Kentucky daycare ratios by age
Kentucky's child care center rule (922 KAR 2:120 §2(2); definitions 922 KAR 2:090 §1) sets the staff-to-child ratios below: one adult for every 12 three-year-olds, in groups of no more than 24. Read on 2026-10-31; your licensing consultant has the last word.
Kentucky child care center ratios and group sizes
| Age | Children per adult | Largest group |
|---|---|---|
| Infants (under 12 months) | 1 to 5 | 10 |
| Toddlers (12 to 24 months) | 1 to 6 | 12 |
| Two-year-olds | 1 to 10 | 20 |
| Three-year-olds | 1 to 12 | 24 |
| Four-year-olds | 1 to 14 | 28 |
| Five-year-olds (not yet in school) | 1 to 14 | 28 |
How many adults does my room need in Kentucky?
Type how many children of each age are in the room.
What the rule says
Infant (<12 mo) 1:5 group 10; toddler 12-24 mo 1:6 group 12; toddler 24-36 mo 1:10 group 20; preschool-age 3-4 yr 1:12 group 24; preschool-age 4-5 yr 1:14 group 28; school-age 5-7 yr 1:15 group 30; 7+ 1:25 (before/after school) or 1:20 (full day) group 30. Max group size applies only to Type I centers. (mapped: fives = preschool-age 4-5 row, since a 5-year-old not yet school-age under KRS 158.030 is 'preschool-age' per 922 KAR 2:090 §1(18); the school-age 5-7 row would give 1:15 group 30)
Rule: 922 KAR 2:120 §2(2); definitions 922 KAR 2:090 §1. Read on 2026-10-31 at apps.legislature.ky.gov. Where the rule's ages split one of ours, the younger, stricter figure is shown. This is the rule for licensed centers; family child care homes, school-age care and mixed-age groups have their own rules. A reading of public regulations, not licensing advice.
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