New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
He - Department of Health and Human Services
Subtitle He-C - Commissioner, Department of Health and Human Services
Chapter He-C 6400 - PROGRAM AND SERVICE INFORMATION
Part He-C 6446 - FOSTER FAMILY CARE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS
Section He-C 6446.14 - License and Permit Requirements

(a) A license or permit for foster family care shall be issued for a specific number, age range, and gender of children in care.

(b) The foster family care license or the foster family care permit shall include the following information:

(c) A foster family home with 2 licensed foster parents shall provide care and supervision to no more than 6 children under the age of 21, inclusive of:

(d) A foster family home with one licensed foster parent shall provide care and supervision to no more than 4 children under the age of 21, inclusive of:

(e) Exceptions to (c) and (d) above shall be made in accordance with RSA 170-E:25, II(a)(2), if the foster family is willing and able to take a sibling or a group of siblings of a child already in their care, and the department has concluded that the foster family is able to provide for the safety, permanency, and well-being of the child or children.

(f) The foster family care provider shall provide care and supervision for no more than 2 children in care at any one time who are under the age of 2 years, unless the children are related by blood or marriage.

(g) Each foster parent providing care shall be a full-time resident of the foster home.

(h) Each foster parent and household member shall meet the physical health eligibility criteria set by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children Youth and Families, "National Model Foster Family Home Licensing Standards" (February 2019) available at, as noted in Appendix A, as follows:

(i) For any foster parent seeking to provide care to a child age 6 and over, unless a child who is a household member has received an exemption from the vaccination requirement pursuant to RSA 141-C:20-c, all children shall be up to date on immunizations consistent with He-P 301.14 (b)(1)-(6).

(j) Special medical needs of a child in care are determined by the child in care's physician licensed under RSA 329.

(k) A permit for family foster care shall be valid for a period up to 6 months from the date issued.

(l) A license for family foster care shall be valid for a period of up to 2 years from the date issued, however, the expiration date shall not be later than 2 years from the date of the fire inspection report, the criminal history records checks, or the abuse and neglect registry checks, whichever is earliest.

(m) A permit for foster family care shall be subject to conditions established by the department that are necessary to promote the health and safety of the child in care.

(n) A foster parent with valid licensure to provide child day care service shall be approved to provide child day care services for children in care only when the ratio of children in care to other children receiving child day care service in the home is at least one to one.

(o) The foster family care licensee shall maintain the applicant requirements outlined in He-C 6446.04.