CDA credential news: what changed in 2024 and 2025

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the CDA credential and why does it keep showing up in licensing news?

The Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is issued by the Council for Professional Recognition, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. ^[1] It's the most widely recognized entry-level credential in early childhood education in the United States, and more than 500,000 CDAs have been awarded since the program started in 1975. ^[1]

State licensing agencies care about it because many states use CDA attainment as a qualification threshold for lead teachers, assistant directors, or as a condition for earning higher quality ratings in tiered quality rating and improvement systems (TQRIS). The federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) also references staff credentials as part of quality improvement benchmarks states must track. ^[2]

When the Council changes fees, assessment formats, or renewal policies, those changes hit operator budgets and HR timelines. That's why this credential generates licensing-adjacent news even though it's not a government license itself.

If you're still learning the basics of the credential itself, the CDA credential overview covers eligibility, specializations, and the application steps from scratch.

What did the Council change about CDA fees in 2024 and 2025?

The Council raised the standard CDA application fee to $425 for first-time applicants as of 2024. ^[1] The fee sat around $400 for several years before recent adjustments. The Council's own site is the only authoritative source here. Fees have moved modestly upward over the past five years, and the Council has not committed to a multi-year freeze, so check before you budget.

Renewal (CDA renewal happens every three years) costs $150 as of the current published schedule. ^[1] Miss the renewal window and let your credential lapse, and you reapply at the full application rate. That's a real financial hit for staff who let it slide.

The bilingual CDA application carries the same $425 fee as the standard credential. The Council hasn't broken out a separate fee tier for that specialization recently, which is good news for programs trying to staff bilingual classrooms.

For providers who fund staff CDA attainment themselves, the total cost including the Professional Development (PD) Specialist observation fee (separate from the Council fee and set by individual PD Specialists) often runs $600 to $900 all-in. Nobody has great aggregate data on PD Specialist rates nationally. The Council doesn't publish them centrally.

What changed about CDA assessment and the verification visit format?

The CDA assessment process has two parts: the written CDA Exam administered at a Pearson VUE testing center, and an in-person Verification Visit conducted by a PD Specialist. Neither has been eliminated. But the Council spent 2023 and 2024 refining the PD Specialist credentialing and training process after complaints about inconsistent visit quality surfaced in the early childhood community.

As of 2025, PD Specialists must complete updated Council training before conducting visits. The Council has not published detailed pass-rate data for the exam publicly, so if you see a number cited elsewhere, treat it skeptically.

The exam itself is 65 questions, given at Pearson VUE centers, and candidates have three hours to complete it. ^[1][8] The Council moved the exam to a computer-based format years ago, and that format remains unchanged.

One thing that has genuinely changed: the Council now offers clearer guidance on documentation requirements for the Professional Portfolio, including updated competency statement examples. Candidates who applied before 2023 may find the current portfolio rubric slightly different from what they remember.

How does the CDA credential connect to CCDF quality requirements?

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the federal block grant that funds childcare subsidies and quality improvement activities in every state. States must submit a CCDF plan every two years describing how they'll improve childcare quality, and staff credentials are explicitly part of that framework. ^[2]

The Office of Child Care, which administers CCDF, has noted that states use credentials like the CDA to define minimum staff qualifications in their licensing rules, as benchmarks for higher TQRIS ratings, and as targets for professional development funding. As the Office of Child Care puts it in its CCDF guidance, states must describe "activities to improve the quality of child care" including "training and professional development for child care providers." ^[2]

In practical terms, a CDA-credentialed staff member may help your program move up a quality rating tier, which can translate directly into higher reimbursement rates if you accept subsidized children. The childcare subsidy system in many states explicitly ties reimbursement rates to program quality ratings. ^[7]

States vary a lot in exactly how they count the CDA. Some require it for lead teachers in licensed centers. Others accept it as an alternative to an associate degree. A few count it only in specific age groups. Your state's licensing office is the only reliable source for how it counts in your specific program type.

Which CDA specializations are currently available and are any new ones coming?

The Council currently offers six CDA credential types: Center-Based Preschool, Center-Based Infant/Toddler, Family Child Care, Home Visitor, and Bilingual (Spanish/English) versions of the preschool and infant/toddler tracks. ^[1] There's no current announcement of a new specialization from the Council, though the home visitor credential has seen growing enrollment as states fund more home-based early intervention.

