Child Development Associate (CDA) credential: the complete guide

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the CDA credential and who issues it?

The Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is a national early childhood credential awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition, a nonprofit set up in 1985 to run this exact credentialing system ^[1]. No state agency issues it. No college grants it. The Council owns the standard.

The CDA sits at the entry-to-mid level of the early childhood career ladder. It is not a degree. It signals that someone has shown competency across six CDA Competency Standards: safe and healthy learning environments, physical and intellectual development, social and emotional development, relationships with families, program management, and professional development ^[1]. Those six standards map directly onto what licensing agencies look at when they write staff qualification rules.

Three credential types exist. The Preschool CDA covers children ages 3 to 5. The Infant/Toddler CDA covers birth to 36 months. The Family Child Care CDA is for home-based providers. A fourth type, the Home Visitor CDA, targets a different workforce and matters less for most licensed daycare operators. You pick the type that matches your setting, and that choice shapes your portfolio and your observation.

The Council has awarded more than 500,000 CDA credentials since the program launched in the 1970s ^[1]. That number is not the same as 500,000 active holders. CDA credentials expire and must be renewed, so the live pool is smaller. The Council does not publish a real-time count of active holders, which is a genuine gap in the data.

What are the eligibility requirements for the CDA?

The requirements are short. To apply for any CDA credential, you need a high school diploma or GED, 480 hours of work experience with children in the age group your credential covers (all within the past five years), and 120 hours of formal child development education across the eight subject areas the Council names ^[1].

The 480 hours sounds like a lot. At 20 hours a week, that is about six months of part-time work. Full-time center staff usually rack it up in three months. Family child care providers count their own hours caring for enrolled children.

The 120 training hours must cover eight content areas: child development; curriculum or learning environment; family and community relationships; observation and assessment; health, safety, and nutrition; program management; professionalism and leadership; and, for center-based candidates, working with children who have disabilities or special needs ^[1]. Training can come from community college courses, state-approved training programs, and sometimes employer professional development. The Council sets the subjects. It does not dictate where you learn them.

One thing catches people off guard. The 120 hours and the 480 hours are separate requirements. Classroom time does not count toward your work experience. They are parallel tracks you run at the same time or one after the other.

How does the CDA application and assessment process work?

Four steps: build your Professional Portfolio, submit an online application, complete a Professional Development Specialist (PDS) visit, and pass the CDA Exam. That is the whole path.

The Professional Portfolio is a binder (physical or digital) organized around the six Competency Standards. It holds a personal philosophy statement, a resource collection, family questionnaires, and professional verification forms. The Council publishes a detailed guide for each section. This part takes most candidates the longest because it means documentation, reflection writing, and collecting input from the families in your program. Plan on 8 to 12 weeks to build it right.

The application goes through the Council's website. Once the Council accepts it, they assign a Professional Development Specialist, an independent early childhood professional who runs a two-to-three hour on-site observation of you working with children, reviews your portfolio, and holds a reflective dialogue ^[1]. You schedule the PDS visit directly with the specialist. Wait times swing by region and can run four to eight weeks where specialists are thin.

The CDA Exam is a 65-question computer-based test given at Pearson VUE testing centers nationwide ^[8]. You get 90 minutes. It draws on all six Competency Standards and requires a minimum passing score the Council sets but does not publish as a raw number. You schedule the exam after the Council processes your application.

Start to finish, the timeline usually runs three to six months, and longer if your PDS visit gets delayed. Nobody should promise you faster than that.

What does the CDA credential cost?

The Council's application fee is $425 for members and $500 for non-members as of 2024 ^[1]. Membership runs about $35 a year and pays off if you are applying soon.

That fee covers the application review, PDS visit coordination, and exam registration. It does not cover your 120 training hours, which is almost always the bigger cost. Community college credit courses run $300 to $1,500 depending on how many you need and your state's tuition rates. Online programs built specifically for the CDA run about $150 to $500.

A candidate who needs all 120 training hours and pays every fee themselves usually lands between $600 and $2,000 total. Most people are not starting from zero on training, so real costs skew lower.

