Georgia Child Care Learning Center license: opening a center under DECAL

Seven children, outside a home: when Georgia requires the license

Rule 591-1-1-.02 defines a Child Care Learning Center as any place, run by an individual or any business entity recognized under Georgia law, that receives seven or more children under 18 for pay, for group care, for fewer than 24 hours a day, without transfer of legal custody.⁠¹ A church ministry, religious nonprofit school or nonprofit religious charity can receive a commission instead of a license, but the rule says the requirements to get one are identical.⁠¹

The neighbouring license is the family child care learning home. DECAL’s applicant guide describes it as care in a private residence for three to six children not related to you, under a separate application process.⁠³ If you plan to serve seven or more children, or to operate outside your residence, the center license is the route. For the home license, see the Georgia family child care learning home guide.

Exemptions are something you claim, not assume

Under Rule 591-1-1-.46, every group care program must hold a license, permit or commission, or an exemption from DECAL. Exempt programs either apply for the exemption or complete DECAL’s online self-assessment, depending on their category.⁠¹ The exemption rules changed on October 1, 2024, and DECAL now asks every program to start with the self-assessment.⁠⁹ The categories that matter most to founders are:⁠¹

• Short-term care (Category 4). Programs serving children no more than 4 hours a day, excluding before- and after-school care. Examples are part-time preschool, parents’ morning or night out, and single-skill classes.
• Day camps and school-break programs (Category 7). Children 5 and older, during summer and other school breaks only, for no more than 12 hours a day.
• Private schools (Category 3) and government-operated programs (Category 1), under conditions spelled out in the rule.
• Faith-based accredited or religious schools (Category 5). Only a center that DECAL has already licensed can request this one. It must be an integral part of a religious congregation or school, accredited or certified by an accrediting body DECAL recognizes, and it stays subject to DECAL’s background check rules and audits.

A program operated in a residence is never eligible for exemption, and an exemption is valid only at the address on the application. Exempt programs must post DECAL’s “not licensed” notice in letters at least half an inch high near the front entrance. Parents must sign an acknowledgment, kept for a year after the child leaves.⁠¹

Centers licensed for 18 or fewer children follow different rules

Georgia’s rule chapter draws a line at a licensed capacity of 18. Small centers at or under that line differ in several ways:⁠¹

• No maximum group size. Ratios still apply.
• No lead-teacher requirement per group. Lead teachers are mandatory only at a capacity of 19 or more. In a small center, aides assist the director.
• Older, more qualified aides. Aides must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma, a GED or three months of qualifying child care experience. Centers licensed for 19 or more may hire aides from age 16, though a 16- or 17-year-old can never be solely responsible for children.
• Mixed-age groups. The youngest child under 3 sets the ratio for the group. If everyone is 3 or older, the majority age sets it. In larger centers, the ratio follows the youngest age group making up more than 20% of the group, and children under 3 must be housed separately from older children, with limited exceptions such as arrival and departure times.
• A larger playground relative to size. A small center first licensed after April 21, 1991 needs 100 square feet of outdoor area for every licensed child. A center licensed for 19 or more (first licensed after March 1, 1991) needs 100 square feet times one-third of capacity.

If your building could hold either 18 or 19 children, compare both sets of rules: at 18 you need a larger playground and older aides, and at 19 you need a credentialed lead teacher for every group.

Sizing the building and the playground

Licensed capacity comes from usable indoor space: 35 square feet per child. Kitchens, bathrooms, closets, halls, storage, offices, staff rooms, other single-use areas and space under adult-size furniture don’t count.⁠¹ DECAL’s applicant guide has you measure each child care room wall to wall and subtract closets, door inserts and wall protrusions. You then divide by 35, round .50 and up to the next whole child, and add the rooms together. In its worked example, a room with 1,259 usable square feet is licensed for 36 children.⁠³ With DECAL’s approval, a center can drop to 25 square feet per child for children 3 and older during two set one-hour periods a day, to absorb before- and after-school arrivals.⁠¹

