Check if you qualify in New Jersey
Enter your household size and monthly income to see if you qualify for child care subsidy in New Jersey. Results are instant, nothing is stored.
For a household of 3, the limit to apply in New Jersey is $4,553 a month (200% of the poverty level) and the limit to stay enrolled is $5,692 (250% of the poverty level).
This is an estimate based on gross monthly income and household size. It does not include copayments, waitlists, or other rules, and your state agency makes the final decision.
NJ Child Care Assistance Program
According to the New Jersey Department of Human Services, the Child Care Assistance Program stopped accepting new applications on August 1, 2025, due to limited funding. The department fully reopened the program to eligible families on April 9, 2026.1
New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps income-eligible parents who are working, in school or in job training to pay a portion of their child care.
Through subsidy, CCAP will assist parents pay for child care for infants, toddlers, preschool-age children, school-age children up to age 13, and for children with special needs up to age 19, including children in homeless families.
Who is eligible for child care subsidy in New Jersey?
A family is considered “income eligible ” when their gross monthly income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level at the time of initial application.
After your initial approval the income limit increases to 250% of the federal poverty level. Once your income exceeds 250%, you will be removed from the program.
| Household Size | 200% FPLInitial Eligibility | 250% FPLRedetermination |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $3,607 | $4,508 |
| 3 | $4,553 | $5,692 |
| 4 | $5,500 | $6,875 |
| 5 | $6,447 | $8,058 |
| 6 | $7,393 | $9,242 |
| 7 | $8,340 | $10,425 |
| 8 | $9,287 | $11,608 |
In addition to meeting the strict income requirement, you are required to be employed full time for a minimum of 30 hours per week or be enrolled in a school/training program for a minimum of 20 hours per week.
How much is the copay for child care assistance in New Jersey?
Federal law requires families to share in the cost of child care on a sliding fee scale, so New Jersey sets your copay as a percentage of your income. The copay is waived if your income is at or below 100% of the poverty level or your child is in protective services.2 Otherwise, the copay is:
| Family income | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 100% | Waived | Waived |
| ≤ 200% | 4% / 6% | 2% / 3% |
| > 200% | 5% / 7% | 2.5% / 3.5% |
For a family with one child in full-time care and one in part-time care, the copay is 5% of income at up to 200% of the poverty level and 6% above that. If your provider charges more than the CCAP provider payment rate, you pay the copay plus the difference.
How do I apply for child care assistance in New Jersey?
To get started, review the eligibility requirements at ChildCareNJ.gov , then submit your application through MyNJHelps . Once all required documents are submitted, your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency has 30 days to make an eligibility decision.1
To learn more about NJ CCAP, or for help in finding quality child care, call
New Jersey Department of Human Services
NJ Child Care Helpline
(800) 332-9227
Sources & notes
Data and figures on this page come from the sources and notes below:
Footnotes
-
New Jersey Department of Human Services, Human Services Fully Reopens Child Care Assistance Program . ↩ ↩2
-
New Jersey Department of Human Services, Child Care Assistance Program: Copayments , October 2, 2025. ↩
About this information
SingleMotherGuide.com is an independent website and is not affiliated with any government agency. Program amounts and income limits are compiled from official federal and state sources, which are cited on the page, and are reviewed periodically and updated as those sources change.
The information is provided for general guidance and is not legal or financial advice. The administering agency makes the final determination of eligibility and benefit amounts. To report an error, please contact us.
Data freshness
Figures on this page are compiled from the public sources cited above and may change; refer to the cited sources for the most current information.
- Last updated
- Updated by
- Ada Hu