NYC Child Care Vouchers 2026–27: How the Waitlist Works and Who Gets Invited First
Child care in New York City can cost as much as rent. The City's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), run by the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), gives eligible families vouchers that pay for care while parents work, study, or look for a job. For more than a year, most new applicants have been placed on a waitlist. In October 2026, the City announced it would begin moving more than 10,000 children off that list.
This guide explains who qualifies, how the waitlist and invitation letters work, the deadline you can't miss, and the groups that can get care without waiting.
Last checked October 2026. ACS is inviting families on a rolling basis, so check nyc.gov/acs for the latest.
What a Child Care Voucher Covers
According to ACS and ACCESS NYC:
Vouchers help pay for care for children 6 weeks to 13 years old, and up to age 19 for children with disabilities.
You can use a voucher at licensed or regulated home-based and center-based providers, and with approved informal providers like relatives, neighbors, or friends.
Parents don't need to be U.S. citizens. Children must be U.S. citizens or have legal immigration status.
Vouchers are available while funding lasts.
Fees: ACCESS NYC says most families pay a small income-based fee, and families on cash assistance, families experiencing homelessness, and foster parents pay nothing. In its October 5, 2026 announcement, the Mayor's Office said a $5.2 million investment eliminated all out-of-pocket fees for families receiving vouchers. Ask ACS what your authorization shows.
Who Qualifies
ACS says your family may qualify if your income is below 85% of the State Median Income and you have an approved reason for care. At least one of these must apply:
You work 10 or more hours a week
You're in an educational or vocational training program
You've been looking for work
You live in temporary housing (priority access)
You're attending services for domestic violence
You're receiving treatment for substance use
Monthly income limits listed on ACCESS NYC:
2 people: $6,601.24
3 people: $8,155.48
4 people: $9,707.70
5 people: $11,260.94
6 people: $12,814.18
ACCESS NYC also says families who work 10 or more hours a week must earn at least minimum wage.
The Waitlist: What's Happening Now
ACS says that because of insufficient funding, it has not been able to offer vouchers to families who are not on cash assistance. If you apply and you're eligible, your children are placed on a waitlist.
On October 5, 2026, the Mayor's Office and ACS announced that, backed by state funding, the City would deliver free child care to more than 10,000 children by moving them off the voucher waitlist. Families will be invited on a rolling basis over the next several months.
Who is invited first. ACS says federal rules require it to serve these families first, in the order they joined the waitlist:
Families with income below 300% of the State Income Standard (SIS)
Families experiencing homelessness
Families with a child with special needs
ACS's 300% SIS limits are $5,410 a month for 2 people, $6,830 for 3, $8,250 for 4, and $9,670 for 5. The 4-person limit works out to $99,000 a year.
If You Get an Invitation Letter: The 60-Day Deadline
This step matters most. If ACS sends you a letter inviting you off the waitlist:
Submit a recertification application within 60 days of receiving the letter. Do this even if you recertified recently.
The fastest way is MyCity (mycity.nyc.gov). Choose "Recertify for Child Care." You can also mail it.
If you're eligible and meet a priority criterion, ACS gives you a voucher to use with a qualified provider you choose.
If you miss the 60 days, ACS says your children are removed from the waitlist. You'd have to file a new application and go to the back of the line. You cannot get your former place back.
If you haven't gotten a letter, ACS says it hasn't reached your child yet, so you shouldn't send an application until you're invited. ACS also says it can't tell you your exact position. If you send a brand-new application outside the recertification process, it's treated as new and goes to the end of the list.
Families Who Can Get Care Without the General Waitlist
Some families have a separate path.
Cash Assistance: If you receive Cash Assistance and you're working or in work-related activities, including school, contact your HRA Benefits Access Center to apply for child care.
Transitional Child Care: If you recently left Cash Assistance because your income went up, you may qualify for up to one year of Transitional Child Care. Email CFWB.TCC@acs.nyc.gov.
Families in shelter or temporary housing: You may be eligible for free child care assistance. This includes families who are doubled up because they lost their housing. Apply as usual, choose "Homelessness" as your reason for care in Section 3, and include the housing questionnaire.
Foster families and families receiving child welfare services: Your caseworker or case planner submits a referral to ACS's Division of Child and Family Well-Being.
How to Apply
Online: Apply through MyCity at mycity.nyc.gov.
By mail: Download the forms from ACS's Forms for Families page and mail them to NYC Children – EDU, PO Box 40, Maplewood, NJ 07040.
Don't do both. ACS says sending a paper application after applying on MyCity slows down processing.
Finding a provider: The City's child care map at nyc.gov/childcare now lets you filter for programs that accept vouchers. The Mayor's Office says this is the first time families can search this way.
If You Already Have a Voucher
ACS says your assistance continues through your eligibility period. To keep it, submit your annual recertification by the deadline in your packet. ACS says families who are homeless, have a child with special needs, or have income below 300% SIS can keep their assistance if they recertify on time and remain eligible. Other families can still recertify, but if they're eligible, their children may be placed on the waitlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the NYC child care voucher waitlist?
ACS doesn't give individual wait times. A state Assembly member quoted in the City's October 2026 release said nearly 29,000 low-income children had been waiting for more than a year. ACS says it will invite families on a rolling basis over the next several months, depending on funding.
Can I use a voucher to pay my mother or a neighbor?
Yes, if they're an approved informal provider. ACS and ACCESS NYC say vouchers can pay approved relatives, neighbors, or friends.
I'm undocumented. Can my child get a voucher?
Parents don't need to be citizens. Children must be U.S. citizens or have legal immigration status.
What if I lose my job while I have a voucher?
Looking for work is an approved reason for care. Contact ACS right away to report the change and ask how it affects your case.
Is 2-K or 3-K the same as a voucher?
No. 2-K and 3-K are the City's free early childhood programs for children of those ages. Vouchers are a separate, income-based program that covers a wider age range.
This guide is general information, not legal advice.
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