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title14.pdf); DFS: Who Needs to be Licensed? (https://dfs.wyo.gov/providers/child-care-2/who-needs-to-be-licensed/)

#### Background checks
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#background-checks

Before working, owners, directors, staff, substitutes, volunteers present during operating hours, and household members 18 and older need a Central Registry (child abuse and neglect) check in Wyoming and every state lived in for the past 5 years, national and state sex offender registry checks, an FBI fingerprint check, and state criminal history checks (Ch. 11 §3(g)). The Central Registry and Wyoming sex offender checks repeat every year, and the FBI, state criminal and national sex offender checks repeat every 5 years. No state background check requirement for youth camps was found.

Sources: Ch. 11 §3(g), Background Checks (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bAw-NIsp6WQXL3RAuPqPBiBrPXVTnOPE); DFS Child Care Background Check Information (https://dfs.wyo.gov/providers/child-care-support/)

#### Giving medication
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#medication

Staff may give medicine only after DFS-approved preservice training that includes medication administration, renewed every 2 years, and with written parent permission for each prescription or over-the-counter medicine (child, medicine, dose, instructions, date and time; for 'as needed' medicine the parent must be called that day first). Prescription medicine must keep its original label, be stored with child-safety caps out of children's reach, and be logged; parents are told the same day, and errors or reactions must be reported to the parent and Licensing within 24 hours (Ch. 11 §17).

Sources: Ch. 11 §17, Medication Administration (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bAw-NIsp6WQXL3RAuPqPBiBrPXVTnOPE)

#### Reporting child abuse
Link: https://backpr.com/resources/states/wyoming#reporting

Every person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect a child is abused or neglected must report immediately to DFS (the local child protective agency) or local law enforcement (W.S. 14-3-205). Staff of a school, facility or agency must also tell the person in charge, who then also has to make sure a report is made. Hotline: No single statewide number published: call the local DFS field office (listed on the DFS contact page) or local law enforcement; 911 in an emergency (https://dfs.wyo.gov/i-need-to-report/abuse-neglect-exploitation/).

Sources: W.S. 14-3-205 (Title 14) (https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title14.pdf); DFS Reporting Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation (https://dfs.wyo.gov/i-need-to-report/abuse-neglect-exploitation/); DFS local office contacts (https://dfs.wyo.gov/about/contact-us/)

## BackPR brand
Logos, product images and a short description of BackPR, for anyone writing about BackPR in articles, reviews or directories.

### The name
- Write the name as one word: BackPR, with a capital B, P and R.
- Some people write it as two words, Back PR. It's the same company and the same product.

### About BackPR
BackPR is online registration and payment software for youth and community programs in the United States: camps, after-school programs, childcare, classes, sports, schools, PTAs and churches. Families register and pay in one checkout, in English or Spanish, and programs manage forms, payment plans, check-in and parent messages in one place. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits, with no subscription and no BackPR fees; card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Learn more at backpr.com.

### Logo files
- Logo (for light backgrounds): https://backpr.com/brand/backpr-logo.svg (SVG), https://backpr.com/brand/backpr-logo.png (PNG)
- Logo (for dark backgrounds): https://backpr.com/brand/backpr-logo-white.svg (SVG), https://backpr.com/brand/backpr-logo-white.png (PNG)
- Icon: https://backpr.com/brand/backpr-mark.svg (SVG), https://backpr.com/brand/backpr-mark-512.png (PNG)

### Product images (illustrations with sample data)
- Family registration and checkout: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-family-registration-checkout.png. Illustration of BackPR's family registration screen: choosing summer camp weeks for two children, a sibling discount and a deposit at checkout (sample data)
- Payment plans and autopay: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-payment-plans-autopay.png. Illustration of BackPR's payments screen: a family's deposit and installments on autopay, a retried payment and a sibling discount (sample data)
- Check-in and authorized pickup: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-check-in-authorized-pickup.png. Illustration of BackPR's check-in screen: an after-school roster with check-in times, an allergy alert and a PIN-verified authorized pickup (sample data)
- Messages and reminders to parents: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-parent-messages-email-text.png. Illustration of BackPR's messaging screen: an email and text message to a camp week's families, with automatic reminders for sessions, payments and missing forms (sample data)
- Enrollment and revenue dashboard: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-reports-enrollment-revenue.png. Illustration of BackPR's dashboard: enrollment, fill rate, money collected and outstanding, registrations by week and fill rate by location (sample data)
- Family account on a phone: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-family-account-mobile.png. Illustration of BackPR's family account on a phone, in English and Spanish: today's check-ins, pickup code, balance, forms and next autopay (sample data)
- Program list on your website: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-program-list-website.png. Illustration of a program list on an organization's website, powered by BackPR: classes with ages, spots left, prices and Register buttons (sample data)
- Cabins, buses and camp store: https://backpr.com/media/brand/backpr-camp-cabins-buses-store.png. Illustration of BackPR's camp screen: cabin assignments, a morning bus route and a camper's camp store balance (sample data)

### Usage
You're welcome to use these logos and images in articles, reviews, directories and other coverage of BackPR. Please don't change the logo's colors or shape, and don't use the logo or images in a way that suggests BackPR endorses something it doesn't. Questions: support@backpr.com.

## Guides
### How to choose registration software for a youth program: a 2026 checklist
By the BackPR team. Published October 11, 2026.

All registration software looks about the same in a demo. The differences show up in how the company charges, what families pay at checkout, how long the contract runs and what happens to your data when you leave. These are the questions to ask, with real examples from companies' published terms.

### 1. How does the company charge?
Pricing models vary more than prices. Ask for the total yearly cost at your size, not just the monthly plan. Examples from published pricing:

- A monthly plan plus paid packs of enrollments (Jumbula's Pay As You Go).
- A monthly plan plus a percentage of each invoice (Amilia's 1% service fee).
- A price set by the sales team, based partly on the number of campers (Campminder).
- A yearly fee per admin license (Regpack's help center lists $3,000 per Account Owner or Super Admin license).
- A monthly fee per admin plus a fee on every registration (Arlo).
- No subscription, with a service fee added to what families pay (Homeroom).

### 2. What do families pay at checkout?
Some platforms add their own fee to the family's order, and some offer extras at checkout. Sawyer adds a booking fee of $1.99–$3.99 to orders over $30. By default, Regpack offers families paid Purchase Protection at checkout (about 3–5% of the activity cost, per a Regpack blog post). Ask exactly what a parent sees at checkout, and whether you can turn off any added fees.

Credit card processing fees are separate. Ask who processes payments, what the rate is, and whether you can absorb the fee or pass it on.

### 3. How long is the contract, and how do you leave?
Read the terms, not just the sales page. Published examples: Amilia's agreement has a 24-month default term with 90 days' notice and early termination fees. Regpack's annual terms renew automatically and need 90 days' notice. FunJoin's one-year term renews yearly with 90 days' notice. Jumbula is month-to-month with 30 days' notice to cancel.

Put your renewal and notice dates on your calendar on day one.

### 4. What does setup cost, and what happens to your data?
Ask about onboarding and import fees. Amilia's onboarding starts at $899 or $2,999 depending on the plan. Arlo requires an implementation package of $695, $1,395 or $3,995. FunJoin's data import services start at $495.

Ask how you get your data out. Regpack deletes data when an account is canceled, so it has to be exported first. Amilia charges for data retrieval after termination.

### 5. What will families experience?
- Can a parent register several children for several programs and pay once?
- Does every screen work well on a phone, without an app download?
- Can families use it in Spanish, or another language your families speak?
- Can families save their details for next season?

### 6. How does it handle safety and the daily roster?
- Check-in and check-out against each family's authorized pickup list.
- Medical, allergy and emergency information that staff can see when they need it.
- E-signed waivers and forms, collected before the first day.
- Rosters and attendance on the phones your staff already carry.

### 7. Payment plans, discounts and reports
- Deposits and installment plans charged automatically.
- Sibling, early-bird and multi-week discounts, plus scholarships.
- Reports your board and grant funders ask for, such as attendance hours and revenue by program.

### A short list to send every vendor
- What will we pay in total per year for our programs, including every fee?
- What, if anything, is added to what families pay?
- What is the contract term, renewal and notice period?
- Are onboarding and data import included?
- Can we export all our data, for free, at any time?
- Is there a discount or free plan for nonprofits, and what does it cover?

### How BackPR answers the cost and contract questions
BackPR is free for nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Other organizations get pricing by quote. No long-term contract: cancel anytime, with no exit fees. Onboarding, data import and data export are free. Families can register in English or Spanish.

Facts about other companies come from their public pages, checked between October 10 and 19, 2026. Sources: BackPR vs Jumbula (https://backpr.com/compare/jumbula); BackPR vs Amilia SmartRec (https://backpr.com/compare/amilia); BackPR vs Campminder (https://backpr.com/compare/campminder); BackPR vs Regpack (https://backpr.com/compare/regpack); BackPR vs Arlo (https://backpr.com/compare/arlo); BackPR vs Homeroom (https://backpr.com/compare/homeroom); BackPR vs Sawyer (https://backpr.com/compare/sawyer); BackPR vs FunJoin (https://backpr.com/compare/funjoin)

### Credit card fees for youth programs: absorb them or pass them on?
By the BackPR team. Published October 11, 2026.

Every credit card payment has a processing fee. Your program can absorb it or pass it on to families. Here's how the math works, what to watch for, and how to decide.

### What a card fee is
Your payment processor charges a fee on each card payment, usually a percentage of the amount plus a small fixed fee per payment. Your rate depends on your processor and account; check it in your processor's dashboard or pricing page.

### Absorbing the fee
Families pay your listed price and your program pays the fee. It's the simplest experience for families. The cost to you is the fee on every payment, which adds up over a season.

### Passing the fee on
Families pay a little more so your program receives the full price. The added amount has to be slightly larger than the fee on the price, because the processor also takes its percentage from the added part. The formula is: amount to charge = (price + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage rate).

Rules on surcharges and convenience fees differ by state and card network. Ask your payment processor which rules apply to your organization before you add a fee.

### Other ways programs handle it
- Build an average fee into your prices, so there's no separate line at checkout.
- Absorb fees for scholarship families and pass them on for everyone else.
- Ask families who can pay from a bank account to do so, if your processor charges less for it.

### How to decide
- Figure out what absorbing costs you over a season with the credit card fee calculator.
- Compare that with what passing on adds to a family's total.
- Think about who your families are. For some families, an extra fee at checkout feels like a barrier.

### How it works in BackPR
BackPR adds no fee of its own. For nonprofits, payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and you choose whether to absorb that fee or pass it on to families.

### How to take online payments for a nonprofit youth program
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

Families expect to pay online, from their phone, in a few taps. For a nonprofit, the questions are what it costs, how to keep it fair for families who can't pay all at once, and how to keep your staff out of the spreadsheet. Here's how to set it up.

### 1. Know the three costs
- Card processing: your payment processor usually charges a percentage of each payment plus a small fixed fee. Check the rate on your processor's pricing page.
- Software: some platforms charge a subscription, a fee per registration or a percentage of what you collect.
- Fees added to families: some platforms add their own fee at checkout, or offer families paid extras such as refund protection. Ask what a parent sees before they pay.

### 2. Decide who pays card fees
You can absorb card fees or pass them on to families. Absorbing keeps prices simple; passing them on protects your budget. Rules on surcharges differ by state and card network, so check with your payment processor first.

### 3. Use deposits and payment plans
- A deposit holds a spot and cuts down on no-shows.
- Split the rest into installments charged automatically, so nobody has to remember a due date.
- Have the last payment land before the program starts.
- Send a reminder a few days before each payment, and follow up quickly if a card fails.

### 4. Make room for families who need help
- Offer scholarships or a sliding scale, and keep scholarships confidential.
- Use sibling discounts so families with several children aren't priced out.
- Payment plans help families who can pay, just not all at once.

### 5. Write your refund policy before registration opens
Say when refunds are possible, whether the deposit is refundable, and how long a refund takes. Many payment processors don't return their original fee when you refund a payment, so decide whether your program or the family covers that.

### 6. Keep it simple for staff
- One place to see every family's balance.
- Automatic receipts and reminders.
- Reports your board and funders ask for, such as revenue by program and money still owed.

### How BackPR handles it
BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and you can absorb the fee or pass it on. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Families can pay a deposit, use a payment plan and set up autopay, in English or Spanish.

### What to collect on a registration form for camps and after-school programs
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

A good registration form gets everything your staff needs before the first day, and nothing more. Use this checklist to build yours, whether it's on paper, in a form tool or in registration software.

### Child
- Full name and the name they go by
- Date of birth and grade
- Program, session or days they're signing up for
- Language spoken at home, if it helps staff

### Parents or guardians
- Names, phone numbers and email addresses
- Who receives messages and who pays
- Custody arrangements or court orders staff need to know about

### Emergency contacts
- At least two adults besides the parents, with phone numbers and their relationship to the child

### Authorized pickup
- Every adult allowed to pick the child up, with phone numbers
- Anyone who is not allowed to pick the child up
- How staff will confirm who they are: photo ID the first time, or a pickup code

### Health information
Limit who can see health information to the staff who need it.

- Allergies and how serious they are
- Medications, and whether staff need to give any during the program
- Medical conditions staff should know about, and what to do in an emergency
- Doctor's name and phone number, and insurance details if your program needs them

### Permissions and agreements
- Photo and video release
- Field trips, swimming and transportation
- Sunscreen and bug spray
- Your participation agreement or waiver, signed by a parent
- Your payment and refund policy

### Keep it short
- Ask only what you'll use. Every extra question makes the form harder to finish on a phone.
- Let returning families reuse last season's answers and just confirm them.
- Collect everything before the first day, not at drop-off.

### Check your own rules
This checklist isn't legal advice. Check your state's licensing rules and your insurer's requirements, and have a lawyer review your waiver.

### How BackPR handles it
In BackPR, families fill out forms and sign waivers online as part of registration, in English or Spanish, and returning families don't have to type everything again. Staff check children in and out against each family's authorized pickup list.

### Moving from Google Forms and spreadsheets to registration software
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

Many programs start with a Google Form, a spreadsheet and a payment link. It works until it doesn't: payments don't match sign-ups, forms are still missing on the first day, and one person holds the whole system in their head. Here's how to tell it's time, and how to switch without a mess.

### Signs you've outgrown forms and spreadsheets
- You match payments to sign-ups by hand.
- Families fill out the same details every season.
- Medical forms or waivers are still missing on the first day.
- You keep a waitlist in a separate sheet and email families one by one.
- Only one person knows how the spreadsheet works.

### 1. Gather what you have
- Your family and participant lists, exported as spreadsheets (Google Forms responses can be downloaded as a CSV file).
- Your programs: names, dates, ages, prices and capacity.
- The forms, waivers and policies families sign today.
- Any balances families still owe.
- Don't email files with medical, custody or income details. Share them through a link only the right people can open.

### 2. Pick a quiet time to switch
Switch between seasons, a few weeks before registration opens, so you can test without families waiting. Don't switch in the middle of a session if you can avoid it.

### 3. Set up and test
- Build one program first and register a test family yourself, start to finish.
- Ask two or three trusted families to try it and tell you what confused them.
- Check that payments, receipts and your reports look right before you open registration to everyone.

### 4. Tell families what's changing
- Say why: one place to register, pay and sign forms.
- Say what they need to do, and by when.
- Offer help by email or phone for anyone who gets stuck, and send instructions in each language your families use.

### 5. Keep your old data
Keep a copy of your old spreadsheets and form responses after you switch. You may need past attendance or payment records for your board, funders or taxes.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR is free for registered nonprofits (Stripe's card processing fees still apply), and switching is free too. Share your spreadsheets with us, and we'll set up your families and programs. Families register, pay and sign forms in one checkout, in English or Spanish, and you can export your data at any time.

### How to start a summer camp: from idea to the first day
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

Starting a camp is a long list of small decisions, made in the right order. This guide walks through them, from choosing the kind of camp to the first morning of drop-off. Camp rules differ from state to state, so use it as a checklist and confirm the details with your state and your insurer.

### 1. Choose the kind of camp
The kind of camp you run decides most of what follows: the rules that apply, the space you need, the staff you hire and what you can charge. For a first summer, keep it small: one site, one age range and a few weeks. You can add more once you know what families want.

- Day camp: children go home every evening. It's the most common way to start, because you don't need lodging or overnight staff.
- Specialty camp: built around one activity, such as a sport, art, theater, STEM or a language. It can be a day or overnight camp, and it needs staff who are good at that activity.
- Overnight camp: children stay one or more nights, often a week or longer. You need a site with lodging, staff on duty around the clock, a plan for health care at all hours and more planning for meals, travel and emergencies.
- Then decide the details: ages or grades, half or full days, how many weeks and whether you'll offer extended care before and after camp.

### 2. Decide whether you'll be a nonprofit
A camp can run as a nonprofit or as a business. The choice changes how you raise money, pay taxes and make decisions, so talk with an accountant or lawyer before you file anything.

- Run it under an existing nonprofit. A church, community center or youth organization that already has nonprofit status can run the camp as one of its programs. This is often the fastest way to start.
- Use a fiscal sponsor. Some nonprofits sponsor new projects, so you can accept grants and tax-deductible donations before you have your own status. Ask what fee they charge.
- Form your own nonprofit. You incorporate in your state, then apply to the IRS for tax-exempt status. It takes time and paperwork, so start well before you need grants or donations.
- Run it as a business. An LLC or corporation is simpler to control and can make a profit, but donors generally can't deduct gifts to it, and many grants are open only to nonprofits.

### 3. Check licensing and get insured
Each state sets its own camp rules, and your county or city may add more. Depending on the state, a day camp might need a camp license, a childcare license or no license at all, and health department rules for food, pools and buildings can apply either way. Rules can also cover staff ratios, background checks and health care. Start with our [state-by-state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states), then confirm with your state's licensing office before you sign a lease or set prices.

Talk early to an insurance broker who works with camps or youth programs. Your site will likely ask for a certificate of insurance before you can use the space. Coverage to ask about:

- General liability
- Accident or medical insurance for campers
- Abuse and molestation coverage (ask whether your policy includes it)
- Property coverage for your equipment
- Auto coverage if staff drive campers or use their own cars for camp errands
- Workers' compensation for staff (check your state's rules)
- Directors and officers coverage if you have a nonprofit board

### 4. Find a location
Schools, churches, community centers, parks and colleges often have space in summer. Visit during the hours camp would run, and picture a whole day there: drop-off, activities, lunch, a rainy afternoon and pickup. Check for:

- Enough bathrooms, close to where children will be
- Shade and indoor space for heat and bad weather
- A safe drop-off and pickup lane, and parking for staff
- A kitchen, or the site's rules on food, if you'll serve meals or snacks
- Access for children and adults with disabilities
- Who else uses the site during camp hours, and how you'll keep groups apart
- Water, busy roads or other hazards nearby
- A written agreement that covers dates, hours, rooms, cleaning, keys, insurance and what happens if the owner needs the space back

### 5. Build a budget and set your prices
Add up every cost before you pick a price. Staff pay is usually the biggest one. Then use the [camp price calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/camp-price-calculator) to find the price per child that covers your costs after grants, scholarship spots and card fees, and compare it with what similar camps near you charge.

Example: a week of camp costs $9,000 to run for 40 children. A $1,000 grant covers part of it, and 4 children attend on full scholarships. The other 36 children need to pay about $222 each to break even, before card fees. Break-even is the floor, so add a cushion for empty spots and surprises.

