Michigan rulebook · checked October 2026
Watching Kids at Home in Michigan: How Many Before You Need a License?
In Michigan, 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.
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The Michigan line, in facts
Licensing agency: Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) — Child Care Licensing Bureau
The line: In Michigan, 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 |
|---|
| Family Child Care Home | up to 6 | 1 to 6 unrelated children; you must live in the home. Increased capacity to 7 unrelated children can be approved after 29 consecutive months licensed (R 400.1925). |
| Group Child Care Home | up to 12 | 7 to 12 unrelated children (up to 14 on the same 29-month increased-capacity path). Requires zoning approval under the Zoning Enabling Act. |
What comes with the license
- Ratios: Family home: 1 staff member to 6 children (1:7 only with approved increased capacity). Per staff member: no more than 4 children under 24 months, and no more than 2 of those under 12 months (R 400.1927, 2026 rules). Your own young children are not in the capacity count, but children under school age related to you DO count in the ratio.
- Training before you open: Department orientation (about 6 hours), pediatric first aid and CPR certification, and training in abuse/neglect recognition and reporting, infectious-disease prevention, and safe sleep/shaken baby — before or at licensing (R 400.1902). No fixed pre-service clock-hour total for the licensee.
- Training to stay open: Licensee: at least 10 clock hours of professional development per calendar year; other personnel: at least 5 (R 400.1924), tracked in MiRegistry.
- State fees: Family home: $50 original application, $25 renewal. Group home: $100 original, $50 renewal (MCL 722.115m(11)). Paid online by card.
- Realistic timeline: MiLEAP's published expectation: 3 to 6 months after a complete application packet. Your first license is a 6-month original license; renewal converts it to a regular 2-year license.
Your path in Michigan, step by step
- Read the Licensing Rules for Family and Group Child Care Homes and the Child Care Organizations Act first; check local zoning (mandatory approval for group homes).
- Apply online and pay the fee ($50 family / $100 group); mail the required forms — background-check requests for you and every adult household member, medical clearances, CPR/first aid proof, training verifications, heating inspection and a radon test at or below 4 pCi/L.
- If your home has a private well or septic, licensing arranges (and pays for) an environmental health inspection.
- Attend the required orientation session (about 6 hours) once your application materials are approved.
- Host the licensing consultant's inspection of the home.
- If compliant, a 6-month original license issues; the renewal inspection converts it to a regular 2-year license.
What catches people in Michigan
- Michigan's home rules were re-issued effective April 27, 2026 — the infant sub-caps changed (now 4 under 24 months / 2 under 12 months per adult) and licensing moved from LARA to MiLEAP. Older PDFs and the agency's own older pages still show the old rules.
- The license is personal and address-specific: moving voids it — apply for the new address before you move.
- Very small 'babysitting' sits outside the definition: an arrangement paying under $600 a year (the 1099 threshold) is excluded — but the moment you run a real, regular paid arrangement, you are a family child care home from the first unrelated child.
If you skip the line
Violating the Child Care Organizations Act is a misdemeanor — a fine of $100 to $1,000, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both (MCL 722.125(1)). A conviction is also grounds for revocation and can bar future licensure.
Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: Mich. Comp. Laws 722.111 (family/group child care home definitions; related children excluded); Mich. Comp. Laws 722.115 and 722.115m (license required; process and fees); 722.125 (penalties); Mich. Admin. Code R 400.1925 (capacity), R 400.1927 (family ratios), R 400.1924 (training) — rules re-issued April 27, 2026; MiLEAP Child Care Licensing Bureau, michigan.gov/mileap. This page reads the published rules; it is not legal advice, and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) — Child Care Licensing Bureau is the final word.
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