Child care centersChecked against the rule 2026-10-19

Georgia Daycare Ratios and Group Sizes

By Jayesh Parayali, Founder, CareCam · 15+ years building daycare camera systems

The staff-to-child ratios Georgia requires in licensed child care centers, by the state's own age bands, from Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 591-1-1-.32. Below the table, a calculator tells you how many staff the children in your building need right now.

Educational reference, not legal advice. Family and group child care homes follow different ratios. Confirm with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (Bright from the Start), Child Care Services.

Georgia center ratios by age

Age group	Ages	Staff : children	Max group size
Infants	less than 1 year old, or under 18 months and not walking	1:6	12
One-year-olds	1-year-olds who are walking	1:8	16
Two-year-olds	2 years	1:10	20
Three-year-olds	3 years	1:15	30
Four-year-olds	4 years	1:18	36
Five-year-olds	5 years	1:20	40
Six years and older	6 years and older	1:25	50

•In centers licensed for 19 or more children, a mixed-age group follows the ratio for the youngest age group that makes up more than 20 percent of the group.
•During scheduled daytime rest or sleep periods, ratios may be doubled for children 3 and older if a staff member is in each room and all required staff remain in the center.
•Maximum group size does not apply to centers licensed for 18 or fewer children, to outdoor play on the center's playground, or to special activities lasting no more than two hours, but ratios still apply.
•The ratio table was last amended effective September 20, 2020.

How many staff do I need right now?

Enter the children in the building right now, by age group. The numbers update as you type and nothing is sent anywhere.

Age group	Ratio	Children	Staff needed
Infantsless than 1 year old, or under 18 months and not walking	1:6max group 12
One-year-olds1-year-olds who are walking	1:8max group 16
Two-year-olds2 years	1:10max group 20
Three-year-olds3 years	1:15max group 30
Four-year-olds4 years	1:18max group 36
Five-year-olds5 years	1:20max group 40
Six years and older6 years and older	1:25max group 50
Total

Counts each age group as its own room. For a mixed-age room, Georgia like most states applies the ratio of the youngest child present to the whole group. Ratios apply the whole day, including naps, transitions and the first and last hour. Confirm against the rule linked above before you schedule.

Inspections in Georgia

DECAL policy is to conduct unannounced, on-site inspections of every licensed child care learning center twice a year. One visit is a full licensing study and the other is a monitoring visit focused on core rules and prior violations. Source. The licensing agency is the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (Bright from the Start), Child Care Services. Inspection reports are public: look up a center's reports.

The Georgia inspection checklist is the walk-through a licensor does, written as things to check before they arrive, with your ratios and agency filled in.

Proving the room was in ratio

When a parent or licensor asks what the toddler room looked like at 4:45 on Tuesday, your own cameras answer. CareCam runs on the cameras a center already has and adds a live, video-only view for parents of their own child's room, during the hours you set. No audio, so Georgia's one-party consent rule never comes into it.

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Related for Georgia: daycare camera laws. Other states: daycare ratios by state.

Georgia daycare ratio FAQ

What is the daycare ratio in Georgia?

Georgia sets its center ratios by age: 1:6 for infants (less than 1 year old, or under 18 months and not walking), 1:8 for one-year-olds (1-year-olds who are walking), 1:10 for two-year-olds (2 years), 1:15 for three-year-olds (3 years), 1:18 for four-year-olds (4 years), 1:20 for five-year-olds (5 years), 1:25 for six years and older (6 years and older). The rule is Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 591-1-1-.32.

What is the infant ratio for daycare centers in Georgia?

One caregiver for every 6 infants (less than 1 year old, or under 18 months and not walking), with no more than 12 infants in one group.

What is the toddler ratio in Georgia?

1:8 for one-year-olds (1-year-olds who are walking), maximum group size 16.

How many 3-year-olds can one teacher have in Georgia?

15 children per teacher for three-year-olds (3 years), in a group of no more than 30.

Does Georgia set maximum group sizes?

Yes. Infants: 12; One-year-olds: 16; Two-year-olds: 20; Three-year-olds: 30; Four-year-olds: 36; Five-year-olds: 40; Six years and older: 50. A group may not exceed these numbers no matter how many adults are in the room.

How often are daycare centers inspected in Georgia?

DECAL policy is to conduct unannounced, on-site inspections of every licensed child care learning center twice a year. One visit is a full licensing study and the other is a monitoring visit focused on core rules and prior violations. The licensing agency is the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (Bright from the Start), Child Care Services. Inspection reports are public; the lookup is linked on this page.

Can cameras count toward the ratio in Georgia?

No. The ratio counts adults physically in the room with the children. Cameras let a director confirm afterwards that ratios were kept, and with CareCam they give parents a live, video-only view of their own child's room during the hours the center sets.

Run a Georgia center? See if your cameras can do double duty

Tell us your camera brand and we'll confirm whether the cameras you already have can give parents a secure, live, video-only view of their own child's room. We reply within one business day.