** Archive **
CCMPL 127 (Reduced License Fees for Center and Family Child Care Applications)
Child Care Manual Procedure Letter No. 127
June 27, 2019
TO: All Child Care Manual Holders
FROM: Kimberly Hall, Director
SUBJECT: Reduced License Fees for Center and Family Child Care Applications

Background:

Currently, child care center applicants must pay a $500 license fee and family child care applicants must pay $250 upon submitting an application for licensure. Additionally, Section 5104.31 (C) of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) requires that beginning July 1, 2020, publicly funded child care (PFCC) services may only be provided by programs that are rated at least a 1-star in Step Up To Quality (SUTQ). Section 5104.29 (G) ORC requires that by June 30, 2025, all centers and Type A Homes must be rated at least a 3-star or higher in SUTQ in order to provide PFCC. In an effort to recruit new child care providers, the license application fee will be reduced.

License Application Fee Update:

ODJFS is reducing license fees for child care centers and family child care programs with initial applications submitted between July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020. Current SUTQ-rated programs that are changing owners or program types are also eligible to request the reduced license fee.

The current child care center license fee will be reduced from $500 to $50 and the family child care license fee will be reduced from $250 to $25 if the following requirements are met:

1.The reduced license fee is requested in OCLQS before the initial license application is submitted.

2.The initial license application and SUTQ registration is complete and submitted in the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS) between July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020.

The reduced fee does not apply to license amendment requests to change the location of a program. The program will not be issued a provisional license unless the SUTQ rating can be awarded. If the program is not able to be licensed and rated within twelve months, the application will be deleted, and the fee forfeited.

Rule 5101:2-17-02 of the Ohio Administrative Code requires that a program have children enrolled and attending the program at the time of the SUTQ onsite verification visit. This requirement will be waived for programs applying for SUTQ with the reduced licensing application fee.

County agencies may have funding available to assist applicants with the application fee.

This change will be re-evaluated at the end of state fiscal year 2020 to determine if it will be continued.

Questions:

Please contact the Child Care Policy Helpdesk at 1-877-302-2347, option 4, if you have any questions.