Arizona child care group home certificate: caring for 5 to 10 children at home
In Arizona, caring for 5 to 10 children (through age 12) for pay in your home requires a child care group home certificate from the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Child Care Licensing. Up to four children for pay needs no ADHS certificate. Your own children do not count toward the 10, but no more than 15 children in total may be present at once.
Contents14 sections
Key takeaways
- Five to 10 paid children through age 12 in a residence makes you a child care group home, which must be certified by ADHS (A.R.S. 36-897, 36-897.01). Four or fewer paid children needs no ADHS certificate.
- Your own children are not counted toward the 10, but the total in the home may never exceed 15, and a second adult must be present once 6 or more children are enrolled and on site.
- The designated provider must live in the home, be at least 21, hold a high school diploma and have college credits, 60 training hours or 12 months of child care experience.
- Plan the house around 30 square feet of usable indoor space per child, a fenced and shaded outdoor area of at least 500 square feet, and a gas-line inspection by a licensed plumber before ADHS issues the certificate.
- ADHS lists the certification fee as $330 a year for a 5-10 capacity home (ADHS rules posted December 2022; ADHS application deck dated August 2024). ADHS has 150 calendar days overall to decide, not counting time you spend fixing deficiencies.
Quick facts
| Credential | Child care group home certificate (not called a license, but mandatory) |
|---|---|
| Agency | Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Child Care Licensing |
| Who needs it | 5 to 10 paid children through age 12, in a residence, under 24 hours a day |
| Total cap | 10 paid children; 15 including the provider's own |
| Staffing | 2 adults when 6 or more enrolled children are present |
| Fee | $330 per year, as published on 2026-10-12 (half may be paid later) |
| Decision time | 150 calendar days overall (30 completeness + 120 substantive) |
| Inspections | Initial inspection, then at least 2 visits a year, 1 or more unannounced |
Fee and time-frames from 9 A.A.C. 3 as posted by ADHS (December 2022) and the ADHS group home application deck (August 2024).
Arizona splits home-based child care in two. The Department of Economic Security (DES) certifies family child care providers who care for up to four children in their home 15, and the Department of Health Services (ADHS) certifies child care group homes caring for 5 to 10 1. Statute calls the ADHS credential a certificate rather than a license, but you can’t legally run a group home without it, and running one after a cease notice is a crime 211. This guide covers the ADHS group home certificate. For care outside a residence, or more than 10 children, see ADHS’s child care facility license, which the Bureau of Child Care Licensing issues separately 1816.
Where the thresholds fall
A child care group home is “a residential facility in which child care is regularly provided for compensation for periods of less than twenty-four hours per day for not less than five children but no more than ten children through the age of twelve years” 1. Three parts of that definition decide whether you need the certificate:
- Compensation. The rules define compensation broadly as money “or other consideration, including goods, services, vouchers, time, government or public expenditures,” so trading care for babysitting hours or taking subsidy payments counts 5.
- Five or more. ADHS tells applicants they “can care for up to four (4) children for compensation in your own home, in addition to your own children, and not need to be certified by DHS” 6. At five paid children, you need the certificate 6.
- Through age 12. The group home definition stops at 12 1.
Statute exempts care in the child’s own home, a church nursery run during religious services, public school units, regularly organized private schools during the school program, single-subject lessons (dance, music, self-defense, religion) and drop-in recreation where school-age children come and go on their own 7. A private school that adds before- or after-hours care is treated as a group home for that portion 7.
| Situation | Credential | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 paid children, private pay | None | None |
| 1-4 paid children, DES’s family child care path | DES certified family child care home | DES 15 |
| 5-10 paid children through age 12, in a residence | Child care group home certificate | ADHS 2 |
| Care for 5 or more children outside a residence, or for more than 10 | Child care facility license (not a group home certificate) | ADHS 18 |
Counting children: the 10 and 15 caps
Arizona counts paid children and total children separately, which matters if you have school-age children of your own:
- The provider’s own children are not counted for certification 3.
- No more than 10 children for whom you receive compensation may be present at any time 3.
- No more than 15 children in total may be present, including children related to the provider 3.
The capacity ADHS writes on the certificate is also limited by your floor space and yard (below). ADHS describes the staffing rule as “1 staff member for 1 to 5 children, or 2 staff members for 6 to 10 children (excluding your own children)” 6. Statute requires at least two adults when six to ten children are cared for 3, and the rule requires a second adult staff member, beyond the provider or substitute, whenever six or more enrolled children are on site 5. The rules set no separate infant-to-staff ratio for group homes. Instead, they add infant care standards: infants (12 months or younger) sleep on their backs unless a clinician directs otherwise in writing, walkers are banned, and infants and toddlers may not spend more than 30 consecutive waking minutes in a crib, swing, seat or similar equipment 5.
