State library · checked October 2026
North Carolina child care, camp and ratio rules
What camps, after-school programs and child care centers in North Carolina need to know about licensing, ratios, background checks, medication and reporting abuse, with links to the official rules.
Child care 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)
Sources: 10A NCAC 09 .0713 (NC Office of Administrative Hearings); Chapter 9 Child Care Rules, effective July 1, 2025 (DCDEE); DCDEE Licensing Requirements; DCDEE Summer Day Camp licensing packet (rev. 5/2026); DCDEE Child Care Center Handbook, ch. 16 School-Age Care
Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
| 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.
Summer 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); 15A NCAC 18A .3601 Sanitation of Resident Camps (definitions); DCDEE Summer Day Camp licensing packet (rev. 5/2026); DCDEE Licensing Requirements (summer day camp exemption)
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; 10A NCAC 09 .2703 (Chapter 9 rules, July 1, 2025)
Giving 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).
Free medication administration log
Sources: 10A NCAC 09 .0803 and .1101 (Chapter 9 rules, July 1, 2025)
Reporting child abuse
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).
How to report in North Carolina: No statewide hotline; call the county Department of Social Services and ask for CPS intake (911 in an emergency) (how to report). In an emergency, call 911.
Sources: NCDHHS: About Child Abuse and Child Neglect; NCDHHS Local DSS Directory; Child Welfare Information Gateway: Mandatory Reporting (May 2023)
Checked October 2026 against North Carolina'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. North Carolina has 5,234 youth and community program nonprofits, according to our analysis of IRS data.
FAQ
North Carolina questions
What is the staff-to-child ratio for school-age children in North Carolina?
In licensed child care centers, 1 staff member for every 25 school-age children, with groups of up to 25 (10A NCAC 09 .0713(a)). Camps and license-exempt programs can follow different rules.
Do summer camps need a license in North Carolina?
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).
Do after-school programs need a child care license in North Carolina?
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.)
Who has to report suspected child abuse in North Carolina?
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). No statewide hotline; call the county Department of Social Services and ask for CPS intake (911 in an emergency).
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