Exemptions
Per recently adopted rule changes effective October 1, 2024, exemption rules have been updated. The completion
of an online self-assessment shall be completed to determine a program’s exemption status. Based on the
assessment, some programs will be directed to continue the application process
through DECAL KOALA accounts. The self-assessment will need to be completed for each type of program that will be operated.
On February 3, 2025, exempt categories that are not required to apply for an exemption and
maintain a DECAL KOALA account, have been closed. The
accounts that remain open are programs that hold an exemption category
1-Government Owned and Operated, category 5-Faith-based Accredited or Religious Schools, and
category 7-Day Camp programs and school break.
Programs are encouraged to continue to complete the
self-assessment to determine exemption or licensing requirements. For additional information or
questions, please email ExemptionRuleChanges@decal.ga.gov.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 requires that DECAL conduct annual monitoring visits to exempt child care providers receiving subsidy payments through the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program. There are two exemption categories that are eligible to receive CAPS funding. Category 1 – Government owned and operated programs which include any department or state agency, county or municipal government such as Local School Systems (LSS), Parks and Recreation and College/University systems. There is no age restriction. Also eligible is category 7 - Day Camps for children 5 and older that operate during school breaks typically occurring during the summer and holiday breaks for no more than 12 hours per day.
The annual CCDF monitoring visits are documented on an Exemption Monitoring Visit Checklist. The site visits consist of inspections for compliance with the health & safety standards and consist of the following compliance indicators: staff:child ratios and group size; administrator credentials; criminal background checks (fingerprints must comply with DECAL standards); health and safety focus areas similar to core rules which align with the required training needed to complete Health and Safety Orientation modules.
Other types of license-exempt programs will receive monitoring visits at initial review and periodic sampling visits to ensure compliance with exemption criteria and data collection for health and safety standards. Please submit all exemption applications through the electronic system that is mentioned above.