DHHS Child Care Program Licensing Rules (He-C 4002) Compliant

New Hampshire ChildcareLicensing Requirements

Stay compliant with New Hampshire DHHS Child Care Program Licensing Rules (He-C 4002) regulations. Bloomily helps New Hampshire childcare centers manage staff ratios, certifications, and emergency drills — all in one platform.

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Staff-to-Child Ratios

Required ratios for New Hampshire licensed childcare facilities

Age GroupStaff : ChildrenMax Group Size
Infants (0-12 months)
He-C 4002.37: 6 weeks to 12 months; min set to 0 per convention (reg starts at 6 weeks).
1:412 children
Young Toddlers (12-24 months)
He-C 4002.37: 13–24 months (inclusive) → exclusive band 12–24.
1:515 children
Older Toddlers (24-36 months)
He-C 4002.37: 25–35 months (inclusive) → exclusive band 24–36.
1:618 children
preschool_3
He-C 4002.36: 36–47 months (inclusive) → exclusive band 36–48. 1 associate teacher up to 8 children.
1:824 children
preschool_4
He-C 4002.36: 48–59 months (inclusive) → exclusive band 48–60. 1 associate teacher up to 12 children.
1:1224 children
School Age (5+ years)
He-C 4002.36: 60 months and over; max 156 months (13 years) used as upper bound per convention.
1:1530 children

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

Required Certifications

Certifications required for New Hampshire childcare staff

Annual Training (New Hampshire)

New Hampshire requires minimum 18 clock hours annual professional development

Renew annuallyDocument required

Criminal Background Check (New Hampshire)

New Hampshire State Police criminal background check and FBI fingerprint check required

Renew every 5 yearsDocument required

DCYF Central Registry Check (New Hampshire)

New Hampshire DCYF central registry check for founded child abuse/neglect

Renew every 5 yearsDocument required

Director Qualifications (New Hampshire)

Director qualifications per He-C 4002.08 including education and experience requirements

Document required

First Aid (New Hampshire)

Pediatric first aid certification required

Renew every 2 yearsDocument required

Food Handler Certification (New Hampshire)

Food safety training for staff preparing food

Renew every 3 yearsDocument required

Health Statement (New Hampshire)

Health statement from physician required for all staff

Renew every 2 yearsDocument required

Lead Teacher Qualifications (New Hampshire)

Lead teacher qualifications per He-C 4002.09

Document required

Mandated Reporter Training

California mandated reporter training for child abuse

Document required

Mandatory Reporter Training (New Hampshire)

New Hampshire mandatory reporter training on recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect

Renew every 2 yearsDocument required

Medication Administration Training (New Hampshire)

Training required for staff who administer medication

Renew every 2 yearsDocument required

Orientation Training (New Hampshire)

Initial orientation training within first 3 months of employment

Document required

Pediatric CPR (New Hampshire)

Infant and child CPR certification required for all caregivers

Renew every 2 yearsDocument required

Safe Sleep Training (New Hampshire)

Safe sleep training required for infant caregivers

Renew every 5 yearsDocument required

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

Emergency Drill Requirements

Required safety drills for New Hampshire childcare facilities

Required Drills

Fire Drill

Monthly

He-C 4002.17: at least one fire drill each month of operation; all occupants evacuate; actual alarm activated for at least 2 drills/year; varying times including nighttime when applicable.

Ref: N.H. Admin. Code § He-C 4002.17 (Emergency Preparedness and Practice Drills), effective April 22, 2022. Fetched from https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-hampshire/N-H-Admin-Code-SS-He-C-4002.17

Evacuation

Annually

He-C 4002.17: off-site evacuation practiced once per year with all child care staff.

Ref: N.H. Admin. Code § He-C 4002.17 (Emergency Preparedness and Practice Drills), effective April 22, 2022. Fetched from https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-hampshire/N-H-Admin-Code-SS-He-C-4002.17

Other

Annually

He-C 4002.17: bomb-threat drill required once per year with all child care staff. Mapped to 'other' as bomb_threat is not an allowed type.

