Child Care Licensing Fees Suspended Through June 2023

Olympia – Beginning July 1, 2021, child care providers will not be required to pay licensing fees. Gov. Jay Inslee signed SB 5151, suspending fees for child care applicants and licensed child care providers through June 30, 2023.

“This will remove a financial burden for child care providers and will help alleviate the child care shortage in many areas,” said DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter.

DCYF plans to refund any provider who has already paid their fees that were due after July 1, 2021.

Fees range from $30 annually for family home providers to hundreds for centers and school-age locations.

In addition to offsetting financial burdens resulting from the pandemic, the passage of SB 5151  contained other positive impacts for the child care community, including authorizing DCYF to license outdoor, nature-based child care programs.

“We know our providers have worked tirelessly during uncertain times, and we are thankful we can do something for them while incentivizing prospective new providers to open their doors to families in need of quality child care,” Hunter said.

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