Licensing rules · Arizona
Daycare ratios in Arizona
In an Arizona daycare center, one adult may care for up to 5 babies, 6 children at 18 months, 13 three-year-olds or 15 four-year-olds. Arizona's center rules set no limit on group size, so ask how many children share your child's room.
- Babies (6 weeks)
- 1:5
- Toddlers (18 months)
- 1:6
- 3-year-olds
- 1:13
- 4-year-olds
- 1:15
Daycare centers
Ratios and group sizes in Arizona centers
The most children one adult may care for, and the largest group allowed in one room, at each age. From Arizona's licensing rules as compiled in the 2025 national database.
| Child's age | Adults to children | Largest group |
|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks | 1:51 adult for 5 children | No limit in the rules |
| 11 months | 1:51 adult for 5 children | No limit in the rules |
| 18 months | 1:61 adult for 6 children | No limit in the rules |
| 35 months | 1:81 adult for 8 children | No limit in the rules |
| 3 years | 1:131 adult for 13 children | No limit in the rules |
| 4 years | 1:151 adult for 15 children | No limit in the rules |
| 5 years | 1:201 adult for 20 children | No limit in the rules |
| 6 years | 1:201 adult for 20 children | No limit in the rules |
| 7 years | 1:201 adult for 20 children | No limit in the rules |
| 8 to 9 years | 1:201 adult for 20 children | No limit in the rules |
| 10 years and older | 1:201 adult for 20 children | No limit in the rules |
The national database reads each state's rule at these sample ages; Arizona's own rules give the exact age bands.
In the room
What the ratio means for your child
A ratio is the most children one adult may care for at the same time. At 1:5 for babies, a room with 10 infants needs at least 2 caregivers in it. Because Arizona sets no group size limit, a large room can hold many children as long as there are enough adults for the ratio.
The ratio is a minimum, not a target. Early mornings, nap time and late afternoons, when fewer staff are in, are when it is easiest to slip. On your tour, count the adults and children in the room yourself. Supervision and ratio rules were 5.6% of the rules Arizona inspectors cited since October 2023, and 38% of the daycares visited had one cited.
When a room mixes ages, Arizona's rules set the ratio by the age of the youngest child.
Home daycares
Rules for home daycares in Arizona
Arizona's group homes, where two or more caregivers look after a small group, follow their own ratio, written by the national database as about 5 children for each adult, with a group of up to 10 children. For a home where one provider cares for children alone, the national database lists no licensing rules in Arizona.
If you are looking at a home daycare, ask whether it is a licensed group home or a smaller home, which rules it follows, and how many babies and toddlers are in the group.
- As the national database records them
- Family child care home (one provider): no licensing rules listed for this setting in Arizona.
- Group child care home (two or more providers): 5 children to 1 adult. Largest group: 10 children.
Enforcement
How Arizona checks these rules
- Centers: Arizona reported routine inspections once a year, without notice.
- In the inspection records: rules on supervision and ratios were 5.6% of the rules Arizona inspectors cited since October 2023, and 38% of the daycares visited had one cited.
What Arizona inspectors cite shows the rule areas cited most often.
Inspection schedules are from a 2017 national survey of state licensing agencies.
On the tour
Ask about ratios on a tour
- of the 762 Arizona daycare websites we read post a staff-to-child ratio
- 2.9%
- How many adults are in my child's room, and how many children?
- How do staff keep track of every child during outdoor play, nap and pick-up?
- Who may pick up my child, and how do you check?
- Is the ratio the same at the start and end of the day, when fewer staff are in?
More questions: the daycare tour checklist.
Questions
Questions about daycare ratios in Arizona
What is the infant ratio for daycare centers in Arizona?
1:5. One adult may care for up to 5 babies. Arizona's center rules set no limit on how many babies can share a room.
What is the toddler ratio in Arizona?
1:6 at 18 months and 1:8 at 35 months, just before age 3. There is no group size limit at these ages either.
What is the ratio for 4-year-olds in Arizona daycares?
1:15. One adult may care for up to 15 four-year-olds, and 1:13 applies at age 3.
How many children can an Arizona home daycare have?
A licensed group home may care for up to 10 children, at about 5 children per adult. For a single-provider home, the national database lists no licensing rules, so ask which rules the home follows.
How do I check whether a daycare keeps to the ratio?
Count the adults and children in the room on your tour and read the daycare's inspection record. Only 2.9% of the 762 Arizona daycare websites we read post a staff-to-child ratio, so ask.
Rules change. Before you rely on a number here, check Arizona's current licensing rules or ask the state licensing agency.
Source: National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations, Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families (licensingregulations.acf.hhs.gov), 2025 tables, retrieved October 7, 2026. Website figure: daycare websites read in 2026.