Wisconsin child care, camp and ratio rules

Child care 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

Sources: DCF 251.055, supervision and grouping (Table DCF 251.055); DCF 251.02, applicability and excluded care; Wis. Stat. ch. 48 (s. 48.65 license requirement and exemptions); DCF Child Care Licensing home page; DCF summary of 2025-27 budget child care changes (ratio pilot)

Staff-to-child ratios in licensed centers

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.

Work out your staffing with the ratio calculator

Summer 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).

Camp agency: 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

Sources: DATCP Recreational and Educational Camps; ATCP 78.03, definitions (recreational and educational camp); ATCP 78.07, license required; DCF 252.04, day camp definition; DCF 252.03, day camp exclusions

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); DCF Child Care Background Check page; ATCP 78.26, camp staff screening

Giving 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.).

Free medication administration log

Sources: DCF 251.07(6)(f), medications; DCF 251.05(4)(a), staff orientation

Reporting child abuse

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)).

How to report in Wisconsin: 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 (how to report). In an emergency, call 911.

Sources: Wis. Stat. 48.981 (persons required to report; how to report); DCF 252.07(3), day camp abuse reporting; DCF Report Child Abuse and Neglect (county contacts)