Source: Rules 591-1-1-.06, .25 and .26.⁠¹

Basement areas more than 25 linear feet from a window cannot be used for children’s activities. Neither can rooms whose floor is 3 feet or more below ground on all sides.⁠¹ If you use a water source other than an approved city or county system, the authority with jurisdiction must approve it; a septic or other non-public sewage system must be approved by the county health department for a stated number of people.⁠¹ If sewer service is not listed on your water bill, DECAL asks for a septic tank inspection dated within the last 12 months.⁠²

Fire marshal, zoning and other approvals you collect first

DECAL requires every listed document to be uploaded before a KOALA application can be submitted, so local and state clearances come first.⁠² The rule requires compliance with the state or local fire marshal, including a certificate of occupancy where one is required, before any child is received. Anyone building a new center or making structural changes needs approval from DECAL, local zoning, fire safety agencies and local building authorities.⁠¹ DECAL’s application checklist asks for:⁠²

• zoning approval dated within the last 12 months
• a state or local fire marshal inspection plus the certificate of occupancy, and a separate building certificate of occupancy
• a food service permit and latest inspection, if you prepare food
• a current water bill at the center’s address

DECAL adds that it is the applicant’s job to work out whether new inspections or permits are needed.⁠²

The State Fire Marshal summary reprinted in DECAL’s applicant guide puts group day-care homes of 7 to 12 children and day-care centers of more than 12 under state jurisdiction. Plans must be submitted for new buildings, additions, renovations, and existing buildings that change occupancy to day care.⁠³ The package is two sets of scaled architectural, mechanical, plumbing, site and electrical drawings on sheets at least 22 x 34 inches, plus a completed “354” plans transmittal letter stating occupant load and licensed capacity. Submittals without the letter are returned.⁠³ The same section requires 5 hours of approved fire safety training for directors, operators and staff within 90 days of licensure or hire, and a 2-hour refresher every three years.⁠³

Who can direct a Georgia center

The director must be on the premises. When the director is away, an officially designated person with full access to records must be on site.⁠¹ Under Rule 591-1-1-.31, the director must be at least 21 and hold one of these credential-and-experience combinations:⁠¹

Separately from the credential, the director of a center opening for the first time must complete the DECAL-approved 40-hour director training before the initial license is issued.⁠¹⁠³ DECAL’s application asks for that certificate, the director’s credentials, CPR and first aid certification, and a 10-year work history.⁠² Course sessions and approved trainers are listed in the Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS).⁠³

Lead teachers, ratios and group sizes

In a center licensed for 19 or more, each group needs a designated lead teacher who is at least 18 and holds a credential from a list similar to the director’s (CDA, TCC, TCD, associate, paraprofessional certificate, 15 semester hours, or a degree).⁠¹ You can hire a lead teacher without one. The teacher must enroll in a qualifying program within 6 months of starting, finish within 18 months of enrolling, and follow a written professional development plan kept in the personnel file.⁠¹ DECAL’s application asks for lead teacher credentials or professional learning plans up front.⁠²

Source: Rule 591-1-1-.32(1).⁠¹

Group-size limits don’t apply on the center’s usual playground, during special activities of 2 hours or less, or in centers licensed for 18 or fewer.⁠¹ Directors and service staff count toward ratio only while giving full attention to children. During daytime naps, ratios may double for children 3 and older if one staff member stays in each room and the full required staff remains in the building.⁠¹ For evening care (7 p.m. to midnight) and night-time care (midnight to 6 a.m.), ratios may double once most children are asleep.⁠¹ For water two feet deep or more, the ratio is 1:2 under age 2½ and 1:5 from 2½ to 4. For children 4 and older it is 1:6 for non-swimmers and 1:15 for children who can swim 15 yards unassisted, and at least one person present must hold current lifeguard training.⁠⁸