CDA Specialization	Setting	Language Options
Center-Based Preschool	Licensed center, ages 3-5	English or Bilingual
Center-Based Infant/Toddler	Licensed center, ages 0-3	English or Bilingual
Family Child Care	Home-based program	English
Home Visitor	Home visiting programs	English

The Family Child Care CDA is the one home daycare operators most commonly pursue. It satisfies quality credential requirements in many states for family child care providers and can open access to TQRIS ratings and enhanced subsidy reimbursement. Running a licensed daycare center versus a home program matters here, because some states apply different credential requirements to each setting.

The bilingual specialization requires demonstrating competency in both English and Spanish, including bilingual portfolio materials. It doesn't require separate language testing beyond what the standard competency statements cover.

What are the current CDA renewal rules and what happens if a credential lapses?

CDA credentials must be renewed every three years. ^[1] To renew, you need 45 hours of professional development completed during the three-year credential period, at least one hour in each of the eight competency areas, plus a completed renewal application and the $150 fee.

Let the credential lapse, and there's no grace period from the Council. You go back through the full application process at the $425 rate. Some state licensing agencies will also flag the gap during inspections if the credential was listed as a staff qualification.

The 45-hour PD requirement catches a lot of renewers off guard. People finish training in years one and two, then forget to document it properly. Keep a running log from day one. The Council accepts many training types: college coursework, workshops, online training, and conferences all count if they're relevant to child development or early education.

One honest note: the Council doesn't publish data on what percentage of credential holders successfully renew versus lapse. That data would be genuinely useful for the profession, and its absence makes it hard to assess how widespread the lapse problem actually is.

How do state licensing agencies actually use the CDA, and has that changed recently?

State licensing rules vary enormously. Some states require the CDA (or equivalent) for every lead teacher in a licensed center. Others list it as one option among several, alongside associate degrees in early childhood education or Child Development. A few states have recently strengthened their requirements, moving from recommending the CDA to requiring it for certain staff roles.

Child Care Aware of America tracks state licensing requirements and publishes periodic reports on them. Their most recent state-by-state data found that 25 states require lead teachers in licensed child care centers to hold at minimum a CDA credential or equivalent. ^[3] That number has shifted slowly upward over the past decade as states respond to CCDF quality mandates.

For home-based providers specifically, the picture is patchier. Many states have no credential requirement at all for family child care providers beyond basic training hours. But states with TQRIS systems often reward CDA attainment with higher ratings, so the financial incentive exists even without a mandate.

If you're in Michigan, for example, the licensing rules are specific about staff qualification pathways. The michigan daycare licensing guide breaks that state's requirements down in detail, since Michigan is one of the states that has actively tied TQRIS ratings to credential attainment.

The ChildCareComp compliance toolkit aggregates state-by-state qualification requirements in one place if you need to check multiple states quickly.

What does the CDA cost an operator who pays for staff to get it?

If you're funding a staff member's CDA, you're looking at several line items. The Council application fee is $425. ^[1] Training hours (120 clock hours of formal early childhood education are required before applying) may be free through community college continuing education, a state-funded training registry, or a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. Or they may cost $300 to $800 if done through paid providers. The PD Specialist observation fee is set by the individual specialist and typically runs $100 to $300 based on region.

All in, a funded CDA runs roughly $600 to $1,500 per staff member depending on training cost and your region. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarships are available in more than 20 states and can cover most or all of those costs for eligible providers and staff. ^[4]

Some states also offer CCDF-funded professional development dollars specifically for credential attainment. Check with your Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency, which administers those funds locally. CCR&Rs are the right first call for any professional development funding question.

Here's the business case: paying for one staff member's CDA is often cheaper than the turnover it can prevent. That's not a guarantee. But it's a reasonable bet in a sector with annual turnover rates that regularly exceed 30%. ^[10]

Are there any pending or proposed changes to the CDA in 2025 or 2026?

As of mid-2025, the Council for Professional Recognition has not announced a major structural overhaul of the CDA credential. What has happened is incremental: fee adjustments, PD Specialist training updates, and minor portfolio guidance revisions.

The bigger policy environment around the CDA is more active. Several states are revisiting staff qualification requirements as part of CCDF plan updates required every two years, and there's ongoing advocacy in early childhood policy circles for higher baseline credential requirements. Recent federal moves have emphasized building the child care workforce pipeline, which puts credentials like the CDA in a favorable policy position even if nothing dramatic has passed.

Proposed federal child care investments in 2023 and 2024 included references to workforce credential support, though the appropriations picture stayed complicated. Whatever happens at the federal funding level, the CDA credential itself is not going away and is not under any proposed regulatory threat.

For operators who accept subsidized children, the childcare tax credit and childcare subsidy systems both interact with quality ratings that credential-holding staff can influence, so tracking policy changes here has real financial stakes.

How does the CDA compare to other early childhood credentials?

