Ohio · Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC)
Child care help in Ohio: the income line, the co-pay, and the wait
Ohio's program is Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC), run by Ohio Department of Children and Youth. Here is its entry line, its exit line, its co-pay machine, its rule on the second bill, and whether it is funding new families right now.
The lines, for a family of 4
145% of the federal poverty line (150% FPL for a child with special needs).
300% of the federal poverty line at renewal.
Who skips the income test
These lanes waive or shortcut parts of the income test in Ohio — if one is you, say so on page one of the application:
- Families receiving TANF cash assistance
- Children in foster care or with an open protective-services case
- Families experiencing homelessness
The co-pay
No dollar fee chart is published here for Ohio. PN3 Roadmap 2025 reports Ohio copayments of up to 27% of family income — described by PN3 as the highest maximum in the country. That is the top band's maximum burden, NOT a typical copay. Confirm your exact copay on the state chart before you budget.
Fee scale: 2025 (PN3 Roadmap 2025; state chart not opened).
The gap: not confirmed for Ohio
Ohio's rule on charging above the state rate was not confirmed in the sources checked in October 2026.
Nationally, 40 states allow providers to bill families the difference above the state rate and 11 prohibit it (PN3, December 2025) — but the per-state list was not published in a form we could verify for Ohio, so this page does not guess. Ask the agency before you sign.
No state maximum rate was opened in the October 2026 check.
How to apply
Apply through your county Department of Job and Family Services or Ohio Benefits.
Limits checked October 2026 · Fee scale checked 2025 (PN3 Roadmap 2025; state chart not opened) · Ceiling checked Not published · Waitlist checked October 2026
Sources: source · cross-checked against the state's CCDF plan. If a figure here disagrees with the agency's current chart, the agency's chart wins — tell us at help@doogex.com.
The Daycare Help Kit — $29, one-time
The check gives you the answer. The kit walks the whole road after it: the application packet in the agency's own order, the denial translator, the real-bill worksheet, the redetermination calendar, and the tour-and-judge checklists — for all 50 states and DC.
See what's inside the kit $29 · one-time payment