- Fixed costs: rent, insurance, licensing and permit fees, equipment, staff training, software and marketing
- Staff costs: wages, payroll taxes, workers' compensation and background checks
- Per-child costs: supplies, snacks, T-shirts, field trips and admission fees
- Pricing choices: an early-bird rate, sibling and multi-week discounts, scholarships and extended care as an add-on (try the [sibling discount calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/sibling-discount-calculator))

### 6. Plan your staff and ratios
Your state may set a minimum number of staff for each group of children, often stricter for younger children and for swimming. Treat that minimum as a floor. You also need people for breaks, sick days, emergencies and children who need extra help. Work out your numbers with the [staff ratio calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/staff-ratio-calculator), and see [how to hire camp counselors](https://backpr.com/resources/hiring-camp-counselors) for recruiting and screening.

Example: with a ratio of 1 staff member for every 10 children, 45 campers need 5 staff with them at all times, plus someone free to cover breaks.

- A camp director who is on site every day
- Counselors, each responsible for a group
- Specialists for activities such as swimming, art or sports
- Lifeguards with current certification for any swim time
- Staff with current first aid and CPR training, on site whenever children are
- Junior counselors or volunteers, if you use them (check whether your state counts them toward ratios)

### 7. Get your forms ready
Decide what you need from every family before registration opens, and collect it before the first day, not at drop-off. Our [registration form checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/registration-form-checklist) lists what to ask, and our [free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates) give you forms to print or edit.

- Registration form with parent details and emergency contacts
- Medical and allergy form, including any medications staff will give
- Authorized pickup form
- Participation agreement or waiver, reviewed by a lawyer
- Photo and media release
- Permission for field trips, swimming and transportation
- Your refund and cancellation policy, and a parent handbook with the daily details

### 8. Set up registration and payments
Families expect to sign up and pay online, from their phone. Before you open registration, decide each of these, then register a test family yourself, on a phone, before you announce the date.

- When registration opens and closes, and whether returning families get early access
- How many spots each week or session has, and how you'll run a waitlist
- Whether to take a deposit and let families pay the rest in installments that end before camp starts (try the [payment plan calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/payment-plan-calculator))
- Who pays card processing fees: your camp or families (see [credit card fees: absorb or pass on?](https://backpr.com/resources/card-fees-absorb-or-pass-on))
- Your refund policy: when refunds are possible, whether the deposit is refundable and how long a refund takes
- How families who need help can apply for a scholarship, privately (see [raising scholarship money](https://backpr.com/resources/raising-scholarship-money))

### 9. Tell families about your camp
Families often hear about camps from other parents, so give people something easy to share. Many families plan summer months ahead, so start telling them in winter or early spring.

- A program page with dates, ages, hours, price, location, what a day looks like and how to register
- Flyers at schools, libraries, churches, community centers and pediatricians' offices (ask about each one's rules first)
- Posts in local parent groups and community calendars
- An open house or a free sample day in the spring
- An early-bird deadline that gives families a reason to sign up now
- A referral discount for families who bring a friend
- Information in Spanish, or another language your families speak

### 10. Write your safety plans
Write down what staff will do before something goes wrong, train everyone on it and practice it before campers arrive. Check your state's rules and your insurer's requirements for what the plans must cover. Our [emergency action plan template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/emergency-action-plan) is a place to start.

- Emergencies: fire, severe weather, a lockdown, a missing child and a medical emergency, plus how you'll reunite children with their families
- Health: who keeps and gives medications, how each dose is logged and where allergy lists and first aid kits are kept
- Heat: water breaks, shade and when to move activities inside
- Swimming and field trips: lifeguards, a buddy system and headcounts every time the group moves
- Pickup: release children only to adults on the authorized pickup list, and check ID for anyone staff don't know
- Child protection: staff are never alone with one child out of sight of others, and everyone knows how to report suspected abuse or neglect as your state requires
- Incidents: a written report for every injury or behavior incident, and a call to the family the same day

### 11. Plan the first week
The first day sets the tone for families and staff. Plan it like an event.

- Hold staff training in the days before camp opens, using a [staff training checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-training-checklist).
- A few days before camp, email families: drop-off and pickup times and places, what to bring, what to leave at home and how to reach you on the day.
- Check that every camper's forms are complete, and follow up on anything missing before day one.
- Do a dry run of drop-off and pickup with staff, including what happens when an adult isn't on the pickup list.
- Give every counselor name tags, a group list, allergy information and emergency contacts for their group.
- Meet with staff at the end of each day to fix what didn't work, such as a slow pickup line.
- Contact the family of any child who had a hard first day, before they contact you.
- At the end of the summer, ask families what to keep and what to change.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR runs camp registration, payments, forms and check-in in one place. Families pick weeks from a grid, register every child in one checkout and complete waivers and health forms as part of sign-up. Families can register in English or Spanish, pay a deposit and pay the rest on a payment plan. Counselors check campers in and out from their phones against each family's authorized pickup list. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Other camps get pricing by quote.

### How to start an after-school program: a step-by-step guide
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

Families need a safe place for their children between the last bell and the end of the workday. A good after-school program gives children more than a place to wait. Here's how to start one, from finding out what your community needs to tracking the attendance your funders will ask about.

### 1. Find out what families need
Before you plan anything, find out who needs care, when and at what price. A short survey and a few conversations now keep you from building a program families can't use.

- Ask families which days and hours they need, how their children would get to you and what they could pay each month.
- Ask principals, teachers and school counselors what children need most: homework help, a safe place to play, a meal or time with caring adults.
- Find out which programs already exist nearby, and whether they have waitlists.
- Get the school calendars: dismissal times, early-release days, holidays and breaks.
- Choose your first ages or grades, days, hours and number of children. One site and one age range is an easier start.
- Write down two or three goals, such as reading support or more physical activity. Funders will ask what difference your program makes.

### 2. Find partners and a space
The right partners give you space, help you reach families and make funders more confident in you. A school is often the easiest site, because children walk down the hall instead of riding a bus. Churches, community centers, libraries and parks departments can work well too.

- Get a written agreement with the site: rooms, days, hours, custodial costs, storage, keys and what happens on early-release and snow days.
- Ask the school for a contact person, a way to share dismissal changes and permission to send flyers home.
- Look for partners who bring activities: coaches, artists, librarians, STEM volunteers and college students.
- Ask local businesses and congregations for in-kind help, such as supplies or volunteers.

### 3. Licensed or license-exempt?
In many states, a program that regularly cares for school-age children needs a childcare license. Many states also exempt some programs, for example programs run by a public school or a city, programs that meet only a few hours a week or drop-in programs where children come and go. The details differ a lot from state to state.

Don't assume you're exempt. Start with our [state-by-state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states), then ask your state's licensing office, in writing if you can. Even exempt programs may have to meet health and safety rules, especially if they want to accept childcare assistance, and your insurer, school district or funders may set their own requirements. Questions to ask:

- Does our program need a license, or does it qualify for an exemption?
- If we're exempt, do we still need to register or meet any rules?
- What ratios, background checks and staff training apply to us?
- Can families use childcare assistance at our program?
- How long does licensing take, and what inspections are involved?

### 4. Plan your schedule
Build the day around what children need after school: food, movement, help with homework and something to look forward to. Keep the same rhythm every day so children know what comes next.

Then plan the year: early-release days, school holidays, snow days and breaks. Decide now whether you'll open when school is closed, and how families sign up for those days. Our [after-school daily schedule](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/after-school-daily-schedule) template can help.

Example for a program that runs from dismissal to 6 p.m.:

- 3:00 Arrival, attendance and snack
- 3:20 Homework and reading time
- 4:00 Outdoor play or gym
- 4:45 Clubs and activities, such as art, STEM or sports
- 5:30 Quiet games and pickup

### 5. Fund the program
Many after-school programs combine several sources of money. When you serve families with lower incomes, fees alone rarely cover the full cost, so plan a mix from the start.

- Family fees, with a sliding scale or scholarships for families who need help (see [raising scholarship money](https://backpr.com/resources/raising-scholarship-money))
- Childcare assistance that pays part of the cost for eligible families (see the next step)
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers, a federal after-school and summer grant program run by each state. Check your state education agency's website for whether it's accepting applications this year and who can apply.
- Other grants from community foundations, local government, school districts and businesses
- Snack and meal reimbursement: ask the state agency that runs child nutrition programs whether your program qualifies
- In-kind help, such as free space, supplies and volunteers
- Fundraising events and individual donors

### 6. Set tuition and accept subsidies
Decide how families pay before you open registration, and put it in writing.

- Pick a pricing model: a monthly rate based on days per week, a price per term or a daily drop-in rate.
- Decide what happens when a child starts mid-month or switches days: prorate the charge or start the new rate next month.
- Use autopay so tuition is charged on the same date every month, and set a clear policy for late payments.
- Offer sibling discounts and a sliding scale so families aren't priced out.
- Write a late pickup policy, including any fee, and have families sign it at registration. Our [late pickup policy agreement](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/late-pickup-policy-agreement) is a place to start.
- Learn how childcare assistance works in your state. States run programs that help families with lower incomes pay for care, often including after-school care at programs that meet the state's rules. Ask your state or county office how to become an approved provider, what paperwork you'll need and how and when you're paid.
- Give families receipts and a year-end statement. They may need them for dependent care claims (see [childcare tax receipts](https://backpr.com/resources/childcare-tax-receipts)).

### 7. Hire and train staff
After-school jobs are part-time and start mid-afternoon, which makes them hard to fill. Look for people whose day ends early or starts late: college students, school aides, retirees, coaches and parents. Try to keep the same staff all year. Children settle in faster with adults they know. Many of the steps in [hiring camp counselors](https://backpr.com/resources/hiring-camp-counselors) apply here too.

- A site coordinator who is there every day and knows every family
- Group leaders, enough to meet your state's ratios every day (use the [staff ratio calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/staff-ratio-calculator))
- Background checks for everyone who works with children, as your state requires
- Training before the first day: pickup rules, emergencies, allergies and medication, behavior guidance and reporting suspected abuse (see the [staff training checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-training-checklist))
- Substitutes you've already screened, for the days someone calls out

### 8. Plan arrival, pickup and safety
The moments that need the most care are the trip from class to your program and the trip home. Write both down step by step, and train every staff member on them.

- Arrival: take attendance as soon as children arrive. If an expected child doesn't show up, check with the school office, then contact the family. Decide in advance how many minutes you wait before calling.
- Getting there: if children walk or ride from another school, plan who walks with them or meets the bus, and count heads at every handoff.
- Pickup: release children only to adults on the family's authorized pickup list, and check ID for anyone staff don't know.
- Going home other ways: record whether each child is picked up, takes a bus or walks home, and get written permission from the family for walking.
- Late pickup: decide when staff start calling parents and emergency contacts, and what they do if no one can be reached.
- Problems at the door: decide what staff do if an adult seems unsafe to drive or a custody order applies.
- Emergencies, allergies and medication: write a plan and practice it with staff. Our [emergency action plan template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/emergency-action-plan) is a place to start.

### 9. Open registration and start small
- Collect each child's registration form, medical and allergy form and authorized pickup form before the first day (see our [free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates)).
- Give families a short handbook: hours, closures, pickup rules, late fees, illness policy and how to reach staff.
- Hold an open house so children meet staff before day one.
- If you can, start the first week or two below full capacity, and add children once routines work.
- Check in with families after the first month and ask what to change.

### 10. Track attendance for funders
Funders and boards usually ask how many children you served and how often they came. Decide what you'll report before the first day, so you collect it from the start instead of rebuilding it from paper sign-in sheets.

- Take attendance every day, in one place, with check-in and check-out times.
- Numbers funders often ask for: children enrolled, average daily attendance and how many days or hours each child attended.
- Some funders also ask for family demographics, survey results or school outcomes such as grades. School records usually need a data-sharing agreement and written permission from families.
- Keep a simple monthly report, so the year-end report is a sum, not a scramble. Our [grant attendance report template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/grant-attendance-report) gives you a format.
- Record why children stop coming. It helps you improve and answer funders' questions.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR runs after-school registration, tuition and pickup in one place. Families choose days of the week and pay tuition on autopay, with proration when they start mid-term, in English or Spanish. Staff check children in and out from their phones against each family's authorized pickup list, and parents can be notified automatically when a child isn't checked in. Attendance hours reports help with grant reporting, and families get year-end statements for dependent care claims. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Other organizations get pricing by quote.

### How to hire camp counselors: recruiting, screening and keeping good staff
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

Counselors spend more time with campers than anyone else on your team, so hiring them is one of the most important jobs you do all year. Here's how to find good counselors, check them carefully, train them and keep them through the last week of summer.

### 1. Work out how many people you need
Start from your expected enrollment and your state's staff ratios, not from last year's headcount. Use the [staff ratio calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/staff-ratio-calculator) to see how many staff must be with children at each hour, then add people for breaks, days off, specialists and sick days.

Example: if you expect 60 campers and your ratio is 1 staff member for every 10 children, you need 6 counselors with campers at all times. With breaks and a day off each week, you might hire 8.

Start recruiting in winter if you can, and invite back last year's counselors you'd hire again before you recruit anyone new.

### 2. Write a clear job description
A good job description helps the right people apply and the wrong ones skip it. Be honest about the hours, the heat and the energy the job takes. Start from our [counselor job description template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/counselor-job-description). Include:

- Dates, including training week, and daily hours
- Pay, plus housing and meals for overnight camps
- What a day looks like: leading a group, running activities, meals and pickup
- Requirements: minimum age, experience with children and any certifications, such as lifeguarding or first aid
- That the job requires a background check and references
- Physical demands, such as being outdoors all day
- How to apply, and the deadline

### 3. Recruit where counselors are
Start with people who already know your camp, then widen out.

- Former campers and counselors-in-training who are now old enough to work
- Returning staff, who can also refer friends. Consider a referral bonus for each new hire who finishes the summer.
- Colleges, especially education, recreation, social work, nursing and sports programs. Contact career offices and professors early.
- Teachers and school staff on summer break
- High schools, for junior counselor roles
- Churches, youth sports leagues and community centers
- Local job boards and your own families' networks

### 4. Screen applications
Use one application for everyone, so you can compare people fairly. Ask for work and volunteer history with children, availability for every date including training, certifications and at least three references.

- Look for real experience with children: babysitting, coaching, teaching, tutoring or youth groups.
- Ask why they want the job. Short, specific answers beat long, general ones.
- Note gaps or vague answers to ask about in the interview.
- Reply to every applicant quickly. Good candidates take other jobs.

### 5. Interview with the same questions
Ask every candidate the same questions and score the answers the same way, so you hire on what you heard rather than on a feeling. Our [counselor interview questions](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/counselor-interview-questions) are grouped by topic, with what a good answer shows.

- Ask about real situations: "Tell me about a time you helped a child who was upset."
- Ask what they would do: "A camper tells you another counselor made them uncomfortable. What do you do?" A good answer is to tell the director right away, not to keep it quiet or look into it alone.
- Ask about boundaries: contact with campers on social media, being alone with one child and giving campers rides.
- Consider a group interview or a short activity with other candidates. You'll see how people lead, follow and include others.
- Watch for warning signs: wanting time alone with children, pushing back on rules about contact with campers, a vague job history or blaming every past employer.

### 6. Run background checks
Each state has its own rules for which checks staff who work with children need, who runs them and how often they're repeated. Check your state's rules in our [state-by-state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states), and ask your licensing office and insurer. Finish checks before anyone works with children.

- Depending on your state, checks may include state and national criminal history (often with fingerprints), sex offender registries and child abuse and neglect registries.
- Get written permission from each candidate before you run a check. If you use a screening company, federal and state rules apply to how you ask for permission and what you tell a candidate when a report affects your decision. Ask the screening company to walk you through it.
- Screen volunteers and junior counselors who work with children the same way you screen staff.
- Decide in advance how you'll handle a result that isn't clear, and treat every candidate the same way.
- Keep results confidential and stored securely.
- Repeat checks on the schedule your state requires, including for returning staff.

### 7. Check references
References tell you how someone actually behaves with children. Call at least two, and make one of them someone who supervised the candidate with kids. Questions to ask:

- "How did they work with children? Can you give me an example?"
- "Were they on time and reliable?"
- "How did they take feedback?"
- "Did you ever have concerns about how they behaved with children?"
- "Would you hire them again to work with children?"
- Listen for hesitation. A reference who won't answer a direct question is telling you something.

### 8. Make the offer and finish the paperwork
- Send a written offer with dates, pay, training week and what happens if someone leaves early.
- Collect new-hire tax and work eligibility forms, copies of certifications and signed copies of your staff policies.
- Check wage rules. Pay rules for camp staff can be complicated, especially for overnight camps and staff under 18, so ask an accountant or employment lawyer.
- Share your staff handbook before training week, so staff arrive knowing the basics.
- Keep in touch between the offer and the first day. A short message every few weeks keeps new hires connected to camp.

### 9. Use training week well
Training is where a group of new hires becomes a team. Plan it hour by hour, and practice more than you lecture. Use our [staff training checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-training-checklist) so every topic is covered and every staff member signs off.

- Your camp's mission, daily schedule and the rules staff must never break
- Child protection: boundaries, no one-on-one time out of sight of others and how to report suspected abuse as your state requires
- Emergency drills on site: fire, severe weather, lockdown and a missing child
- Pickup: checking the authorized pickup list and what to do when an adult isn't on it
- Allergies, medications and first aid, including where supplies are kept
- Behavior guidance: role-play hard moments, such as a homesick camper or a fight
- Confidentiality: what staff can and can't share, including on social media

### 10. Keep ratios on the ground
A ratio on paper doesn't help if three counselors take a break at the same time. Plan the daily schedule so enough staff are with children every hour.

- Count only staff who are actually supervising children, not staff on break or doing other tasks.
- Stagger breaks, and have a floater who covers them.
- Plan extra staff for swimming, field trips and bus rides.
- Keep a list of screened backup staff for sick days.
- Check whether your state counts junior counselors and volunteers toward the ratio.

### 11. Keep counselors all summer
Losing counselors in the middle of summer is costly and hard on campers. Small things keep people coming back.

- Pay on time, every time, and share schedules weeks in advance.
- Protect real breaks and days off.
- Check in with each counselor every week. Ask what's hard and fix what you can.
- Notice good work out loud, in front of others.
- Pair new counselors with experienced ones.
- Consider a bonus for finishing the season. Example: $200 for staying through the last day.
- Ask for feedback at the end of the summer, and invite the counselors you'd hire again back early.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR collects staff applications, references and documents, and moves candidates from applied to hired. Once they're hired, counselors see only their own rosters on their phones, with medical notes and pickup lists, and staff roles control what each person can see. Staff clock in and out, with records you can export for payroll. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Other camps get pricing by quote.

### How to raise scholarship money for camps and youth programs
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

Scholarships let children join your program no matter what their family can pay. The money usually comes from many small sources, not one big check. Here's where to find it, how to ask for it and how to give it out fairly and privately.

### 1. Know how much you need
Start with a number. Estimate how many children will need help and how much, then use the [scholarship budget calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/scholarship-budget-calculator) to see the total and what's left to raise. A specific goal is easier to raise than "as much as we can."

Example: if 20 children each need half of a $300 week of camp, you need $3,000. That could be 12 sponsors at $250, or $10 added to 300 full-price registrations.

### 2. Write your scholarship policy first
Donors give more easily when they know how the money will be used, and families apply more easily when the rules are clear. Decide who's eligible, how much help is available, how to apply, how decisions are made and how you protect privacy.

Our [scholarship policy template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/scholarship-policy) has sample wording, and our [scholarship application](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/scholarship-application) is a short form families can fill out.

### 3. Ask local foundations and community grants
Most of these funders give only to nonprofits. If you're not one, ask whether you can apply through a nonprofit partner or fiscal sponsor. Read each funder's guidelines, apply on time and send the report they ask for, so they'll consider you again.

