Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in North Dakota

North Dakota's CCAP entry threshold dropped to 75% SMI on July 1, 2025 (~$8,100/mo family of 4) and a waitlist began December 1, 2025. North Dakota has no state Child & Dependent Care Credit. Best in Class pre-K is income-targeted, ranked 40th nationally for access.

Data current as of May 21, 2026

Child care subsidy (CCDF) in North Dakota

Program name: North Dakota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
Administered by: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (ND HHS), Early Childhood Services / Economic Assistance
Income ceiling: Initial eligibility at or below 75% State Median Income (reduced from 85% SMI under the prior ARPA-era expansion, effective July 1, 2025). Families currently enrolled with income between 76–85% SMI keep one additional 18-month eligibility period at their next redetermination, then phase out.
Family fee / copay: Sliding-scale family fee by family size and income. Copay waived for families at or below 30% SMI and for CCAP Workforce Benefit (WPCCR) families. Families may owe an additional balance if provider rates exceed CCAP maximums.
Waitlist status: Recently re-opened — A formal CCAP waitlist began December 1, 2025: new applicants may be placed on the waitlist before benefits begin. Existing enrolled families who maintain continuous benefits are not waitlisted, but re-applicants are. Priority for households at or below 30% SMI and households experiencing homelessness.
Apply: www.hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/ccap

Income limits by family size

Family size	Income ceiling (75% SMI, annual)
2	$66,252
3	$81,840
4	$97,428
5	$113,016
6	$128,604

Income ceiling (75% SMI, annual): Maximum gross household income for new CCAP applicants.

75% SMI monthly income limits effective October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026, published by ND HHS. Annualized for display. Effective October 1, 2025; check the state portal for the latest figures.

Priority groups (served first)

Households at or below 30% State Median Income
Households experiencing homelessness

State pre-K in North Dakota

Program name: Best in Class
Administered by: North Dakota HHS Early Childhood Services; delivered through participating local programs
Access: Income-targeted
Eligibility: Children age 4 by August 1. At least 50% of seats must serve children qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, families ≤185% FPL / 60% SMI, or children with an identified developmental delay or disability.
Coverage: Approximately 1,239 children across 94 classrooms in 64 programs in 2024-25 — a 260% increase from 371 children at the 2021-22 launch. NIEER 2024 Yearbook ranks North Dakota 40th nationally for 4-year-old access; no 3-year-olds served. HB 1012 (2025) appropriated $21.9M in one-time early-childhood funding including $4M for Best in Class expansion.
Apply: www.hhs.nd.gov/cfs/early-childhood-services/best-in-class

State tax credits & extras in North Dakota

State CDCC: North Dakota does not offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. North Dakota does not offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. (Schedule ND-1FC, the Family Member Care Credit, applies to care expenses for elderly or disabled adult family members — not for child care.) The federal CDCC remains available on federal returns.

Other state programs and credits

Working Parents Child Care Relief (WPCCR / CCAP Workforce Benefit)
Pilot cost-share program where employer, state, and parent split licensed child care costs. State matches employer benefit at $150 or $300 per month. Eligibility: child birth–60 months, ND-licensed care, parent works in ND, household income up to 150% SMI. Pilot runs until funding is exhausted or September 2026, whichever comes first. Cannot be combined with CCAP for the same child.

Where to apply or get help in North Dakota

Find a daycare in North Dakota

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

Browse North Dakota daycares

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.