Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Oregon

Oregon ERDC covers families up to 200% FPL at entry, 250% FPL/85% SMI at exit, but a multi-year waitlist is now projected at 18+ months. Refundable Oregon Kids' Credit pays up to $1,050 per child under 6. Refundable WFHDC caps expenses at $12K/$24K.

Data current as of May 28, 2026

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Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Oregon

Program name: Employment Related Day Care (ERDC)
Administered by: Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC)
Income ceiling: Initial application up to 200% of the federal poverty level (raised from 185% FPL). Ongoing/exit eligibility extends to 250% FPL or 85% State Median Income, whichever is higher.
Family fee / copay: Sliding scale capped at 7% of family monthly income per federal CCDF guidance. As of August 2023, the average ERDC family copay was about $10 per month (DELC). State copay cap: 7% of family income.
Waitlist status: Multi-year waitlist — Active waitlist projected at 18+ months depending on legislative investment. ERDC serves only a small share of eligible Oregon families. Waitlist exemptions: TANF or TA-DVS recipients (current or within 3 months), Child Welfare Division referrals, reapplicants within 2 months of prior benefits ending, ERDC contracted slots (Baby Promise / certain Head Start). Current recipients and renewals are unaffected.
Apply: one.oregon.gov/

Income limits by family size

Family size	Initial entry ceiling (annual, 200% FPL)	Ongoing/exit ceiling (annual, 85% SMI)
2	$43,284	$71,112
3	$54,648	$87,852
4	$66,000	$104,580
5	$77,364	$121,308
6	$88,728	$138,048
7	$100,080	$141,180
8	$111,444	$144,312

Initial entry ceiling (annual, 200% FPL): 200% of the 2026 HHS federal poverty guidelines per Oregon DELC 'Initial Limits' table effective March 1, 2026. Maximum income for new ERDC applicants. An active waitlist applies to most new applicants — meeting the income ceiling does not guarantee immediate enrollment.
Ongoing/exit ceiling (annual, 85% SMI): The higher of 250% FPL or 85% Oregon State Median Income per Oregon DELC 'Ongoing & Exit Limits' table effective March 1, 2026. Maximum income to keep existing ERDC benefits. For all sizes shown, 85% OR SMI is the binding ceiling.

Oregon DELC ERDC Income Limit Charts SharePoint list (updated 2026-02-24, effective March 1, 2026). The list uses the 2026 HHS federal poverty guidelines — confirmed: initial F4 = $5,500/month × 12 = $66,000/year = exactly 200% of the 2026 FPL F4 ($33,000). Column 1 (initial entry ceiling, 200% FPL) is the 'Initial Limits' view; column 2 (ongoing/exit ceiling) is the 'Ongoing & Exit Limits' view — the higher of 250% FPL or 85% State Median Income per OAR 461-160-0015. For all family sizes shown, 85% Oregon SMI exceeds 250% FPL and is therefore the binding ongoing ceiling. Monthly values from the SharePoint list; all values annualized (×12). 'Family size 8 or more' is recorded here as family size 8. No family-of-1 row is published. Effective March 1, 2026; check the state portal for the latest figures.

Priority groups (served first)

TANF or TA-DVS recipients (current or within 3 months)
Child Welfare Division referrals
Reapplicants within 2 months of prior benefits ending
ERDC contracted slot programs (Baby Promise, certain Head Start)

State pre-K in Oregon

Program name: Preschool Promise (plus Oregon Prenatal-to-Kindergarten and county Preschool For All programs)
Administered by: Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC)
Access: Income-targeted
Eligibility: Preschool Promise: ages 3–4 by September 1; family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (over-income allowed if housing costs exceed 30% of gross annual income). Free, mixed-delivery (centers, home-based, schools).
Coverage: Multnomah County Preschool For All (no income test, ages 3–4 by Sept 1, Multnomah County address required) is on track for universal access by 2030. The 2026-27 school year offers more than 7,400 PFA seats — nearly double 2024-25 — with average family savings of about $18,600 per child.
Apply: www.oregon.gov/delc/programs/pages/preschool-promise.aspx

State tax credits & extras in Oregon

State CDCC: Refundable. Independent dollar formula (Working Family Household and Dependent Care Credit — WFHDC) of the federal CDCC. Oregon's WFHDC is refundable. Qualifying expenses capped at $12,000 for one dependent or $24,000 for two or more — more generous than the federal CDCC. Available to filers with AGI at or below 300% of the federal poverty level (using federal AGI or Oregon AGI, whichever is greater).

Other state programs and credits

Oregon Kids' Credit — refundable, up to $1,050 per child under 6
Refundable state Child Tax Credit. Tax year 2025: up to $1,050 per qualifying child, ages 0–5 at the end of the tax year, up to 5 dependent children. Full credit for modified AGI at or below $26,550; phases out to $0 at $31,550.

Where to apply or get help in Oregon

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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.