- Your community foundation, which often makes grants to youth programs in its area
- Family foundations in your town. Private foundations' grants are listed in their public tax filings, which show who they've funded before.
- City or county youth and recreation funds
- Local service clubs and civic groups
- Your school district, PTA or parent groups, for programs that serve their students
- Churches and other congregations that want to help children in their neighborhood

### 4. Find business sponsors
Many local businesses want to support children in their community, and a sponsorship gives them something concrete to point to. Make the ask specific: "Sponsor a child for a week of camp."

- Make a short list: banks, dentists and doctors, real estate agents, restaurants, car dealers and other businesses your families use.
- Offer a few levels. Example: $300 sends one child to camp for a week, and $1,200 sends one child for a month.
- Thank sponsors publicly if they want it: on your website, in your newsletter or on a banner at your end-of-summer event.
- Ask for in-kind gifts too, such as snacks, T-shirts or field trip tickets. Every cost they cover frees up money for scholarships.
- Send each sponsor a short note at the end of the season about what their gift did.

### 5. Add a small amount to full-price registrations
Families who pay full price can help families who can't, a little at a time. Be open about it so no one feels surprised.

- Build it into the price and say so. Example: "$5 of every registration goes to our scholarship fund."
- Offer an optional "pay it forward" price, a little above the regular price, for families who want to give more.
- Share the result each year: "Your registrations helped [number] children come to camp this year."

### 6. Ask for donations at checkout
The moment a family registers is a good time to ask, because they're already thinking about your program. Add an optional donation to your scholarship fund at checkout.

- Keep it optional and easy to skip.
- Offer a few amounts plus a custom amount. Example: $10, $25 or $50.
- Say what a gift pays for, using your own numbers. Example: "$25 covers a day of camp for a child who needs help."
- Make it clear the donation goes to your program's scholarship fund.
- If you're a 501(c)(3), send donors a receipt they can use for their taxes. Ask your accountant what it should say.

### 7. Hold an event, if it's worth it
Events build community, but they take time and can cost almost as much as they raise. Pick one that fits your program and your volunteers, and set a goal before you plan it.

- A family fun run, field day or movie night
- A show where children perform or display their work
- A silent auction with items donated by local businesses
- An online giving day, with a sponsor who matches gifts up to a set amount
- Track the hours and costs, so you know whether to do it again.

### 8. How to ask
Ask people directly, in person when you can, and keep it short and specific.

- Explain the need in one or two sentences: how many children want to come and can't afford it.
- Tell a true story without identifying the family, or with the family's written permission.
- Ask for a specific amount for a specific thing: "Would you sponsor two children for a week?"
- Say what you'll report back, and when.
- Follow up once if you don't hear back, and accept a no gracefully.
- Thank every donor within a few days, whatever the size of the gift.

### 9. Set up a simple sliding scale
A sliding scale lets families pay what they can, in a few clear steps. Keep it simple enough that a family can see where they fit. Many programs base it on household income and household size. Some also accept proof that a child qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals, so families don't have to share income documents.

Example of a four-step scale, with income limits you set for your area and adjust for household size:

- Full price: household income above [amount]
- 75% of the price: income from [amount] to [amount]
- 50% of the price: income from [amount] to [amount]
- 25% of the price, or free: income below [amount], or a child who qualifies for free school meals
- Decide what proof you'll ask for, if any. Asking for less makes applying easier. Asking for more makes decisions easier to explain to donors.

### 10. Protect families' privacy
Families who get help should be treated exactly like everyone else. Only the people who decide on scholarships should know who received one.

- Keep applications and income documents locked away or in a system only a few people can open, and delete them when you no longer need them.
- Don't email income documents. Share them through a link only the right people can open.
- Use the same checkout for everyone, with the scholarship applied as a private discount, so a family never has to ask for it in front of others.
- Don't tell counselors or other families who has a scholarship, and don't mark it on rosters, name tags or T-shirts.
- Never name a scholarship family to donors, in photos or in stories without the family's written permission.

### 11. Track every gift and report back
Donors give again when they see what their money did. Keep simple records from the first gift, so your report takes an hour, not a week.

- Record each gift: who gave, how much, when and any restriction, such as "for swim lessons only."
- Record each award: how much each child received, for which program and from which fund.
- Keep scholarship money separate in your books, so it isn't spent on other costs.
- Report the totals: children helped, weeks or days paid for and dollars given.
- Add one story or photo, with the family's written permission, and a thank-you note from a child if you can.
- Send the report when you said you would, and say what you'll need next year.

### How BackPR helps
In BackPR you can apply full or partial scholarships, set sliding-scale pricing and give families private aid codes to use at checkout. Families can add a donation to your program when they register, and finance reports show scholarships and discounts next to payments. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

### Childcare tax receipts: what to give parents for the dependent care credit and FSA
By the BackPR team. Published October 19, 2026.

Parents need receipts from you to get reimbursed from a dependent care FSA, and a year-end statement to claim the federal child and dependent care credit. Here's what to put on them, which programs count and how to answer the questions parents ask. This is general information from IRS publications, not tax advice.

### What parents need from you
To claim the credit, parents list each care provider on IRS Form 2441: its name, address, taxpayer identification number (TIN) and the amount they paid that year. They need the same provider details to use a dependent care FSA. If the details are wrong or missing, the parent can lose the credit, or the tax-free treatment of their FSA money, unless they can show they tried to get them.

IRS publications don't give a format for receipts. They do say parents can rely on a recently printed invoice or letterhead that shows your name, address and TIN. Put these on every receipt and year-end statement:

- Your organization's name and address. If your program goes by a different name, show both.
- Your EIN (employer identification number). If you're a 501(c)(3), see the next section.
- The child's name.
- The date and amount of each payment.
- What each payment was for and the dates of care it covers, such as "After-school care, September 2026" or "Day camp, June 15–19".
- Refunds and credits, so the total is what the family actually paid.

### If you're a 501(c)(3)
A tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization doesn't have to give parents its TIN. Form W-10 says it fills in its name and address and writes "tax-exempt" where the number would go. Parents then enter "Tax-Exempt" on Form 2441 instead of a number.

IRS publications give churches and schools as examples of tax-exempt providers. If you're a city or county program, a public school district or an exempt organization that isn't a 501(c)(3), ask your finance office or a tax professional what to put on statements.

### When a parent sends you Form W-10
Form W-10 is the IRS form parents use to ask a care provider for its name, address and TIN. Fill in Part I, sign it and give it back. The parent keeps it with their tax records. It doesn't go to the IRS.

Federal law requires a dependent care provider to give parents a valid TIN, and a provider that doesn't can face an IRS penalty. Form W-10 says that penalty doesn't apply to 501(c)(3) organizations, which can write "tax-exempt" instead. If a provider refuses, parents can still claim the credit by reporting what they have and attaching a note that says they asked. Don't make them do that.

### Which programs count
Care costs count only if the care is for a child under 13 (or a dependent of any age who can't care for themselves) and lets the parents work or look for work. The main purpose of the care has to be the child's well-being and protection. Here's how the IRS treats common programs:

- Day camp: can count, even if the camp focuses on one activity, such as soccer or computers.
- Overnight camp: doesn't count.
- Before- and after-school care: can count, including for children in kindergarten and up.
- Preschool and pre-K: can count.
- Tuition for kindergarten and higher grades: doesn't count.
- Summer school and tutoring: don't count.
- Food, clothing and entertainment: don't count, unless the cost is small and can't be separated from the cost of care.
- Fees a family has to pay to get care, such as application fees and deposits: can count. A deposit the family loses when no care is given doesn't.
- Transportation you provide to or from care: can count.

### A few more things to know
- Care counts only up to the day before a child's 13th birthday.
- The IRS treats a place that cares for more than six people for a fee as a dependent care center, even if it's a nonprofit. Parents can count its cost only if it follows all the state and local rules that apply to it. Check your state's rules in the [BackPR state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states).
- IRS publications don't directly say whether lessons, classes or sports leagues count. If a parent asks, send them to a tax professional.

### Day camp or overnight camp?
Day camp costs can count toward the credit and a dependent care FSA, even when the camp is built around one activity. The IRS gives the example of a summer day camp with computer activities, swimming and arts and crafts: the full cost may count. Overnight camp doesn't count. Neither does a summer tutoring program, even if it runs while the parent works.

If you run both day and overnight sessions, list them on separate lines of each family's statement. Do the same for extras that aren't care, such as T-shirts or a separate lunch plan. Parents can then see which costs might qualify.

### Receipts and year-end statements
Send a receipt for every payment. Then, in January, give each family one statement of everything they paid you in the past year.

- Cover January 1 to December 31, and list each payment by the date it was made. For the credit, parents count what they paid during the year. A prepayment for next year's care counts in the year the care happens.
- Show the dates of care each payment covers. A dependent care FSA counts an expense when the care is provided, not when it's billed or paid, and can't pay a claim before the care happens.
- Break the total down by child and by program.
- If two households split tuition, give each one a statement of what it paid. If an employer, agency or scholarship covered part of the bill, show that apart from what the family paid.
- Put your name, address and EIN (or "tax-exempt") on the statement itself.
- Keep copies, so you can send a statement again when a parent asks.

### Dependent care FSA or tax credit?
A dependent care FSA is a work benefit: parents set aside part of their pay before tax and get reimbursed for care. The credit is claimed on their tax return. A parent can use both, but not for the same dollars. FSA money is also subtracted from the $3,000 or $6,000 limit for the credit, so a parent who puts $3,000 (one child) or $6,000 (two or more children) through an FSA can't claim the credit at all.

- FSA limit: up to $7,500 a year starting in 2026, up from $5,000 ($3,750 for married people filing separately, up from $2,500). The employer's plan sets the actual limit.
- Credit: starting with the 2026 tax year (returns filed in 2027), up to 50% of care costs, on up to $3,000 in costs for one child or $6,000 for two or more. That's a maximum of $1,500 or $3,000. The rate goes down as income goes up, but not below 20%. For 2025, the top rate was 35%.
- FSA claims need proof from you. An IRS Chief Counsel memo says each claim must be backed by information from someone other than the parent that shows the service, its dates and the amount. That's why parents ask for receipts with dates of care.
- Each FSA plan has its own claim form. If a parent asks you to fill one in, make sure the dates and amounts match your records.

### Questions parents ask
- "Can I use this for my FSA and the credit?" Yes, but not for the same dollars. FSA money comes off the $3,000 or $6,000 limit for the credit, so a full FSA can leave no credit at all.
- "Why is there no EIN on my statement?" If you're a 501(c)(3), you don't have to give one. Parents write "Tax-Exempt" on Form 2441.
- "Does overnight camp count?" No. Day camp can.
- "My child turned 13 this year. Does that matter?" Yes. Only care before the 13th birthday counts.
- "My ex and I both paid. Can we both claim it?" Generally, only the custodial parent can: the one the child lived with for more nights that year. Give each household a statement of what it paid.
- "Do I send this to the IRS?" No. Parents keep receipts and Form W-10 with their tax records.
- "Will I get the credit?" That depends on the family's work, income and filing status. Don't guess. Point them to IRS Publication 503 or a tax professional.

### Make a receipt now
Use the [free childcare receipt generator](https://backpr.com/tools/childcare-receipt-generator) to make a receipt with the details on this page.

### This isn't tax advice
This guide is general information based on IRS publications and forms, checked in October 2026. It isn't tax advice, and IRS rules and limits change. Parents should ask a tax professional about their own situation. For your program, check your state's licensing rules and ask your accountant what to put on statements.

### How BackPR handles it
In BackPR, families get confirmation emails with receipts, and parents can see every payment in their account. Parents can download a year-end statement of what they paid. Check that it shows your EIN (or "tax-exempt") and the dates of care before families use it for their claims. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Payments run through Stripe at Stripe's standard rates.

This is general information, not tax advice. Sources: IRS publications, forms and guidance, checked October 19, 2026: IRS Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses (https://www.irs.gov/publications/p503); Instructions for Form 2441 (https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i2441); Form W-10, Dependent Care Provider's Identification and Certification (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw10.pdf); IRS: Child and Dependent Care Credit information (https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/child-and-dependent-care-credit-information); IRS: Working Families Tax Cuts provisions (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions); IRS Publication 15-B (2026) (https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15b); IRS Tax Topic 602, Child and Dependent Care Credit (https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc602); IRS Chief Counsel Memorandum 202317020 (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/202317020.pdf)

### Vacation Bible School (VBS) registration: forms, volunteers and daily check-in
By the BackPR team. Published October 21, 2026.

VBS week goes smoothly when the work happens before it starts: the right questions on the form, screened volunteers, crews (small groups of kids, usually by grade, who stay with the same leaders all week) sorted ahead of time and a pickup plan every volunteer knows. This guide covers how to organize the registration side of VBS, from picking dates to following up with families afterward. Rules differ by state, denomination and insurer, so use this guide as a checklist and confirm the details with your state licensing office, your denomination and your insurance company.

### 1. Set your dates, ages and limits
Decide the basics before you build a form, because they drive everything else: dates and hours, the ages you'll serve and how many kids you can take. Let your rooms and your volunteers set the limit, not the number of kids you hope for. Check your local school calendar too, so VBS doesn't land on the last days of school.

Example: 9 a.m. to noon for one week, for kids from age 3 (by June 1) through those who just finished fifth grade, with kids who just finished sixth grade and older as helpers. Up to 100 kids, with a limit for each grade. Because this includes preschoolers, it's one to check with your licensing office.

Then check whether your state's childcare licensing rules apply to you. Some states name VBS in their laws. Florida's law, for example, leaves "Bible schools normally conducted during vacation periods" out of its definition of a child care facility. Other states exempt short programs, with limits such as how many weeks a year a program runs or the ages it serves. Look up your state in our [state-by-state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states), and ask your licensing office if your VBS runs full days, serves children under school age or includes a nursery.

Ask your insurer and your denomination, if you have one, what they require for children's programs, such as volunteer screening and check-in rules. It's easier to build their requirements into registration now than to add them during VBS week.

### 2. Decide when registration opens and closes
Open registration early enough to know your numbers in time to recruit volunteers and order supplies and T-shirts in the right sizes. Open volunteer sign-ups first: the number of crew leaders you have sets how many kids you can take.

Plan for walk-ins, too. Expect some families to show up on the first morning without registering. Leave a spot or two open in each crew and set up a separate walk-in table with a sign-up link or a paper form. Don't send a child to a crew until you have a parent's phone number, the child's allergies and the names of who can pick up.

Example timeline, counting back from the first day:

- 10 to 12 weeks before: open volunteer sign-ups.
- 8 weeks before: open registration for kids. Before you open, decide whether church families can register a week early. An early window fills spots fast, which can leave less room for community families if outreach is a goal.
- 6 weeks before: start volunteer background checks, since results can take a week or more.
- 4 weeks before: T-shirt deadline. Tell families that kids who register later may get a different size.
- 1 to 2 weeks before: train volunteers.
- 2 weeks before: send a reminder asking families to cancel if their plans change, so you can offer their spots to the waitlist.
- 3 or 4 days before: close online registration, sort kids into crews and send every family a welcome message.
- The first morning: walk-ins register at their own table, away from the check-in line.

### 3. Choose free or paid, and plan for scholarships
Decide what families pay before you open registration. Free VBS removes a barrier for families who don't know your church yet. A small fee can help cover T-shirts and supplies. Options to consider:

- Free for everyone, with a limit for each grade and a waitlist.
- Free, with an optional donation at checkout to help cover supplies.
- A small fee per child, with a family maximum. Example: $15 per child, up to $40 per family.
- A free program with an optional T-shirt that families pay for.
- Free for volunteers' kids, so serving doesn't cost a family anything.
- If you charge, let any family have the fee waived privately, with a checkbox on the form or a quiet word with the director. Consider not asking for proof for a fee this small, and never mark who got help on rosters or name tags. For programs with higher fees, see [raising scholarship money](https://backpr.com/resources/raising-scholarship-money).
- If families pay by card, decide whether your church absorbs the card fee or passes it on (see [credit card fees: absorb or pass on?](https://backpr.com/resources/card-fees-absorb-or-pass-on)).
- Write a short refund policy, even for a small fee: when you refund and whether the T-shirt is included.

### 4. Build a short VBS registration form
Ask for what you need to run VBS week safely, plus a few optional questions, and nothing more. Every extra question makes the form harder to finish on a phone. Our [registration form checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/registration-form-checklist) covers the basics, and the [youth program registration form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/youth-program-registration-form) is a free template you can print or edit. Parents can fill in their kids' details once with our [family profile](https://backpr.com/tools/family-profile) and copy from it for every sign-up.

Paper, a form builder, church management software or registration software can all work. What matters is that pickup names and allergies reach the volunteers who need them, and that payments match sign-ups. If you're comparing tools, see BackPR vs [Planning Center](https://backpr.com/compare/planning-center), [Breeze](https://backpr.com/compare/breeze), [SignUpGenius](https://backpr.com/compare/signupgenius) and [Google Forms](https://backpr.com/compare/google-forms).

What to ask:

- Child's full name, the name they go by, birth date and grade. Say which grade you mean: the one they just finished or the one they start in the fall.
- Parents' or guardians' names, phone numbers and email addresses, plus the best number to call during VBS
- At least two emergency contacts besides the parents
- Every adult allowed to pick the child up, anyone who isn't and any custody order volunteers need to know about (see the [authorized pickup form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/authorized-pickup-form))
- Allergies and how serious they are, medications and any emergency medicine the child carries (see the [medical and allergy form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/medical-and-allergy-form))
- "Is there anything that would help your child have a great week?" An open question can tell you about kids who need extra support, without asking families for a medical history.
- T-shirt size, in youth and adult sizes, with a link to the size chart
- A buddy request: one friend in the same grade
- Photo permission, with choices: a slideshow or bulletin board at church, the church website, social media or no photos at all. Our [photo and media release](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/photo-and-media-release) has sample wording.
- Home church, as an optional question. Include "None" as a choice.
- Permission to contact the family about future church events, as a separate checkbox
- A parent's signature on your participation agreement or waiver (ask your denomination or insurer for sample wording, or have a lawyer review it) and permission to seek emergency medical treatment

### 5. Register and screen volunteers
Give volunteers their own sign-up form, separate from the kids' form, and open it first. Ask which days they can serve and which role they want, such as crew leader, station leader (runs one activity, such as crafts or games, that crews rotate through), snacks, check-in or nursery. Ask for their T-shirt size too, and whether their own kids are coming, so you can register those kids and plan the nursery.

Then screen everyone who will work with kids, and finish before VBS week. Ask your insurer and your denomination what they require. Some denominations require background checks for volunteers who work with children, and your state may have its own rules. Our [volunteer application](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/volunteer-application) is a place to start.

- A written application from every adult who will work with kids, with references for people you don't know well.
- A short conversation with anyone who is new to children's ministry.
- A background check before the first day, with the person's written permission. If your VBS falls under your state's childcare rules, see [childcare background checks by state](https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-background-checks-by-state).
- A plan for people new to your church. One option is a waiting period, such as six months, before someone serves with kids. Until then, they can help with setup, decorations or parking.
- Youth helpers, from sixth graders to teens, are minors too. Get a parent's permission, train them and pair them with screened adults. Don't count a youth helper as one of the adults in a crew.
- Training before VBS week: your child-safety rules, check-in and pickup, allergies, emergencies and how to report suspected abuse. Use our [staff training checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-training-checklist).
- Reporting: teach volunteers what to do if a child tells them about abuse. Listen calmly, don't question the child or investigate and write down what the child said. If a child is in danger now, call 911. Otherwise, report to your state's child abuse hotline or the police as your state requires, and tell the VBS director. In some states every adult must report suspected child abuse, and many states list clergy among mandated reporters. In some states, telling the director doesn't replace your own report. See [mandated reporter laws by state](https://backpr.com/resources/mandated-reporter-laws-by-state).
- A signed agreement to your child-safety policy, including your rules on taking and posting photos of kids. If your church doesn't have a written child-safety policy, ask your denomination or insurer for a model policy before you recruit.
- Keep applications and check results confidential, and repeat checks on the schedule your policy sets.