Who holds the certificate and who must live there
The certificate holder is the person or business organization that applies. An individual applicant must be at least 21 5. A business organization acts through a designated agent who is a controlling person, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, and has an Arizona address 5.
The certificate holder must designate a provider who runs the home day to day. Under R9-3-301(A)(1) the provider must 5:
- live in the residence;
- be 21 or older;
- hold a high school diploma, high school equivalency diploma, associate degree or bachelor degree;
- have at least three credit hours in child growth and development, nutrition, psychology or early childhood education, or at least 60 hours of training in those subjects or in managing a child care business, or at least 12 months of child care experience; and
- complete ADHS’s online orientation training.
The live-in requirement means an investor can own a group home as a business organization, but someone who lives there has to be the provider. While the provider runs the home, the provider may not hold an outside job or run another business from the home during hours of operation, and the certificate holder may not let other staff run a business from the home during their assigned hours 5. Another business may run on the premises during those hours only if none of its clients come onto the property, and medical marijuana may not be grown there 5. ADHS must be notified within 72 hours after the provider changes 5.
Anyone who is a parent or guardian of a child adjudicated dependent, or who has had a child care license or certificate denied, or revoked for child-endangerment reasons, in any state, is barred as applicant, staff or adult resident 45.
Before you apply: land, zoning, gas and fingerprints
ADHS’s application deck lists several things to settle before you open an application 6:
Agricultural land check
If the home is within a quarter mile of agricultural land, the application must list the owners and lessees of that land, and ADHS notifies them within 10 days 2. If the home falls in a pesticide buffer zone under A.R.S. 3-365, ADHS must deny the certificate unless the landowner signs a buffer-zone agreement recorded with the county recorder 2. ADHS’s deck also asks you to identify owners of nearby vacant land and to check with the county recorder whether an agreement already exists 6.
Local rules
ADHS requires compliance with city, county, manufactured housing and homeowners’ association codes, covenants and restrictions, and tells applicants in unincorporated areas to get any needed zoning permit 6. The certificate is tied to one address 2.
Gas lines
If gas pipes run from a meter to any appliance, you need a gas inspection report from a licensed plumber or someone the local jurisdiction authorizes before ADHS issues the certificate. Unused gas outlets must be capped, and the inspection repeats every 12 months 5.
Fingerprint clearance card
The applicant needs a valid level one fingerprint clearance card from the Department of Public Safety 6. The card is part of the initial application 2.
What the house and yard must have
Article 5 of the rules sets the physical plant. These figures decide your capacity 5:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Indoor space | 30 sq ft per enrolled child in approved child care rooms; kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, workshops, hallways and unconverted garages don’t count |
| Toilets and sinks | 1 toilet and 1 sink for up to 10 enrolled children not in diapers; 2 of each for more than 10 |
| Exits | At least 2 unobstructed, usable exits to the outside |
| Temperature | 68°F to 82°F in child care rooms during hours |
| Outdoor area | On the premises, next to the home, at least 500 sq ft, with shade for all children using it |
| Outdoor fence | At least 4 ft high, secured to the ground, no gap over 4 inches, with an exit gate |
| Smaller yards | 375 sq ft minimum, with capacity limited to 50 sq ft per child for homes certified on or after September 30, 2011 |
| Pools | Separate fence at least 5 ft high; gates locked when not in use; daily water tests on days children swim; lifeguard-certified attendant; no wading pools |
Fire safety under R9-3-504 calls for smoke detectors in every child care room and hallway (battery or hard-wired with battery backup, tested monthly), and two portable extinguishers: one rated at least 1A-10-BC mounted on the kitchen wall and one rated at least 2A-10-BC in the child care area 5. You also need outlet covers, a house number visible from the street, and no candles, incense, unvented space heaters or smoking in the home during hours 5. You must draw an evacuation floor plan, post it in each child care room, and run an unannounced fire and evacuation drill every month at a different time of day than the month before 5.
The application needs a floor plan showing each room’s dimensions, the rooms used for child care, exits, children’s sinks and toilets, smoke detectors and extinguishers. It also needs a site plan showing the outdoor area’s dimensions, fence heights, gates and any pool 5. Once certified, you may provide care only in the rooms on the approved plan 5.
Staff, substitutes and training
Every staff member must be at least 16, and anyone under 18 must be supervised by an adult staff member 5. When the provider is away, an adult acting for the certificate holder must be on the premises. That adult needs a high school diploma or equivalent, plus six months of child care experience, two credit hours in a child-related subject, or 30 hours of training 5.
