Chapter 42 of the Texas Human Resources Code requires the Health and Human Services Commission to regulate child care and child-placing activities in Texas and to create and enforce minimum standards. Chapter 42 also requires the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate alleged child abuse and neglect in child-care facilities.
Charged with this task, the HHSC Child Care Regulation Department (CCR), Regulatory Services Division, develops rules for child-care in Texas. Once proposed, reviewed and adopted, these rules become part of the Texas Administrative Code. (Read the child care licensing rules.) Each set of Minimum Standards is based on a particular chapter of the Texas Administrative Code and the corresponding child-care operation permit type(s). For example, Chapter 746 is the Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers and Chapter 749 is the Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies. The Minimum Standards mitigate risk for children in out-of-home care settings by outlining basic requirements to protect the health, safety and well-being of children in care.
Each of the Minimum Standards has been assigned a weight — high, medium, medium-high, medium-low or low — based on the risk that a violation of that standard presents to children. Weights are noted at the end of each standard or subsection. Only those standards which can be cited as a deficiency are weighted. For example, definitions are not weighted.
Assigning weights to the Minimum Standards takes into account the relative importance of standard violations and helps facilitate a clear and common understanding of risk among providers, consumers and CCR staff. With a clear and common understanding regarding the risk associated with each standard deficiency, child-care providers and CCR staff can use this information as a guide in correcting deficiencies and setting priorities when making corrections.
Read more about CCR enforcement actions, including administrative penalties.
What's New in Child Care Regulation?
CCR has posted important compliance information for legislation resulting from the 88th Legislative Session below.
88th Legislative Session (2023)
- Legislative Bills Impacting Listed Family Homes (PDF)
- Legislative Bills Impacting Residential Child Care Providers (PDF)
- Legislative Bills Impacting Child Day Care Providers (PDF)
Child Care Regulation Overview of Rule Changes
- Provisional Child Care Administrator’s License and Administrator Conduct Expectations (Webinar)
- Replacing and Updating Rules in TAC Title 26, Chapter 745, Subchapter J (Webinar)
- Replacing and Updating Rules in TAC Title 26, Chapter 745, Subchapter J (PDF)
- Replacing and Updating Rules from TAC Title 40, Chapter 745, Subchapter K with Rules in TAC Title 26, Chapter 745, Subchapters B, I, and K (Webinar)
- Replacing and Updating Rules from TAC Title 40, Chapter 745, Subchapter K with Rules in TAC Title 26, Chapter 745, Subchapters B, I, and K (PDF)
87th Legislative Session (2021)
- House Bill 525 Provider Guidance (PDF)
- Child Day Care Providers (PDF)
- Listed Family Home Providers (PDF)
- Residential Child Care Providers (PDF)
Liability Insurance Requirements
86th Legislative Session (2019)
- Child Day Care Providers (PDF)
- Listed Family Home Providers (PDF)
- Residential Child Care Providers (PDF)
Minimum Standards
Day Care Operations
Chapter 742
Chapter 743
Chapter 744
- Chapter 744 School-Age and Before or After-School Programs (PDF)
- Chapter 744 School-Age and Before or After-School Programs (Spanish PDF) – As of April 2021
Chapter 746
Chapter 747
- Chapter 747 Registered and Licensed Child-Care Homes (PDF)
- Chapter 747 Registered and Licensed Child Care Homes (Spanish PDF) – As of April 2021
- March 2023 Revision Memo for Chapter 747 (PDF)
- Display of March 2023 Changes for Chapter 747: Comprehensive Review of 747 (PDF)
- December 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 747 (PDF)
- Display of December 2022 Changes for Chapter 747: Protections for Children on the Grounds or Premises (PDF)
- June 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 747 (PDF)
- Display of June 2022 Changes for Chapter 747: New Requirements for Tummy Time Supervision in Child-Care Homes (PDF)
24-Hour Residential Care Operations and Child-Placing Agencies
Chapter 748
- Chapter 748 General Residential Operations (PDF)
- October 2023 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of October 2023 Changes for Chapter 748: New Requirements Related to Licensed Administrators (PDF)
- August 2023 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of August 2023 Changes for Chapter 748: New Requirements for Employee Reference Checks in General Residential Operations (PDF)
- December 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of December 2022 Changes for Chapter 748: Protections for Children on the Grounds or Premises (PDF)
- November 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of November 2022 Changes for Chapter 748: Change in Location for Certain Child Care Operations (PDF)
- September 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of September 2022 Changes for Chapter 748: Model Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Policy (PDF)
