DC Child Care Subsidy Program

NOTICE: The DC Child Care Subsidy Program has a waitlist for new applicants. Families that apply for the program and are found eligible will be assigned a priority group. Effective Oct. 1, 2026, children eligible under Priority Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 may enroll in the program and receive subsidies. Children in Priority Groups 5 and 6 will be placed on the waitlist. Families currently enrolled in the DC Child Care Subsidy Program will continue to receive subsidies as long as they remain eligible and complete the redetermination process. Click here for more information on the waitlist.

The Child Care Subsidy Program helps DC families pay for the cost of child care. The program supports families with low and moderate incomes, or other special circumstances that create a need for child care assistance, to access high-quality education and care in the District.