Background checks cover staff, volunteers and every adult who lives in the home:
- A valid fingerprint clearance card before starting work, volunteering or living in the home, renewed every six years 45.
- A signed criminal-history attestation form, which is confidential 4.
- A separate background check document under A.R.S. 46-811, due within 10 calendar days of starting and renewed every five years 5. The statute covers the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant checks that the fingerprint card process does not include 13.
- Household members who turn 18 have 30 days to provide both documents 5.
- The provider must make documented good-faith efforts to contact staff members’ previous employers 4.
Staff and residents 12 and older need tuberculosis screening on or before their start date 5.
Training. New staff complete orientation within 10 calendar days on 14 listed topics, including SIDS awareness if you serve infants or one-year-olds, safe handling of formula and breast milk, and spotting and reporting abuse 5. After that, each staff member completes at least 12 hours of training every 12 months in two or more listed subject areas 5. A staff member with current infant and child first aid and CPR (including a hands-on CPR demonstration) must be present whenever children are on site or on a trip 5.
Insurance. The certificate holder must carry general liability insurance of at least $100,000 for the group home and keep proof on the premises 5.
The application, step by step
Complete the ADHS orientation
The applicant or designated agent completes ADHS’s online new owner orientation and keeps the certificate of completion for the application 65.
Gather the packet
ADHS’s packet includes the initial application, fee form, controlling persons information, criminal history affidavit, statement of citizenship and alien status, child care information sheet, floor plan and site plan, agricultural land notification form, and a New Facility Readiness Self-Checklist 6. Under R9-3-201 you also attach proof of citizenship or legal residence, both sides of your fingerprint clearance card, your 46-811 background check document, and a signed statement that you have enough money to comply with the rules 5. A business organization adds its formation documents and an Arizona Corporation Commission good-standing certificate dated within three months of applying 5.
Apply through the ADHS licensing portal
Applications go through the ADHS facility licensing portal (facility-licensing.azdhs.gov) 616. ADHS assigns a State Compliance Officer to review it 6.
Completeness review (30 days)
ADHS sends a notice of completeness or a list of deficiencies within 30 calendar days 5. If you don’t supply everything on a deficiency list within 180 calendar days, ADHS treats the application as withdrawn 5.
Inspection and substantive review (120 days)
After the completeness notice, you and the compliance officer set an inspection date 6. The inspection may take more than one visit 5. If ADHS finds deficiencies, it sends one comprehensive written request listing each statute and rule violated. You then have 30 calendar days to submit proof of corrections, or ADHS denies the application 5.
Certificate
ADHS issues the certificate once you’re in substantial compliance and have submitted acceptable proof of corrections 52. Statute defines substantial compliance as violations that do not pose a direct risk to children’s life, health or safety 1. You must post the certificate where parents can see it 2.
ADHS’s overall time-frame is 150 calendar days: 30 for completeness and 120 for substantive review 5. Those clocks pause while ADHS waits on you 5.
Before the first child arrives, also have ready the parent information document R9-3-301(F) requires. It covers hours, charges and payment terms, medication and field-trip policies, how you verify callers claiming to be parents, and ADHS’s local contact information 5.
Fees, as published
The certification fee in R9-3-203 is $330, as published by ADHS in its December 2022 rule compilation, and ADHS’s August 2024 application deck lists “5-10 licensed capacity - $330.00” 56. ADHS may discount the fee based on available funding or participation in an approved program 5.
You pay the fee every year, no more than 60 days before the certificate’s anniversary date. You can pay it all with the anniversary form, or pay half with the form and the rest within 120 days after the anniversary date 5. Statute expressly allows installment payments 2. If the fee isn’t paid as required, the certificate is no longer valid and you are operating without a certificate 5.
The Secretary of State’s copy of 9 A.A.C. 3 could not be opened on 2026-10-12 (the site blocked automated access), so the $330 figure rests on ADHS’s own rule compilation and application deck. An older ADHS inquiry packet dated June 2022 still lists a $1,000 application fee, which predates both documents. Before you budget, ask ADHS what fee applies to your requested capacity and whether any discount under R9-3-203(B) is available.
Inspections, enforcement and renewal
There is no separate renewal application. The certificate stays valid as long as you pay the annual fee and it isn’t suspended or revoked 2. Expect frequent visits instead:
- Statute requires ADHS to monitor each group home at least twice a year, with at least one unannounced visit a year 38. ADHS’s deck describes “at least two unannounced inspections made annually” 6.
- ADHS, the local health department, the Department of Child Safety and the fire department or State Fire Marshal get immediate access during hours, and ADHS may interview staff and children privately 5.
