Summer, Day, Overnight, Traveling or Municipal Camps for Children
New permit and permit renewal applications must be submitted to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene at least 90 days prior to the anticipated opening date.
A summer day camp program is for ten (10) or more children under 16 years of age on a schedule between June 1 and September 15 primarily for the purpose of indoor or outdoor organized group activities.
A children's overnight camp is for ten (10) or more children under 18 years of age primarily for the purpose of indoor or outdoor organized activity of which provisions are made for overnight occupancy of children for greater than 72 consecutive hours.
A traveling summer day camp is for ten (10) or more children under 16 years of age on a schedule between May 15 and September 15 primarily for the purpose of transporting children to a facility for organized group activities.
A municipal summer day camp is primarily located at a property owned, leased or operated by a municipal corporation, school district or public board.
Camp applicants are required to provide information on specific staff, such as the Camp Director, Health Director and Aquatics Director, and proof of their qualifications, certifications and trainings. Camp programs are required to retain on-site files containing staff and child information, including medical records and a Department approved written safety plan. The program will be inspected by a Public Health Sanitarian at least once during the operating season.
If 20% or more campers enrolled have a developmental disability, the program must adhere to additional regulatory requirements.
The summer camp permit, once granted, is issued for one camp season. The camp must submit a yearly renewal application with supporting documents in order to remain in compliance. The permit is non-transferable.
The permit will contain the following information:
- Permit Number
- Issue and Expiration Date
- Name and address of Program
- Permit capacity
- Floors and Classrooms
- Activities/Services provided for the children
The camp shall be on a commercial property, such as a community center, church/synagogue, or public/private school building. Applicants are required to submit a valid Certificate of Occupancy (CO) or Letter of No Objection (LNO) from the NYC Department of Buildings. The CO or LNO must be current during the camp operating period.
An LNO may indicate the maximum number of campers allowed, age groups, as well as a specific date range. A CO will indicate the maximum number of persons allowed as well as the use and occupancy group classification. Acceptable groups may include:
Refer to the Requirements Checklist for basic documentation and other requirements needed to apply for any permit from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), some of which depend on the type of business that will be given the permit.
List of Permit Fees.
- The Summer Camp Permit Fee is $200 for the period of May 15th to September 15th for traveling camps, and from June 1st to September 15th for all other camps.
- There is no fee for a summer camp operated by a not-for-profit organization. You must provide proof of 501(c)(3) tax exemption and a letter confirming that you are in good standing with the US Treasury Department.
- There is a $114 fee for the Food Protection Course (for supervisors, where food is prepared). The online course is free of charge but the final exam must be taken in person; there is a $24.60 fee for the exam.
- There is no fee for the 4-Hour Food Protection Course for Soup Kitchen & Summer Camp Workers. This is required for camp workers who serve food that is not prepared on the camp premises, or if they receive food under the USDA Summer Feeding program.
Information on registration for food protection courses can be found by going online to www.nyc.gov/healthacademy, or by calling 311.
List of accepted payment methods for the permit fee.
- Payment is made online. Only credit and debit cards are accepted.
Attach the following documents/forms:
- Certificate of Occupancy (CO) or Letter of No Objection (LNO) from the NYC Department of Buildings. The CO and LNO must be current during the camp operating period.
- 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption Letter from the IRS and letter on your organization letterhead that you are in current and good standing with your exemption status.
- Certificate of Incorporation or Filing Receipt. (Required for Partnerships and Corporations/LLCs)
- Site Inspection Request Form
- Workers' Compensation Certificate or Form CE-200 (if exempt)
- Disability Benefits Insurance Certificate or Form CE-200 (if exempt)
- Proof of Comprehensive Liability Insurance
- Proof of Vehicular Insurance (only required if you intend to use a private or chartered vehicles)
- Children’s Camp Facility and Staff Description
- Camp Director's Resume
- Camp Director's Statewide Central Register Database Check
- Prospective Children's Camp Director Certified Statement
- Health Director's CPR Certification (e.g. CPR Pro)
- Health Director's Advance First Aid Certification (e.g. RTE/Advance First Aid)
- NYC Summer Camp Safety Plan
- Trip Itinerary and Parental Consent
Aquatics Staff Qualifications (required for camps that will provide swimming, boating and/or aquatic theme park services)
- Aquatics Director's Resume
- Aquatics Director's Lifeguard Management Certification
- Aquatics Director's CPR Certification (e.g. CPR Pro)
New camp directors are required to attend a Camp Director's Orientation provided by the Department. The session is about 2 hours long and there is no fee to register.
Note: You can apply for the camp permit even if the camp director has not yet attended the orientation.
If your camp offers aquatics activities, new aquatics directors must attend an Aquatics Director's Orientation session. The session is about an hour long and there is no fee to register.
Everyone must register themselves, using their own e-mail address. To register for either orientation, visit www.nyc.gov/health/register.
- Select "Group Child Care and Summer Camp Orientation Sessions" and click continue at the bottom of the screen.
