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How the guarantee works →Massachusetts camp licensing requirements.
Who licenses day camps and overnight camps in Massachusetts, under which rules, and who is exempt. Last checked November 2, 2026.
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Day camps and overnight camps in Massachusetts
| Camp type | What the state asks | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Day camps | State license | Day camps are recreational camps for children and need a license from the local board of health, under Department of Public Health standards.Source: Recreational camps, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (Mass.gov). Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Overnight camps | State license | Residential (overnight) camps are recreational camps for children and need the same local board of health license.Source: Recreational camps, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (Mass.gov). Checked November 2, 2026. |
Who oversees camps in Massachusetts
| Agency | What it does |
|---|---|
| Local boards of health (city or town) | License and inspect recreational camps for children in their community.Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health | Sets the minimum statewide standards that licensed camps must meet.Source: Recreational camps, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (Mass.gov). Checked November 2, 2026. |
Staff-to-camper ratios in Massachusetts
One staff member to the number of campers shown, as the rule sets it.
| Applies to | Group | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Day and overnight camps | Campers 7 years old or older (residential, day and sports camps) | 1:10Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Day and overnight camps | Campers younger than 7 (residential, day and sports camps) | 1:5Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Day and overnight camps | Primitive, travel and trip camps | 1:10Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
Exemptions
- Child care programs licensed by Early Education and Care, running a summer camp in their licensed space, unless they offer unapproved high-risk activities.Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Single-purpose classes, clinics or programs of municipal recreation departments, and neighborhood playgrounds, if not promoted or advertised as a camp.Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Programs run only on a drop-in basis, if not promoted or advertised as a camp.Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Classroom-based instruction with no specialized high-risk activities, if not promoted or advertised as a camp.Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Accredited summer school programs whose accreditation covers any high-risk activities offered, if not promoted or advertised as a camp.Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Programs serving fewer than five children who are not family or personal guests of the operator, unless advertised as a camp.Source: 105 CMR 430, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
Official rules
- 105 CMR 430.000
Minimum Standards for Recreational Camps for Children (State Sanitary Code, Chapter IV)Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026. - M.G.L. c. 111, § 127A
State sanitary codeMassachusetts General Court. Checked November 2, 2026.
Sources
Every source is an official government page.
- Recreational campsMassachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (Mass.gov). Checked November 2, 2026.
- 105 CMR 430Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- General Law - Part I, Title XVI, Chapter 111, Section 127AMassachusetts General Court. Checked November 2, 2026.
About this page
We read each source above on an official government site on November 2, 2026. Each fact links to the page it came from.
Rules change, and local rules can add to them. Confirm with the agency before you open or change a program.
This page is a summary of public rules. It is not legal advice, and Bloomily does not file license applications.
Camp licensing in other states
- Alabama
Day camps: state permit. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Arizona
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state license.
- Arkansas
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: depends on the program.
- California
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state camp rules.
- Colorado
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- Connecticut
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- Delaware
Day camps: state permit. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Florida
Day camps: no state license. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Georgia
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: depends on the program.
- Idaho
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: depends on the program.
- Illinois
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- Indiana
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state camp rules.
- Kentucky
Day camps: state permit. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Louisiana
Day camps: state permit. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Maine
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- Maryland
Day camps: state certificate. Overnight camps: state certificate.
- Michigan
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- Mississippi
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state license.
- Missouri
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: depends on the program.
- Montana
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state license.
- Nebraska
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: no state license.
- Nevada
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state license.
- New Hampshire
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- New Jersey
Day camps: state certificate. Overnight camps: state certificate.
- New York
Day camps: state permit. Overnight camps: state permit.
- North Dakota
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: depends on the program.
- Ohio
Day camps: state registration. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Oregon
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- South Carolina
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: depends on the program.
- South Dakota
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: depends on the program.
- Tennessee
Day camps: state permit. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Texas
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- Vermont
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state license.
- Virginia
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Washington
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state registration.
- West Virginia
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state permit.
- Wisconsin
Day camps: depends on the program. Overnight camps: state license.
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