WISCONSIN ADMINISTRATIVE CODE - DCF 251 - LICENSING RULES FOR GROUP CHILD CARE CENTERS AND CHILD CARE PROGRAMS With Commentary - effective March 2023

Sep 26, 2026

Wisconsin Administrative Code Division of Early Care and Education (DCF 251) establishes licensing rules for group child care centers and child care programs established or contracted for by school boards. It explains that operators serving four or more children under age seven for less than 24 hours daily must be licensed, and that the department sets rules to protect and promote children’s health, safety, and welfare. The numbered text is the administrative code, while boxed italic sections provide staff-prepared commentary and guidance, supported by statutes, referenced materials, and related appendices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages171

Reading Time7 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

PREFACE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DCF 251.01 AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE

DCF 251.02 APPLICABILITY

(1) Included and excluded care arrangements

(2) Exception to a requirement

DCF 251.03 DEFINITIONS

DCF 251.04 OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

(1) Terms of a license

(2) Administration

(3) Reports

(4) Parents

(6) Children’s records

(7) Confidentiality

(8) Reporting child abuse or neglect

DCF 251.05 STAFF

(1) Definitions

(2) Staff Records

(3) Qualifications of staff

WISCONSIN ADMINISTRATIVE CODE Division of Early Care and Education DCF 251 LICENSING RULES FOR GROUP CHILDCARE CENTERS AND CHILD CARE PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED OR CONTRACTED FOR BY SCHOOL BOARDS With Commentary effective March 2023 PREFACE DCF 251 LICENSING RULES FOR GROUP CHILD CARE CENTERS With Commentary Register March 2026 No. 843A4 Section 48 .65, Stats., requires that persons operating child care centers which provide care and supervision for 4 or more children under 7 years of age for less than 24 hours a day be licensed by the Department of Children and Families. The statutes also require the department to establish rules which must be met in order to qualify for a license and which protect and promote the health, safety, and welfare of the children in the care of the child care center. Chapter DCF 251 is the administrative code governing group child care centers, which provide care and supervision to 9 or more children for less than 24 hours a day. Although prepared primarily as a tool for licensing specialists, the purpose of the DCF 251 Group Child Care Rules with Commentary is to help all users of DCF 251 understand the intent and application of the rule. An attempt has been made to offer commentary for those rules where experience indicates clarification would be helpful. However, commentary cannot be written to cover every situation encountered. Providers who require additional information should contact their regional licensing specialist. The portion of this publication that is numbered and in regular print is the administrative code DCF 251. The portion of the publication that is within boxes and in italicized print is commentary that was prepared by staff of the Bureau of Early Care Regulation. There is a header on each page that contains the rule cite for the section of the rule beginning on that page. A table of contents and an index are also included, as are appendices that contain key statutes related to the child care rules, a copy of DCF 13 (administrative rules governing child care background checks), and other appendices referenced in the rule. This publication may be duplicated and is also available on the department’s website: [https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/rules](https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cclicensing/rules) The Department of Children and Families is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. If you have a disability and need to access services, receive information in an alternate format, or need information translated to another language, please contact the Bureau of Early Care Regulation at[dcfcclicreg@wisconsin.gov](dcfcclicreg@wisconsin.gov) or (608) 421-7550. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled can use the free Wisconsin Relay Service (WRS)– 711 to contact the department. For civil rights questions, call (608) 422-6889. DCF yog ib tus tswv hauj lwm thiab yog ib qhov chaw muab kev pab cuam muaj vaj huam sib luag rau sawv daws. Yog tias koj muaj ib tus mob xiam oob qhab thiab xav tau cov ntaub ntawv no ua lwm hom, lossis xav kom muab txhais ua lwm yam lus, hu rau [BECR ntawm dcfcclicreg@wisconsin.gov](BECR ntawm dcfcclicreg@wisconsin.gov), 608-421- 7550 (siv dav dav), lossis Wisconsin Relay Service (WRS) 711. Rau cov lus nug txog neeg txoj cai hu rau 608-422-6889 (siv dav dav), lossis Wisconsin Relay Service (WRS) 711. DCF es un empleador y proveedor de servicios que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades. Si tiene algunadiscapacidad y necesita acceso a esta información en un formato alternativo, o si necesita traducción aotro idioma, por favor comuníquese con BECR al [dcfcclicreg@wisconsin.gov](dcfcclicreg@wisconsin.gov), 608-421-7550 (general) o Wisconsin Relay Service (WRS) 711. Para preguntas sobre derechos civiles, llame al 608-422-6889 (general) o Wisconsin Relay Service (WRS) 711. TABLE OF CONTENTS DCF 251.01 AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE......................................................................1 D

FAQs

Who must be licensed under DCF 251?

Persons operating child care centers providing care and supervision for 4 or more children under 7 years of age for less than 24 hours a day must be licensed by the Department of Children and Families.

What does the numbered text versus commentary represent in this publication?

The portion numbered and in regular print is the administrative code DCF 251, while the portion in boxes and italicized print is commentary prepared by staff of the Bureau of Early Care Regulation.

What is the purpose of DCF 251 Group Child Care Rules with Commentary?

It is intended to help users understand the intent and application of the rules, and it provides commentary where experience indicates clarification would be helpful.

Sep 26, 2026

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