Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Washington

Washington WCCC covers families up to 60% SMI with flat-dollar copays ($0 below 20% SMI; max $215/mo today). FSKA expansion to 75% SMI delayed to FY2030. No state CDCC (no income tax). Refundable Working Families Tax Credit pays up to $1,330 for families with 3+ kids.

Data current as of May 28, 2026

See what you'd actually pay

Enter your income and household size to get an instant estimate of your copay, tax credits, and total savings in Washington.

Try the calculator →

Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Washington

Program name: Working Connections Child Care (WCCC)
Administered by: Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
Income ceiling: Initial eligibility up to 60% State Median Income; reapplication threshold today is 65% SMI (~$90,552/year for a family of four). The Fair Start for Kids Act's planned expansion to 75% SMI (originally July 2025) was delayed by the 2025 Legislature and codified in SHB 2689 (Ch. 264, 2026 Laws) — the new target is FY 2030 for 75% SMI and FY 2032 for 85% SMI (statutory continuing-eligibility ceiling).
Family fee / copay: Per DCYF's October 2024 copay table, current copays are flat-dollar tiers by SMI band, not a 7%-of-income formula: $0 (0–20% SMI), $65 (20–36%), $90 (36–50%), $165 (50–60%), and $215 (60–65% SMI, reapplications only). Federal CCDBG 7%-of-income affordability benchmark applies as a ceiling. The federal 2024 Final Rule caps the family fee at 7% of family income.
Waitlist status: No typical waitlist — Washington does not maintain a WCCC waitlist. Provider supply — especially for infants/toddlers and outside the Puget Sound region — is the binding constraint on access.
Apply: www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/earlylearning-childcare/getting-help/wccc

Income limits by family size

Family size	Initial eligibility ceiling (annual, 60% SMI)	Reapplication ceiling (annual, 65% SMI)
1	$43,464	$47,076
2	$56,832	$61,572
3	$70,212	$76,056
4	$83,580	$90,552
5	$96,960	$105,036
6	$110,328	$119,520
7	$112,836	$122,244
8	$115,344	$124,956

Initial eligibility ceiling (annual, 60% SMI): Upper bound of the 50%–60% SMI band from the DCYF WCCC table effective October 1, 2025, annualized (×12). Maximum income for new applicants. Families already enrolled at reapplication may qualify up to 65% SMI.
Reapplication ceiling (annual, 65% SMI): Upper bound of the 60%–65% SMI band from the DCYF WCCC table effective October 1, 2025, annualized (×12). Maximum income at reapplication for families already receiving WCCC.

Washington DCYF Working Connections Child Care — income eligibility and copayment table embedded on the WCCC program page (dcyf.wa.gov), effective October 1, 2025. The table shows monthly countable income bands by family size at 20%, 36%, 50%, 60%, 65%, 75%, and 85% State Median Income (SMI). Column 1 (60% SMI initial ceiling) is the upper bound of the 50%–60% SMI band — the maximum monthly income for new applicants — annualized (×12). Column 2 (65% SMI reapplication ceiling) is the upper bound of the 60%–65% SMI band — the maximum monthly income at reapplication — annualized (×12). Cross-check: F1–F8 ceiling ratios vs. F4 match LIHEAP household-size adjustment ratios exactly (52/68/84/100/116/132/135/138%), confirming these are the official DCYF Washington SMI schedule. The 75% SMI milestone is planned for FY 2030 and the 85% SMI ceiling for FY 2032 per SHB 2689 (2026) — those columns are in the table but not yet operative. No family-of-1 published separately but family size 1 appears in the DCYF table. Effective October 1, 2025; check the state portal for the latest figures.

State pre-K in Washington

Program name: Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
Administered by: Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF); delivered through local ECEAP contractors
Access: Income-targeted
Eligibility: 3- and 4-year-olds. Historically family income at or below 36% State Median Income (~110% FPL); the FSKA expansion to 50% SMI and the entitlement deadline (previously 2026-27) were delayed to the 2030-31 school year in the 2025-27 budget. Categorical eligibility regardless of income for children with IEPs, in foster care, or experiencing homelessness.
Coverage: NIEER ranks ECEAP high (meets 9–10 of 10 quality benchmarks). The Ballmer Group has committed up to $170 million per year over 10 years to fund up to 10,000 new school-day ECEAP seats; SB 5872 / HB 2159 establish the state account beginning July 2026.
Apply: www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/earlylearning-childcare/eceap

State tax credits & extras in Washington

State CDCC: Washington does not offer a state Child and Dependent Care Credit. Washington has no state personal income tax. The federal CDCC (claimed on IRS Form 2441) is the only income-tax-based child care credit Washington families can use.

Other state programs and credits

Washington Working Families Tax Credit — refundable, up to $1,330
Refundable sales-tax-rebate credit (despite the name). Tax year 2025 maximums: $335 (no kids), $660 (1 child), $995 (2 children), $1,330 (3 or more children). ITIN filers eligible — broader than the federal EITC. Tax year 2025 application window opened February 1, 2026.

Where to apply or get help in Washington

Find a daycare in Washington

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

Browse Washington 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.