Tennessee rulebook · checked October 2026

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

In Tennessee, you may watch up to 4 counted children before a license is required.

The Tennessee line, in facts

Licensing agency: Tennessee Department of Human Services — Child Care Services

The line: In Tennessee, you may watch up to 4 counted children before a license is required.

The categories above the line

Category	Capacity	What it means
Family Child Care Home	up to 7	5 to 7 children not related to the primary educator. Up to 12 children may be present in total when the extras are related to the educator — children related to the educator under age 9 count toward the chart; related children 9 and older with separate space in your occupied residence do not (Rule 1240-04-01-.20).
Group Child Care Home	up to 12	At least 8 children not related to the primary educator, up to 12 — or 15 if approved for 3 additional school-age children.

What comes with the license

Ratios: Family home chart (Rule 1240-04-01-.20): 1 educator for 7 or fewer children with no more than 4 under age 2; a 2nd educator when 5 or more are under 2; 2 educators above 7 children with no more than 4 under 2; 3 educators above 7 with 5 or more under 2.
Training before you open: A DHS informational intake meeting and an orientation session of at least 4 hours, completed no later than 6 months before the license issues, plus 3 hours on the early learning developmental standards within the first 3 months.
Training to stay open:
State fees:
Realistic timeline:

What catches people in Tennessee

Tennessee's own rule summary puts it in one line: 'Licensing of day care begins with five children. (Care for one to four children is exempt.)' — five UNRELATED children.
Related children are a capacity shadow-system: they don't trigger the license, but the young ones still count once you're in it.

Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: T.C.A. § 71-3-501 et seq. (child care agency licensing; begins at 5 children); § 71-3-503 (exemptions); Tenn. Comp. R. 1240-04-01-.20 (family child care homes), -.21 (group homes), App. A. This page reads the published rules; it is not legal advice, and the Tennessee Department of Human Services — Child Care Services is the final word.

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