Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Indiana
Indiana froze new child care vouchers Dec 2024 with ~31,000 waitlisted. Partial reopening May 2026 (~14K vouchers); full reopen not expected until 2027. CCDF entry: 135% FPL (~$43K family of 4). No state Child & Dependent Care Credit currently.
Data current as of May 21, 2026
Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Indiana
- Program name
- Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Voucher Program
- Administered by
- Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA)
- Income ceiling
- Family income up to 135% of the federal poverty level at initial application (approximately $43,400 for a family of four), effective April 5, 2026 — raised from 127% FPL. Continuing eligibility up to 85% State Median Income.
- Family fee / copay
- Sliding-scale family copay set by FSSA. Reauthorization required every 90 days while on the waitlist and before a voucher ends.
- Waitlist status
- Recently re-opened — Indiana froze new CCDF voucher enrollment in December 2024. Approximately 31,000 children were on the waitlist as of September 2025, with ~53,000 enrolled (a 14% year-over-year drop). Partial reopening began May 2026, releasing roughly 14,000 vouchers over time at ~3,000 per month. Full reopening of new enrollment is not expected until 2027. For the May 2026 ramp-up, FIFO within priority tiers: siblings of current voucher holders first, then infants under 12 months, then toddlers ages 1–2, then ages 3–5.
Priority groups (served first)
- On My Way Pre-K applicants
- Families below 100% of the federal poverty level
- Children of child care workers
- May 2026 ramp-up sub-priorities: siblings of current voucher holders, infants under 12 months, then toddlers, then ages 3–5
State pre-K in Indiana
- Program name
- On My Way Pre-K
- Administered by
- Indiana FSSA
- Access
- Income-targeted
- Eligibility
- Children must be four years old by August 1 of the program year and the family must meet income eligibility — primary tier up to 135% FPL, secondary tier up to 185% FPL if funding allows. Working/in-school/job-training required (job-search alone no longer qualifies). 5% family-match payment required.
- Coverage
- Available in all 92 Indiana counties but total enrollment is capped at 2,500 children — a roughly 60% cut from prior years. Voucher cap is $6,800 per year (provider rate $147.82 per week).
State tax credits & extras in Indiana
- State CDCC
- Indiana does not offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. Indiana does not currently offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. HB 1378 (introduced January 2026) would have created a refundable state CDCC equal to 20% of the federal credit plus a $300-per-child state child tax credit, but it died in House Ways and Means (February 2026) and was not enacted in the 2026 session.
Where to apply or get help in Indiana
- Find a licensed daycare in IndianaChildery directory — quality ratings, ZIP & city search
- Indiana child care portalwww.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/child-care-vouchers/
- Eligibility screenerearlyedconnect.fssa.in.gov/onlineApp/home
- Combined benefits applicationwww.in.gov/fssa/
- Indiana 211 (dial 2-1-1)in211.communityos.org/
- FSSA Carefinder — Child Care Voucherswww.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/child-care-vouchers/
- On My Way Pre-Kwww.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/on-my-way-pre-k/
- Income Limits to Get on CCDF (effective April 5, 2026)www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/files/Income-Get-on-CCDF.pdf
- Federal childcare.gov — Indiana resourceswww.childcare.gov/state-resources/indiana/financial-assistance-resources-for-families
Find a daycare in Indiana
Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse Indiana's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.
Browse Indiana daycaresSources
- FSSA Carefinder — Child Care Vouchers
- Income Limits to Get on CCDF (effective April 5, 2026) (2026)
- WFYI — Indiana won't give new vouchers until 2027 (coverage of freeze) (2025)
- WVPE — 14,000 new vouchers start May 2026, priority groups (2026)
- FSSA On My Way Pre-K
- Indiana Department of Revenue — Tax Credits (confirms no individual CDCC)
- Federal childcare.gov — Indiana resources
Every state layers its own program on top of a federal floor — CCDF (the federal block grant), Head Start, the federal DCFSA (employer pre-tax benefit), and the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit. See the federal overview for what the floor looks like before any state adds.