### 6. Sort kids into crews by grade
Crews by grade (or by age for preschoolers) keep kids with others their age and give each child the same leaders all week. Sort them after registration closes, a few days before VBS, not the night before.

Example: with crews of 8 to 10 kids and two adults in each, 100 kids need 10 to 13 crews and 20 to 26 crew leaders. Add volunteers for check-in, snacks, stations and floaters (extra adults who fill in where needed). Plan smaller crews or more adults for the youngest kids. The [staff ratio calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/staff-ratio-calculator) can help you run the numbers.

- Set a limit for each grade, and start a waitlist when one fills.
- Honor one buddy request per child when you can, within the same grade.
- Decide whether twins share a crew, and whether kids can be in their parent's crew.
- Place kids who need extra support with an experienced leader, or add a helper to that crew.
- Two-adult rule: at least two screened adults with every crew, and no adult alone with a child out of sight of others, including on bathroom trips.
- Give each crew leader a list with every child's allergies, pickup names and photo permission, and keep it out of public view.

### 7. Plan the nursery and care for volunteers' kids
Some volunteers can't serve unless their young children have a safe place to be. A nursery or preschool room for volunteers' kids can make serving possible.

Care for babies and toddlers can fall under different rules than a program for school-age kids. Some licensing exemptions apply only to certain ages, and some states exempt care while parents are on site. Check your state in our [state-by-state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states).

- Decide who the nursery is for: volunteers' kids only, or any family with a younger child.
- Register volunteers' kids with the same form as every other child, even when it's free. They need allergy information and a pickup list too.
- Use the same check-in and check-out in the nursery, and have volunteer parents check their own kids out at the end of the day.
- Staff the nursery with at least two screened adults, and plan more adults per child than in the older crews.
- Ask parents about feeding, naps and diapering on the nursery form.

### 8. Plan for allergies, medicine and emergencies
At VBS, food shows up in snacks, crafts and sometimes science experiments or games. Plan all of it with allergies in mind.

- Check the allergies on your registrations before you buy snacks.
- Give every crew leader, the snack team and station leaders a list of kids with allergies, what a reaction looks like and what to do. Our [allergy alert roster](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/allergy-alert-roster) gives you a format.
- Share the snack menu before VBS, so parents can send a safe snack.
- Read labels on snacks, and on craft supplies that contain food, such as cereal, candy, peanut butter or homemade play dough (made with wheat flour).
- Know where each child's emergency medicine, such as an epinephrine auto-injector, is kept, and who is trained to use it.
- Get a parent's written permission and instructions before volunteers give any medicine, and follow your church's policy and any state rules that apply.
- Write an emergency plan, including when to call 911. Our [emergency action plan template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/emergency-action-plan) is a place to start.
- Have water and shade for outdoor games, especially on hot days.

### 9. Welcome community families, in English and Spanish
If VBS is how your church meets families from the neighborhood, make sign-up easy for people who have never been inside your building.

- Explain VBS in one sentence on your sign-up page. Families who don't go to church may not know what it is. Include the dates, hours, ages, cost and where to drop off.
- Say plainly that VBS includes Bible stories, songs and prayer, so no family is surprised.
- Avoid church shorthand on the form, such as names of rooms or ministries only members know.
- Keep questions about church optional, and don't ask about membership.
- Share one link everywhere: your website, social media, local parent groups and flyers at libraries and community centers (ask about each place's rules first).
- Say how you'll use families' contact details, and ask before you add anyone to church mailing lists.
- If Spanish-speaking families live near you, offer the sign-up form, welcome message and pickup rules in Spanish. Translate the form, not just the flyer. A parent who can read the flyer but not the allergy questions can't tell you what you need to know.
- Have a fluent speaker check your translation, especially the medical and pickup questions. Our [Spanish templates](https://backpr.com/es/plantillas) include free registration, pickup, medical, photo release and volunteer forms.
- If you can, have a Spanish-speaking volunteer at check-in and pickup.

### 10. Check kids in and out every day
Use the same check-in and pickup steps every day of VBS, and train every volunteer on them. Expect the first morning to take the longest, so open check-in early and put extra volunteers at the door.

A few days before VBS, send families a welcome message: times, the drop-off spot, what to wear, the snack menu and how pickup works. Our [parent welcome letter](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/parent-welcome-letter) is a template you can edit.

- Check-in: a parent or guardian checks each child in, and a volunteer brings the child to their crew.
- Matching tags or codes: give the parent a tag or code that matches the child's, and ask for it at pickup.
- Pickup: release kids only to adults on the family's authorized pickup list, and check photo ID for anyone volunteers don't know.
- If an adult isn't on the list, the child stays with the crew while a volunteer calls the parent. Never release a child just to keep the line moving.
- Older siblings: decide whether they can pick up and from what age. Get the parent's written permission.
- Count heads every time a crew changes rooms or goes outside.
- Keep a printed backup of each day's list, with pickup names and allergies, in case phones or Wi-Fi fail. Our [daily sign-in and sign-out sheet](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/daily-sign-in-sign-out-sheet) works on paper.
- Late pickup: decide when volunteers start calling parents and emergency contacts, and keep two adults with any child still waiting.
- Write up any injury or incident the same day, and tell the parent at pickup. Use our [incident and accident report](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/incident-and-accident-report).

### 11. Follow up after VBS
The week after VBS is your best chance to thank families and learn what to change, while it's fresh.

- Thank families within a few days. Share photos only of kids whose parents said yes, and only where they said yes.
- Send a short survey. Our [end-of-program parent survey](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/end-of-program-parent-survey) has questions to start from.
- If families agreed to hear from you, invite them to one clear next step, such as a family event or your Sunday program for kids.
- Call the family of any child who had a hard week, before they call you.
- Thank volunteers, ask what to change and invite the ones you'd want back to sign up early next year.
- Write down the numbers for next year: kids registered, kids who came each day, first-time families and volunteers. Note how many T-shirts you ordered and how many were left.
- Store forms securely, ask your insurer how long to keep incident reports and delete health information you no longer need.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR runs VBS registration, payments, forms and check-in in one place. Families register every child in one checkout, in English or Spanish, and fill out waivers, photo permission and health forms (including allergies) as part of sign-up. You can make VBS free or charge a fee. Volunteers check kids in and out from their phones against each family's authorized pickup list, and you can message parents before and during VBS week. See [VBS registration in BackPR](https://backpr.com/solutions/vacation-bible-school) and [BackPR for churches](https://backpr.com/solutions/churches).

BackPR is free for nonprofits, including churches: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and free registrations have no card fees at all. Churches don't have to apply to the IRS for recognition of tax-exempt status, so many aren't in the IRS's online search of tax-exempt organizations. If yours isn't in our [nonprofit status checker](https://backpr.com/tools/nonprofit-eligibility-checker), email support@backpr.com and we'll confirm your status another way. Other organizations get pricing by quote.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Sources for the facts about laws, the IRS and denominations, checked October 21, 2026: IRS Publication 1828, Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf); Florida Statutes, section 402.302 (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/402.302); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/clergy-mandatory-reporters-child-abuse-and-neglect/); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://cwig-prod-prod-drupal-s3fs-us-east-1.s3.amazonaws.com/public/documents/manda.pdf); U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (Article 13) (https://www.usccb.org/resources/2026.07%20Charter-rev%20-%20for%20web.pdf)

### Summer camp budget: every line item and a worked day camp example
By the BackPR team. Published October 21, 2026.

A camp budget answers three questions: what the summer will cost, what you need to charge and whether the money will be there when bills are due. This guide lists every line to include, works through a full budget for a six-week day camp and shows the math for staff costs, break-even prices and cash flow. The example's numbers are assumptions chosen to show the math, not typical costs, so replace them with your own.

### 1. Start with your assumptions
Every number in a camp budget follows from a few decisions. Write them at the top of your budget, so anyone can see where the numbers come from. If your budget is a spreadsheet, you can change one assumption and watch the totals update. If you're starting a new camp, [how to start a summer camp](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-a-summer-camp) covers the steps around the budget.

It helps to count in camper-weeks: one child at camp for one week. Fifty children for 4 weeks is 200 camper-weeks, and so is 100 children for 2 weeks each. Tuition and most per-child costs are based on camper-weeks.

- Dates: how many weeks, which days and what hours, plus any extended care before and after camp
- Capacity: the most children you can take each week, set by your space, your license and the staff you can hire
- Expected enrollment: what you really expect, week by week. Budget below capacity, especially in your first year. The [enrollment forecast calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/enrollment-forecast-calculator) turns last season's numbers into an estimate.
- Prices: your weekly or session price, extended care and any discounts
- Staff ratio: how many children each staff member may supervise in your state, by age. Check [camp license requirements by state](https://backpr.com/resources/summer-camp-license-requirements-by-state) and [staff ratios by state](https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-ratios-by-state), then use the [staff ratio calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/staff-ratio-calculator).
- Scholarships: how many children you'll help, and by how much

### 2. List every source of revenue
Start with tuition at full price, then subtract what you give away. That way the budget shows what discounts and scholarships really cost. Then add everything else.

- Tuition at full price: camper-weeks × your weekly price, or sessions × your session price
- Less discounts: early-bird, sibling and multi-week discounts. The [sibling discount calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/sibling-discount-calculator) shows what a discount does to a family's total.
- Less scholarships: the tuition you waive for each full or partial award
- Registration fees, if you charge one per child or per family
- Add-ons: extended care, lunch plans, extra T-shirts or field trip fees
- Grants: money from foundations, local government and other funders. Count only grants promised in writing, and note when each will be paid.
- Donations and sponsorships, including donations families add when they register
- Support from your organization, such as a church or school that covers part of the cost
- In-kind gifts, such as free use of a building or donated snacks. List them at $0 with a note, so you know what you'd pay if the gift ended. If a funder asks, show them at their value as both income and expense.

### 3. List every expense
Group expenses the same way every year, so you can compare one summer with the next. Staff costs are usually the biggest group.

- Staff costs: wages for every role, including paid training days, plus employer payroll taxes, workers' compensation, background checks, staff certifications, payroll service fees and any end-of-season bonus
- Site and overhead costs: site rental and cleaning, insurance, license and permit fees, equipment that lasts more than one summer, software, marketing, office supplies and bookkeeping. License fees and rules vary by state, so start with our [state-by-state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states).
- Per-child costs: activity supplies, snacks or meals, camper T-shirts, field trip admissions and first aid supplies
- Trip costs: buses and drivers, which cost the same whether 30 or 50 children ride
- Card fees: the processing fee on each payment, if your camp absorbs it
- Contingency: money set aside for what you can't predict (see section 9)
- Overnight camps add more: lodging, three meals a day, staff on duty through the night, staff housing and meals, health care at all hours, laundry and transportation to and from camp. Ask an accountant how staff room and board affects payroll, and ask your insurance broker how your coverage changes.

### 4. Work out staff costs from hours
Build staff costs role by role. For each role: people × hourly wage × hours a week × weeks. Then add paid training days and the weeks your director works before and after camp. For how many people to hire, see [how to hire camp counselors](https://backpr.com/resources/hiring-camp-counselors).

Example: a counselor paid $16 an hour works 40 hours a week for 6 weeks (240 hours), plus 24 hours of training. That's 264 hours, or $4,224 for the summer.

Then add the employer's payroll taxes and check the wage rules. The federal facts below come from the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor (see the sources at the end). This isn't tax or legal advice, so confirm your situation with an accountant or payroll provider.

- Social Security and Medicare: the employer pays 6.2% plus 1.45% of wages, or 7.65%. On the counselor above, that's $323.14.
- Federal unemployment tax (FUTA): 6.0% of the first $7,000 you pay each employee in a year. In most states, the full credit for paying state unemployment tax brings it to 0.6%, or $42 per employee. Employers in a "credit reduction" state pay more. For the counselor above, that's $25.34. A 501(c)(3) organization doesn't pay FUTA, but it generally still pays Social Security and Medicare.
- State unemployment tax and workers' compensation: rates and rules vary by state. Churches are exempt from state unemployment tax in many states, and other 501(c)(3) organizations can often choose to repay claims instead of paying the tax. Get your real rates from your state, your payroll provider and your insurer.
- Minimum wage: the federal minimum is $7.25 an hour. Many states and some cities set a higher one, and you must pay the highest that applies. The [Department of Labor's state table](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/mw-consolidated) lists state rates.
- Overtime: unless an exemption applies, hours over 40 in a workweek must be paid at least time and a half. Some states, such as California, also require overtime after a set number of hours in a day. If counselors also covered 2.5 hours of extended care a day, they'd work 52.5 hours a week. At $16 an hour, those 12.5 hours would cost $300 at time and a half instead of $200. Separate part-time extended care staff can cost less.
- Seasonal exemption: federal law exempts some seasonal employers, including some organized camps, from minimum wage and overtime if they pass a seasonal test, such as operating no more than seven months a year (section 13(a)(3) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA). Don't build your budget on it unless an accountant or employment lawyer confirms it fits your camp. It depends on the facts, and some state wage laws don't allow it. In one Department of Labor opinion letter, a nonprofit's summer day camp didn't qualify because it shared space and staff with the organization's year-round program. If your camp runs in your regular building with your regular staff, assume the exemption doesn't apply.

### 5. Example budget: assumptions and revenue
Here's a full example. Every number is an assumption chosen to show the math, not a typical or recommended cost. Replace each one with your own quotes, wages and state rules. To keep the math short, it leaves out a few lines from section 3, such as camper T-shirts, first aid supplies and payroll service fees. Add them to your own budget.

Example: a 501(c)(3) nonprofit runs a six-week day camp, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended care from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 to 6 p.m. It has space for 60 children a week and budgets for 54 (90% full), or 324 camper-weeks. Assume the state ratio for this age group is 1 staff member for every 10 children. The price is $250 a week per child, and extended care is $50 a week. Families pay a $50 deposit for each week and the rest in two installments, due May 1 and June 1. About 100 families make 3 payments each.

Revenue comes to $84,000:

- Tuition at full price: 324 camper-weeks × $250 = $81,000
- Less scholarships: 10 children attend free for 3 weeks each, so 30 camper-weeks × $250 = $7,500
- Less sibling discounts: 10% ($25) off 40 camper-weeks = $1,000
- Net tuition: $81,000 − $7,500 − $1,000 = $72,500
- Extended care: 15 children a week × 6 weeks × $50 = $4,500
- Scholarship grant from a local foundation, promised in writing: $3,000
- Scholarship donations and business sponsors: $4,000
- Total revenue: $72,500 + $4,500 + $3,000 + $4,000 = $84,000

### 6. Example budget: expenses
Expenses come to $77,774, which leaves a surplus of $6,226, about 7% of revenue. Staff costs come to $55,043, site and overhead costs to $8,300 and per-child and trip costs to $8,442, plus $3,589 in contingency and $2,400 in card fees. It costs about $240 to give one child one week of camp ($77,774 ÷ 324 camper-weeks), and staff costs are about 71% of the total. Line by line:

- Director: $25 an hour × 40 hours × 9 weeks (2 before camp, 6 during and 1 after) = $9,000
- Assistant director: $20 × 40 hours × 7 weeks (training week and camp) = $5,600
- Counselors: 54 children at 1 staff member for every 10 need 6 counselors, plus 1 floater to cover breaks. 7 × $16 × 40 hours × 6 weeks = $26,880
- Counselor training: 7 × $16 × 24 hours = $2,688
- Activity specialist: $20 × 20 hours × 6 weeks = $2,400
- Extended care staff: 15 children need 2 staff. 2 × $16 × 2.5 hours × 5 days × 6 weeks = $2,400
- Social Security and Medicare: 7.65% × $48,968 in total wages = $3,746
- State unemployment tax and workers' compensation: an assumed 3% × $48,968 = $1,469. As a 501(c)(3), this camp pays no FUTA.
- Background checks: 12 staff plus 2 backup hires = 14 × $40 = $560
- First aid and CPR certification: 4 staff × $75 = $300
- Site rental: $500 a week × 6 weeks = $3,000
- Insurance: $2,500, from a broker's quote
- License and permit fees: $300
- Equipment: $1,500
- Marketing, printing and office: $1,000
- Activity supplies: $8 × 324 camper-weeks = $2,592
- Snacks: $1.50 a day × 5 days = $7.50 a week. $7.50 × 324 camper-weeks = $2,430
- Field trips every other week: $10 admission × 54 children × 3 trips = $1,620, plus buses at $600 a trip × 3 trips = $1,800
- Contingency: 5% of the $71,785 above = $3,589
- Card fees, absorbed by the camp, at an example rate of 3% plus 30¢ per payment, assuming every family pays by card: 3% × $77,000 in family payments ($72,500 tuition + $4,500 extended care) = $2,310, plus 300 payments × 30¢ = $90, for $2,400
- Total expenses: $55,043 staff + $8,300 site and overhead + $8,442 per-child and trip costs + $3,589 contingency + $2,400 card fees = $77,774

### 7. Find your break-even price and enrollment
Break-even is the point where revenue just covers costs. It's the floor for your price, not the target.

Break-even price: take your costs before card fees, subtract revenue that isn't tuition and divide by the number of paying camper-weeks. In the example, $75,374 in costs before card fees − $11,500 from grants, donations and extended care = $63,874. Divided by 294 paying camper-weeks (324 minus the 30 on scholarship), that's $217.26. To absorb a 3% card fee, divide by 0.97, so $217.26 is left after the 3% comes off: $223.98. The 30¢ per payment and the fees on extended care add less than $1, so break-even is about $225 a week, on average, from each paying child. That's lower than the $240 it costs to run one camper-week, because grants, donations and extended care pay part of the cost.

The [camp price calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/camp-price-calculator) does this math. It asks for a number of children. To price a whole season, enter camper-weeks there instead. For fixed costs, enter everything that doesn't change with enrollment. For the example, enter $68,732 in fixed costs ($55,043 staff + $8,300 site and overhead + $1,800 buses + $3,589 contingency), $20.50 in per-child costs ($8 for supplies, $7.50 for snacks and $5 a week for field trip admissions), 324 children, 30 full scholarships, $11,500 in other funding and a 3% card fee.

Break-even enrollment: once you've hired staff and signed the site agreement, most costs stay the same when a spot is empty. In the example, each paying camper-week brings in an average of $246.60 after sibling discounts ($72,500 ÷ 294). Take off the 3% card fee ($7.40) and $20.50 in per-child costs, and each paying camper-week adds about $218.70. The $6,226 surplus covers about 28 empty camper-weeks, or almost 5 children a week. At about 49 children a week (about 296 camper-weeks), the surplus is gone. Below that, the camp has to use its contingency or cut costs.

Set your price above break-even. Compare it with similar camps near you, and leave a cushion for empty spots, next year's equipment and scholarships. In the example, $250 a week brings in an average of $246.60 against a break-even of about $225.

### 8. Budget scholarships and discounts as their own lines
Show scholarships and discounts at their full-price value, as lines of their own, instead of quietly lowering your tuition estimate. Then you can see what they cost and what pays for them.

In the example, scholarships are worth $7,500: 10 children for 3 weeks each at $250 a week. The grant and donations bring in $7,000, so tuition covers the other $500. In the [scholarship budget calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/scholarship-budget-calculator), enter a $750 price (3 weeks), 10 children, a 100% average scholarship and $7,000 in funds. It shows $7,500 needed, 9 children covered and $500 still to raise.

