OEC’s updated child care center and group child care home regulations are now in effect. Learn about the new regulations. OEC has updated sample forms and policies to reflect the changes made to the regulations. Please visit the Forms and Resources page.
Statutory definitions
- Child care center: A “child care center” which offers or provides a program of supplementary care to more than twelve related or unrelated children outside of their own homes on a regular basis.
- Group child care home: A “group child care home” which offers or provides a program of supplementary care (A) to not less than seven or more than twelve related or unrelated children on a regular basis, or (B) that meets the definition of a family child care home except that it operates in a facility other than a private family home.
Current statutes and regulations
- Read the current regulations
- Read a plain language summary of the changes to the regulations
- Read the current statutes (January 1, 2023)
Recent CT legislation affecting licensing
Public Acts Recently Enacted (2024). Get a summary of public acts passed during the 2024 legislative session that affect OEC.
- Read the summary (English) [2 pages]
- (Spanish) [2 pages]
Archive
Regulations
- Regulations for Child Care Centers and Group Child Care Homes (effective October 16, 2024) Note: the language in brackets is deleted, and new language is underlined.
- Changes to Regulations — Child Care Centers and Group Child Care Homes. (November 2008) [40 pages]
For school-age sites only
Learn about requirements that don’t apply to programs that exclusively serve school-age children. Read the Policies and Procedures Regarding Physical Plant Requirements for Child Day Care Centers and Group Day Care Homes (December 2011) [1 page].
Learn about changes to ratio and group size for school age children, which includes children not enrolled in kindergarten who will turn five by January 1. Policies and Procedures Regarding School-Age Ratios and Group Size Requirements for Programs Serving School Age Children (Effective Aug 30, 2024).
Draft regulations
In the process of updating our regulations, OEC created and shared numerous drafts.
| Review previous rounds of proposed regulations |
| Proposed regulations (October 2024) with technical corrections [51 pages] These were required by the Legislative Regulation Review Committee, and we submitted them to the Secretary of the State on October 7, 2024. Proposed regulations (October 2023) [50 pages] Note: Additional changes to the proposed regulations are highlighted in green. Language being deleted from the regulations is in [brackets] and language being added to the regulations is underlined. Summary of proposed regulations (October 2023) [2 pages] |
| Proposed regulations (revised August 2023) [49 pages] Note: Additional changes to the proposed regulations are highlighted in yellow. |
| Proposed regulations summary (revised August 2023) [1 page] |
| Proposed regulations (October 2022) [49 pages] Note: Language being deleted from the regulations is in [brackets] and language being added to the regulations is underlined. |
| Proposed regulations summary (October 2022) [6 pages] |
Public acts
Public Act 21-6 “Act Concerning Immunizations” (2021). Read OEC guidance about the implications of this act, which affects religious exemptions to vaccines.
- Read the Act Concerning Immunizations summary (English) [5 pages]
- (Spanish) [5 pages]
Public Acts Recently Enacted
Get a summaries of public acts passed during each legislative session that affect OEC.
We’re here to help! If you have questions or want to file a complaint, call us at 860-500-4450 or 800-282-6063.
You can also look up the licensing supervisor for your town to contact them directly.