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New Jersey child care assistance and free preschool: CCAP, Grow NJ Kids and PEA pre-K (2026)

New Jersey's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is run by the Department of Human Services' Division of Family Development and handled by a Child Care Resource and Referral agency in each county. Since March 1, 2026, a family of three can enter at up to $54,640 a year (200% of the federal poverty level), and copays run from nothing to 5% of income. Free full-day preschool is a separate school-district program in 294 districts and charters.

Written by Editorial team Checked against 4 agencies Last reviewed How we review

Figures apply to Income limits effective March 1, 2026 (2026-2027 schedule); 2026-27 school year

Contents11 sections

Key takeaways

  • New Jersey admits families to CCAP at up to 200% of the federal poverty level: $54,640 a year for a family of three from March 1, 2026, about 41% of the state median income ⁠1.
  • After a family is in, it keeps help at redetermination up to 250% of poverty ($68,300 for three). A one-time, one-year phase-out then runs up to 85% of state median income ($113,577 for three) ⁠1.
  • Copays are waived at or below 100% of poverty and top out at 5% of income for two or more children in full-time care. That is already under the 7% level the federal government stopped requiring in May 2026 ⁠4⁠13.
  • CCAP stopped taking new applications on August 1, 2025. It reopened to all eligible families in April 2026, and applications now go through MyNJHelps ⁠3⁠2⁠15.
  • Free full-day preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds is offered by 294 of the 567 districts and charters. It is separate from CCAP, and your district handles enrollment ⁠11⁠10.

Quick facts

Subsidy programChild Care Assistance Program (CCAP), DHS Division of Family Development ⁠2
Who handles your caseThe Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency in your county ⁠4⁠14
Entry limit, family of 3$54,640 a year (200% FPL), effective March 1, 2026 ⁠1
Activity requirementFull-time work (30+ hours a week), full-time school or training, or a mix of part-time work and school ⁠7
Copay0% at or below 100% FPL; 1% to 5% of gross income above that; no copay for a third child ⁠4
Free preschoolAges 3 and 4, by your district's kindergarten cutoff date, in participating districts only ⁠10⁠11
Decision timeWithin 30 days after the CCR&R has all required documents ⁠2

Programs at a glance

New Jersey childcare assistance programs
ProgramTypeHelp availableStatus
New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, through county Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies Voucher/subsidy The state pays the provider up to its maximum rate. The family pays a copay of 0% to 5% of gross income, plus any amount the provider charges above the state rate Open to all eligible applicants since April 2026 (applications were paused from August 1, 2025)
State Funded Kinship Child Care ServicesNJ Department of Human Services, through county CCR&R agencies Voucher/subsidy Child care help for relatives raising a family member's child. Income limit 350% of poverty for caregivers under 60 and 500% for caregivers over 60 Through local offices
Grow NJ KidsNJ Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development Free service (quality rating for providers) 3-, 4- and 5-star rated centers and family child care homes receive higher CCAP payment rates, so families face smaller overage charges Open (providers enroll voluntarily; required for state-funded preschool sites)
State-funded preschool (Preschool Education Aid)NJ Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Services, and participating school districts Free service Free full-day preschool (at least 6 hours a day, 180 days) for resident 3- and 4-year-olds, in district, Head Start or contracted child care classrooms of no more than 15 children Open in participating districts (294 districts and charters in 2025-26); enroll through the district

Income limits

CCAP entry (initial eligibility): 200% of the 2026 federal poverty guidelines (Tier C of the CC-229 schedule), effective March 1, 2026.⁠1

CCAP entry (initial eligibility) income limits by household size
Household12345678
Per year$31,920$43,280$54,640$66,000$77,360$88,720$100,080$111,440

Add $11,360 for each person above 8. Gross annual family income. Families already enrolled can stay up to 250% of poverty at redetermination.

New Jersey’s Department of Human Services (DHS) sets the rules for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) through its Division of Family Development (DFD). Families never deal with DFD directly. In each county, a Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency takes the application, checks income and work hours, issues the Parent/Applicant and Provider Agreement (PAPA) that lists your copay, and pays your provider ⁠4⁠14. The state’s administrative code still calls the low-income voucher program “New Jersey Cares for Kids” (NJCK), with At-Risk, CCDBG and Child Protective Services funding streams ⁠5. Public preschool is run separately by school districts with Preschool Education Aid from the Department of Education ⁠10.

