State library · checked October 2026
North Dakota child care, camp and ratio rules
What camps, after-school programs and child care centers in North Dakota need to know about licensing, ratios, background checks, medication and reporting abuse, with links to the official rules.
Child care 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
Sources: N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-03-10 (child care centers); N.D. Admin. Code ch. 75-03-11.1 (school-age child care); N.D.C.C. ch. 50-11.1 (early childhood services); ND HHS Childcare Licensing
Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers
| 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.
Summer 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
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); N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-27 and -28; N.D.C.C. 50-11.1-06.2
Giving 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)).
Free medication administration log
Sources: N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-26
Reporting child abuse
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).
North Dakota child abuse 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 (how to report). In an emergency, call 911.
Sources: ND HHS Child Protection Program; N.D.C.C. ch. 50-25.1
Checked October 2026 against North Dakota'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 Dakota has 694 youth and community program nonprofits, according to our analysis of IRS data.
FAQ
North Dakota questions
What is the staff-to-child ratio for school-age children in North Dakota?
In licensed child care centers, 1 staff member for every 20 school-age children, with groups of up to 40 (N.D. Admin. Code 75-03-10-08(2)(a) (child care centers); 75-03-11.1-09 (school-age child care programs)). Camps and license-exempt programs can follow different rules.
Do summer camps need a license in North Dakota?
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.
Do after-school programs need a child care license in North Dakota?
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)).
Who has to report suspected child abuse in North Dakota?
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). North Dakota's 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.
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