Training deadlines after you hire

• CPR and first aid: pediatric CPR (renewed every two years) and pediatric first aid (every three years) within 45 days of hire, for all direct-care staff. At least half the caregivers present, at least one person in every occupied classroom and the director must hold current certification.⁠¹
• Center orientation before any assignment, and a health and safety orientation within 90 days of hire, covering topics such as safe sleep, medication, emergency preparedness and child abuse reporting.⁠¹
• Nutrition: 4 clock hours in the first year for the director and the person primarily responsible for food preparation.⁠¹
• Annual training: 10 clock hours each calendar year after the first. At least 2 hours must cover language and literacy and 2 must cover child development or health and safety, with no more than 2 on business topics.⁠¹
• Transportation: 2 clock hours, biannually, for the director and anyone who transports children.⁠¹
• Fire safety: 5 hours within 90 days, as described above.⁠³

Background checks run through DECAL KOALA

The director and every employee need a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination before they may be at the center while children are present. The clearance date must fall within the 12 months before hire.⁠¹ The check combines FBI fingerprints with criminal, sex offender and child abuse registry searches in every state lived in during the past five years.⁠¹ People cleared on fingerprints alone, while out-of-state records are pending, are “provisional employees” and must be supervised at all times by fully cleared staff.⁠¹ A recheck is required at least every five years and after a 180-day break from child care work.⁠¹

As of 2026-10-12, DECAL says it has paid for fingerprinting since October 1, 2018 and will keep doing so “for the foreseeable future unless funding becomes no longer available.” Clearance letters under a year old can be ported electronically between employers in KOALA. Paper copies are no longer accepted.⁠⁵

Filing the application: the order DECAL expects

1. Take the licensing orientation

   The rule requires a DECAL-approved orientation of up to 16 hours before you file. DECAL’s classes are free, require registration through GaPDS, and the certificate must be dated within the last 24 months. An existing license holder doesn’t repeat it within two years.⁠¹⁠²⁠³

2. Set up the business and the site

   The license goes to one individual, or to a partnership with a written partnership agreement, or to a registered entity. Entity details must match Georgia Secretary of State records exactly. You also need a deed, mortgage statement or lease, plus HOA approval if one applies.⁠²⁠³

3. Get local approvals

   Collect the zoning approval, fire marshal inspection and certificates of occupancy, water and septic documents, and any food service permit.⁠²

4. Build the paperwork in KOALA

   Upload the floor plan, site plan and operational plan checklists. Add the governing body’s statement of responsibility and a notarized lawful-presence affidavit with a U.S. passport, military ID or U.S. driver’s license. Include the staff profile sheet showing satisfactory background checks for everyone and the director’s documents.⁠¹⁠²⁠³ If you will transport children, add vehicle inspection, registration, insurance and transportation training records.⁠² DECAL accepts applications only through KOALA, not by email or fax, and may return, close or deny incomplete ones.⁠²

5. Wait out processing

   DECAL quotes a minimum of 60 days for a new center. The clock starts only after the application is screened and DECAL sends a confirmation email.⁠² For questions, call 404-657-5562 and ask for the Consultant of the Day.⁠²

6. Pass the initial licensing study

   An Applicant Services consultant reviews the Licensing Prep Checklist with you and schedules an on-site inspection. If the center is approved on site, the license is granted and you can open.⁠³ DECAL may instead issue a temporary license of up to one year with a plan of correction, or a license restricted by number or ages of children.⁠¹

7. Pay the annual fee within 30 days

   to receive the licensing certificate; DECAL’s guide says failure to pay results in revocation. License fees are non-refundable.⁠³

Fees and the December 31 renewal cycle

Sources: Rule 591-1-1-.16(e) and DECAL License Fee Information.⁠¹⁠⁴

The rule describes the license as valid for one year. In practice, DECAL runs licenses on the calendar year: “All current licenses expire December 31, 2026.” DECAL says it will begin collecting 2027 fees on November 1, with payment due by December 1, 2026. You cannot pay or receive the 2027 license until lawful-presence verification is complete.⁠¹⁠⁴ The rule allows a late fee of up to $250 and requires revocation if the fee and late fee remain unpaid 30 days after the due date.⁠¹