- A scholarship can cost you less than its price. If a scholarship child fills a spot that would otherwise be empty, the added cost is close to your per-child costs: $20.50 a week in the example.
- If a grant isn't confirmed, budget it at $0 and note it as possible extra money.
- Keep scholarship money separate in your books, so it pays only for scholarships.
- Estimate discounts from last year's numbers: how many families used the sibling or early-bird rate.
- Write down who decides on awards and how. Our [scholarship policy template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/scholarship-policy) has sample wording, and [raising scholarship money](https://backpr.com/resources/raising-scholarship-money) covers where to find the funds.

### 9. Plan for card fees, refunds and surprises
Your payment processor usually charges a percentage of each payment plus a small fixed fee. Check your rate on your processor's pricing page; Stripe publishes its rates at [stripe.com/pricing](https://stripe.com/pricing). The budget above uses 3% plus 30¢ as an example rate.

- If you absorb card fees, they're an expense: $2,400 in the example.
- If you pass them on, families pay a little more and the fee leaves your budget. To receive $250 from a single payment at 3% plus 30¢, charge ($250 + $0.30) ÷ 0.97 = $258.04. The [card fee calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/card-fee-calculator) does this math, and [credit card fees: absorb or pass on?](https://backpr.com/resources/card-fees-absorb-or-pass-on) helps you decide. Rules on surcharges differ by state and card network, so check them first.
- Each installment is charged the fixed fee again. In the example, 300 payments × 30¢ = $90. Plan schedules with the [payment plan calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/payment-plan-calculator).
- Many payment processors don't return their fee when you refund a payment. Write your [refund and cancellation policy](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/refund-and-cancellation-policy) before registration opens, including whether deposits are refundable.
- Contingency: set money aside for what you can't predict, such as a heat wave, a broken-down bus, a counselor who quits in July or a refund for a family that moves. The example uses 5% of costs ($3,589). A first-year camp, with no history to go on, may want more. If you don't need it, it becomes part of your surplus.

### 10. Plan your cash flow
A budget tells you whether the season pays for itself. Cash flow tells you whether the money is there on the day a bill is due. Many camp costs come before or during camp, while family payments can arrive any time from winter to summer.

Make a month-by-month plan from January to September: money in, money out and the balance at the end of each month. Then find your lowest month. In the example:

- January to March: about $5,300 goes out for insurance, the license, equipment and marketing, before most families have registered.
- February to April: registration opens in February, and families pay a $50 deposit for each week. If families book two-thirds of the 294 paying weeks by April 30, that's 196 × $50 = $9,800.
- April to June: background checks and first aid training cost $860. Installments come in on May 1 and June 1, so most booked tuition arrives before camp starts.
- June: payroll starts with the director's planning weeks and training week.
- Late June through July: wages run $7,080 a week during camp, plus $541.62 in employer Social Security and Medicare, plus site rental, snacks, supplies and field trips.
- August and September: the last payroll and your grant report. Bills for state unemployment tax and workers' compensation can come later too. Some grants pay only after you report, so don't count on that money for summer payroll.
- The low point in the example is late winter: about $5,300 has gone out and deposits have barely started. So the camp needs about $5,300 in cash, or an advance from its organization, before registration opens. If deposits are refundable and you won't spend them before the refund deadline, plan on more.
- If a month ends below zero, move installment due dates earlier, ask the site owner to bill after camp or set aside cash from your organization before spring. Don't spend refundable deposits until the refund deadline passes.

### 11. Track actual income and spending against your budget
A budget helps only if you check it. Keep the same lines as your budget and add three columns: actual so far, still expected and projected total (actual plus still expected). The gap between projected total and budget shows a problem while there's still time to fix it.

- Before camp, check monthly: registrations for each week against budget, deposits and installments collected, failed payments and scholarships awarded against money raised.
- During camp, check weekly. Look at enrollment for the weeks ahead and at staff hours, including any overtime. Compare spending on snacks, supplies and trips with the budget.
- Example: after week 2, snacks have cost $1,100 against a budget of $810 for two weeks. At that pace, snacks will cost $3,300 for the summer, $870 over budget. Change the menu or buy in bulk now. Otherwise, decide whether to use part of the contingency.
- Check late-summer weeks early. If week 6 has 30 sign-ups in April against a budget of 54, promote that week now or plan staff for a smaller group.
- Write down why each big difference happened. Those notes make next year's budget better.
- After the season, compare final numbers with the budget and report to funders. Our [grant attendance report template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/grant-attendance-report) gives you a format, and the [grant budget calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/grant-budget-calculator) helps you build next year's request.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR runs camp registration, payments, forms and check-in in one place. Families register and pay online, in English or Spanish. They can pay a deposit and pay the rest on a payment plan. You can set sibling discounts that apply automatically and give each scholarship family a private code that applies their award at checkout. BackPR is free for nonprofits, including churches: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Other camps get pricing by quote.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Sources for the payroll tax and wage facts, checked October 21, 2026: IRS Tax Topic 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates (https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751); IRS Tax Topic 759, Form 940 and FUTA tax (https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc759); IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide (https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15); IRS Publication 15-A (2026), Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide (https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15a); U.S. Department of Labor: Minimum wage (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage); U.S. Department of Labor: State minimum wage table (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/mw-consolidated); U.S. Department of Labor: Overtime pay (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime); Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 213(a)(3) (https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2023-title29/html/USCODE-2023-title29-chap8-sec213.htm); DOL Fact Sheet #18: Section 13(a)(3) exemption for seasonal establishments (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/18-flsa-seasonal-amusement); DOL opinion letter FLSA2004-6NA on summer camp employees (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/2004_08_04_06FLSA_NA_summercamp.pdf)

### How to start a daycare: a step-by-step guide for centers and home daycares
By the BackPR team. Published October 21, 2026.

In most states, opening a daycare means getting a license first: an application, background checks, inspections and training, all before the first child arrives. This guide walks through the steps in order, from choosing between a center and a home daycare to your first weeks open. Rules differ a lot from state to state, so use this guide as a checklist and confirm each step with your state's licensing office.

### 1. Choose a daycare center or a home daycare
States license daycare centers and home daycares under different rules, with different limits on how many children you can care for. Decide which one you're starting before anything else. This guide follows the center path and notes where a home daycare is different.

- Daycare center: groups of children, often in classrooms by age, usually in a commercial building. A director runs it with a team of staff. Centers are run by individual owners, chains, nonprofits, churches, public schools and government agencies.
- Home daycare: licensing rules often call it a family child care home. You care for a small group of children in the home where you live. States limit how many children you can care for, and how many of them can be infants and toddlers. Many states count your own children, often those under school age, toward that limit.
- When a home needs a license varies a lot. Some states require one once you care for more than one unrelated child. Others don't until you care for six or more, and some offer registration or certification for some home daycares instead.
- Some states have more than one level of home license. Florida, for example, licenses family child care homes and large family child care homes, each with its own limits on total children and on babies and toddlers ([Florida's rules](https://backpr.com/resources/states/florida)).
- Learn what families near you need. Your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency (CCR&R) can help you see which ages and hours are hard for families to find, and our [program finder](https://backpr.com/find) shows licensed centers near you in the states that publish official program data.
- Then choose the ages you'll serve (infants, toddlers, preschoolers or school-age children), full- or part-time care and your hours. If you'll serve only school-age children, see [how to start an after-school program](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-an-after-school-program) or [how to start a summer camp](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-a-summer-camp).

### 2. Learn your state's daycare license requirements
Each state licenses daycares through its own agency, under its own rules, and your city or county may add more. Most states require an application, background checks, fire and licensing inspections and some training before they issue a license. Some also ask for proof of insurance. Start with our [state-by-state library](https://backpr.com/resources/states), which links each state's licensing agency and rules. Then contact that agency before you sign a lease or buy equipment.

Some states require an orientation before you can apply. California won't accept a center's license application until you've completed its orientation ([California's licensing steps](https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing/how-to-become-licensed/ccc-licensing-information)). In Tennessee, you attend an orientation and intake session and apply online, then complete a site walk-through, fire and environmental inspections and a zoning clearance letter, all before you receive a provisional (temporary first) license ([Tennessee's licensing steps](https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-care-services/how-to-become-a-licensed-child-care-provider/procedures-for-becoming-a-licensed-child-care-agency.html)).

Some states exempt certain programs from licensing, such as programs run by public schools and some faith-based or part-day programs. Exempt programs may still have to meet health and safety rules, such as background checks, fire safety and sanitation. Don't assume you're exempt. Ask your licensing office, in writing if you can. Questions to ask:

- Which license type fits our plans, and how many children can it cover?
- Is there an orientation or pre-licensing training, and when is the next one?
- Which inspections and clearances do we need (licensing, fire, health and zoning), and who schedules each one?
- What are the rules for ratios, group sizes, space per child and staff qualifications?
- What does it cost to apply, and how long does approval usually take?
- What do we need to do to accept families who use childcare assistance (government help that pays part of a family's childcare bill, also called subsidies or vouchers; see step 9)?
- Is there someone who can help us through the process? Your local CCR&R may help too: Child Care Aware of America calls it an important partner before, during and after licensing.

### 3. Choose a business structure
A daycare can run as a business or as a nonprofit. The choice changes how you pay taxes, raise money and make decisions, so talk with an accountant or lawyer before you file anything.

- Run it as a business: a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. An LLC or a corporation can protect your personal assets from the business's debts.
- Run it under an existing nonprofit. A church or community organization that already has nonprofit status can run the daycare as one of its programs. Ask your licensing office whether that changes which rules apply.
- Form your own nonprofit. Federal tax law counts childcare as an educational purpose for 501(c)(3) status (the IRS status that makes a nonprofit tax-exempt and lets donors deduct gifts) when substantially all of the care helps parents work and the care is open to the general public.
- Register the business as your state requires, and get an employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS. It's free. Parents need your taxpayer identification number, or your tax-exempt status, to claim their childcare costs (see [childcare tax receipts](https://backpr.com/resources/childcare-tax-receipts)).
- Home daycare: IRS Publication 587 explains when you can deduct part of your home's costs, even for space your family also uses. One condition is that you've applied for, received or are exempt from your state's license. Ask a tax professional how it applies to you.

### 4. Find a space that can pass inspection
Don't sign a lease until you know the space can be licensed for a daycare. Check zoning first. If zoning doesn't allow a daycare at the address, you can't open there without an exception, even if you meet every state rule. Then ask the building department and the fire marshal what the space needs, and ask your licensing office what it will check when it visits.

Your state sets how much indoor and outdoor space each child needs. Child Care Aware of America suggests at least 35 square feet of usable space per child. Example: a room with 600 square feet of usable space holds 17 children at 35 square feet each (600 divided by 35 is 17.1, rounded down). Your state's number, its group size limits and your ratios may set a lower cap. Before you sign, check:

- Zoning, and any special use or occupancy permits the city requires
- Fire safety: exits, alarms, extinguishers and what the fire inspector will look for
- Sinks for handwashing, toilets, diapering areas and a kitchen that meet state and local health rules
- A fenced outdoor play area, or a safe way to reach one
- A safe drop-off area and parking for families and staff
- Cribs for any room with babies. Since December 28, 2012, cribs in daycare centers and home daycares must meet federal crib standards from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). CPSC presumes cribs made on or after June 28, 2011 comply.
- Home daycare: check zoning, your lease and any homeowners association (HOA) rules. Some states, such as California, protect licensed home daycares from local zoning and HOA bans. In others, an HOA rule against running a business can stop you. Ask your licensing office which applies, and if you rent, whether you must tell your landlord first.

### 5. Plan your rooms and ratios
Your state sets ratios (how many children one adult may supervise), and some states also set group sizes (the most children allowed in one group or room, however many adults are present). Both change with age. They decide how many staff each room needs, so they shape your whole budget. Florida, for example, requires 1 adult for every 4 babies under 1, 1 for every 6 one-year-olds, 1 for every 11 two-year-olds, 1 for every 15 three-year-olds and 1 for every 20 four-year-olds ([Florida Statutes 402.305](https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/402.305)).

Example, using those ratios: an infant room with 8 babies needs 2 adults with them. A room with 15 three-year-olds needs 1. Each adult covers 4 babies but 15 three-year-olds, so an infant spot takes almost 4 times as much staff time.

Our [ratio table](https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-ratios-by-state) and [staff ratio calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/staff-ratio-calculator) cover 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds and school-age children, state by state. For infants and toddlers, check your state's rules.

- Plan staff for the whole day you're open, not just your busiest hours, with cover for breaks, lunches and sick days.
- Check what your state allows at nap time, during swimming and on trips. Some states set different ratios for those times.
- Ask how your state handles groups with children of different ages before you plan a mixed-age room.
- Check which staff count toward the ratio, for example whether volunteers or staff under 18 count.

### 6. Hire qualified staff and run background checks
Each state sets minimum ages, education and training for daycare staff, and the rules differ by role: director, lead teacher, assistant and home provider. Read the director rules first. If you don't meet them yourself, plan to hire someone who does. Florida, for example, requires childcare center staff to complete an approved 40-hour introductory course.

Federal rules require comprehensive background checks for staff of every licensed, regulated or registered childcare provider, and of every provider that can take childcare assistance. That includes adults 18 and older who live in a home daycare. A check includes an FBI fingerprint check, a search of the National Sex Offender Registry and searches of the criminal, sex offender and child abuse and neglect registries in the state where the person lives and any state they've lived in during the past 5 years. Checks happen before someone starts and at least once every 5 years. Federal rules let a new hire start after some checks come back, but only while supervised by someone who has passed a full check. Your state may be stricter. See [background checks by state](https://backpr.com/resources/child-care-background-checks-by-state).

Programs that take childcare assistance must train staff on a federal list of health and safety topics: pediatric first aid and CPR, safe sleep, preventing shaken baby syndrome and abuse, recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect, giving medication, food allergies, preventing infectious diseases, building safety, emergency planning, hazardous materials and transporting children. Many states require the same training for every licensed program. Staff must finish it within 3 months of starting, and some topics must be done before they care for children on their own.

- Write a job description for each role that matches your state's qualifications.
- Run background checks through your state's process before anyone starts.
- Plan for staff health requirements. Depending on the state, they can include a physical, a tuberculosis test, drug screening and vaccinations.
- Teach every staff member how to report suspected abuse or neglect. Most states name childcare workers as mandated reporters (people the law requires to report suspected abuse or neglect), and some states require everyone to report (see [mandated reporter laws by state](https://backpr.com/resources/mandated-reporter-laws-by-state)).
- Put your rules for staff in writing. Our [staff handbook](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-handbook) template is a place to start.
- Line up substitutes who have already passed background checks, so a sick day doesn't break your ratios.

### 7. Get insured
Your state may require some coverage, such as liability or fire insurance, before it issues a license. Talk early to an insurance broker who works with childcare programs, and ask what each policy covers and leaves out. Coverage to ask about:

- General liability, including medical costs for children hurt in your care and the cost of a lawsuit
- Professional liability
- Abuse and molestation coverage (ask whether your policy includes it)
- Property coverage for your building, furniture and equipment, plus business income coverage if you have to close for a while
- Workers' compensation for staff (check your state's rules)
- Auto coverage if you'll transport children
- Directors and officers coverage if you have a nonprofit board
- Home daycare: tell your homeowner's or renter's insurer that you'll run a daycare and how many children you'll care for. Homeowner's policies may refuse or limit coverage for business use, so you may need a separate business policy.

### 8. Build a budget and set tuition
Add up every cost before you set prices. Start with payroll, since your ratios decide how many staff each room needs. Then compare your numbers with what other daycares near you charge. Your CCR&R may have local rates.

Example, with made-up numbers: a toddler room for 12 children under a 1:6 ratio (1 adult for every 6 children) needs 2 teachers with the children, plus cover for breaks and the hours you're open beyond one shift. Say staffing that room costs $9,600 a month, and its share of rent, food, supplies, insurance and admin is $4,200. That's $13,800 a month, or $1,150 per child with all 12 spots full. With 10 children enrolled, it's $1,380 per child. Set prices for the enrollment you expect, not a full room.

Costs to count, and the payment rules to write down before you enroll anyone:

- Start-up costs: licensing and inspection fees, changes to meet building codes, furniture, cribs, toys and playground equipment. Keep enough cash to cover rent and payroll for the months it can take to fill your rooms. Ask your CCR&R and the U.S. Small Business Administration about start-up loans and grants.
- Ongoing costs: rent, utilities, insurance, cleaning, supplies and software
- Staff costs: wages, payroll taxes, workers' compensation, training, background checks and substitutes
- Per-child costs: food and classroom supplies, plus diapers and wipes if you supply them
- Rates: a rate for each age group and schedule, billed weekly or monthly. Example: a weekly rate of $300 is $15,600 a year, or $1,300 a month if you bill 12 equal payments. At $1,300 a month, the toddler room above breaks even only with 11 or more children ($13,800 ÷ $1,300 = 10.6). Build in your own pay and a cushion for empty spots.
- Registration fee and deposit: what each one covers and when it's refundable. Decide whether the deposit holds a spot or goes toward tuition. If families can spread a large fee over a few payments, the [payment plan calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/payment-plan-calculator) builds the schedule.
- Closures and absences: whether families pay for holidays, sick days and vacations
- Late payments and late pickup: when tuition is due, what happens when it's late and the fee for late pickup. Have families sign your [late pickup policy agreement](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/late-pickup-policy-agreement) at enrollment.
- Discounts and card fees: sibling rates (try the [sibling discount calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/sibling-discount-calculator)) and whether your daycare or families pay card fees (see [credit card fees: absorb or pass on?](https://backpr.com/resources/card-fees-absorb-or-pass-on))
- Receipts: give one for every payment, with your name, address and taxpayer identification number. Parents may need them for a dependent care FSA (flexible spending account) or the child and dependent care credit (see [childcare tax receipts](https://backpr.com/resources/childcare-tax-receipts), or make one with the [childcare receipt generator](https://backpr.com/tools/childcare-receipt-generator)).

### 9. Add childcare assistance and the food program
Two federal programs, both run through your state, can bring in money beyond what families pay.

- Childcare assistance: the federal Child Care and Development Fund gives states money to help families with low incomes pay for childcare so they can work or go to school. It's also called subsidies, vouchers or certificates. Each state sets its own eligibility rules, and families may pay part of the cost as a copayment. Ask your state's childcare assistance office how to become an approved provider, what paperwork you'll need and how and when you're paid.
- Programs that take childcare assistance must meet federal health and safety requirements, including the background checks, training and inspections in this guide.
- Food program: the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses licensed or approved daycares for meals and snacks that meet its nutrition standards. A daycare can be approved to claim up to two meals and one snack, or two snacks and one meal, per child per day. In most states, the state education agency runs it.
- Who qualifies for CACFP: public and nonprofit centers can take part. A for-profit center qualifies only if at least 25% of the children in care are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, or federal Title XX money (the Social Services Block Grant, which some states use for childcare assistance) pays for at least 25% of enrolled children (or of licensed capacity, if lower). Home daycares join through a sponsoring organization.
- Quality ratings: many states rate programs above the licensing minimum, often with stars. In some states every licensed program takes part. In others it's voluntary, or required only for programs that get government funding. Ask how it works in yours.
- Grants and scholarships: ask your CCR&R and local government whether any start-up or expansion grants are open, and see [raising scholarship money](https://backpr.com/resources/raising-scholarship-money) for families who don't qualify for assistance.

### 10. Prepare your enrollment forms and policies
Your state sets which records you must keep for each child and which policies you must give families. Have them ready before you enroll anyone, and collect everything before a child's first day. Our [registration form checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/registration-form-checklist) and [free templates](https://backpr.com/resources/templates) are a place to start.

