Rhode Island General Laws Title 42. State Affairs and Government § 42-12.5-4. License required

(a) No person shall receive or place children in child day care services, including day care arrangements, without a license issued pursuant to this chapter. This requirement does not apply to a person related by blood, marriage, guardianship, or adoption to the child, unless that arrangement is for the purposes of day care.

(b) The licensing requirement does not apply to shelter operations for parents with children, boarding schools, recreation camps, nursing homes, hospitals, maternity residences, and centers for developmentally disabled children.

(c) No person, firm, corporation, association, or agency shall operate a family day care home without a registration certificate issued by the department, unless they hold an unexpired registration certificate issued by the department of children, youth and families prior to January 1, 2020.

(d) No state, county, city, or political subdivision shall operate a child day care agency or center, program, or facility without a license issued pursuant to this chapter.

(e) No person shall be exempt from a required license by reason of public or private, sectarian, non-sectarian, child day care program, for profit or nonprofit status, or by any other reason of funding, sponsorship, or affiliation.