Help exists. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarships operate in roughly 24 states and cover most or all CDA training and exam costs for qualifying candidates ^[2]. Many state Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) also run small grant pools. If your state has T.E.A.C.H., use it. There is no reason to pay the full amount out of pocket.

Employers who fund staff CDAs get something back. Credentialed staff often push the program into a higher quality rating tier, which can raise reimbursement rates under CCDF and state subsidy programs.

Cost item	Low estimate	High estimate
Council application fee (member)	$425	$425
Council application fee (non-member)	$500	$500
120 hours of training (online program)	$150	$500
120 hours of training (community college)	$300	$1,500
Total (online training, member)	$575	$925
Total (college training, non-member)	$800	$2,000

How long does a CDA credential last and how do you renew it?

A CDA credential is valid for three years from the issue date ^[1]. After three years it expires. An expired credential counts for nothing toward staff qualification requirements under state licensing rules or CCDF standards.

Renewal takes 45 hours of continuing education completed during the three-year window, a renewal application, and a renewal fee. The fee is $150 for members and $175 for non-members as of 2024 ^[1].

The continuing education must hit at least one of the eight CDA content areas. Most states accept professional development hours that already count toward annual licensing requirements, so there is usually real overlap. Keep records as you go. Trying to reconstruct 45 hours of training paperwork three years later is miserable.

If your credential lapses, you have options but none are free or fast. Depending on how long it has been expired, the Council may allow a late renewal with an extra fee, or you may have to complete the whole process again. The Council's lapsed-credential policy has shifted over the years, so check their current guidance directly before you assume either option applies to you.

Does the CDA credential satisfy state daycare licensing requirements?

In most states, yes, at least in part. The exact answer depends on your state's licensing regulations and the staff role you are filling.

The CCDF final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requires states to set minimum preservice or orientation qualifications for child care workers in CCDF-funded programs, and the CDA is the credential most often cited in state qualification matrices ^[3]. The federal rule does not mandate the CDA by name, but states building compliant qualification systems often treat it as meeting or beating the minimum bar for lead teachers in center-based programs.

Across state licensing codes, the CDA shows up three ways. Some states require it: a CDA (or higher) is the minimum for a lead teacher. Some treat it as one of several acceptable paths: a CDA, an associate degree in ECE, or a set number of college credit hours. Some give it no formal recognition in the licensing code and lean only on college credits or degrees.

Child Care Aware of America's 2023 state fact sheets show wide variation. Virginia, Florida, and Ohio have built the CDA directly into their licensing qualification tiers. Degree-heavy states may mention the CDA only in their quality rating system, not minimum licensing standards ^[4].

For home-based family child care, the Family Child Care CDA is more likely to appear in the rules for that setting. Some states waive certain initial training requirements for providers who hold an active CDA. Check your own state's licensing regulations directly, not a summary someone wrote two years ago.

If you are building staff compliance documentation and want a systematic way to track credential expiration dates and training hours, a tool like the ChildCareComp compliance toolkit can help you stay ahead of renewal deadlines across a whole team.

How does an active CDA credential affect CCDF subsidy eligibility and quality ratings?

CCDF is the federal block grant that funds child care subsidies for low-income families. States run it, and under the 2016 CCDF final rule they must set quality benchmarks tied to licensing and professional development ^[3]. An active CDA credential shows up as a quality indicator in two places: the state's Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) and the provider's subsidy reimbursement rate.

In most QRIS frameworks, a program where lead teachers hold CDA credentials (or higher) earns points toward a higher rating level ^[7]. Higher ratings typically unlock higher reimbursement rates per child, better marketing from the CCR&R network, and priority referrals. The dollar difference can be real. Some states pay a 10 to 25 percent higher subsidy rate to providers at the top two rating levels versus the minimum licensing level, though the differential swings widely by state ^[4].

