LARA Child Care Center Licensing Rules (R 400.8101-8193) Compliant

Michigan ChildcareLicensing Requirements

Stay compliant with Michigan LARA Child Care Center Licensing Rules (R 400.8101-8193) regulations. Bloomily helps Michigan childcare centers manage staff ratios, certifications, and emergency drills — all in one platform.

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Staff-to-Child Ratios

Required ratios for Michigan licensed childcare facilities

Age Group	Staff : Children	Max Group Size	Regulation
infant_toddler Birth to 30 months	1:4	12 children	Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8222, Table 1 (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)
two_year 30 to 36 months	1:8	24 children	Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8222, Table 1 (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)
preschool_3 3-year-olds (36 to 48 months)	1:10	30 children	Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8222, Table 1 (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)
preschool_4 4-year-olds (48 months to school-age/60 months)	1:12	40 children	Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8222, Table 1 (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)
School Age (5+ years) School-age children (5 years to 13 years); 13 years is Michigan's upper licensed age limit	1:18	54 children	Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8222, Table 1 (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)

Bloomily automatically monitors staff-to-child ratios in real-time and alerts you when you're approaching limits.

Required Certifications

Certifications required for Michigan childcare staff

Annual Training (16 hours)

Michigan required 16 clock hours annual training per R 400.8125

Renew annuallyDocument required

Background Check (Michigan)

Michigan comprehensive background check including ICHAT, FBI fingerprinting per R 400.8122

Renew every 5 yearsDocument required

Blood-Borne Pathogens Training (Michigan)

Training on blood-borne pathogen safety required

Renew annuallyDocument required

Central Registry Clearance (Michigan)

Michigan DHHS Central Registry clearance for child abuse/neglect

Renew every 5 yearsDocument required

Director Qualification (Michigan)

Child Development Associate (CDA) or equivalent per R 400.8124

Document required

First Aid (Michigan)

First aid certification required for all caregivers

Renew every 2 yearsDocument required

Mandated Reporter Training

California mandated reporter training for child abuse

Document required

Orientation Training (Michigan)

Michigan orientation training within first week of employment

Document required

Pediatric CPR (Michigan)

Infant and child CPR certification required per R 400.8125

Renew every 2 yearsDocument required

Staff Health Appraisal (Michigan)

Health appraisal including TB assessment required

Renew every 3 yearsDocument required

Bloomily tracks certification expiration dates and sends automated renewal reminders before they lapse.

Emergency Drill Requirements

Required safety drills for Michigan childcare facilities

Required Drills

Fire Drill

Quarterly

Not less than 1 fire drill every 3 months; written log of date and time required on file (R 400.8269(6))

Ref: Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8269, subrules (6), (7), (8) (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)

Other

Annually

Annual drills for all other emergency plans not covered by fire/tornado rules, including lockdown, intruder/active-shooter, bomb threats, floods, power outages, extreme weather (R 400.8269(8))

Ref: Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8269, subrules (6), (7), (8) (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)

Tornado/Severe Weather

Twice per year

Not less than 2 tornado drills between March and November; seasonal requirement mapped to semi_annually (R 400.8269(7))

Ref: Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8269, subrules (6), (7), (8) (Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers, effective December 18, 2019, as amended)

Bloomily automatically schedules drills and tracks completion to ensure you never miss a requirement.

Michigan Pre-Inspection Checklist

Based on LARA Child Care Center Licensing Rules (R 400.8101-8193) requirements • 50 items • Generated from bloomily.app

Center Name: _________________________________ Date: _____________

Licensing

License displayed in prominent location

Ref: R 400.8115

Capacity not exceeded

Ref: R 400.8115

Operating within licensed hours

Ref: R 400.8115

Written operational policies available

Ref: R 400.8115

Parent handbook current and distributed

Ref: R 400.8115

Physical Environment

Indoor space meets minimum (35 sq ft per child)

Ref: R 400.8140

Outdoor play area adequate (60 sq ft per child)

Ref: R 400.8140

Temperature maintained (65-82°F)

Ref: R 400.8140

Adequate lighting in all areas

Ref: R 400.8140

Toilets clean and child-accessible

Ref: R 400.8140

Handwashing facilities available

Ref: R 400.8140

Drinking water readily accessible

Ref: R 400.8140

Sleeping/napping equipment appropriate

Ref: R 400.8140

Outdoor equipment safe and maintained

Ref: R 400.8145

Fall zones with resilient surfacing

Ref: R 400.8145

Health Practices

Daily health observation performed

Ref: R 400.8155

Handwashing procedures followed

Ref: R 400.8155

Diapering area sanitized properly

Ref: R 400.8155

Medications stored locked and inaccessible

Ref: R 400.8155

First aid supplies stocked and accessible

Ref: R 400.8155

Illness exclusion policy enforced

Ref: R 400.8155

Safe sleep practices followed (infants)

Ref: R 400.8155

Safety Practices

Fire extinguishers inspected annually

Ref: R 400.8175

Smoke detectors working

Ref: R 400.8175

Emergency exits marked and unobstructed

Ref: R 400.8175

Fire drills conducted monthly

Ref: R 400.8175

Tornado drills quarterly (March-November)

