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Start a Licensed Camp

Start a Licensed Camp

  • Do I need a License? (Start here)

    Not all programs require a camp license.  Some programs are licensed under Child Care Licensing Bureau as a child care center and some programs are not regulated.

  • Day Camp

    A camp that provides care and supervision and is conducted in the natural environment for more than 4 but less than 24 hours a day for 5 or more days in a 14-day period.

  • Residential Camp

    A camp that provides care and supervision and is conducted in the natural environment for more than 12 hours for 5 or more days in a 14-day period.

  • Troop Camp

    A camp sponsored by the Scouting America or the Girl Scouts of the USA that provides care on a 24-hour basis and is not stationed at a specific campsite. The camp operates more than 12 hours for 5 or more days in a 14-day period.

  • Travel Camp

    A camp that provides care on a 24-hour basis and is not stationed at a specific campsite. The camp operates more than 12 hours for 5 or more days in a 14-day period.

  • Adult Foster Care Camp

    An adult foster care facility with the approved capacity to receive more than 4 adults who shall be provided foster care. An adult foster care camp is a facility located in a natural or rural environment.

    The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Adult Foster Care Division regulates Adult Camps. For information, visit Adult Camp Licensing.

Children's Camp

A children’s camp is a residential, day, troop, or travel program that provides care and supervision in a natural environment. A program meets the definition of a children’s camp when it:

  • Serves more than four children
  • Operates apart from parents, relatives, or legal guardians
  • Runs for five or more days within a 14‑day period

These criteria determine when a program must be licensed as a children’s camp.

Children's Camp Site

A children’s campsite is a location that an organization operates solely as a site—not as a camp program itself. Campsites may be:

  • Rented to licensed children’s day camps
  • Made available to licensed residential camps
  • The campsite operator is responsible for maintaining a licensed site, while the visiting camp programs maintain their own separate camp licenses.