After opening: inspections, changes and sales

Applying for or holding a license is consent for DECAL to enter during operating hours, announced or not, with access to staff, children and records, including video and social media posts.⁠¹ DECAL inspects at intervals it chooses and in response to complaints.⁠¹ Violations are scored on a compliance and enforcement chart, from technical assistance up to closure. Fines can reach $500 per day per violation, capped at $25,000.⁠¹ An applicant whose license was denied, suspended or revoked within the past year will be refused or restricted.⁠¹

The rules require these routines after opening:⁠¹

• Post the license, a copy of the rules and the parents’ right to see your latest licensing report near the entrance.
• Run fire drills monthly and tornado and other emergency drills every six months, and keep the records for two years.
• File for an amended license at least 30 days before changing the center’s name, the ages served, its services, its use of the building, or adding evening or night-time care.

A license cannot be transferred. A buyer must get a new license or a permit before operating. DECAL can issue a 21-day permit during a change of ownership.⁠¹ Its stated processing time for a change of ownership is a minimum of 45 days.⁠²

Rule amendments effective September 22, 2026

DECAL’s 2026 rule package for centers was proposed as “Proposed Rule Changes – October 1, 2026.” The Secretary of State’s history notes show the definitions rule (.02), the operational policies rule (.21) and the swimming rule (.35) amended effective September 22, 2026.⁠¹⁠⁶⁠⁸ DECAL stated that the changes add no new costs or staffing requirements. The package covered:⁠⁷

• School-age definition. “School-age children” now means children at least four years old by September 1 of the current school year; previously the age was five, and the phrase “eligible to attend public school” was dropped.⁠⁶ This affects who can attend a School-age Center, a separately licensed center serving only school-age children before and after school.⁠¹⁠⁷
• Disqualifying crimes. The definition of a “crime” for background checks now includes a corrected federal code reference.⁠⁷
• Medical emergency policies. Rule .21 was amended to clarify the medical-emergency language, which DECAL said aligns it with the posted-notice and federal emergency-plan requirements. The center’s written emergency plan must assure that no staff member impedes emergency care to a child by licensed or certified emergency professionals.⁠¹⁠⁷
• Swimming ratios. The swimming rule now states which ratio applies to water exactly two feet deep.⁠⁷⁠⁸

CAPS subsidy depends on Quality Rated

Georgia’s child care subsidy program, Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS), pays Quality Rated providers. Quality Rated itself is voluntary. However, since December 31, 2021, a provider must be star-rated, or in provisional or probationary status, to receive CAPS funding.⁠¹⁰ Programs earn one to three stars. One star means quality above minimum licensing standards, based on a documentation portfolio and classroom Environment Rating Scale assessments.⁠¹⁰

DECAL’s CAPS/Quality Rated Guidelines and Requirements (Appendix II) describe a provisional status for licensed programs that are new to CAPS and working toward a star rating. Enrollment involves completing CAPS enrollment documents and a CAPS/Quality Rated Provisional Memorandum of Understanding that CAPS processes in GACAPS.⁠¹¹ DECAL’s servers blocked our automated access to the appendix on 2026-10-12, so we could not re-read its current enrollment steps, contact numbers or any waiver for providers that are not Quality Rated. Before you promise families that you will accept subsidy, ask CAPS how a newly licensed center enrolls, how long provisional status lasts, and whether any exception exists if you choose not to join Quality Rated.

Sources

1. 1
   Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 591-1-1, Rules and Regulations for Child Care Learning Centers Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
2. 2
   Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Child Care Learning Center (Applicant Services Information) Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
3. 3
   Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Applicant's Guide to Licensing for Child Care Learning Centers (revised May 2025) Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
4. 4
   Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, License Fee Information Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
5. 5
   Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Criminal Records Check Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
6. 6
   Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Rule 591-1-1-.02, Definitions (history: amended eff. Sep. 22, 2026) Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
7. 7
   Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, 2026 Proposed CCS CCLC Rule Changes Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
8. 8
   Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Rule 591-1-1-.35, Swimming Pools and Water-related Activities (history: amended eff. Sep. 22, 2026) Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
9. 9
   Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Exemptions Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
10. 10
    Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Quality Rated Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
11. 11
    Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Childcare and Parent Services, Appendix II, CAPS/Quality Rated Guidelines and Requirements Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑

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