CCAP’s 2025-26 freeze and April 2026 reopening

Because of a funding gap, CCAP stopped accepting new applications on August 1, 2025. Children already enrolled kept their care ⁠3. In December 2025 DHS let a limited number of families from priority groups register first: families with children experiencing homelessness, children with special needs, and households with very low incomes. Even within those groups, not every invited family was guaranteed a slot ⁠3. On April 9, 2026, DHS announced that CCAP was fully reopened to all eligible families. Openings came from families leaving the program, and the proposed FY 2027 budget added $18 million, with DHS expecting to serve up to 77,500 children ⁠2. Paper applications are no longer available, so you apply through MyNJHelps ⁠2⁠15.

Three income lines on New Jersey’s CC-229 schedule

DHS publishes one statewide schedule, form CC-229, effective March 1, 2026. Your county does not set its own limits ⁠1. Three columns matter for CCAP:

CCAP annual gross income limits, effective March 1, 2026
Family size Entry limit (200% FPL) At redetermination (250% FPL) Phase-out ceiling (85% SMI)
2 $43,280 $54,100 $88,516
3 $54,640 $68,300 $113,577
4 $66,000 $82,500 $139,244
5 $77,360 $96,700 $148,679
6 $88,720 $110,900 $158,114

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Source: CC-229 (03/26) ⁠1. The 85% SMI column (Tier E) is a one-time Graduated Phase-Out that a family can use for one year ⁠1.

The entry limit is far below the federal ceiling. Our calculation from DHS’s own 85% figure puts New Jersey’s full state median income at about $133,620 for a family of three, so $54,640 is roughly 41% of SMI. For a family of four, $66,000 is about 40% ⁠1. Inside the 200% line, the code ranks applicants in three tiers when funds are short: Tier A at or below 150% of poverty ($40,980 for three), Tier B from 151% to 175% ($47,810), and Tier C from 176% to 200% ⁠5⁠1. The code counts all gross income of the parent, spouse and children in the household ⁠6.

Work, school and training hours CCR&Rs check

CCAP pays only for care you need in order to work, go to school or train. Child Care Resources of Monmouth County lists the rules county agencies apply ⁠7:

  • Full-time work, meaning at least 30 hours a week, or
  • Full-time school: 12 credit hours in fall and spring, 9 in summer, or
  • Full-time job training of at least 20 hours a week (classroom, on-the-job or apprenticeship), or
  • Part-time work combined with part-time school or training.

In a two-parent household, the co-applicant must meet the same test ⁠7. Children qualify from birth to age 13, and up to 19 with special needs ⁠7. A child can be paid for at 13 only if the birthday falls during an eligibility period, unless the child has special needs ⁠8. Care of 30 or more hours a week is billed as full time and anything less as part time ⁠6. Once set, your copay stays the same for the eligibility period of up to 12 months unless your family size, income or full-time/part-time status changes ⁠6.

Some families get help outside the standard queue. The code also lists admission priority codes for former Work First New Jersey families, homeless families, teen parents and children under Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P) supervision ⁠5. Families experiencing homelessness can get a grace period of up to six months to establish eligibility while care is paid. Union County’s CCR&R describes this as McKinney-Vento care ⁠14. Relatives raising a family member’s child can apply for State Funded Kinship Child Care Services, which has much higher income limits: $95,620 for a household of three with a caregiver under 60 ⁠1⁠14.

What a CCAP copay costs at each income band

Copays resumed August 1, 2024 after a pandemic-era suspension. They are a flat percentage of gross family income, set by DFD ⁠4:

CCAP copay as a share of gross annual income (DFD schedule)
Family income One child, full time Two+ children, full time One child, part time Two+ children, part time One full time + one part time
At or below 100% FPL Waived Waived Waived Waived Waived
101% to 200% FPL 2% 3% 1% 1.5% 2.5%
201% FPL and up 3% 5% 1.5% 2.5% 4%

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Source: CC-237 ⁠4. Copays apply to the first and second child only. A third child adds nothing ⁠4.

For example, a family of three earning $40,000 with one child in full-time care owes 2%, or $800 a year (about $67 a month). At $60,000 the same family is above 200% of poverty and owes 3%, or $150 a month. With two children in full-time care that rises to 5%, or $250 a month (our calculations from the DFD percentages) ⁠4⁠1. A family of three at or below $27,320 pays no copay ⁠1⁠4.

The federal rule that capped copays at 7% of income was repealed on May 13, 2026 ⁠13. New Jersey’s top rate is already 5%. We found no DFD notice changing the 2024 percentages after the repeal, and county CCR&Rs still post the same scale alongside the March 2026 income chart ⁠15⁠4.

