Massachusetts daycare regulations are set by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) under 606 CMR 7.00, a detailed code that governs who can run a licensed program, who can work in one, how many children one adult can supervise, what the space must look like, and how children must be kept safe, fed, and disciplined. The rules apply to both home-based family child care and larger center-based programs, and the EEC enforces them through inspections, correction orders, fines, and license actions.
Who Needs a License
Anyone providing regular care for children who are not related to them by blood, marriage, or adoption must hold an EEC license. Care limited to related children is exempt. Two license types cover different settings: a Family Child Care (FCC) license for providers operating out of a private home, and a Group and School Age Child Care (GSA) license for larger center-based programs.1Mass.gov. EEC Laws and Regulations
Operating without a license has consequences. The EEC can order an unlicensed provider to stop accepting children immediately, and civil fines run from $50 to $250 for family or group programs. The agency can also pursue probation, suspension, or outright refusal to issue a license if violations surface during its investigation.2Mass.gov. Enforcement Standards and Definitions for Licensure or Approval 102 CMR 1.00
Staffing Ratios and Group Sizes
Massachusetts enforces strict educator-to-child ratios tied to the age of the children, and they must be maintained at all times during operating hours. For large group and school age programs:
- Infants (up to 15 months): one educator for every three children, with one additional educator required when the group reaches four to seven infants. Maximum group size is seven.
- Toddlers (15 to 33 months): one educator for every four children, with one additional educator for groups of five to nine. Maximum group size is nine.
- Preschoolers (33 months to school age, full day): one educator for every ten children. Maximum group size is 20.
- Preschoolers (33 months to school age, half day): one educator for every 12 children. Maximum group size is 24.
Mixed-age groups follow their own math. An infant/toddler group, for instance, can include up to nine children but no more than three infants.4Legal Information Institute. 606 CMR 7.10 – Ratios, Group Sizes and Supervision of Children
Educator Qualifications
Qualification requirements are tiered by role and age group. A lead teacher for infants and toddlers in a large group program must be at least 21, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, complete at least 12 college credits across child development topics (including specific coursework in child growth and infant/toddler care), and accumulate supervised work experience. The months required vary with education: 36 months for someone with only a high school diploma, nine months for a bachelor’s degree holder in early childhood education.5Legal Information Institute. 606 CMR 7.09 – Educator Qualifications and Professional Development
A Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is an accepted pathway. A CDA with an infant/toddler endorsement, combined with a high school diploma and 27 months of work experience, qualifies someone as a lead teacher for the youngest age groups. Lead teachers for preschoolers face a similar structure: at least 21 years old, with coursework in child growth and development plus credits in curriculum planning or classroom management.5Legal Information Institute. 606 CMR 7.09 – Educator Qualifications and Professional Development
First Aid, CPR, and Annual Training
Every educator must complete First Aid and CPR training as a baseline safety requirement across all licensed programs.6Mass.gov. First Aid and CPR Training for Child Care Providers
Annual professional development hours depend on program type and weekly hours worked. In large group programs, full-time staff (20 or more hours per week) must complete at least 20 hours of professional development each year. Part-time staff working 10 to 20 hours per week need 12 hours, and those working under 10 hours need five. Family child care educators working more than 10 hours per week need 10 hours annually; those working fewer need five.3Mass.gov. 606 CMR 7.00 – Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Family Child Care, Small Group and School Age and Large Group and School Age Child Care Programs
Background Checks for All Staff
Every adult who may have unsupervised access to children in a licensed program must clear a multi-layered background check before starting work. The EEC’s process includes a Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, a Department of Children and Families (DCF) review for any supported findings of abuse or neglect, a Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) check, and a fingerprint-based search of both state and national criminal databases. When an applicant has lived outside Massachusetts within the past five years, the check also covers out-of-state criminal history and sex offender records.7Mass.gov. EEC Background Record Checks
These checks are not one-and-done. The EEC requires periodic re-screening, and a disqualifying record at any point means removal from the program.