The CDA is an entry-level, competency-based credential. It's not a degree. Here's how it stacks up against the most common alternatives:

Credential	Time to Complete	Cost Estimate	Degree?	State Recognition
CDA	6-18 months	$600-$1,500	No	Nearly universal
Child Development Associate degree (A.A.)	2 years	$5,000-$20,000	Yes	Universal
ECE Certificate (community college)	1 year	$1,500-$5,000	No	Varies by state
State-specific credential	3-12 months	$0-$500	No	State only

The CDA's advantages are portability (recognized across states), relatively low cost, and a clear national standard. Its limits: it's not a degree, and some higher-level positions (director, program administrator) require a degree even in states that accept a CDA for teaching roles.

For staff who want to grow professionally, treat the CDA as a stepping stone toward an associate or bachelor's degree in early childhood education, not a terminal credential. Many community college ECE programs grant credit for a completed CDA, which shortens the time to an A.A.

Where can operators track future CDA news and policy updates?

The Council for Professional Recognition's website (cdacouncil.org) is the primary source. Sign up for their email updates if you have staff who hold or are pursuing CDAs.

For the policy side, the Office of Child Care (part of the Administration for Children and Families at HHS) publishes CCDF guidance and policy announcements that affect how credentials are used in state quality systems. ^[2] Their website at acf.hhs.gov is the right place to watch.

Child Care Aware of America publishes an annual "Demanding Change" report and periodic state fact sheets that track licensing requirements including credential thresholds. ^[9] That report is worth bookmarking.

Your state CCR&R network is the most practical local source. They often get state policy news before it hits the general press, and they're the people who administer professional development funding.

For curriculum and instructional quality resources that pair with professional development toward the CDA, the preschool curriculum and creative curriculum for preschool resources can help staff build the practical knowledge that shows up in their portfolios. The ChildCareComp licensing toolkit also surfaces relevant state-specific qualification updates as they happen.

Frequently asked questions

Did the CDA application fee go up in 2024?

Yes. The Council for Professional Recognition lists the standard first-time CDA application fee at $425 as of their current published schedule. That's a modest increase from prior years, when it sat around $400. The renewal fee is $150. If you let your credential lapse and must reapply, you pay the full $425 application fee again. Always check cdacouncil.org for the current fee schedule before submitting, since the Council can update it without much advance notice.

Is the CDA credential required to run a licensed daycare?

It depends on your state and program type. Many states require lead teachers in licensed centers to hold a CDA or equivalent credential, but requirements for directors and home-based providers differ. Some states have no CDA requirement at all but reward it through TQRIS quality ratings, which can affect subsidy reimbursement. Check your specific state's licensing office for the exact requirements that apply to your role and setting.

How long does it take to get a CDA credential?

Most candidates complete the CDA in six to eighteen months. You need 120 hours of formal early childhood education training, a minimum of 480 hours of work experience with children, a completed Professional Portfolio, a Verification Visit with a PD Specialist, and a passing score on the CDA Exam at a Pearson VUE center. How fast you complete the training hours is usually the biggest variable in your total timeline.

What are the 120 training hours for the CDA and where can I get them?

The 120 clock hours must cover all eight CDA subject areas: planning a safe environment, curriculum, physical and intellectual development, social and emotional development, family relationships, community resources, managing a quality program, and professional development. Sources include community college ECE courses, state-funded training registries, national online providers, and workshops. T.E.A.C.H. scholarships in more than 20 states can cover tuition costs for qualifying providers.

Does a CDA credential transfer to another state?

Yes. The CDA is a national credential issued by the Council for Professional Recognition, and it's recognized by licensing agencies in all 50 states. What varies by state is how much weight the credential carries: whether it fully satisfies a qualification requirement or counts as one option among several. Moving states does not require you to re-earn the CDA, but verify with the new state's licensing office how it applies to your specific role.

Can a CDA credential help me get a higher subsidy reimbursement rate?

Indirectly, yes. Most states with tiered quality rating and improvement systems (TQRIS) give programs higher ratings when staff hold credentials like the CDA. Higher TQRIS ratings typically unlock enhanced subsidy reimbursement rates for programs that accept CCDF-funded children. The exact reimbursement differential varies widely by state. Contact your state's CCR&R or licensing office to see how credential attainment affects your program's rating and reimbursement.

What happens if I miss my CDA renewal deadline?

There's no grace period from the Council for Professional Recognition. A lapsed CDA requires a full new application at the standard $425 fee rather than the $150 renewal fee. Beyond the cost, some state licensing agencies flag credential gaps during inspections if the CDA was listed as a staff qualification. Set a calendar reminder eighteen months before expiration so you have time to complete the 45 required professional development hours.