- Enrollment form with parent details, emergency contacts and the days and hours the child will attend ([registration form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/youth-program-registration-form))
- Health records your state requires, such as immunization records and a physical
- Medical and allergy information, plus an allergy list for each room ([medical and allergy form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/medical-and-allergy-form), [allergy alert roster](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/allergy-alert-roster))
- Parents' written permission before staff give any medication, and a log of every dose ([medication administration log](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/medication-administration-log))
- Authorized pickup list ([authorized pickup form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/authorized-pickup-form)) and a [photo and media release](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/photo-and-media-release)
- A parent handbook: hours, closures, tuition, illness policy, meals, naps, discipline and how to reach you ([parent handbook](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/parent-handbook))
- Your [refund and cancellation policy](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/refund-and-cancellation-policy)
- A safe sleep policy: babies under 12 months sleep on their backs, on a firm, flat surface, with no blankets, pillows, toys or other soft items in the crib
- An [emergency action plan](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/emergency-action-plan) for fire, severe weather, a lockdown, a missing child and a medical emergency, practiced with staff
- An [incident and accident report](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/incident-and-accident-report) for every injury, and a call to the family the same day

### 11. Fill your spots
Start enrolling before you open, so you aren't paying staff for empty rooms. You can open some rooms first and add more as they fill.

- A program page with ages, hours, tuition, location, what a day looks like and how to enroll
- Tours, so parents can see the rooms and meet the teachers
- Your CCR&R, which refers families to regulated programs. Make sure it knows you're open.
- Your state's online childcare search. Once you're licensed, check that your listing is right.
- A waitlist for each age group, with a clear rule for who gets the next spot
- Flyers at pediatricians' offices, libraries, churches and community centers (ask about each one's rules first), and posts in local parent groups
- Information in Spanish, or another language families near you speak

### 12. Pass your inspections and open
For licensed programs that can take childcare assistance, federal rules require at least one inspection for health, safety and fire standards before licensing, then an unannounced inspection at least once a year. States must also post inspection results online, so parents can read yours.

- Schedule your inspections early, and fix anything they find before children start.
- Train staff before the first day on your policies, emergency plan, safe sleep, allergies, medication and pickup rules ([staff training checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/staff-training-checklist)).
- Check that every child's file is complete before their first day.
- Practice drop-off and pickup, including what staff do when an adult isn't on the pickup list. Keep a record of every sign-in and sign-out ([daily sign-in and sign-out sheet](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/daily-sign-in-sign-out-sheet)).
- Keep attendance records every day. Your state, childcare assistance and the food program may all ask for them ([weekly attendance sheet](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/weekly-attendance-sheet)).
- Plan shorter first days for babies and toddlers who are new to care, and tell parents what to expect.
- Check in with every family after the first two weeks, and ask what to change.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR runs registration, payments, forms and check-in for your daycare in one place. Families register and pay online, in English or Spanish, and complete enrollment forms, waivers and health forms as part of sign-up. You can bill recurring weekly or monthly tuition with autopay, or take a deposit and set up a payment plan. Staff check children in and out from their phones against each family's authorized pickup list, and parents get receipts and year-end dependent care statements. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees (see if you qualify with the [nonprofit eligibility checker](https://backpr.com/tools/nonprofit-eligibility-checker)). Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Other programs get pricing by quote. More on [BackPR for childcare](https://backpr.com/solutions/childcare).

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules differ by state and change, so confirm with your state's licensing office. Sources, checked October 21, 2026: ChildCare.gov: What Is Child Care Licensing? (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/regulated-child-care/child-care-licensing); ChildCare.gov: Family Child Care Homes (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/what-are-my-child-care-options/family-child-care-homes); ChildCare.gov: Child Care Centers (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/what-are-my-child-care-options/child-care-centers); ChildCare.gov: Health and Safety Requirements (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/regulated-child-care/health-and-safety-requirements); ChildCare.gov: Staff Background Checks (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/regulated-child-care/staff-background-checks); ChildCare.gov: Staff Qualifications and Required Training (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/regulated-child-care/staff-qualifications-and-required-training); ChildCare.gov: Monitoring and Inspections (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/regulated-child-care/monitoring-and-inspections); ChildCare.gov: Child Care Financial Assistance Options (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/get-help-paying-for-child-care/child-care-financial-assistance-options); ChildCare.gov: Understanding Child Care Quality Ratings (https://childcare.gov/consumer-education/find-and-choose-quality-child-care/understanding-child-care-quality-ratings); Office of Child Care: What We Do (CCDF) (https://acf.gov/occ/about/what-we-do); 45 CFR 98.41, health and safety requirements (https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/98.41); 45 CFR 98.42, monitoring and inspections (https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/98.42); 45 CFR 98.43, comprehensive background checks (https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/98.43); 45 CFR 98.44, training and professional development (https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/98.44); 45 CFR 98.45, payment rates and family co-payments (https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/98.45); USDA: Why CACFP Is Important (https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/why-cacfp-important); 7 CFR 226.18, day care homes and sponsoring organizations (https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/7/226.18); CPSC: Crib Information Center, guidance for child care providers (https://www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/Business-Guidance/Full-Size-Baby-Cribs/Crib-Information-Center-); NICHD Safe to Sleep: Ways to reduce the risk of SIDS (https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/reduce-risk/reduce); IRS Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home (https://www.irs.gov/publications/p587); IRS: Get an employer identification number (https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number); 26 U.S.C. 501(k), child care organizations (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/501); Child Care Aware of America: Opening a Child Care Center Business Guide (https://info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/English_OpeningAChildCareCenter.pdf); Child Care Aware of America: Opening a Family Child Care Home Business Guide (https://info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/Opening%20a%20Family%20Child%20Care%20Home%20Business%20Guide%20English%20-%20final.pdf); California CDSS: Child Care Center licensing information (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing/how-to-become-licensed/ccc-licensing-information); Tennessee DHS: Procedures for becoming a licensed child care agency (https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-care-services/how-to-become-a-licensed-child-care-provider/procedures-for-becoming-a-licensed-child-care-agency.html); Florida Statutes 402.302, definitions (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/402.302); Florida Statutes 402.305, licensing standards (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/402.305); Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect/)

### How to start a youth sports league: a step-by-step guide
By the BackPR team. Published October 21, 2026.

A youth sports league can start with a few parents, a field and a sign-up form. This guide walks through the steps in order, from choosing an affiliation to insurance, fields, coaches, safety rules and opening registration. It works for soccer, basketball, baseball and other team sports, with notes where a sport has its own rules. Laws differ by state, so use this guide as a checklist and confirm the details with your state, your governing body and your insurer.

### 1. Decide what kind of league you'll run
The kind of league you run decides most of what follows: the rules, the insurance, the fields and how many volunteers you need. For a first season, keep it small: one sport, one season, a few age groups and fields you can count on. You can add divisions once you know what families want.

- Recreational or competitive: a recreational league has no tryouts. It places every registered player on a team and aims for even teams. A competitive or travel program holds tryouts and may play teams from other towns or states.
- Ages: which ages or grades you'll serve first. Younger players need simpler rules and smaller fields and equipment.
- Format: for example, game length, and whether the youngest players play small-sided games (fewer players on a smaller field, such as 4-on-4 soccer)
- Season: how many weeks, which nights for practice and which days for games
- Size: how many players you expect, which tells you how many teams, coaches and field hours you'll need
- Related programs: a summer sports camp or an after-school sports program can fall under different rules. See [how to start a summer camp](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-a-summer-camp) and [how to start an after-school program](https://backpr.com/resources/how-to-start-an-after-school-program).

### 2. Join a governing body or run independently
You can run your league under a national program or governing body, or on your own. Each sport has its own options. In soccer, they include US Youth Soccer (through its state associations), AYSO (the American Youth Soccer Organization) and US Club Soccer. Many basketball leagues run independently or under a YMCA, parks department or church, and USA Basketball offers a coach license. Baseball and softball have Little League and other national programs. Ice hockey has USA Hockey, and football has Pop Warner and others. Fees, rules and requirements differ, so ask each one what it costs and what you get. Affiliation can bring:

- Playing rules for each age group, such as field size, game length and safety rules
- Insurance. Little League, for example, requires accident and general liability coverage for players, managers, coaches and volunteer umpires. Leagues can buy it through Little League's group program. Some state soccer associations include liability and excess medical coverage for registered players and coaches.
- Background screening and training. Little League requires annual background checks and abuse awareness training for volunteers. The USA Basketball coach license includes safety training and a background screen.
- Coach education, referee courses and playoffs or tournaments beyond your league
- Rules you agree to follow, such as boundaries, player eligibility, deadlines and how disputes are handled. A Little League charter, for example, includes a boundary map signed by the league president and the district administrator.
- If you run independently instead, you set your own rules and fees, but you buy your own insurance, write your own safety policies and run your own background checks. You can still borrow a governing body's age group rules and safety guidelines.

### 3. Set up the organization
A league collects money, signs field agreements and buys insurance, so it needs a legal home. The choice changes how you raise money, pay taxes and make decisions, so talk with an accountant or lawyer before you file anything.

- Run it under an existing nonprofit. A community center, church or youth organization that already has nonprofit status can run the league as one of its programs. This is often the fastest way to start.
- Join a group exemption. Some national programs let local leagues share their tax-exempt status. Little League, for example, has a group exemption that its chartered leagues can join. Each league still files its own annual return with the IRS.
- Form your own nonprofit. You incorporate in your state, then apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status (the IRS status that makes a nonprofit tax-exempt and lets donors deduct gifts). Form 1023, or the shorter Form 1023-EZ if your league is small enough to qualify, must be filed online at Pay.gov. It takes time and paperwork, so start well before you need grants or donations.
- Run it as a business. A limited liability company (LLC) or corporation gives the owners direct control and can pay profits to them, but donors generally can't deduct gifts to it, and many grants are open only to nonprofits.
- File with the IRS every year. Small tax-exempt organizations whose gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less a year can file Form 990-N, a short online notice. An organization that doesn't file for three years in a row loses its tax-exempt status automatically.
- Get a free employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS, then set up a board, bylaws and a bank account in the league's name. Decide who can sign checks and contracts.
- Check how the IRS lists your organization with the [nonprofit status checker](https://backpr.com/tools/nonprofit-eligibility-checker).

### 4. Get insured
The owners of your fields and gyms will likely ask for proof of insurance before you can use them, and your governing body may require coverage too. If you affiliate, ask what your membership or charter already includes before you buy more. Then talk to an insurance broker who works with youth sports. Coverage to ask about:

- General liability, for claims that the league caused an injury or damage
- Participant accident insurance, for players' medical bills after an injury. It's often excess coverage: Little League's accident policy, for example, supplements a family's own insurance.
- Abuse and molestation coverage (ask whether your liability policy includes it or excludes it)
- Directors and officers coverage for your board
- Equipment coverage, plus crime coverage in case league money is stolen. Little League's liability package, for example, has separate policies for general liability, directors and officers, cyber, crime and equipment.
- Auto coverage if volunteers drive players or haul league equipment
- Workers' compensation if you pay anyone (check your state's rules)
- Certificates of insurance: some parks departments won't issue a permit until you send one that names them as an additional insured (which extends your policy's protection to them), with minimum limits. Ask each field owner for its exact requirements.

### 5. Find fields or gyms
Field and gym time can be the hardest thing to get, so start early. Options include city and county parks, school districts, churches, community centers and private facilities. Ask each one how and when to apply, what it costs and what it requires.

Count what you need before you ask. Example: 8 teams that each practice once a week for 90 minutes need 12 hours of practice time a week, plus game slots.

- Parks departments: application deadlines, fees, insurance requirements, rainout and field closure rules and who lines and prepares fields
- School districts: facility use rules, custodial fees, weekend and holiday access and what happens when a school event needs the gym
- Field and court sizes that fit your age groups, or space you can set up with portable goals and cones
- Bathrooms, parking, lights for evening games, storage for equipment and a safe place for drop-off and pickup
- The nearest AED (automated external defibrillator, a portable device that can shock a heart back into rhythm) and an address emergency services can find
- A written agreement with dates, times, fees, cancellation rules and who to call when the gate is locked

### 6. Set age groups and playing rules
Decide how you'll group players and publish the rule before registration opens. Pick an age cutoff date or group by school grade, then apply it the same way to every player. If you affiliate, your governing body sets the cutoff. Decide too whether a player can play in an older age group and who approves it.

Then adopt rules that fit each age. Sport-specific notes:

- Soccer age groups: starting in fall 2026, U.S. Soccer lets its member organizations choose a birth-year cycle (January 1 to December 31) or a seasonal-year cycle that starts August 1 or September 1. US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO chose August 1 to July 31, starting with the 2026-27 season.
- Soccer rules: US Youth Soccer's playing rules use fewer players and smaller balls for younger ages. Its heading rule bars players 10 and under from heading the ball in games or practicing it in team settings, and limits players 11 and 12 to 25 headers a week. The rule is mandatory at US Youth Soccer events, and state associations are strongly encouraged to adopt it.
- Baseball and softball: Little League Baseball uses a player's age on August 31 of the current year, and Little League Softball uses age on December 31 of the previous year. Little League also limits pitches per day by age (75 for league ages 9 and 10, for example) and requires days of rest after higher pitch counts.
- Basketball: USA Basketball and the NBA recommend smaller balls for ages 7 to 11 (size 5 for ages 7 and 8, size 6 for ages 9 to 11) and, when possible, an 8-foot basket for ages 7 and 8 and a 9-foot basket for ages 9 to 11.
- Ice hockey: USA Hockey groups players by birth year. In the 2026-27 season, for example, players born in 2016 and 2017 play 10 & Under.
- Every sport: set a minimum playing time for recreational divisions, and tell coaches and families before the season starts.

### 7. Recruit, screen and train coaches
Line up volunteers early: a board, a registrar (who runs sign-ups and rosters), coaches, team parents and people to set up fields. Each team needs a head coach and at least one assistant, so ask for coaches on the registration form.

Child protection rules can come from your governing body as well as the law. The U.S. Center for SafeSport sets abuse prevention policies for the Olympic and Paralympic movement, and they can reach local clubs affiliated with a national governing body such as U.S. Soccer or USA Hockey. A federal law passed in 2018 also covers amateur sports organizations that take part in interstate or international competition and have adult members in regular contact with minors. Adults those organizations authorize to work with minors must report suspected child abuse to the authorities within 24 hours. The organizations must also limit one-on-one contact between adults and minor athletes, offer abuse prevention training and protect people who report. Whether these rules apply to your league depends on how you're affiliated and where you play, so ask your governing body or a lawyer, especially if teams travel to other states. Either way:

- Screen every adult who works with players before they start: a [volunteer application](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/volunteer-application), references and a background check, repeated at least once a year. Little League and Pop Warner, for example, both require annual checks before a volunteer starts.
- Check your state's rules too. Some states, including California and Pennsylvania, have their own background check laws, and a governing body's check may not satisfy them.
- Limit one-on-one contact. No adult should be alone with a player out of sight of other adults, and messages to players should copy a parent.
- Train coaches before the first practice: league rules, concussion signs, emergency steps, pickup rules and how to report suspected abuse. In some states every adult is a mandated reporter, someone the law requires to report suspected abuse (see [mandated reporter laws by state](https://backpr.com/resources/mandated-reporter-laws-by-state)).
- Give coaches what they need: a roster with emergency contacts and medical notes, a first aid kit, your emergency action plan and someone to call with questions.
- Decide whether families must volunteer, for example one shift per family each season or a volunteer fee for families who can't.

### 8. Plan for injuries, emergencies and weather
Every state and the District of Columbia has a youth sports concussion law. Some cover only school teams. Others also cover community leagues, or cover them only when they use school property. Common requirements include concussion education for coaches, parents and players, plus a health care provider's clearance before a player returns. Check your state's law, and make these steps league policy either way. The concussion steps below follow CDC HEADS UP guidance for coaches. The rest cover other emergencies:

- Remove any player who may have a concussion from play. When in doubt, sit them out.
- Keep the player out for the rest of the day and until a health care provider clears them. Ask for written return-to-play instructions and tell the parents right away.
- Train every coach to spot concussion signs. CDC offers HEADS UP online concussion training for youth sports coaches. Give families concussion information at sign-up.
- Sudden cardiac arrest: some states have rules for this too. Ohio's Lindsay's Law covers community youth sports organizations: coaches must complete an approved course every year, and a coach who sees warning signs must remove the player until the player is cleared. In California, youth sports organizations must have coaches certified in CPR and AED use and a written cardiac emergency response plan starting January 1, 2027, and AED access at official practices and games starting January 1, 2028.
- An emergency action plan for every field and gym: who calls 911, the address to give, where the nearest AED is, who meets the ambulance and how you reach parents. Our [emergency action plan template](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/emergency-action-plan) is a place to start.
- Lightning: when anyone hears thunder, stop play and move everyone into a building with electricity or plumbing, or an enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with the windows up. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before play resumes.
- Heat: schedule practices earlier or later in the day when it's cooler, build up intensity gradually and give frequent water breaks. A player who feels faint or weak stops and moves to a cool place. Decide in advance when you'll shorten or cancel.
- Medical information: coaches need each player's allergies, medications such as inhalers or epinephrine and emergency contacts at every practice and game. Collect them with a [medical and allergy form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/medical-and-allergy-form).
- Incidents: write up every injury the same day and tell the family. Use our [incident and accident report](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/incident-and-accident-report).

### 9. Build a budget and set fees
Add up every cost before you set a fee. Then divide by the number of paying players, and compare the result with what other leagues near you charge.

Example: a spring league expects 120 players on 10 teams, and each team plays 8 games. That's 40 games (10 teams × 8 games ÷ 2 teams per game). At $40 per game for referees, officials cost $1,600. Add $2,400 for uniforms ($20 × 120), $1,500 for field permits, $1,800 for insurance, $1,200 for equipment and $1,100 for background checks, trophies and other costs. The season costs $9,600 in all, or $80 per player. If 10 players play on full scholarships, the other 110 need to pay about $87.27 each. A $90 fee brings in $9,900, a $300 cushion. If the league absorbs card fees (about $330 at an example rate of 3% plus 30¢ per payment), that cushion is gone. Pass the fees on, or set the fee at $95, which also leaves room for a few sibling discounts.

- Fixed costs: field permits, insurance, charter or membership fees, equipment, background checks, coach training, software and marketing
- Per-player costs: uniforms, governing body registration fees and medals or trophies
- Per-game costs: referees or umpires, plus field lights if you pay for them
- Discounts: an early-bird rate and a sibling discount. Example: with a $90 fee and $10 off each additional child, a family with three children pays $90 + $80 + $80 = $250. Try the [sibling discount calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/sibling-discount-calculator).
- Scholarships: decide how many you can fund and how families apply privately. See [raising scholarship money](https://backpr.com/resources/raising-scholarship-money), the [scholarship budget calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/scholarship-budget-calculator) and our [scholarship application](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/scholarship-application) and [scholarship policy](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/scholarship-policy) templates.
- Sponsors and grants: local businesses can sponsor teams, uniforms or field banners. If you apply for grants, the [grant budget calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/grant-budget-calculator) helps you build the budget funders ask for.
- Card fees: decide whether the league absorbs them or passes them on. The [card fee calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/card-fee-calculator) shows both.

### 10. Open registration
Families expect to sign up and pay online, from their phone. Decide each of these before you announce the date, then register a test family yourself, on a phone.

Example timeline for a spring season with first games in early April: apply for fields in the fall, confirm fields and insurance by January, open registration in early February, close it in early March, then form teams and train coaches before the first practice in late March.

