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How the guarantee works →New York camp licensing requirements.
Who licenses day camps and overnight camps in New York, under which rules, and who is exempt. Last checked November 2, 2026.
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Day camps and overnight camps in New York
| Camp type | What the state asks | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Day camps | State permit | Summer day camps and traveling summer day camps are children's camps covered by Subpart 7-2, which requires a permit to operate.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Overnight camps | State permit | Children's overnight camps are covered by Subpart 7-2 and need a permit to operate.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
Who oversees camps in New York
| Agency | What it does |
|---|---|
| Local health departments | Review and approve camp applications and safety plans, issue permits, and inspect camps.Source: Children's Camps in New York State, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| New York State Department of Health | Sets the children's camp rules; the State Health Commissioner or a designee is also a permit-issuing official.Source: Section 7-2.4 - Permit, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
Staff-to-camper ratios in New York
One staff member to the number of campers shown, as the rule sets it.
| Applies to | Group | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight camps | Campers 8 years and older | 1:10Source: Section 7-2.5 - Personnel, supervision and camp safety plan, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Overnight camps | Campers younger than 8 | 1:8Source: Section 7-2.5 - Personnel, supervision and camp safety plan, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Day camps | All campers at summer day and traveling summer day camps (general ratio) | 1:12Source: Section 7-2.5 - Personnel, supervision and camp safety plan, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
| Day and overnight camps | Passive activities (for example storytelling, movies, board games) | 1:25Source: Section 7-2.5 - Personnel, supervision and camp safety plan, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. |
Exemptions
- Child care facilities licensed or registered by the Office of Children and Family Services are excluded.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Camps for fewer than 10 children are excluded.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Day camps operating less than all or part of five days in any two-week period are excluded.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Overnight stays of 72 consecutive hours or less are excluded.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Day programs offering a single activity, such as training and competition in one sport, are excluded.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Drop-in programs that require no enrollment and let children come and go are excluded.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- School districts, BOCES and nonpublic schools providing instruction under state education requirements are excluded.Source: Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and Exclusions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- A day program is a summer day camp only if at least one activity is a nonpassive recreational activity with significant risk of injury.Source: Section 7-2.2 - Definitions, New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
Official rules
- N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 10, subpart 7-2
Children's Camps (State Sanitary Code)New York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026. - N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 10, § 7-2.4
PermitNew York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
Sources
Every source is an official government page.
- Children's Camps in New York StateNew York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Section 7-2.3 - Applicability and ExclusionsNew York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Section 7-2.4 - PermitNew York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Section 7-2.5 - Personnel, supervision and camp safety planNew York State Department of Health. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Section 7-2.2 - DefinitionsNew York State Department of Health. 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.
- Massachusetts
Day camps: state license. Overnight camps: state license.
- 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.
- 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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