- You must keep current inspection reports at the home and show them to parents on request 2. Inspection information is also published on AZ Care Check 6.
For violations, ADHS can fine up to $100 per violation, and each day counts as a separate violation 9. When children’s health or safety is endangered, it can restrict admissions, end specific services or cut your capacity until you’re back in substantial compliance 10. ADHS notifies anyone it has reasonable cause to believe is running a group home without a certificate to stop operating. Continuing ten days after receiving that notice is a class 1 misdemeanor, and the county attorney or attorney general can seek an injunction 11.
Changes that need ADHS approval first
Your certificate is tied to one person and one address 2:
- Capacity or room-use changes. Submit a written request at least 30 days ahead, with square footage and updated floor or site plans (plus a building permit if one is required). Don’t make the change until ADHS approves it. ADHS has 75 days overall to decide 5.
- Moving. A new location needs a new certificate before you operate there 5.
- Selling. Give ADHS 30 days’ notice. The buyer must get a new certificate before taking over 5. ADHS won’t approve a sale that leaves the seller in control, and it won’t act on a buyer’s application while enforcement against the current holder is pending 12.
- Name change. Give 30 days’ written notice 5.
- Hours change. Give at least three days’ notice, except for holiday closures 5.
Taking subsidy children through DES
DES lists group homes among the providers that contract with DES to be paid for eligible children; the step is signing DES’s Provider Registration Agreement, and DES has posted a new agreement for the October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031 contract term 17. That is a separate contract on top of the ADHS certificate. DES’s own family child care home certification covers care for up to four children 15. DES contract rates were not researched for this guide.
Recent changes and open points
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Background checks (2021-2022). R9-3-202 added the A.R.S. 46-811 background check document alongside the fingerprint card. Certificate holders, staff and adult residents had to comply by November 1, 2022 513.
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Temporary $1 fees (2022-2024). Using federal Child Care and Development Fund money, ADHS cut initial and anniversary group home fees to $1 through June 30, 2024. Before that, ADHS fees had ranged from $1,000 for locations with fewer than 11 children upward 14. The ADHS rule compilation posted in December 2022 and its August 2024 deck show $330 56.
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Sunscreen. School-age children may carry and use topical sunscreen at a group home without a note from a health care professional (A.R.S. 36-897.13) 5.
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Open point. The newest rule text ADHS publishes for group homes is the December 2022 compilation. The Secretary of State’s official copy could not be opened on 2026-10-12, so ask the Bureau of Child Care Licensing whether any amendment to 9 A.A.C. 3 has taken effect since then 5.
Sources
- 1
- 2
- 3 Arizona State Legislature, A.R.S. § 36-897.02, Standards of care; monitoring Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7 Arizona State Legislature, A.R.S. § 36-897.04, Exemptions Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 8
- 9 Arizona State Legislature, A.R.S. § 36-897.06, Civil penalty; collection Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 10 Arizona State Legislature, A.R.S. § 36-897.08, Intermediate sanctions Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 11 Arizona State Legislature, A.R.S. § 36-897.09, Operating without a certificate Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18 Arizona State Legislature, A.R.S. § 36-881, Definitions (child care facility) Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
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Arizona and neighboring states
Compare all 51| State | License | Who needs it | State fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona (this guide) | Child Care Group Home certificate | 5 to 10 children (through age 12) in a home; 4 or fewer need no ADHS certificate | $330 per year, as published on 2026-10-12 (half may be paid later) |
| California | Family Child Care Home license (small or large) | Small home up to 6 (8) children; large home up to 12 (14) | $25 live virtual or in person; $27.43 online |
| Nevada | Child care facility license: Family Home (5-6 children) or Group Home (7-12 children) | 5-6 children (family home) or 7-12 (group home); 4 or fewer: registration | $20 family home, $60 group home, every year |
| Utah | Licensed Family Child Care (license); Residential Certificate Child Care (optional certificate) | Home care for 9+ unrelated children, or more than 10 in total; 8 or fewer exempt | $62 license fee (FY 2027 schedule, as published on 2026-10-12) |
| New Mexico | Family Child Care Home license and Group Child Care Home license | 5 to 6 children (family) or 7 to 12 (group) in your home; 4 or fewer exempt | $0 since November 1, 2025 |
| Colorado | Family Child Care Home license (Large Family Child Care Home and Experienced Family Child Care Provider licenses for bigger homes) | Up to 6 children (+2 school-age); large home up to 12; 4 or fewer exempt | $65 regular; $100 large or experienced provider; same each year |
Shortened from each state's guide and our 51-state table, as of each guide's last review. Fees are the state's own; local permits and background checks cost extra.