Pennsylvania Home Daycare Requirements
By Jayesh Parayali, Founder, CareCam · 15+ years building daycare camera systems
In Pennsylvania, caring for 4 to 6 unrelated children in your home requires a certificate of compliance from OCDEL as a family child care home; 7 to 12 makes you a group child care home. Fewer than 4 unrelated children needs no certificate.
Note: This is general educational information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) before you open.
Do you need a license to run a home daycare in Pennsylvania?
Caring for fewer than four unrelated children does not require a certificate of compliance in Pennsylvania.
| Type | Children at one time | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| No certificate needed | 1 to 3 unrelated children | Exempt from certification |
| Family child care home (Chapter 3290) | 4, 5 or 6 unrelated children, in a home | Certificate of compliance from OCDEL |
| Group child care home (Chapter 3280) | 7 to 12 unrelated children of various ages, or 7 to 15 school-age children (4th grade through age 15) | Certificate of compliance from OCDEL |
| Child care center (Chapter 3270) | 7 or more unrelated children, in a non-residential facility | Certificate of compliance from OCDEL |
Also exempt from these rules: care provided by relatives; care furnished in places of worship during religious services.
How to get licensed, step by step
1. Call your regional OCDEL office and attend orientation
Pennsylvania requires prospective operators to attend an orientation session through their Regional Child Development Office before certification. Your office is listed below by county.
2. Complete the 10 health and safety trainings
Every prospective operator must verify completion of training in 10 health and safety topics. Nine are available online; the tenth, Pediatric CPR and First Aid, must be taken in person (for example through the American Red Cross).
3. Get clearances for yourself and your household
You need a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, a Pennsylvania State Police criminal history check, and an FBI fingerprint check (IdentoGo service code 1KG74S for a family child care home provider). Everyone 18 or older who lives in the home at least 30 days a year needs them too.
4. Apply and pass the inspection
OCDEL's Bureau of Certification Services reviews the application, inspects the home, and issues the certificate of compliance for your specific address. You may not begin care for 4 or more unrelated children until it is issued.
How many children you can care for
A family child care home may care for no more than six children at any one time who are unrelated to the operator or staff person. The related children of either the operator or the staff person, but not both, may be left out of that count.
Staying licensed
12 hours of training every year
Operators complete at least 12 clock hours of child care training annually. The orientation for your certificate does not count toward it.
Clearances stay current for 60 months
Child abuse, PSP and FBI clearances are valid for five years from the date obtained, so renew them before they lapse.
New adults in the home need clearances
At renewal, submit clearances for anyone who turned 18 or moved into the home since your last application.
The certificate covers one address
Moving your daycare means a new certificate for the new location.
Your regional licensing office
| Region | Phone | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| Central | 800-222-2117 | Adams, Centre, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Tioga, Union, York |
| Northeast | 800-222-2108 | Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming |
| Southeast | 800-346-2929 | Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia |
| Western | 800-222-2149 | Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland |
Cameras in a Pennsylvania home daycare
Video cameras are legal in a licensed home daycare. Keep them out of bathrooms and changing areas, and tell families about them in your enrollment agreement. Pennsylvania requires all-party consent to record conversations, so cameras that record audio are a real legal risk. Details in our guide to Pennsylvania daycare camera laws.
Many families choose a home daycare partly because they can check in. CareCam's home daycare camera system lets enrolled parents watch live from their phone, video only, during the hours you choose, using cameras you may already have.
Official sources
- §OCDEL Announcement C-26-01 (June 10, 2026): applicability of Chapters 3270, 3280 and 3290, exemptions, regional offices
- §PA DHS: early learning provider requirements (orientation, 10 health and safety trainings, fewer-than-four exemption)
- §55 Pa. Code § 3290.4: family child care home definitions
- §55 Pa. Code § 3290.11: certificate of compliance, clearances, annual training
- §55 Pa. Code § 3290.51: maximum number of children
- §OCDEL Announcement C-25-01: clearance requirements and 60-month validity
- ★Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) (licensing authority)
Pennsylvania home daycare FAQ
How many kids can I watch in my home without a license in Pennsylvania?
Do my own children count toward the limit?
What is the difference between a family and a group child care home?
Who in my house needs background checks?
Can I have cameras in my Pennsylvania home daycare?
Ask about cameras for your home daycare
Run a home daycare? Ask us about parent viewing
Tell us your camera brand, or that you don't have cameras yet, and we'll tell you the simplest setup for your home. We reply by email, usually within one business day.