Is there a bilingual CDA, and what does it require?

Yes. The Council offers bilingual (Spanish/English) versions of the Center-Based Preschool and Center-Based Infant/Toddler credentials. The application fee is the same as the standard CDA ($425). Candidates must demonstrate competency in both languages through their portfolio materials and Verification Visit. There's no separate formal language proficiency test beyond what the standard competency process covers. The bilingual CDA is especially relevant for programs serving dual-language learners.

Can I pay for my staff member's CDA and are there grants to help?

You can pay for a staff member's CDA directly, and many operators do. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarships are available in more than 20 states and can cover application fees, training costs, and sometimes release time. CCDF-funded professional development dollars, administered through local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, also support credential attainment in many states. Ask your CCR&R what funding is available in your specific state before paying out of pocket.

How does the CDA count toward CCDF quality requirements?

CCDF requires states to describe quality improvement activities including staff training and professional development. States use CDA attainment as a specific benchmark in their CCDF plans and TQRIS systems. The Office of Child Care, which administers CCDF, accepts state approaches that use the CDA as a staff qualification threshold. Practically, a CDA-holding staff member helps your program satisfy the professional development components of a higher TQRIS rating, which can affect your subsidy reimbursement eligibility.

Is the CDA the same as a degree in early childhood education?

No. The CDA is a competency-based credential, not an academic degree. It doesn't require college-level coursework beyond the 120 training hours, which don't have to be credit-bearing. Many positions, especially director and program administrator roles, require an associate or bachelor's degree in early childhood education even in states that accept a CDA for lead teacher roles. Some community colleges grant college credit toward an ECE associate degree for candidates who already hold a CDA.

What is the CDA exam like and how hard is it?

The CDA Exam has 65 questions and is administered at Pearson VUE testing centers in a computer-based format. Candidates have three hours to complete it. The exam covers child development, family relationships, learning environments, and professional development topics. The Council does not publish pass rates publicly, so objective difficulty data is limited. Most candidates who complete the required 120 training hours and work experience report feeling adequately prepared, but results vary.

Do family child care providers need a different CDA than center-based providers?

Yes. The Council offers a Family Child Care CDA specifically for home-based providers. It has the same fee and training hour requirements as the center-based credentials but uses portfolio competency statements and a Verification Visit focused on the home-based setting. The Family Child Care CDA is the credential most relevant for licensed home daycare operators and satisfies quality credential requirements in states that count CDA attainment for home-based programs in their TQRIS systems.

Where can I find free training hours to meet CDA requirements?

State training registries, often funded through CCDF, offer free or subsidized training that counts toward CDA hours. Many CCR&Rs offer free workshops. Some Head Start programs offer training open to the broader community. National platforms like the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) from the Office of Head Start offer free online resources. T.E.A.C.H. scholarships can also cover tuition for community college coursework. Start with your local CCR&R to find what's available in your area.

Sources

1. Council for Professional Recognition, CDA Credential Overview and Fees: CDA application fee is $425 for first-time applicants; renewal is $150; over 500,000 CDAs awarded since 1975; credential renewed every three years with 45 PD hours required; exam is 65 questions at Pearson VUE; six credential specializations available
2. Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, CCDF Program: CCDF requires states to describe activities to improve quality of child care including training and professional development for child care providers; states use staff credentials as quality benchmarks in CCDF plans
3. Child Care Aware of America, State Child Care Licensing Requirements: 25 states require lead teachers in licensed child care centers to hold at minimum a CDA credential or equivalent as documented in state licensing requirement tracking
4. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood National Center, Scholarship Program: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarships available in more than 20 states to cover CDA application fees, training costs, and release time for eligible providers and staff
5. Office of Head Start, Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC): Federal Office of Head Start provides free training and professional development resources relevant to CDA competency areas for early childhood providers
6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care and Development Fund Final Rule: CCDF regulations require states to support staff training and credential attainment as part of quality improvement activities funded through the block grant
7. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care, TQRIS Technical Assistance: States with tiered quality rating and improvement systems (TQRIS) link staff credential attainment to higher program quality ratings, which can affect subsidy reimbursement rates
8. Pearson VUE, CDA Exam Testing Centers: CDA Exam is administered at Pearson VUE testing centers in computer-based format; candidates have three hours to complete the 65-question exam
9. Child Care Aware of America, Demanding Change Report: Annual report tracking state child care licensing requirements, staff credential thresholds, and quality rating system benchmarks across all 50 states
10. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Early Childhood Workforce Overview: Early childhood sector annual turnover rates regularly exceed 30 percent, making staff credential investment a retention consideration for operators