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Two-Year Child Care Licencing Fee Suspension Begins July 1

The Chronicle - 7/1/2021

Jun. 30—Beginning July 1, child care providers will not be required to pay licensing fees.

Senate Bill 5151, which Gov. Jay Inslee signed on May 13, suspends fees for child care applicants and licensed child care providers from July 1 through June 30, 2023.

"This will remove a financial burden for child care providers and will help alleviate the child care shortage in many areas," said state Department of Children and Families (DCYF) Secretary Ross Hunter in a news release.

Fees range from $30 annually for family home providers to hundreds of dollars for centers and school-age locations, according to DCYF.

DCYF plans to refund any provider who has already paid their fees that were due after July 1.

In addition to offsetting financial burdens resulting from the pandemic, the passage of SB 5151 contained other positive impacts for the child care community, including authorizing DCYF to license outdoor, nature-based child care programs.

"We know our providers have worked tirelessly during uncertain times, and we are thankful we can do something for them while incentivizing prospective new providers to open their doors to families in need of quality child care," Hunter said.

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