Kansas rulebook · checked October 2026

Watching Kids at Home in Kansas: How Many Before You Need a License?

In Kansas, there is no unlicensed tier for regular paid care of unrelated children: the first child on a regular schedule already needs the state's permit. The only question is which tier.

Run the free Kansas check

The Kansas line, in facts

Licensing agency: Kansas Office of Early Childhood (child care licensing moved from KDHE on July 1, 2026)

The line: In Kansas, there is no unlicensed tier for regular paid care of unrelated children: the first child on a regular schedule already needs the state's permit. The only question is which tier.

The categories above the line

Category	Capacity	What it means
Licensed Day Care Home	up to 12	Up to 12 children total, the permit every regular home arrangement in Kansas starts with. Your own children under 10 count in the cap.
Group Day Care Home	up to 15	The larger home tier, for two providers working together.

What comes with the license

Ratios: Kansas caps are age-banded: the younger the children, the fewer the license allows per adult, and your own children under 10 count toward the licensed total.
Training before you open: Orientation and pre-licensing training through the local licensing office before the permit issues.
Training to stay open: Annual professional development hours each license year (hours set by K.A.R. 28-4-428).
State fees: Application and license fees are set in K.A.R. 28-4-92 and collected by the licensing office.
Realistic timeline: No published statewide deadline; the home survey and background checks set the pace.

What catches people in Kansas

Kansas licenses from the FIRST unrelated child in regular care — there is no small-numbers exemption to hide in.
Licensing moved from KDHE to the new Office of Early Childhood on July 1, 2026; older KDHE forms still circulate.

Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: K.S.A. 65-501 et seq. (child care licensing); K.A.R. 28-4 (child care facilities); Kansas Office of Early Childhood — child care licensing (HB 2294 transfer, July 1, 2026). This page reads the published rules; it is not legal advice, and the Kansas Office of Early Childhood (child care licensing moved from KDHE on July 1, 2026) is the final word.

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