How Many Babies Can a Babysitter Watch? (Chart Included)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through the link, I may earn a commission. Learn More.

Whether you’re a parent or you’re hoping to start a babysitting service, you may wonder how many babies are allowed to be watched by a babysitter. That number might be bigger than you think!

*FYI some of the links in this article about how many babies can a babysitter watch may be affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase we may get a commission (at no extra cost to you). For more info please see our disclaimer.

How Many Babies Can a Babysitter Watch?

This simple question has surprisingly complex answers.

First, you need to understand the laws and specific guidelines. Next, you should take the time to consider how many babies a sitter can adequately watch.

Those two things may or may not go hand-in-hand. Generally speaking, a babysitter should not be expected to manage more than two infants. However, there may be some instances where this number doesn’t suffice.

Related: What Age Do Kids No Longer Need a Babysitter?

Legal Differences Between Babysitting and Daycare

It may come as a surprise that there are no laws governing babysitting in most states. While there may be laws regarding the minimum age for a babysitter, the number of children in that sitter’s care is rarely limited.

With that in mind, it is important to distinguish the difference between babysitting and daycare.

Babysitting is legally understood to be the practice of occasionally watching a child. Daycare is a heavily regulated industry that assumes children will be watched on a regular, if not daily, basis. Laws that are used to determine the number of infants allowed per daycare provider may be wisely applied to babysitters.

The tactic of using daycare regulation to unofficially determine the appropriate number of babies for a babysitter is especially important in the instances in which in-home daycare providers use the babysitter moniker to skirt laws that limit their practice.

State-by-State Daycare Guidelines

If you wish to use state daycare guidelines to determine what is appropriate for your babysitter, those are somewhat easy to find.

The following is a quick list of states and the number of infants who can be watched per caregiver in a daycare setting.

(Like everything else laws and practices change. This list today might be inaccurate tomorrow. Make sure to double-check what the current laws and guidelines are in your state or jurisdiction.)

U.S. State	State Daycare Guidelines
Alabama	The state allows five babies under 18 months old
Alaska	Four from birth through 11 months per daycare center or two for in-home daycares.
Arizona	The state allows up to five children under the age of 12 months or six between one to two years of age.
Arkansas	Six infants are allowed. Infants are classified as those babies between the ages of birth and 18 months.
California	The state permits a ratio of one caregiver to four babies from age birth to nine months. That number increases to six for babies from nine to 18 months.
Colorado	Child care centers in Colorado may have five babies between the ages of six weeks and 18 months per caregiver. Family child care may have two infants under the age of two if they are licensed.
Connecticut	The maximum is four infants per adult in a daycare center or two in a family day care home.
Delaware	Four babies under 12 months per caregiver are allowed in daycare centers. Family daycares allow for two infants.
Florida	The state allows four infants per caregiver. Infant is defined as children ages 12 months and younger.
Georgia	Daycare centers can have six children ages nine months and younger per guardian or eight between the ages of nine and 18 months. In-home daycares may have three children under one-year.
Hawaii	Hawaii differentiates between daycare centers, in-home daycare and friend-care. In-home and friend-care centers allow two infants maximum. Daycare centers may have three from age six weeks to 36 months.
Idaho	Five babies under age two are allowed per care provider.
Illinois	Four infants are allowed in daycare centers. Three are allowed in in-home daycares.
Indiana	The maximum is four infants per care provider.
Iowa	Daycare centers may have four infants. In-home providers may have no more than three.
Kansas	The state allows three children between the ages of two weeks and 12 months.
Kentucky	Five infants per provider for both daycare centers and in-home daycare.
Louisiana	Six infants through nine months and eight through 18 months are permitted per daycare provider.
Maine	Maine allows four infants from six weeks through nine months in daycare centers and three infants in in-home facilities.
Maryland	Three infants per provider are permitted.
Massachusetts	Three infants per guardian in a daycare center are allowed.
Michigan	The state allows four children from birth through 12 months.
Minnesota	Minnesota allows four infants in a daycare center and two in an in-home daycare.
Mississippi	Five infants through nine months are permitted per provider.
Missouri	Missouri allows four infants from age six to 18 months per caregiver.
Montana	Four infants in a daycare and up to six in an in-home facility are permitted.
Nebraska	Nebraska permits four infants under 12 months old.
Nevada	A daycare provider may have no more than four infants under six weeks old, six babies under nine months old or eight children under 18 months old.
New Hampshire	The state permits four infants per caregiver.
New Jersey	Four infants per provider in a daycare center or three in an in-home daycare are allowed.
New Mexico	Six infants are permitted
New York	Daycare centers can have four children under nine months old. In-home daycares may have two.
North Carolina	Five infants per provider are allowed.
North Dakota	Four children under the age of two are allowed per provider in a daycare center. In-home daycares may have up to seven children of any age.
Ohio	Five infants under two are allowed in daycare centers. In-home daycares may have three.
Oklahoma	The state allows up to four infants per provider in a daycare or up to five in an in-home facility.
Oregon	The state allows no more than four children under the age of 23 per guardian.
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania allows four children under nine months old.
Rhode Island	Four infants under 18 months are allowed in daycare centers. Two children under 18 months are allowed in in-home daycares.
South Carolina	The state allows up to six infants under age two.
South Dakota	Five infants are permitted in daycare centers. Four are permitted in in-home facilities.
Tennessee	Four children under nine months old and six under 18 months are allowed in Tennessee.
Texas:	Four children under 11 months in a daycare and three in an in-home facility are permitted.
Utah	In-home daycares may have two infants. Daycare centers can have up to four.
Vermont	Vermont allows four infants in daycare centers and two in in-home daycares.
Virginia	Four infants under 16 months are permitted in all types of childcare facilities.
Washington	Four children up to 11 months in a daycare center or six in an in-home care center.
West Virginia	The state allows four children under age two in a daycare center and up to six in an in-home facility.
Wisconsin	Wisconsin allows up to four children under age two in any setting.
Wyoming	The state permits four infants up to 12 months old.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to follow these daycare guidelines as a babysitter, though it is a good idea not to surpass the maximum number allowed for your area.

Limiting the number of babies in the babysitter’s care will help ensure appropriate care is given to each child.

Related Articles

• What is the Difference Between a Nanny and a Babysitter?
• Can My Older Child Watch His Younger Brother?
• 10 Warning Signs of a Bad Babysitter
• 15 Different Childcare Options
• Do You Provide Food For Your Babysitter?

Frequently Asked Questions