State library · checked October 2026

Idaho child care, camp and ratio rules

What camps, after-school programs and child care centers in Idaho need to know about licensing, ratios, background checks, medication and reporting abuse, with links to the official rules.

Child care 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

Sources: Idaho Code §39-1109 (safety standards, ratio points); Idaho Code §39-1103 (exemptions); IDAPA 16.06.03 Daycare Licensing (LII mirror); IDAPA 16.06.03.300 Child-staff ratio; IDHW: Becoming a child care provider

Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers

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.

Work out your staffing with the ratio calculator

Summer 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); Idaho Code §39-1103 (daycare exemptions); IDAPA 16.06.03.100 (exemptions)

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; IDAPA 16.05.06.010 Definitions (enhanced clearance); Idaho Code §39-1105 (criminal history checks); IDHW Background Check Unit

Giving 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.

Free medication administration log

Sources: IDAPA 16.06.03.380 Health standards (item 20, Medication)

Reporting child abuse

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).

Idaho child abuse hotline: 855-552-KIDS (5437) statewide; 208-334-KIDS (5437) in the Treasure Valley (how to report). In an emergency, call 911.

Sources: IDHW: Reporting neglect, abuse, or abandonment; IDAPA 16.06.03.421 Mandatory reporting; Idaho Code §16-1605; Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect

Checked October 2026 against Idaho's official rules and federal sources. Rules change and have exceptions, so confirm with the agency before you rely on them. This is general information, not legal advice. Idaho has 1,162 youth and community program nonprofits, according to our analysis of IRS data.

FAQ

Idaho questions

What is the staff-to-child ratio for school-age children in Idaho?

In licensed child care centers, 1 staff member for every 25 school-age children (Idaho Code §39-1109(4) (amended 2025); IDAPA 16.06.03.300). Camps and license-exempt programs can follow different rules.

Do summer camps need a license in Idaho?

Do after-school programs need a child care license in Idaho?

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).

Who has to report suspected child abuse in Idaho?