The copay is not your only cost. If your provider charges more than the state’s maximum rate, you pay the difference (the “overage”) on top of the copay ⁠4⁠8. For a preschooler in full-time care at a licensed center, the state’s maximum is $1,262.50 a month. If the center lists $1,300, you owe the $37.50 gap plus your copay ⁠8. If you stop paying copays, your CCR&R can end benefits. You can ask for an administrative review with the CCR&R and then a fair hearing through DFD ⁠12.

Grow NJ Kids stars and the rate your provider gets

Grow NJ Kids is DFD’s quality rating and improvement system for infant, toddler and preschool care. Programs rated 3, 4 or 5 stars receive higher CCAP payment rates. Centers have had these tiered rates for years, and family child care homes were added on March 1, 2022 ⁠9. A higher state rate leaves less overage for you to pay:

Maximum monthly CCAP rates, full-time care at licensed centers (effective March 1, 2025)
Age group Licensed, unrated 3-star 4-star 5-star
Infant (birth to 17 months) $1,587.69 $1,694.41 $1,741.84 $1,803.10
Toddler (18 to 29 months) $1,414.00 $1,459.06 $1,496.81 $1,545.67
Preschool (30 months to 5 years) $1,262.50 $1,321.84 $1,354.02 $1,395.74

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Source: CC-230 (02/25) ⁠8. Registered family child care homes have their own tiers, from $1,067.23 (unrated) to $1,383.52 (5-star) for a full-time preschooler. School-age care has no star tiers ⁠8.

Every district, Head Start and child care site in state-funded preschool must enroll in Grow NJ Kids and complete its self-assessment in the first year, then go through rating the next year ⁠10.

Free preschool through your school district

New Jersey’s state preschool is not part of CCAP and has no income test. A district that receives Preschool Education Aid must offer free full-day preschool to resident 3- and 4-year-olds. The day is at least six hours, the year at least 180 days, classes hold no more than 15 children, and the lead teacher must be certified ⁠10. No statewide birthday cutoff exists. Age eligibility follows the date your district uses for kindergarten entry ⁠10. Districts may not charge tuition to eligible residents, even under the new cost-sharing pilot ⁠10.

The catch is coverage. In 2025-26, 294 of New Jersey’s 567 districts and charter schools took part. They funded 79,763 general-education seats: 61% in district classrooms, 7% in Head Start and 32% in contracted child care centers ⁠11. The 2025 Universal Preschool and Kindergarten Act requires districts to give at-risk children priority. Where seats run short, districts can use a lottery ⁠11⁠10. Some districts pair preschool with CCAP-funded wraparound care. In Elizabeth and Plainfield, for example, families who meet CCAP rules can get before- and after-school care plus full-time summer care ⁠14.

Applying through MyNJHelps and your county CCR&R

  1. Check your numbers

    Compare your gross annual income to the 200% column above. Then confirm that each parent meets the 30-hour work rule or the school or training rule ⁠1⁠7.

  2. Apply on MyNJHelps

    Create an account, or sign in with an existing SNAP or Work First New Jersey login, and choose CCAP. The application goes to the CCR&R for your county ⁠15.

  3. Send documents to the CCR&R, not the portal

    CCAP-only applicants cannot upload documents in MyNJHelps ⁠15. Monmouth’s CCR&R asks for one month of pay stubs or a school or training registration, proof of other income such as six months of child support records, each child’s birth certificate and Social Security card, and proof of SNAP or housing aid if you receive it. Self-employed applicants also need a Schedule C and a tax transcript ⁠7.

  4. Wait for the decision

    The CCR&R decides within 30 days after it has every required document ⁠2.

  5. Review your PAPA and choose a provider

    The agreement lists your copay. Ask the provider whether its rate is above the state maximum, and check its Grow NJ Kids rating ⁠4⁠8.

  6. Report changes and pay the copay directly to the provider

    Report changes in income, family size or schedule to the CCR&R. Report the end of care within 10 calendar days ⁠12.

  7. Appeal or reapply

    If you disagree with a denial, termination or copay, ask the CCR&R for an administrative review, then a DFD fair hearing ⁠12.

  8. Enroll in preschool separately

    Contact your school district about its preschool registration and kindergarten-entry cutoff date ⁠10.

Read more on child care assistance in other states or other help in New Jersey.

Verified resources

Where to apply

Sources

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