- July 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of July 2022 Changes for Chapter 748: New Requirements for Care of Unlawfully Present Individuals in Licensed General Residential Operations (PDF)
- April 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of April 2022 Changes for Chapter 748: Comprehensive Review of Chapter 748 (PDF)
Chapter 749
- Chapter 749, Child-Placing Agencies (PDF)
- October 2023 Revision Memo for Chapter 749 (PDF)
- Display of October 2023 Changes for Chapter 749: New Requirements Related to Licensed Administrators (PDF)
- December 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 749 (PDF)
- Display of December 2022 Changes for Chapter 749: Protections for Children on the Grounds or Premises (PDF)
- November 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 749 (PDF)
- Display of November 2022 Changes for Chapter 749: Change in Location for Certain Child Care Operations (PDF)
- September 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 749 (PDF)
- Display of September 2022 Changes for Chapter 749: Model Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Policy (PDF)
- April 2022 Revision Memo for Chapter 749 (PDF)
- Display of April 2022 Changes for Chapter 749: Comprehensive Review of Chapter 749 (PDF)
Background Checks
Criminal history requirements charts specify whether a conviction permanently or temporarily bars a person from being present at an operation while children are in care, whether a person is eligible for a risk evaluation, and whether a person who is eligible may be present at the operation pending the outcome of the risk evaluation
General Licensing
Chapter 745
- Title 26, Part 1, Chapter 745
- Title 40, Part 19, Chapter 745
- Display of October 2023 Changes for Chapter 745: Subchapter N (PDF)
- Display of October 2023 Changes for Chapter 745: Subchapter J (PDF)
- Display of August 2023 Changes for Chapter 745: Subchapters B, I, and K (PDF)
- Display of March 2023 Changes for Chapter 745: Permit Renewal Requirements (PDF)
- Display of January 2023 Changes for Chapter 745: Administrative Reviews and Due Process Hearings (PDF)
- Display of July 2022 Changes for Chapter 745: New Requirements for Care of Unlawfully Present Individuals in Licensed General Operations (PDF)
- Display of January 2022 Changes for Chapter 745: Alternative Administrator Licenses for Military Members, Spouses, and Veterans (PDF)
Previous Revision Memos and Updates
Chapter 742
- October 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 742 (PDF)
- Display of October 2021 Changes for 742: Voluntary Maintenance and Administration of Unassigned Epinephrine Auto-Injectors in Child Care (PDF)
Chapter 744
- March 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 744 (PDF)
- Display of March 2021 Changes for 744: Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Screen Time (PDF)
- April 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 744 (PDF)
- Display of April 2021 Changes for 744: Liability Insurance, Safe-Sleeping, and Notifications (PDF)
- October 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 744 (PDF)
- Display of October 2021 Changes for Chapter 744: Voluntary Maintenance and Administration of Unassigned Epinephrine Auto-Injectors in Child Care (PDF)
Chapter 745
- Display of April 2021 Changes for Chapter 745 (PDF)
- October 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 745 (PDF)
- Display of October 2021 Changes for Chapter 745: Voluntary Maintenance and Administration of Unassigned Epinephrine Auto-Injectors in Child Care (PDF)
- Display of July 2022 Changes for Chapter 745: Display of July 2022 Changes for Background Checks (PDF)
- Display of November 2022 Changes for Chapter 745: Change in Location for Certain Child Care Operations (PDF)
Chapter 746
- March 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 746 (PDF)
- Display of March 2021 Changes for Chapter 746: Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Screen Time (PDF)
- April 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 746 (PDF)
- Display of April 2021 Changes for 746: Liability Insurance, Safe-Sleeping, and Notifications (PDF)
- October 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 746 (PDF)
- Display of October 2021 Changes for Chapter 746: Voluntary Maintenance and Administration of Unassigned Epinephrine Auto-Injectors in Child Care (PDF)
Chapter 747
- March 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 747 (PDF)
- Display of March 2021 Changes for Chapter 747: Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Screen Time (PDF)
- April 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 747 (PDF)
- Display of April 2021 Changes for 747: Liability Insurance, Safe-Sleeping, and Notifications (PDF)
- October 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 747 (PDF)
- Display of October 2021 Changes for 747: Voluntary Maintenance and Administration of Unassigned Epinephrine Auto-Injectors in Child Care (PDF)
Chapter 748
- April 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- April 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 748: New Operational Plan for Certain GROs (PDF)
- Display of April 2021 Changes for 748: Liability Insurance, Safe-Sleeping, and Notifications (PDF)
- October 2021 Revision Memo for Chapter 748 (PDF)
- Display of October 2021 Changes for 748: Voluntary Maintenance and Administration of Unassigned Epinephrine Auto-Injectors in Child Care (PDF)