# Oklahoma child care, camp and ratio rules

Source: https://backpr.com/resources/states/oklahoma. Last updated: 2026-10-19.

Checked October 2026 against Oklahoma's official rules and federal sources. General information, not legal advice; confirm with the agency.

### Child care 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
| 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
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
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
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
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/)