Ref: R 400.8175

Lockdown drills semi-annually

Ref: R 400.8175

Evacuation drill annually

Ref: R 400.8175

Drill records documented properly

Ref: R 400.8175

Emergency plan posted

Ref: R 400.8175

Hazardous materials stored safely

Ref: R 400.8140

Staff Requirements

ICHAT/FBI background check current for all staff

Ref: R 400.8122

Central Registry clearance completed

Ref: R 400.8122

Director meets qualification requirements (CDA)

Ref: R 400.8124

CPR certification current

Ref: R 400.8125

First Aid certification current

Ref: R 400.8125

Staff-to-child ratios maintained

Ref: R 400.8161

Annual training completed (16 hours)

Ref: R 400.8125

Orientation within first week of employment

Ref: R 400.8125

Health appraisal on file

Ref: R 400.8122

Blood-borne pathogens training current

Ref: R 400.8125

Child Records

Enrollment forms complete

Ref: R 400.8155

Emergency contact information current

Ref: R 400.8155

Immunization records on file (MCIR)

Ref: MCL 333.9215

Health appraisal within 30 days of enrollment

Ref: R 400.8155

Pickup authorization documented

Ref: R 400.8155

Allergy/special needs documented

Ref: R 400.8155

Supervision

Children supervised at all times

Ref: R 400.8161

Sign-in/out procedures followed

Ref: R 400.8155

This checklist is provided for reference only. Always verify requirements with your state licensing agency.

Pre-Inspection Checklist

50 items based on Michigan LARA Child Care Center Licensing Rules (R 400.8101-8193) requirements

Licensing(5)Physical Environment(10)Health Practices(7)Safety Practices(10)Staff Requirements(10)Child Records(6)Supervision(2)

License displayed in prominent location

Ref: R 400.8115

Licensing

Capacity not exceeded

Ref: R 400.8115

Licensing

Operating within licensed hours

Ref: R 400.8115

Licensing

Written operational policies available

Ref: R 400.8115

Licensing

Parent handbook current and distributed

Ref: R 400.8115

Licensing

Indoor space meets minimum (35 sq ft per child)

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Outdoor play area adequate (60 sq ft per child)

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Temperature maintained (65-82°F)

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Adequate lighting in all areas

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Toilets clean and child-accessible

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Handwashing facilities available

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Drinking water readily accessible

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Sleeping/napping equipment appropriate

Ref: R 400.8140

Physical Environment

Outdoor equipment safe and maintained

Ref: R 400.8145

Physical Environment

Fall zones with resilient surfacing

Ref: R 400.8145

Physical Environment

Daily health observation performed

Ref: R 400.8155

Health Practices

Handwashing procedures followed

Ref: R 400.8155

Health Practices

Diapering area sanitized properly

Ref: R 400.8155

Health Practices

Medications stored locked and inaccessible

Ref: R 400.8155

Health Practices

First aid supplies stocked and accessible

Ref: R 400.8155

Health Practices

Illness exclusion policy enforced

Ref: R 400.8155

Health Practices

Safe sleep practices followed (infants)

Ref: R 400.8155

Health Practices

Fire extinguishers inspected annually

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Smoke detectors working

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Emergency exits marked and unobstructed

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Fire drills conducted monthly

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Tornado drills quarterly (March-November)

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Lockdown drills semi-annually

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Evacuation drill annually

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Drill records documented properly

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Emergency plan posted

Ref: R 400.8175

Safety Practices

Hazardous materials stored safely

Ref: R 400.8140

Safety Practices

ICHAT/FBI background check current for all staff

Ref: R 400.8122

Staff Requirements

Central Registry clearance completed

Ref: R 400.8122

Staff Requirements

Director meets qualification requirements (CDA)

Ref: R 400.8124

Staff Requirements

CPR certification current

Ref: R 400.8125

Staff Requirements

First Aid certification current

Ref: R 400.8125

Staff Requirements

Staff-to-child ratios maintained

Ref: R 400.8161

Staff Requirements

Annual training completed (16 hours)

Ref: R 400.8125

Staff Requirements

Orientation within first week of employment

Ref: R 400.8125

Staff Requirements

Health appraisal on file

Ref: R 400.8122

Staff Requirements

Blood-borne pathogens training current

Ref: R 400.8125

Staff Requirements

Enrollment forms complete

Ref: R 400.8155

Child Records

Emergency contact information current

Ref: R 400.8155

Child Records

Immunization records on file (MCIR)

Ref: MCL 333.9215

Child Records

Health appraisal within 30 days of enrollment

Ref: R 400.8155

Child Records

Pickup authorization documented

Ref: R 400.8155

Child Records

Allergy/special needs documented

Ref: R 400.8155

Child Records

Children supervised at all times

Ref: R 400.8161

Supervision

Sign-in/out procedures followed

Ref: R 400.8155

Supervision

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Nearby State Requirements

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Requirements vary by state. Click to view specific licensing requirements.

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