The CCDF Reauthorization Act of 2024 extended the block grant and kept provisions that nudge states to link provider qualifications to payment rates ^[3]. States are not required to give a rate bump for CDA credentials specifically, but many do because it is the simplest way to run a professional development incentive.

For childcare subsidy participants, the practical takeaway is this: if you want to raise your reimbursement rate per enrolled subsidy child, investing in staff CDAs often pays off, especially when T.E.A.C.H. or another scholarship covers the training.

The Council for Professional Recognition publishes a state-by-state map of CDA recognition, updated now and then, showing which states count the CDA in their QRIS scoring rubrics. It is a good starting reference, but always verify with your state's lead CCDF agency.

How is the CDA different from an ECE associate degree or a Child Development Permit?

These three credentials do different jobs and sit at different levels. The comparison matters more than most people realize.

An associate degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development usually takes 60 semester credit hours, roughly two years part-time or one year full-time at a community college. It carries more academic depth, transfers toward a bachelor's, and is required for lead teacher positions in some states. The CDA requires no college credit, only the specified training hours, so it reaches people who have not finished college. Some states accept a CDA as equivalent to an associate degree for licensing. Most do not.

A Child Development Permit (CDP) is a California-specific credential issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. It has multiple levels (Associate Teacher, Teacher, Master Teacher, Site Supervisor, Program Director) with different credit hour and experience requirements at each ^[5]. Work in California and the CDP is what your licensing regulations reference, not the CDA. That said, some community college courses taken for CDA training hours may also count toward CDP requirements.

The CDA and an associate degree are not mutually exclusive. Plenty of practitioners earn their CDA in their first job, then use employer tuition assistance to chase an associate degree. CDA training hours do not automatically convert to college credit, but several community colleges have articulation agreements with the Council that grant credit for a completed CDA. Ask your local community college whether they participate before you assume they do not.

For home-based providers building a program around a structured approach, even one credentialed staff member opens doors to better curriculum evaluations and QRIS points. Guides like preschool curriculum selection can help you see how curriculum and staff credentials work together in quality rating reviews.

What does CDA training actually cover and where can you get it?

The 120 required hours must touch all eight content areas the Council names: child development and learning; curriculum or learning environment; family and community relationships; observation and assessment; health, safety, and nutrition; program management; professionalism and leadership; and working with diverse learners, including children with disabilities ^[1].

You can stack hours from multiple sources. A three-credit community college child development course usually generates about 45 contact hours. A one-credit course generates about 15. Online CDA-specific programs, like those from ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) and similar providers, package all 120 hours into one product and map each module to the Council's required subjects. That keeps your documentation clean at application time.

State-approved training from CCR&R agencies, Head Start professional development, and employer in-service training can also count if it meets the content areas. Documentation is the catch. You need certificates or transcripts showing the date, provider, subject, and hours for every training event.

If you already have ECE college credit, have your transcripts reviewed by a CDA advisor before you buy any new training. You might have 80 of the 120 hours already documented and only need a few targeted modules.

For home daycare providers, state training offered through your licensing agency often maps to CDA content areas. Check with your state's child care licensing office or CCR&R before you pay for outside training. Many states offer free or subsidized options built to support credentialing.

Can you get a CDA credential online, or does it require in-person work?

Partly online, yes. Fully online, no.

The 120 training hours can be finished entirely online. The Professional Portfolio is a written document you build on your own time. The CDA Exam runs at Pearson VUE testing centers, which are physical locations, though Pearson offers some remote proctoring options ^[8]. The PDS visit has to happen in person. A Professional Development Specialist comes to your actual work setting and observes you with children for two to three hours. You cannot fake that or do it over video.

The in-person observation is the piece that surprises candidates who expect to do everything remotely. It also means you have to be actively working with children in your credential's age group when you apply. You cannot finish the process while on extended leave or in a role with no direct child contact.

For family child care providers uneasy about an observer coming into a home-based program, this is normal, and the PDS is an experienced ECE professional, not a licensing inspector. The visit is developmental, not regulatory. Your licensing status is not affected by the PDS visit.

How do you verify that a staff member's CDA is active and legitimate?

