Arkansas requires state licensing or registration for home-based child care serving non-relative children. The Department of Human Services Division of Child Care administers uniform standards statewide, preempting local licensing while preserving zoning authority over residential daycare locations.
Under Arkansas Code 20-78-201 et seq. and DHS Minimum Licensing Standards, a Registered Family Child Care Home may serve up to 6 unrelated children including the caregiver's own under age 6. Licensed Family Child Care Homes may serve up to 10 children with stricter staffing. Operators must complete background checks, CPR/first aid training, 15 annual training hours, and pass DHS inspections. Homes must meet fire, safety, and sanitation standards. The state preempts local rules duplicating licensing, but cities may regulate parking, signage, and zoning under state law that recognizes family child care as a residential use.
Operating without registration or license is a misdemeanor punishable by fines, immediate closure orders, and exclusion from the Child Care Assistance program.
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