Physical Space and Lead Paint
Group and school age programs must provide a minimum of 35 square feet of activity space per child, counting only usable play and learning areas. Hallways, bathrooms, closets, and storage don’t count. Family child care homes work on a different scale: at least 150 square feet for one or two children, 225 square feet for three to six, and 35 square feet per child when serving seven to ten. Outdoors, every licensed program must maintain or have access to a play area providing at least 75 square feet per child who is outside at any given time.8Legal Information Institute. 606 CMR 7.07 – Physical Facility Requirements
Lead safety rules differ by program type. Family child care providers in pre-1978 homes must disclose known lead sources to parents in writing and notify all families immediately if chipping or peeling paint is discovered. If the Department of Public Health determines the home is a source of lead poisoning for any child, the provider must follow DPH guidelines to eliminate the hazard. Group programs serving any child younger than five go further: they need documented evidence of a lead paint inspection from the local board of health, DPH, or a private inspector, along with proof of compliance with 105 CMR 460.000.3Mass.gov. 606 CMR 7.00 – Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Family Child Care, Small Group and School Age and Large Group and School Age Child Care Programs
Health and Safety Rules
Immunizations
Providers must maintain up-to-date immunization records for every enrolled child. All children must be age-appropriately immunized to attend unless they hold a medical or religious exemption. The EEC and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health jointly enforce this.9Massachusetts Department of Public Health. 2025-2026 Child Care/Preschool Immunization Survey
Safe Sleep for Infants
Programs serving infants must place them on their backs for sleeping unless a health care professional provides a written order stating otherwise. Each infant sleeps in an individual crib, portable crib, playpen, or bassinet with a firm, properly fitted mattress and clean covering. For children younger than 12 months, the sleeping area cannot contain pillows, comforters, stuffed animals, or any other soft padded materials. Crib slats must be spaced no more than two and three-eighths inches apart.10Legal Information Institute. 606 CMR 7.11 – Health and Safety
Medication Administration
Giving a child any medication requires written parental consent. Prescription drugs must arrive in their original containers with the pharmacy label intact; over-the-counter medications must be in the manufacturer’s packaging. Before administering medication, an educator must complete training and demonstrate competency in verifying the right child, correct medication, proper dosage, and correct timing. At least one educator trained in medication administration must be on site whenever children are present. Every dose is logged with the child’s name, the medication, the dosage, the date and time, and the educator’s signature. Missed doses must also be recorded.10Legal Information Institute. 606 CMR 7.11 – Health and Safety
Nutrition and Food Safety
Every licensed program must design a nutrition plan that meets USDA guidelines for the dietary needs of each child, including children with disabilities. Educators receive basic training in USDA-recognized nutrition requirements and food choking hazards, and when a child has a food allergy or special diet, educators must follow the parents’ and physician’s directions. Meals and snacks cannot be served past their recommended use dates. Written menus must be available to parents on request, and prior menus must be kept on file for one year. Refrigerators must hold between 32°F and 40°F, verified by a thermometer. The program must also have a plan to feed any child whose parent fails to send food from home.3Mass.gov. 606 CMR 7.00 – Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Family Child Care, Small Group and School Age and Large Group and School Age Child Care Programs
Discipline Practices That Are Prohibited
Massachusetts explicitly bans several discipline methods in licensed programs:
- Corporal punishment. Spanking or any form of physical hitting is prohibited.
- Verbal abuse and humiliation. Threats, derogatory remarks, shaking, and any cruel or severe treatment are banned.
- Withholding food or outdoor time. Providers cannot take away meals, snacks, or outdoor play as punishment, and cannot force-feed a child.
- Toilet-related punishment. A child cannot be disciplined for wetting, soiling, or not using the toilet, and cannot be forced to remain in soiled clothing or stay on the toilet.
- Equipment confinement. Using a high chair, crib, swing, or playpen for extended periods in place of actual supervision is not allowed.
- Excessive time-out. Time-out cannot exceed one minute per year of the child’s age and must take place within the educator’s view.
The time-out rule is worth watching. A three-year-old can be placed in time-out for no more than three minutes. Programs that routinely isolate children or use prolonged separation are violating state regulations.
Mandated Reporting
Every child care worker in Massachusetts is a mandated reporter under state law (MGL Chapter 119, Section 51A). An educator with reasonable cause to believe a child is being abused, neglected, or exploited must report by phone to the Department of Children and Families immediately, followed by a written report within 48 hours. The duty is personal and cannot be delegated, though staff at an institution may notify a designated person in charge who then becomes responsible for contacting DCF.
Failing to report carries a fine of up to $1,000. If the abuse or neglect resulted in serious bodily injury or death and the reporter willfully failed to act, the penalty rises to a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to two and a half years, or both. A conviction also triggers notification to any professional licensing authority.
Enforcement and Complaints
The EEC uses a graduated enforcement toolkit. A violation typically starts with a deficiency correction order that spells out the problem and sets a deadline to fix it. If the provider fails to comply, the agency can escalate to freezing new enrollment, reducing the number of children the program can serve, requiring the provider to hire a consultant or additional staff, or restricting a specific person’s access to children. Civil fines for family, group, and school age programs run from $50 to $250 per violation, and the EEC can stack fines for multiple outstanding orders. For the most serious or persistent problems, the agency can suspend or revoke a license entirely.2Mass.gov. Enforcement Standards and Definitions for Licensure or Approval 102 CMR 1.00
Parents who believe a licensed program is violating state regulations can file a complaint through the EEC’s regional licensing offices. Massachusetts does not operate a single statewide complaint hotline for child care concerns; complaints go to the regional office that oversees the program’s area. Unlicensed care can be reported through the LEAD Portal at childcare.mass.gov. A report of suspected child abuse or neglect goes directly to DCF rather than through the licensing system.
Getting Licensed and Renewing
Prospective providers apply through the EEC’s online LEAD Portal, submitting the application, supporting documents, and fee.11Mass.gov. LEAD – EEC Provider Licensing Portal Required documents include a written emergency plan, scale floor plans with room dimensions and uses, medical records for the provider (and household members in family child care), a parent handbook covering discipline, fees, and daily schedules, and a household disclosure listing anyone 15 or older living in a family child care home. A licensor then conducts an on-site inspection, verifies the space, checks safety equipment, and reviews documentation. Problems identified during the visit come with a deadline to fix before a follow-up.
New programs that haven’t operated before may receive a provisional license, valid for six months and renewable once for another six months. Once a program demonstrates full compliance, a regular license is issued and remains valid for two years. Providers must apply for renewal before that two-year window closes, and a license can be revoked, suspended, or placed on probation at any time if the EEC finds ongoing violations.12Massachusetts Secretary of State. 606 CMR 7.00 – Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Family Child Care, Small Group and School Age and Large Group and School Age Child Care Programs