Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Ohio
Ohio's Publicly Funded Child Care entry threshold is 145% FPL — among the lowest in the U.S. — and exits at 300% FPL. A new Child Care Choice program funds 146–200% FPL families at $100M/year. State CDCC is tiered (100% federal under $20K, 25% under $40K), non-refundable.
Data current as of May 21, 2026
Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Ohio
- Program name
- Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) — plus Child Care Choice bridge program
- Administered by
- Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY); local intake via County Departments of Job and Family Services (CDJFS)
- Income ceiling
- PFCC initial enrollment up to 145% of the federal poverty level — one of the three lowest entry thresholds in the country. Exit threshold up to 300% FPL at redetermination. The new Child Care Choice program (HB 96 budget, $100M/year FY26–27) bridges families between 146% and 200% FPL.
- Family fee / copay
- Sliding-scale weekly copay based on family size and income. A minimum copay applies at all tiers.
- Waitlist status
- No typical waitlist — No formal waitlist — but the low 145% FPL entry threshold excludes many working families outright rather than queuing them. Families denied PFCC for being over-income are auto-screened into Child Care Choice.
Income limits by family size
| Family size | PFCC initial eligibility (145% FPL, annual) |
|---|---|
| 2 | $30,672 |
| 3 | $38,652 |
| 4 | $46,620 |
- PFCC initial eligibility (145% FPL, annual): Maximum gross household income to enroll new in PFCC.
145% FPL monthly income limits effective September 2025, annualized for display. Effective September 1, 2025; check the state portal for the latest figures.
State pre-K in Ohio
- Program name
- Ohio Early Childhood Education (ECE) grant program
- Administered by
- Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) with Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
- Access
- Income-targeted
- Eligibility
- 4-year-olds (some 3-year-olds) in families up to 200% of the federal poverty level.
- Coverage
- Approximately 15% of Ohio 4-year-olds and 6% of 3-year-olds enrolled in state-funded preschool (NIEER 2024 Yearbook, covering the 2023-24 school year).
State tax credits & extras in Ohio
- State CDCC
- Non-refundable. Tiered: 100% of federal CDCC for MAGI under $20,000; 25% for MAGI $20,000–$40,000; not available above $40,000 MAGI of the federal CDCC. Non-refundable. Filed on the Ohio Schedule of Credits per ORC 5747.054. Governor DeWine's proposed $1,000-per-child-under-7 refundable state Child Tax Credit was eliminated during HB 96 budget negotiations.
Other state programs and credits
- Child Care Choice ProgramBridge subsidy for families between 146% and 200% FPL — funded at $100 million per year (FY26 and FY27) in HB 96, sustained beyond the ARPA cliff. CDJFS auto-screens families denied PFCC for being over-income.
Where to apply or get help in Ohio
- Find a licensed daycare in OhioChildery directory — quality ratings, ZIP & city search
- Ohio child care portaljfs.ohio.gov/family-and-adult-assistance/child-care
- Eligibility screenerbenefits.ohio.gov/
- Combined benefits applicationbenefits.ohio.gov/
- Ohio 211 (dial 2-1-1)www.211.org/
- Ohio Department of Children and Youthchildrenandyouth.ohio.gov/
- Apply for PFCC — Ohio JFSjfs.ohio.gov/family-and-adult-assistance/child-care
- Federal childcare.gov — Ohio resourceschildcare.gov/state-resources/ohio
Find a daycare in Ohio
Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse Ohio's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.
Browse Ohio daycaresSources
- Ohio DCY PL_21 child care rules (revised September 2025) (2025)
- HB 96 — Ohio 2026-2027 biennial budget summary (Action for Children) (2025)
- Policy Matters Ohio — PFCC analysis
- ORC 5747.054 — Ohio Child and Dependent Care Credit
- Groundwork Ohio — Budget summary for Ohio's youngest children
- Federal childcare.gov — Ohio 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.