Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Maine
Maine CCAP covers families up to 125% SMI with copays capped at 7% (LD 1728, March 2026). State CDCC is 25% of federal (50% with Step 4 quality provider), refundable up to $500. Public Pre-K phasing to universal by 2026-27.
Data current as of May 21, 2026
Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Maine
- Program name
- Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP) — formerly Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP)
- Administered by
- Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Child and Family Services
- Income ceiling
- Family income up to 125% of Maine state median income at entry — a substantially higher ceiling than the federal 85% SMI cap.
- Family fee / copay
- Sliding scale of gross weekly income: $0 for families below 30% SMI; up to 7% for families under 85% SMI (the federal affordability cap, now codified by LD 1728 signed March 2026); up to 10% for families between 85% and 125% SMI. The federal 2024 Final Rule caps the family fee at 7% of family income.
- Waitlist status
- No typical waitlist — Maine does not maintain a statewide CCAP waitlist.
Priority groups (served first)
- Children with disabilities
- Families experiencing homelessness
- Families with foster children
State pre-K in Maine
- Program name
- Maine Public Preschool Program
- Administered by
- Maine Department of Education; delivered through local school districts
- Access
- Universal
- Eligibility
- All 4-year-olds (and some 3-year-olds in participating districts). No income test; voluntary.
- Coverage
- Approximately 64% of Maine 4-year-olds served in 2025-26. State law (2023) sets a statutory goal of 100% access by the 2026-27 school year.
State tax credits & extras in Maine
- State CDCC
- Refundable. 25% (or 50% with a Step 4 quality-rated provider) of the federal CDCC. Refundable up to $500. The credit doubles to 50% of the federal CDCC if the care provider participates in the Step 4 tier of Maine's quality rating system. Filed with Maine Revenue Services.
Other state programs and credits
- Maine Dependent Exemption Tax CreditRefundable since 2024. $305 per dependent age 6 or older; $610 per dependent under age 6 (2025 tax year; inflation-adjusted). Phases out by $20 per $500 of income over $100,000 (single), $125,000 (head of household), or $150,000 (married filing jointly).
Where to apply or get help in Maine
- Find a licensed daycare in MaineChildery directory — quality ratings, ZIP & city search
- Maine child care portalwww.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/support-for-families/child-care/paying-for-child-care
- Eligibility screenersom04.my.site.com/family
- Maine 211 (dial 2-1-1)211maine.org/
- Apply — Maine OCFS CCAP family portalsom04.my.site.com/family
- Maine Public Preschoolwww.maine.gov/doe/learning/earlychildhood/publicpreschool
- Maine Revenue Services — Child Care Creditwww.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/tax-relief-credits-programs/income-tax-credits/child-care-credit
- Maine Dependent Exemption Tax Creditwww.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/tax-relief-credits-programs/income-tax-credits/dependent-exemption-tax-credit
- Federal childcare.gov — Maine resourceswww.childcare.gov/state-resources/maine/financial-assistance-resources-for-families
Find a daycare in Maine
Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse Maine's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.
Browse Maine daycaresSources
- Maine OCFS — Paying for Child Care
- Governor Mills signs LD 1728 Child Care Affordability legislation (March 23, 2026) (2026)
- Maine Revenue Services — Child Care Credit
- Maine Revenue Services — Dependent Exemption Tax Credit
- Maine Public Preschool — DOE
- 36 MRS §5218 — Maine Child Care Credit statute
- Federal childcare.gov — Maine 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.