- Dates: when registration opens and closes, an early-bird deadline, a late fee and whether returning players get first access
- Limits: a cap and a waitlist for each division, so you don't take more players than you have coaches and field time for
- Forms: a [registration form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/youth-program-registration-form) with emergency contacts, a [medical and allergy form](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/medical-and-allergy-form), a participation waiver reviewed by a lawyer, a [photo and media release](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/photo-and-media-release), concussion information and proof of age if your governing body requires it. See the [registration form checklist](https://backpr.com/resources/registration-form-checklist).
- Uniform sizes and volunteer sign-ups, collected at registration so you can order and assign on time
- Payments: the full fee, or a deposit and installments that end before the season starts (try the [payment plan calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/payment-plan-calculator)). Decide who pays card fees (see [credit card fees: absorb or pass on?](https://backpr.com/resources/card-fees-absorb-or-pass-on)).
- Refunds: when families can get money back, whether you keep part of the fee after teams are formed and what happens if games are canceled. Our [refund and cancellation policy](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/refund-and-cancellation-policy) has sample wording.
- Getting the word out: flyers at schools (ask about their rules first), posts in local parent groups, a table at school events and information in Spanish or another language your families speak
- Software: see [how to choose registration software](https://backpr.com/resources/choosing-registration-software). If you're comparing sports platforms, see BackPR vs [TeamSnap](https://backpr.com/compare/teamsnap), [LeagueApps](https://backpr.com/compare/leagueapps), [SportsEngine](https://backpr.com/compare/sportsengine), [PlayMetrics](https://backpr.com/compare/playmetrics), [Stack Sports](https://backpr.com/compare/stack-sports) and [GotSport](https://backpr.com/compare/gotsport).

### 11. Form teams, build the schedule and book officials
When registration closes, count players in each division and decide how many teams you need. Smaller rosters mean more playing time, but every team needs coaches and field time.

Example: 58 players in a division with rosters of 8 or 9 makes 7 teams: 5 teams of 8 and 2 teams of 9. With a head coach and an assistant for each team, that division needs 14 coaches.

- Team formation: in a recreational league, aim for even teams. You can hold an evaluation day and a coaches' draft, or rate players by skill and balance the teams yourself. Decide in advance how you'll handle friend and carpool requests, siblings and coaches' own children.
- Schedule: build it from your confirmed field slots. Balance early and late games between teams, avoid school events and holidays and save make-up dates for rainouts. Decide who calls off games for weather, by what time and how families hear about it. A scheduling tool or a shared spreadsheet works for a small league.
- Referees and umpires: ask your governing body or local referee association how officials are trained and assigned and what they're paid per game. Younger divisions may use volunteer or teen officials, while older divisions may need certified officials. Pay them on time, and make sure coaches and parents treat them with respect.
- Uniforms and equipment: order uniforms early enough to arrive before the first game. Give each team balls, cones and other gear sized for its age, plus a first aid kit and ice packs.

### 12. Set expectations and run the first season
Tell families what you expect before the first practice, in writing, and keep them informed all season. Clear rules make the hard conversations easier.

- A parent code of conduct: cheer for every player, let coaches coach and respect officials and opponents. Spell out what happens when someone crosses the line, such as a warning and then removal from the field.
- A player code of conduct, signed by the player and a parent. Our [participant code of conduct](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/participant-code-of-conduct) is a place to start.
- A preseason welcome email or parent meeting: the schedule, how to reach the coach, how cancellations work, concussion and safety rules, volunteer jobs and how to raise a concern
- One place for league messages, so a field closure reaches every family fast
- A complaint process: who families contact first and when the board steps in
- Attendance at practices and games, so coaches know who's missing. Our [weekly attendance sheet](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/weekly-attendance-sheet) works on paper.
- Pickup: coaches of younger players stay until every child is picked up by an adult the family has authorized.
- After the season: thank volunteers and sponsors. Ask families what to keep and what to change with a [parent survey](https://backpr.com/resources/templates/end-of-program-parent-survey). Then use the [enrollment forecast calculator](https://backpr.com/tools/enrollment-forecast-calculator) to plan next season.

### How BackPR helps
BackPR runs league registration, payments, forms and check-in in one place. Families register every child in one checkout, in English or Spanish, and complete waivers and health forms as part of sign-up. You can take a deposit and let families pay the rest on a payment plan, offer sibling discounts and apply scholarship discounts that other families can't see. Coaches check players in and out from their phones against each family's authorized pickup list, and you can send messages to parents from the same place. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Other leagues get pricing by quote. See [BackPR for sports programs](https://backpr.com/solutions/sports).

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and laws change, so confirm them with your state, your governing body and your insurer. Sources, checked October 21, 2026: 36 U.S.C. 220530 (amateur sports organizations) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/36/220530); 34 U.S.C. 20341 (child abuse reporting) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/34/20341); U.S. Center for SafeSport: 2026 SafeSport Code (https://uscenterforsafesport.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2026-Safesport-Code_1225.pdf); Network for Public Health Law: state concussion laws in youth sports (https://www.networkforphl.org/resources/state-laws-addressing-concussions-in-youth-sports/); CDC HEADS UP: fact sheet for youth sports coaches (https://www.cdc.gov/heads-up/media/pdfs/youthsports/coaches_engl.pdf); CDC HEADS UP: online training (https://www.cdc.gov/heads-up/communication-resources/training.html); Ohio Department of Health: Lindsay's Law questions (https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/lindsays-law/resources); California AB 310 (Nevaeh Youth Sports Safety Act) (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB310); National Weather Service: lightning safety tips (https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-tips); CDC: heat and athletes (https://www.cdc.gov/heat-health/risk-factors/heat-and-athletes.html); U.S. Soccer: player registration (https://www.ussoccer.com/ecosystem-review/player-registration); US Youth Soccer: age group formation from 2026 (https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/news/2025/03/05/us-youth-soccer-us-club-soccer-and-ayso-returning-to-seasonal-year-age-group-formation-in-2026/); US Youth Soccer: policy on players and playing rules (https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/160/2026/06/Policy-on-Players-and-Playing-Rules_APP-06.23.2026.pdf); Little League: league age (https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/determine-league-age/); Little League: pitch count (https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/pitch-count/); Little League: chartering and insurance for 2027 (https://www.littleleague.org/news/chartering-and-insurance-enrollment-open-for-the-2027-season/); Little League: insurance programs (https://www.littleleague.org/university/articles/little-league-insurance-programs/); Little League: Child Protection Program (https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/position-policy-statements/child-protection-program/); Little League: background check questions (https://www.littleleague.org/university/articles/frequently-asked-background-check-questions/); Little League: tax-exempt status (https://www.littleleague.org/help-center/if-a-local-league-applies-for-tax-exempt-status-can-that-status-be-revoked/); USA Hockey: age classifications (https://www.usahockey.com/ageclassifications); NBA and USA Basketball: youth rules and standards (https://pr.nba.com/usa-basketball-nba-announce-age-appropriate-rules-standards/); USA Basketball: coach license (https://community.usab.com/); Pop Warner: background checks (https://www.popwarner.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1579737); Arizona Soccer Association: member benefits (https://www.azsoccerassociation.org/member-benefits); IRS: applying for tax-exempt status (https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/applying-for-tax-exempt-status); IRS: Form 990-N (https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/annual-electronic-filing-requirement-for-small-exempt-organizations-form-990-n-e-postcard)

## Free calculators
### Nonprofit status checker: look up IRS tax-exempt status
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/nonprofit-eligibility-checker. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Search the IRS list of tax-exempt organizations by EIN or by name. See whether an organization is listed as a 501(c)(3) and whether it's likely to qualify for free BackPR.

### How it works
The checker searches a copy of the IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, the IRS's public list of organizations it recognizes as tax-exempt. We refresh it regularly, and each result shows the date of the IRS file.

A 501(c)(3) listing means the IRS recognizes the organization as a charity. Other 501(c) types, such as social welfare organizations and social clubs, are tax-exempt too, and many of them qualify for free BackPR.

Not every nonprofit is listed. Churches don't have to apply to the IRS for recognition, and groups covered by a parent organization's group exemption often appear only under the parent. If yours isn't found, email us and we'll check.

We confirm every organization's status when it signs up. This checker uses only public IRS data, and BackPR isn't affiliated with the IRS.

**What's an EIN?**
An Employer Identification Number: the 9-digit federal tax ID the IRS gives an organization. It's on your IRS determination letter and on your organization's tax filings.

**Why isn't our church listed?**
Churches are tax-exempt without applying to the IRS, so many never appear in the IRS list. Email us and we'll confirm your status another way.

**Does a listing mean we qualify for free BackPR?**
A 501(c)(3) listing usually does: BackPR is free for registered nonprofits. We confirm every organization when it signs up and tell you if we need anything else.

### Credit card fee calculator: absorb the fee or pass it on
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/card-fee-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Enter your registration price, how many registrations you expect and your card rate. See what the fees cost your program if you absorb them, and what families pay if you pass them on.

### How it works
If you absorb the fee, each payment costs you the percentage rate times the price, plus the fixed fee per payment.

If you pass the fee on and still want to receive the full price, the amount you charge has to cover the fee on the added amount too: charge = (price + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − rate). That's why families pay a little more than the fee on the price alone.

**Does BackPR add a fee to card payments?**
Not for nonprofits, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Payments are processed by Stripe at Stripe's standard rates, and you choose whether to absorb that fee or pass it on to families.

**Why do families pay a bit more than the original fee?**
The processor takes its percentage from the whole amount charged, including the part you added. To receive the full price, the added amount has to cover that too.

**Can we pass card fees on to families?**
Many programs do. Rules on surcharges and convenience fees differ by state and card network, so check the rules that apply to your organization before you add one.

### Payment plan calculator: build an installment schedule
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/payment-plan-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Enter the total cost, the deposit and how many payments you want. Get an installment schedule with dates and amounts that add up exactly.

### How it works
The balance after the deposit is split into equal payments in whole cents. If it doesn't divide evenly, the last payment carries the extra cents, so the schedule always adds up to the total.

Weekly and every-other-week plans count forward from the first payment date. Monthly plans fall on the same day each month.

**Can BackPR collect payment plans automatically?**
Yes. You set deposits and installment schedules per program, and the family's saved payment method is charged automatically on each date. Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR for this.

**How many payments should a plan have?**
Many programs end the plan before the program starts, so the full fee is paid by the first day. This calculator lets you try different numbers of payments and see the amounts.

### Sibling discount calculator: price a family's registrations
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/sibling-discount-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Set a price per child, a second-child discount and one discount for every child after that. See each child's price, the family total and how much the family saves.

### How it works
The first child pays the full price. The second child gets the second-child discount, and every child after that gets the third-child discount.

A percent discount takes a share off the price; a dollar discount takes off a fixed amount. No child's price goes below $0.

**Does BackPR apply sibling discounts automatically?**
Yes. Parents add each child and each program to one cart and check out once, and sibling discounts apply automatically if you set them up.

**Percent or dollar amount: which is better?**
A percent discount grows with the price, so it suits programs with very different prices. A dollar amount is easier for families to understand and keeps the cost to your program predictable.

### Camp price calculator: find your break-even price
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/camp-price-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Enter your session's costs, any grants or donations, how many children you expect and how many will attend on a full scholarship. See what you need to charge each paying child to break even.

### How it works
Total cost is your fixed costs plus per-child costs times the number of children.

Other funding, such as grants and donations, comes off the total. Children on full scholarships attend free, so paying families cover the rest.

Before card fees, the price is that remaining cost divided by the number of paying children. If you absorb card fees, the price goes up so that what you keep after fees still covers your costs: price = (remaining cost ÷ paying children) ÷ (1 − card fee rate).

**Should we price at break-even?**
Break-even is the floor, not the target. Many programs add a cushion for unexpected costs, empty spots and next year's scholarships.

**How do partial scholarships fit in?**
Add them up as full-scholarship equivalents: two 50% scholarships count as one full scholarship. The calculator accepts decimals, such as 1.5.

**Can we use this with the scholarship budget calculator?**
Yes, but count scholarships in one place only. If your price already covers scholarship spots, you don't need to raise that money again. If you'll fund scholarships separately, enter 0 scholarships here and use the scholarship budget calculator for the money to raise.

### Scholarship budget calculator: what your scholarships will cost
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/scholarship-budget-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Enter your program's price, how many children need help and the average scholarship as a share of the price. See the total you need, how many children your current funds cover and what's left to raise.

### How it works
The average scholarship per child is the program price times the average share you cover.

Total needed is that amount times the number of children who need help.

Children covered is how many average-size scholarships your funds can pay for. Still to raise is the total needed minus the funds you have.

**Where do programs find scholarship money?**
Common sources are local foundations, community grants, business sponsors, a small amount added to full-price registrations, and families who choose to add a donation to your program when they register.

**Does this count our real cost?**
It uses your full price, which is what a scholarship is worth to the family. If a scholarship child fills a spot that would otherwise be empty, the extra cost to your program is lower, closer to your per-child costs.

**How do we keep scholarships private?**
Limit who sees scholarship decisions to the people who review them, and apply scholarships the same way as any other discount, so other families and your program staff can't tell who received help.

### Enrollment forecast: how many children to expect next season
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/enrollment-forecast-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Enter last season's enrollment, the share of children you expect back, the new children you expect and your spots. See expected enrollment, your waitlist or open spots and expected revenue.

### How it works
Returning children are last season's enrollment times your expected return rate.

Children who want a spot are returning plus new children. Expected enrollment is that number, up to your spots. Anyone over that is a likely waitlist.

Expected revenue is expected enrollment times your average price after discounts and scholarships.

**What's a typical return rate?**
It varies a lot by program. Use your own history: divide the number of returning children by last season's total. Track it every year, and your forecasts will get better.

**How can we bring more families back?**
Open registration to current families first, offer an early-bird price and ask families who didn't return why. Families who sign up for next season before this one ends are the easiest to keep.

### Grant budget calculator: build a youth program budget for funders
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/grant-budget-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Enter wages, fringe benefits, supplies, other costs and your indirect rate. See your total budget, the cost per child and how much to request after other funding.

### How it works
Direct costs are wages, fringe benefits (wages times your fringe rate), supplies and other direct costs.

Indirect costs are direct costs times your indirect rate. The total budget is direct plus indirect costs.

Cost per child is the total budget divided by children served. The amount to request is the total budget minus other funding.

**What's an indirect cost rate?**
A percentage added to your direct costs to cover overhead, such as office rent, insurance, accounting and administration. Many funders cap it or set their own rules, and some apply it to only part of your direct costs, so check before you apply.

**What do funders usually ask us to report?**
Most ask for children served, attendance and outcomes. The grant attendance report in our free templates has a monthly attendance table you can fill in.

### Childcare receipt generator for FSA and tax credit claims
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/childcare-receipt-generator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Fill in your program's details and what a family paid, then print the receipt or save it as a PDF to email. It shows what the IRS asks parents for: your name, address and taxpayer ID, the dates of care and the amount paid.

### How it works
Form 2441, which parents use to claim the child and dependent care credit, asks for each care provider's name, address and taxpayer identification number (an EIN for an organization) and the amount paid during the year.

A 501(c)(3) organization doesn't have to give its EIN. It can give its name and address and write "tax-exempt" instead (IRS Form W-10).

Day camp, before- and after-school care and childcare for children under 13 can count. Overnight camp doesn't, and neither does tuition for kindergarten and up (IRS Publication 503).

A dependent care FSA claim generally needs a statement from the provider showing the care, the dates and the amount. Each plan has its own claim form. Our guide to [childcare tax receipts](/resources/childcare-tax-receipts) has the details.

**Do we have to give parents our EIN?**
Generally, a care provider gives its taxpayer identification number when a parent asks for it. A 501(c)(3) organization doesn't have to, and can write "tax-exempt" instead (IRS Form W-10).

**Does summer camp count for the dependent care credit?**
Day camp can, even one built around a single activity. Overnight camp doesn't (IRS Publication 503). Parents should ask a tax professional about their own situation.

**When should we send year-end statements?**
The IRS doesn't set a date for providers. Parents usually file in early spring, so sending statements in January gives them time.

### Staff-to-child ratio calculator by state
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/staff-ratio-calculator. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Choose your state and enter how many children you have in each age group. See how many staff members the state's licensed child care center ratios call for, with the rule it comes from.

### How it works
Each state sets how many children one staff member may supervise in a licensed child care center, by age. The calculator divides the children in each age group by that number and rounds up.

It uses each state's center ratios as published in its licensing rules, linked on the state's page in our [state-by-state rules library](/resources/states). Camps, license-exempt after-school programs and family child care homes can follow different rules.

When children of different ages share a group, many states apply the ratio for the youngest child in the group. Check your state's rule before you staff a mixed group.

**Do these ratios apply to summer camps?**
Not always. Some states license youth camps separately with their own ratios, and others treat some day camps as child care. Check the camp section on your state's page.

**Are volunteers counted in the ratio?**
It depends on the state. Many states count only staff who meet their age and training requirements. Check your state's licensing rules.

### Family profile: enter your family's details once and reuse them for every sign-up
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/family-profile. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Every camp, team and after-school program asks for the same details. Fill them in once here: allergies, medications, emergency contacts and who can pick up. Print a summary to hand in or copy from when you fill in a program's forms, or save a file you can update next season.

### How it works
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to BackPR or anyone else.

**Print or save as PDF** to hand in with a program's forms or attach to an email. You can print for one child or all of them.

**Save a file for next time** downloads your answers in the [Open Youth Registration format](/open-youth-registration), a free open standard. Open it here next season to update it. To hand in your details, print or save as PDF.

**Remember my answers** keeps a copy in this browser and updates it as you type. Turn it off or select Start over to delete it. Leave it off on shared computers.

**Will programs accept this instead of their own form?**
Usually not. Most programs need their own signed forms. Use your summary to fill them in faster, and hand it in as an extra page if the program allows it.

**Is my child's information safe?**
It stays on your device. It only goes elsewhere if you hand in a printout or send someone the PDF or file. Keep your saved file somewhere private, and leave Remember my answers off on shared computers.

### Registration data converter: turn a spreadsheet into a standard file
Free calculator at https://backpr.com/tools/registration-data-converter. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to BackPR.

Moving to new software, sharing records with a partner or keeping your own backup? Put your families in the free spreadsheet template and convert it to a standard file. It runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.

### How it works
The converter reads the participants template: one row per child, with a family ID that links siblings. It groups rows into families, turns allergies, medications and contacts into structured fields, and flags missing names and dates it can't read.

The file it makes follows the [Open Youth Registration format](/open-youth-registration), so tools that support the format can read it.

**Check a file** looks for the required parts. For a full check, run the file against the published JSON schemas with any JSON Schema validator.

**Which columns does it read?**
The columns in the participants template. Put several allergies or medications in one cell, separated by semicolons. Columns it doesn't know are ignored.

**Can BackPR import this file?**
Yes. BackPR's free data import accepts it, as well as spreadsheets.

## Switching to BackPR
What we bring over for free:
- Families and guardians
- Children and participants
- Medical, allergy and emergency contacts
- Authorized pickup lists
- Programs, sessions and prices
- Registration questions and waiver text
- Discounts and promo codes
- Staff and instructor accounts

**What does switching cost?**
Nothing. Onboarding and data import are free, and there's no long-term contract with BackPR.

**What format does our data need to be in?**
Spreadsheet exports such as CSV or Excel work best. Most registration systems can export families, participants and programs, and we can also work from your own spreadsheets.

**Who does the work?**
We do. You send the exports, we set up your programs and import your data, and you review everything before families see it.

**How long does it take?**
It depends on how many programs and families you have. Once we see your data, we'll give you a timeline that fits your next registration date.

**We're under contract with another provider. Can we start now?**
Yes. We can set up your account and import your data now, so you're ready when your current term ends.