- Complete all the step and be sure to enter your information carefully and correctly.
- You will receive an automated e-mail confirmation after successfully registering.
- The orientation is offered in a webinar format and you will receive an invitation the day before the webinar.
Camps preparing food on site or serving food to children that is delivered/catered in bulk quantities from an approved food service establishment must have a supervising manager on duty who has been issued a Food Protection Certificate issued by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The course can be taken online for free, where you can study at your own pace. The course can also be taken in a virtual classroom setting for a fee.
If your camp will receive food from the Department of Education or the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), or if ready-to-eat meals are catered and served in individual packaging, your workers are required to take the Food Protection: (4-Hour) for Soup Kitchen and Summer Camp Workers Course.
Please note you may receive automated "Deficiency List" e-mail(s) alerting you about the status of your application. For more detailed and specific information about your application status, you must reach out to a borough office representative.
For important operating information, read the Frequently Asked Questions for summer camps.
All operators should review the NYC Health Code Article 48 to understand the rules for operating a summer camp and how to comply.
New camp directors are required to attend a Camp Director's Orientation provided by the Department. The sessions are about 2 hours long and there is no fee to register.
Note: You can apply for the camp permit even if the camp director has not yet attended the orientation.
If your camp offers aquatics activities, new aquatics directors must attend an Aquatics Director's Orientation session. The session is about an hour long and there is no fee to register.
Everyone must register themselves, using their own e-mail address. To register for either orientation, visit DOHMH Online Service Registration.
- Select "Group Child Care and Summer Camp Orientation Sessions" and click “continue” at the bottom of the screen.
- Complete all the steps and be sure to enter your information carefully and correctly.
- You will receive an automated e-mail confirmation after successfully registering
- The orientation is offered in a webinar format and you will receive an invitation the day before the webinar.
Register for an Account online at the Permit and License Center by clicking Apply Online below. Once the page opens, find and click "Register for an Account."
- If you already have an account, skip to step 2.
Follow the steps below:
- Login to your account at NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Permit and License Center
- Click "Apply New/Link PIN"
- Click "Click here to Apply New or Link PIN"
- Read and accept the terms and click "Continue"
- Click on the "Child Care" drop down arrow
- FOR PROFIT Programs: Select "Summer Camp (CAMP) Permit Process"
- NON-PROFIT Programs: Select "Summer Camp (CAMP) Fee Exempt Permit Process"
- Complete all required fields in Steps 1-4
- When prompted to (in Step 5) click the check box under the red text, then click "upload document" to upload a copy of your government ID.
- Complete the remaining steps until record is created.
After completing all the steps online, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. A new record with an 8-digit Record ID/Accela number will appear in your My Records tab.
You can continue the next steps in "After you Apply" and submit the rest of your application.
Note: if you log back in and see "resume application" next to your record, that means you have not completed all the steps. You must complete all the steps so that a new record can be created the next day.
Summer camp permits may only be renewed online.
Returning camps can renew their permit by submitting their application (in pd format) via email to their respective borough office contact or to campinfo@health.nyc.gov. Attach each document separately to the same email, and be sure to include your camp name, site address, borough, and your 8-digit Record ID number in the subject line. For example, “STEM Kids Camp, 125 Worth Street, Manhattan, 12345678”.
Attach the following documents and forms:
- Letter of No Objection (LNO) from the NYC Department of Buildings, if previous LNO has expired. The LNO must be current during camp operating period.
- A letter on your organization letterhead that you are in current and good standing with your exemption status (for non-profit programs).
- Worker's Compensation Certificate or Form CE-200 if exempt
- Disability Benefits Insurance Certificate or Form CE-200 if exempt
- Proof of Comprehensive Liability Insurance or Form CE-200 if exempt
- Proof of Vehicular Insurance (only required if you intend to use a private or chartered vehicles)
- Summer Camp Self-Certification Checklist (PDF)
- Trip Itinerary and Parental Consent Form (PDF)
- Children’s Camp Facility and Staff Description (PDF)
- Camp Director’s Resume (if different from previous year)
- Camp Director’s Statewide Central Register Database Check
- Prospective Children’s Camp Director Certified Statement (PDF)
- Health Director’s CPR (CPR Pro) Certification (e.g. CPR Pro)
- Health Director’s Advance First Aid Certification (e.g. RTE/Advance First Aid)
Aquatics Staff Qualifications (required if camp will provide swimming, boating, or aquatic theme park services)
- Aquatics Director’s Resume (if different from previous year)
- Aquatics Director’s Lifeguard Management Certification
- Aquatics Director's CPR Certification (e.g. CPR Pro)
You will not be permitted to renew a permit if you have outstanding fines. You must pay fines online before renewing. You can pay your fines by logging in at www.nyc.gov/dohmhpermits. If you will be using a newly registered account, you may request a PIN to “PIN Link/Relink” and access the existing camp record. Do not create a new camp record. If you need your PIN, you can request it by completing an online PIN Request Form or by calling 311