Ref: N.H. Admin. Code § He-C 4002.17 (Emergency Preparedness and Practice Drills), effective April 22, 2022. Fetched from https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-hampshire/N-H-Admin-Code-SS-He-C-4002.17

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

Pre-Inspection Checklist

50 items based on New Hampshire DHHS Child Care Program Licensing Rules (He-C 4002) requirements

Licensing(10)Staff(12)Records(8)Health(10)Emergency(6)Operations(4)

Current DHHS license posted and visible

Ref: He-C 4002.03

Licensing

License capacity and age groups displayed

Ref: He-C 4002.03

Licensing

Liability insurance current and on file

Ref: He-C 4002.05

Licensing

Parent handbook available with policies

Ref: He-C 4002.04

Licensing

Attendance records maintained daily

Ref: He-C 4002.17

Licensing

Incident/accident reports documented

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Licensing

Complaint procedures posted

Ref: He-C 4002.04

Licensing

Emergency procedures posted in each room

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Licensing

Operating hours posted

Ref: He-C 4002.03

Licensing

Fee schedule available to parents

Ref: He-C 4002.04

Licensing

All staff have current background checks (NH and FBI)

Ref: He-C 4002.07

Staff

DCYF central registry checks completed

Ref: He-C 4002.07

Staff

Director meets qualification requirements

Ref: He-C 4002.08

Staff

Lead teachers meet qualification requirements

Ref: He-C 4002.09

Staff

All staff have current pediatric CPR certification

Ref: He-C 4002.10

Staff

All staff have current first aid certification

Ref: He-C 4002.10

Staff

Annual training hours documented (18 hours minimum)

Ref: He-C 4002.10

Staff

Mandatory reporter training current

Ref: He-C 4002.10

Staff

Safe sleep training for infant caregivers

Ref: He-C 4002.10

Staff

Health statement on file for all staff

Ref: He-C 4002.07

Staff

Medication administration training (if applicable)

Ref: He-C 4002.10

Staff

Staff orientation completed within 3 months

Ref: He-C 4002.10

Staff

Enrollment forms complete for each child

Ref: He-C 4002.17

Records

Emergency contact information current

Ref: He-C 4002.17

Records

Immunization records current (or valid exemption)

Ref: RSA 141-C:20-a

Records

Health information on file for each child

Ref: He-C 4002.17

Records

Allergy and special needs documented

Ref: He-C 4002.17

Records

Authorized pickup persons documented

Ref: He-C 4002.17

Records

Medication authorization forms complete

Ref: He-C 4002.19

Records

Field trip/transportation permission on file

Ref: He-C 4002.21

Records

First aid kits stocked and accessible

Ref: He-C 4002.19

Health

Medications stored properly (locked)

Ref: He-C 4002.19

Health

Cleaning and sanitizing procedures followed

Ref: He-C 4002.18

Health

Handwashing procedures posted

Ref: He-C 4002.18

Health

Diapering and toileting procedures followed

Ref: He-C 4002.18

Health

Safe sleep practices followed for infants

Ref: He-C 4002.18

Health

Food handling and safety requirements met

Ref: He-C 4002.20

Health

Food safety training current (food prep staff)

Ref: He-C 4002.20

Health

Hazardous materials stored safely

Ref: He-C 4002.18

Health

Tobacco, alcohol, and weapons prohibited

Ref: He-C 4002.18

Health

Fire drill records current (monthly)

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Emergency

Severe weather drill records current (quarterly)

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Emergency

Lockdown drill records current (semi-annual)

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Emergency

Full evacuation drill completed (annual)

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Emergency

Emergency evacuation plan posted and current

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Emergency

Fire extinguishers inspected and accessible

Ref: He-C 4002.22

Emergency

Indoor space meets 35 sq ft per child requirement

Ref: He-C 4002.12

Operations

Outdoor play area safe and enclosed

Ref: He-C 4002.13

Operations

Staff-to-child ratios maintained at all times

Ref: He-C 4002.14

Operations

Licensed Plus quality rating posted (if participating)

Ref: Licensed Plus

Operations

Track your New Hampshire compliance digitally

Bloomily keeps your checklist updated, tracks staff certifications, and alerts you before items expire.

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New Hampshire compliance and operations resources

Health and safety featuresTrack incidents, medication, immunizations, and safety workflows.Ratio calculatorCalculate staff-to-child ratios for your classrooms.Attendance softwareMonitor rosters, ratios, check-in, and pickup in real time.Daycare management softwareRun compliance, attendance, billing, and parent communication together.Daily reports guideImprove parent communication with consistent daily reports.Meal tracking guidePlan meal records, parent updates, and billing connections.

Nearby State Requirements

MaineMassachusettsVermont

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

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Ready to simplify New Hampshire compliance?

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Real-time staff-to-child ratio monitoring
Automated certification expiration alerts
Pre-inspection checklist management
Emergency drill scheduling and tracking
Digital parent communication
Mobile check-in/check-out kiosks

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