Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in North Carolina

North Carolina's Subsidized Child Care Assistance covers families up to 200% FPL for kids 0–5 (133% FPL for ages 6–12), but the waitlist hit 15,512 children in December 2025. No state Child & Dependent Care Credit (repealed 2013). NC Pre-K is income-targeted at 75% SMI.

Data current as of June 17, 2026

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Child care subsidy (CCDF) in North Carolina

Program name: Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program (NC Child Care Subsidy)
Administered by: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), within NCDHHS; administered locally by county Departments of Social Services (DSS)
Income ceiling: Initial eligibility: family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level for children birth through age 5 (and children with special needs); 133% FPL for school-age children (6–12). Continuing eligibility cuts off when income exceeds 85% State Median Income at recertification.
Family fee / copay: Sliding-scale copay up to 10% of gross monthly income, paid directly to the provider. Parents also cover any gap between the subsidy reimbursement and the provider's posted tuition.
Waitlist status: Multi-year waitlist — Statewide waitlist grew roughly 7× from 2,164 children (July 2024) to 15,512 children (December 2025). Advocates estimate ~30,000 income-eligible 0–5 children need slots; only about 17% of eligible children are currently served. County-administered, so length varies.
Apply: www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/childrens-services/child-care-subsidy-help-paying-child-care

Income limits by family size

Family size	Ages 0–5 or special needs (annual)	Ages 6–12 (annual)
1	$31,296	$20,820
2	$42,300	$28,128
3	$53,304	$35,448
4	$64,296	$42,756
5	$75,300	$50,076
6	$86,304	$57,384
7	$97,296	$64,704
8	$108,300	$72,024

Ages 0–5 or special needs (annual): 200% of the 2025 federal poverty guidelines. Initial eligibility ceiling for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Ages 6–12 (annual): 133% of the 2025 federal poverty guidelines. Initial eligibility ceiling for school-age children.

DCDEE initial maximum income eligibility limits effective July 1, 2025 (FY 2025–2026), based on 200% and 133% of the 2025 HHS federal poverty guidelines. Source figures are published monthly by county Departments of Social Services applying the statewide DCDEE schedule; converted to annual here (× 12). Two tiers apply based on child age: 200% FPL for children birth through age 5 (and children with special needs); 133% FPL for school-age children ages 6–12. Continuing eligibility at redetermination extends to 85% of State Median Income, which is higher than these initial thresholds and is not reflected in this table. Effective July 1, 2025; check the state portal for the latest figures.

Priority groups (served first)

Children in Child Protective Services or DSS custody
Children with special needs (counties must set aside funds)
Families receiving Work First (NC's TANF) cash assistance who are working or in training
Working families at or below 200% FPL

State pre-K in North Carolina

Program name: NC Pre-K
Administered by: NC Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE)
Access: Income-targeted
Eligibility: Children must be 4 years old by August 31. Family income at or below 75% State Median Income. Up to 20% of seats may serve higher-income children with another risk factor (developmental delay/disability, chronic health condition, limited English proficiency, military).
Coverage: About 22% of North Carolina 4-year-olds enrolled in 2023–24 (27,304 children), down from 24% the year before — NC ranks 28th nationally for 4-year-old preschool access (NIEER 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook). NC Pre-K meets 9 of 10 NIEER quality benchmarks.
Apply: ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/PreKindergarten

State tax credits & extras in North Carolina

State CDCC: North Carolina does not offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. North Carolina repealed its state Child and Dependent Care Credit in the 2013 tax reform; reinstatement bills have not passed. The federal CDCC (claimed on IRS Form 2441) is the only income-tax-based child care credit NC families can use. NC does offer a non-refundable child deduction — see below.

Other state programs and credits

North Carolina Child Deduction (income deduction, not a credit)
Reduces NC taxable income by up to $3,000 per qualifying child at federal AGI ≤ $40,000 (married filing jointly), phasing to $0 above $140,000 AGI. Lower per-child amounts apply to single and head-of-household filers. Filed with the NC Department of Revenue.

Where to apply or get help in North Carolina

Find a daycare in North Carolina

Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse North Carolina's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.

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Sources

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.