### Sports Connect and PlayMetrics: what independent leagues can do
By the BackPR team. Facts checked October 21, 2026.

Sports Connect, the registration platform from Stack Sports, "joined PlayMetrics" when the two companies merged in June 2025. Little League, AYSO (the American Youth Soccer Organization) and at least one state soccer association are moving to PlayMetrics' own software, and in December 2025 AYSO wrote that the parent company planned to retire Sports Connect in 2027. Here's what's confirmed, what isn't and what to do if you run an independent league or club.

#### What's been announced
Since the merger, PlayMetrics and several organizations that use Sports Connect have said they are moving to PlayMetrics' software:

- December 2025: AYSO told its regions that the parent company would retire Sports Connect and its Association Platform (the version state associations use) in 2027 and move organizations to PlayMetrics. AYSO has since removed that notice from its website. Its training pages now prepare regions to use PlayMetrics for the 2027 membership year, AYSO's registration year.
- February 2026: Little League said Central Registration, the national system every US Little League uses for player registration, would run through PlayMetrics beginning with the 2027 season.
- Nebraska State Soccer (undated notice): the state association told its clubs that Stack Sports is shutting down the association product it used, and that PlayMetrics is its provider from the 2026–27 season.
- As of October 21, 2026, we found no shutdown date published by PlayMetrics or Stack Sports for all Sports Connect customers.

#### Where that leaves independent leagues
If you run an independent league (one that isn't on Sports Connect through Little League, AYSO or a state association), no move date or deadline has been announced for you. You have time to plan, but it's worth asking now. What isn't settled yet:

- Dates for independent leagues. We found no published timeline. Nebraska State Soccer told its clubs that PlayMetrics would contact them about pricing, contract status and the future of the product.
- Little League's timing. Little League chose PlayMetrics for the 2027 season, but some league administrators report being told since then that the date has moved. We found no public notice either way, so confirm it with your district administrator.
- Pricing after a move. PlayMetrics says it will honor Little League's current pricing model. We found no published pricing for other customers.
- Your records. AYSO told its regions not to import their old Sports Connect data into PlayMetrics and said families will create new accounts. AYSO regions keep access to Sports Connect through September 2027 to look things up. Other organizations may be handled differently, so ask what moves with you and how long you can read your old records.

#### Who can choose a different platform
Not every league can switch. Little League requires every league in the United States to use its official registration platform for player registration, and AYSO regions follow AYSO's choice of platform, now PlayMetrics. If you're part of one of those programs, follow your national organization's plan.

Independent leagues and clubs can usually pick their next platform. If your state association now uses PlayMetrics, you may be able to use another platform but still have to send player data to the association. Check your contract and your governing body's rules before you switch.

#### What to do now
- Ask Sports Connect or PlayMetrics, in writing, whether and when your organization will move, what it will cost and what happens to your current contract.
- Export everything now and keep a copy: families, players, registrations, payment and refund history, balances owed and volunteer records. Save the files where your board can reach them.
- Find your renewal date and notice period. Our [Sports Connect comparison](https://backpr.com/compare/stack-sports) summarizes the terms we found.
- Pick your timing. Move between seasons, after last season's refunds and balances are settled and before registration opens again.
- Tell families early. A new platform usually means new accounts, so explain the change before registration opens.
- Compare your options, PlayMetrics included: see BackPR next to [PlayMetrics](https://backpr.com/compare/playmetrics), [LeagueApps](https://backpr.com/compare/leagueapps), [TeamSnap](https://backpr.com/compare/teamsnap) and [GotSport](https://backpr.com/compare/gotsport).

#### Moving to BackPR
If you're free to choose, BackPR is one option. We set up your account and import your families, players and programs from a spreadsheet or another system's export at no cost, and there's no long-term contract. You can export your data at any time. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Pricing for other organizations is by quote. See [how switching works](https://backpr.com/switch). More on [BackPR for sports programs](https://backpr.com/solutions/sports).

#### Questions
**Is Sports Connect shutting down?**
No shutdown date has been published for every customer. In December 2025, AYSO wrote that Sports Connect's parent company planned to retire it in 2027 (AYSO has since removed that notice). AYSO and Little League are moving to PlayMetrics. As of October 21, 2026, we found no date for leagues that use Sports Connect independently.

**Do we have to move to PlayMetrics?**
Little League and AYSO programs follow their national organization's choice. Independent leagues and clubs can usually pick any platform. Check your contract and your governing body's rules.

**Will our data move to PlayMetrics?**
It depends on your organization. AYSO told its regions not to import old Sports Connect data and said families will create new accounts. Either way, export your records now and keep a copy.

**Can BackPR import our Sports Connect data?**
Yes. If you can export it to a spreadsheet, we import your families, players and programs at no cost.

Sources, checked October 21, 2026: PlayMetrics: Sports Connect joined PlayMetrics (https://home.playmetrics.com/playmetrics-sportsconnect); Genstar Capital: PlayMetrics and Stack Sports combine (June 11, 2025) (https://www.gencap.com/playmetrics-and-stack-sports-combine-to-create-leader-in-sports-software/); AYSO notice on registration with PlayMetrics (December 16, 2025, archived copy) (http://web.archive.org/web/20260314204626/https://ayso.org/ayso-registration-and-region-management-with-playmetrics/); AYSO wiki: PlayMetrics training for membership year 2027 (https://wiki.ayso.org/wiki/PlayMetrics_MY2027_Training_Cohort_Registration); AYSO wiki: do not import Sports Connect data (https://wiki.ayso.org/wiki/PlayMetrics_%E2%80%94_Do_Not_Import_Sports_Connect_Data); Little League 2026 Congress schedule (https://www.littleleague.org/downloads/2026-congress-schedule-of-events/); Sports Connect: Little League (https://sportsconnect.com/little-league/); PlayMetrics: Little League Central Registration (pricing model) (https://home.playmetrics.com/little-league-central-registration); Little League website policy (https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/position-policy-statements/websites/); Nebraska State Soccer: move to PlayMetrics (https://www.nebraskastatesoccer.org/move-to-playmetrics/)

### SportsEngine is now part of PlayMetrics: what it means for your club
By the BackPR team. Facts checked October 21, 2026.

PlayMetrics completed its purchase of SportsEngine on May 1, 2026. SportsEngine is still running, and we found no announced migration, price change or payment change. Here's what's known, what to watch and how to plan.

#### What happened
- May 1, 2026: PlayMetrics completed its purchase of substantially all of SportsEngine's assets from Versant Media Group. The deal covers SportsEngine HQ (club, league and team management), Motion (studio and class-based sports), Tourney (tournaments), Play (video), AES (volleyball competition management) and SportsEngine's payments products. The price wasn't disclosed.
- NCSI (the National Center for Safety Initiatives), the background screening company SportsEngine had owned, wasn't part of the sale, according to Youth Sports Business Report. LeagueApps announced on July 8, 2026 that it had acquired NCSI.
- PlayMetrics also owns Sports Connect, and Little League, AYSO and others are moving from Sports Connect to PlayMetrics' own platform (see [Sports Connect and PlayMetrics](https://backpr.com/switch/sports-connect)).

#### What customers have been told
- PlayMetrics CEO Mike Doernberg said in the May 1 announcement that customers "can expect the same great service they rely on today" and will gain access to PlayMetrics' other technology.
- SportsEngine is still being developed. It posted a product update on July 27, 2026, and on May 14, 2026, USA Swimming named SportsEngine its official team management partner in a deal that runs through 2030.
- As of October 21, 2026, we found no announced migration date, price change or payment processing change for SportsEngine customers.

#### What to do now
Nothing requires you to move. But a change of owner is a good time to check your setup before your next renewal. If your national governing body requires SportsEngine for memberships, follow its guidance. We found no announced change to those programs.

- Find your renewal date and notice period, and put both on your calendar.
- Export your data and keep a copy your board can reach: members, registrations, payments and balances.
- Review what you pay and what families pay at checkout. Our [SportsEngine comparison](https://backpr.com/compare/sportsengine) lists SportsEngine's published plans and fees.
- If you run background checks through NCSI, LeagueApps says "everything organizations currently rely on continues as it is." Confirm that your screening setup and pricing stay the same.
- Watch for notices about payment processing or a move to PlayMetrics' platform, and ask for any change in writing.
- Compare your options: see BackPR next to [PlayMetrics](https://backpr.com/compare/playmetrics), [LeagueApps](https://backpr.com/compare/leagueapps) and [TeamSnap](https://backpr.com/compare/teamsnap).

#### Moving to BackPR
If you're free to choose, BackPR is one option. We set up your account and import your members, families and programs from a spreadsheet or another system's export at no cost, and there's no long-term contract. You can export your data at any time. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Pricing for other organizations is by quote. See [how switching works](https://backpr.com/switch). More on [BackPR for sports programs](https://backpr.com/solutions/sports).

#### Questions
**Is SportsEngine shutting down?**
No shutdown has been announced. PlayMetrics says customers can expect the same service, and SportsEngine is still being developed.

**Will SportsEngine's prices change?**
As of October 21, 2026, we found no announced price change. Check your contract's renewal terms and watch for notices.

**Who owns NCSI now?**
LeagueApps, which announced on July 8, 2026 that it had acquired NCSI. According to Youth Sports Business Report, NCSI wasn't part of the SportsEngine sale.

Sources, checked October 21, 2026: PlayMetrics: PlayMetrics acquires SportsEngine from Versant (May 1, 2026) (https://home.playmetrics.com/blog/playmetrics-acquires-sportsengine-from-versant); Versant press release (May 1, 2026) (https://pressroom.versantmedia.com/versant-media/press-releases/playmetrics-acquires-sportsengine-versant); SportsEngine: July 2026 product update (https://www.sportsengine.com/blog/whats-new-at-sportsengine-july-edition/); SportsEngine and USA Swimming partnership (May 2026) (https://www.sportsengine.com/blog/sportsengine-and-usa-swimming-announce-long-term-partnership/); LeagueApps: NCSI joins LeagueApps (July 8, 2026) (https://leagueapps.com/blog/ncsi-joins-leagueapps-youth-sports-safety/); Youth Sports Business Report: LeagueApps acquires NCSI (July 8, 2026) (https://youthsportsbusinessreport.com/leagueapps-acquires-ncsi-the-youth-sports-safety-provider-left-out-of-the-sportsengine-sale/)

### Procare bought Playground: what childcare programs should know
By the BackPR team. Facts checked October 21, 2026.

Procare Solutions, which makes childcare management software, announced on September 14, 2026 that it had bought Playground. Customers were told "nothing changes today." Here's what's known and how to plan if you use Playground. If you use Procare, Procare says nothing changes for you either.

#### What happened
- September 14, 2026: Procare Solutions, a business unit of Roper Technologies, announced that it had acquired Playground, the childcare software at tryplayground.com. Terms weren't disclosed.
- In the announcement, Procare says it serves more than 40,000 centers and Playground more than 5,000 programs.

#### What customers have been told
- Procare's CEO said "nothing changes today": customers keep using the same products, and they don't need to do anything.
- As of October 21, 2026, we found no announced plan to combine the two products, change prices or change payment processing.

#### What to do now
If you use Playground, nothing requires you to move. But a change of owner is a good time to check your setup before your next renewal.

- Find your renewal date and notice period, and put both on your calendar.
- Export your data and keep a copy you control: families, children, enrollment, billing history and attendance records, including what you need for childcare subsidy billing, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and licensing.
- Review what you pay, including processing fees. See BackPR next to [Playground](https://backpr.com/compare/playground) and [Procare](https://backpr.com/compare/procare).
- Ask in writing about anything that matters to you: product plans, payment processing, data access and contract terms.

#### Moving to BackPR
BackPR runs registration, tuition, enrollment forms and check-in in one place. Families register and pay online in English or Spanish. You can bill recurring tuition with autopay, or use deposits and payment plans. Staff check children in and out from their phones against each family's authorized pickup list. BackPR also covers childcare daily sheets (meals, naps, diapers and photos), live staff-to-child ratios, parent messaging and billing for subsidy agencies. We set up your account and import your families, children and programs from a spreadsheet or another system's export at no cost, and there's no long-term contract. You can export your data at any time. BackPR is free for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees, and BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay. Card payments run on Stripe at Stripe's standard rates. Pricing for other organizations is by quote. See [how switching works](https://backpr.com/switch). More on [BackPR for childcare](https://backpr.com/solutions/childcare).

#### Questions
**Is Playground shutting down?**
No shutdown has been announced. Procare's CEO said "nothing changes today" and that customers will keep using the same products.

**Will Playground's prices change?**
As of October 21, 2026, we found no announced price change. Check your renewal terms and watch for notices.

**Can BackPR import our Playground or Procare data?**
Yes. If you can export it to a spreadsheet, we import your families, children and programs at no cost.

Sources, checked October 21, 2026: Procare: Procare acquires Playground (September 14, 2026) (https://www.procaresoftware.com/about-us/press-room/procare-acquires-playground/); Playground: Procare Solutions acquires Playground (https://www.tryplayground.com/blog/procare-solutions-acquires-playground-combining-industry-leading-expertise-with-innovative-ai-powered-child-care-technology)

## For families
- **One family account:** Add your children once. Their details, medical information and pickup list are saved for next time.
- **Register every child at once:** Add siblings and programs to one cart and check out once.
- **Pay your way:** Pay in full, or use a deposit and payment plan when the program offers one. Saved cards are charged automatically on each date.
- **Forms on your phone:** Sign waivers and upload documents during registration, without printing anything.
- **Pickup with your code:** Show a QR code or give your PIN at pickup. Staff check it against the list of adults you've authorized.
- **Receipts and statements:** See every payment in your account and download year-end statements for dependent care claims.

**Does BackPR charge me a fee?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what you pay. Some programs pass card processing costs on as a convenience fee. If they do, it's shown clearly before you pay.

**Who do I contact about a program's schedule, refunds or policies?**
The organization that runs the program. They set their own schedules, prices and refund policies.

**Is there an app to download?**
No download needed. BackPR works in the browser on any phone, tablet or computer, and you can add it to your home screen.

**Who processes my payment?**
Card and bank payments are processed by Stripe.

**Can I use BackPR in Spanish?**
Yes. You can register and manage your family account in Spanish.

**I need help with my account.**
Email support@backpr.com and we'll help.

## En español: BackPR para organizaciones sin fines de lucro
BackPR es una plataforma en línea de inscripciones y pagos para campamentos, programas después de clases, guarderías, cursos, deportes, escuelas e iglesias en Estados Unidos. Es gratis para organizaciones sin fines de lucro registradas: no cobramos suscripción ni comisiones.

### Qué incluye
- **Toda la familia en un solo paso:** Las familias inscriben a varios niños en varios programas y pagan todo junto, desde el celular y sin descargar ninguna aplicación.
- **En español o en inglés:** Las familias pueden inscribirse y manejar su propia cuenta en español o en inglés.
- **Planes de pago:** Depósitos y pagos a plazos que se cobran automáticamente en cada fecha programada.
- **Formularios y firmas en línea:** Información médica, contactos de emergencia y exenciones de responsabilidad firmadas, todo antes del primer día.
- **Salida segura:** El personal registra la entrada y la salida de cada niño y verifica quién está autorizado para recogerlo.
- **Mensajes a las familias:** Envíe correos electrónicos y mensajes de texto a las familias de cualquier grupo.

### Cuánto cuesta
- $0 para organizaciones sin fines de lucro registradas: BackPR no cobra suscripción ni comisiones.
- Los pagos con tarjeta se procesan con Stripe, que cobra su comisión estándar. Usted decide si esa comisión la paga su organización o la pagan las familias.
- BackPR nunca agrega una comisión propia a lo que pagan las familias.
- Sin contratos a largo plazo: puede cancelar cuando quiera, sin penalidad.
- La configuración de su cuenta y la importación de sus datos son gratis, y puede exportar sus datos cuando quiera.
- Las demás organizaciones pueden pedir una cotización.

### Quién califica
- Organizaciones benéficas 501(c)(3)
- Iglesias y organizaciones religiosas
- Asociaciones de padres y maestros (PTA y PTO) sin fines de lucro
- Campamentos y organizaciones juveniles sin fines de lucro
- Centros comunitarios y organizaciones comunitarias sin fines de lucro
- Clubes y ligas deportivas sin fines de lucro
- Programas de arte, música y teatro sin fines de lucro
- Escuelas y fundaciones escolares sin fines de lucro

Para empezar, solicite una cuenta o escríbanos en español a support@backpr.com.

### Preguntas frecuentes
**¿Nos pueden atender en español?**
Sí. Escríbanos a support@backpr.com y le respondemos en español. Atendemos solo por correo electrónico.

**¿De verdad es gratis para nuestra organización?**
Sí, siempre que sea una organización sin fines de lucro registrada en Estados Unidos: BackPR no le cobra suscripción ni comisiones. Solo se aplica la comisión estándar de Stripe por los pagos con tarjeta, y usted decide si la paga su organización o si la pagan las familias.

**¿Las familias pueden usar BackPR en español?**
Sí. Las familias pueden inscribirse, pagar y manejar su propia cuenta en español o en inglés, desde cualquier celular.

**¿Tenemos que firmar un contrato a largo plazo?**
No. Puede cancelar cuando quiera, sin penalidad.

**¿Nos ayudan a pasar nuestros datos a BackPR?**
Sí, gratis. Envíenos sus listas de familias y programas, aunque solo las tenga en una hoja de cálculo, y nosotros configuramos su cuenta.

## Video: BackPR in one minute
A one-minute tour of BackPR, registration and payment software for kids' programs. See online registration, payment plans and autopay, check-in and pickup, parent messages, and reports. Free for nonprofits. Watch: https://backpr.com/media/backpr-explainer.mp4 (0:59). Transcript:

Sign-ups. Payments. Pickups. Permission slips.
Running a kids' program means juggling forms, spreadsheets, and late payments.
With BackPR, it's all in one place.
On screen: Registration and payments for kids' programs: camps, after-school, classes and sports.
Parents sign up all their kids and check out once. In English or Spanish.
You set up payment plans and autopay. Reminders go out on their own.
Check kids in and out, and know exactly who picked them up.
Email and text every family at once.
And see how your program's doing at a glance.
For nonprofits, BackPR is free. No long-term contracts. Free setup. And your data is always yours.
On screen: No BackPR fees for you or your families. Standard Stripe processing fees apply. Cover them yourself or pass them on to families.
Get started at backpr.com.
On screen: Not a nonprofit? Ask us for a quote. Questions? support@backpr.com

## General questions
**What is BackPR?**
BackPR is online registration and payment software for youth and community programs: camps, after-school programs, childcare, classes, sports, schools, PTAs and faith-based programs. It covers registration, forms and waivers, payments and payment plans, attendance and pickup, messaging and reporting.

**Is BackPR really free for nonprofits?**
Yes. Registered nonprofits pay no subscription and no BackPR fees. The only cost is card processing, which Stripe charges at its standard rates on each payment. You can absorb it or pass it on to families as a convenience fee.

**How much does BackPR cost for businesses?**
Camps, studios, schools and other organizations that aren't nonprofits get a quote based on their programs. There's no long-term contract, and onboarding and data import are free.

**Do families pay a fee to BackPR?**
No. BackPR never adds its own fee to what families pay.

**Can we move from our current registration system?**
Yes. Onboarding and data import are free. If your current system can export to a spreadsheet, and most can, we can bring your families and programs over.

**Is BackPR available in Spanish?**
Yes. Families can register and manage their account in Spanish, and you can email support@backpr.com in Spanish.

**Where is BackPR available?**
BackPR serves programs in the United States.

**How do we get help?**
Email support@backpr.com and our team will get back to you.

## Contact
Email support@backpr.com. Request an account at https://backpr.com/get-started or a demo at https://backpr.com/demo.