The Council for Professional Recognition keeps a searchable database, the CDA Registry, where you verify an individual's credential status by name and credential number ^[1]. Employers should use it. Do not accept a copy of an old certificate as proof of an active credential without checking the registry.

This matters for licensing compliance. If an inspector finds a staff member listed as meeting the CDA qualification but holding an expired credential, that is a deficiency. Some states treat it as a serious or repeat violation when the expired credential was used to satisfy a required staff ratio position.

Keep photocopies of credentials in personnel files, note the expiration date in your staff tracking system, and set a reminder at least six months before expiration so renewal starts without a gap. A credential that lapses for even one day fails to meet any regulatory requirement that calls for an "active" CDA.

For directors managing several credentialed staff, a simple spreadsheet with credential type, issue date, expiration date, and renewal CE hours logged is the minimum workable tracking system. HR software or a compliance platform can automate the reminders, which earns its keep once you have more than three or four credentialed employees to track.

Is the CDA credential worth it for home daycare providers?

Honest answer: often yes, but the math depends on your state.

If your state's licensing regulations never mention the CDA and your QRIS does not score it, the direct regulatory payoff is thin. The credential still represents real professional development and signals credibility to families, but do not spend $600 to $2,000 on it just to feel more official.

If your state's quality rating system gives you points for a Family Child Care CDA (and most states with QRIS do), the higher rating level can lift your subsidy reimbursement rate and your access to CCR&R marketing. In that case the credential often pays for itself within a year through higher per-child reimbursement, especially if T.E.A.C.H. covers the training.

The Family Child Care CDA is built for your setting, so the portfolio and observation reflect what you actually do every day, not center-based practices. The content areas on health, safety, program management, and family relationships apply straight to running a home daycare. The 120 hours of training make you a better operator, and that has value no matter what your licensing code says.

Still deciding what kind of program to run? The overview at Daycare center: what it is, what it costs, how it's licensed walks through how staff credentials factor differently in center versus home settings.

ChildCareComp also covers how staff credentials and licensing compliance interact across state-specific rules, which is worth reviewing as you build your documentation system.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to complete the CDA credential?

Most candidates finish the CDA in six to twelve months from starting their training hours. The fastest realistic path, assuming you already have most of the 480 work hours and start training right away, is about three to four months: eight to twelve weeks to finish training and build the portfolio, then four to eight weeks for PDS scheduling and the exam. PDS availability is the most common bottleneck.

What is the difference between the CDA credential types for preschool, infant/toddler, and family child care?

The three main types cover different age groups and settings. The Preschool CDA is for center-based work with children ages 3 to 5. The Infant/Toddler CDA covers birth to 36 months in a center. The Family Child Care CDA is for home-based providers serving mixed-age groups. Each type has its own portfolio requirements, and the PDS observation happens in the matching setting. You can hold multiple types at once if you meet the requirements for each.

Does the CDA credential expire, and what happens if it lapses?

Yes. A CDA is valid for three years and renews with 45 hours of continuing education plus a fee ($150 for members, $175 for non-members as of 2024). If it lapses, you may qualify for a late renewal depending on how long it has been expired. A lapsed credential does not satisfy any state licensing requirement that calls for an active CDA, which can create a compliance problem for your program.

Is the CDA credential recognized in all 50 states?

The Council issues the CDA nationally and every state recognizes it in some form, but how each state uses it in licensing and quality rating systems varies widely. Some states require it for specific staff roles. Others treat it as one of several acceptable qualifications. A few reference it only in QRIS scoring, not minimum licensing. Check your state's childcare licensing regulations and QRIS rubric to know exactly where it counts in your market.

Can CDA training hours count toward college credit?

Sometimes. Several community colleges have articulation agreements with the Council for Professional Recognition that award course credit for a completed CDA, typically six to twelve credit hours. This is not automatic or universal. Ask your specific college whether they participate before you assume your CDA training hours will transfer. The Council's website lists some partner institutions, but that list is not exhaustive.

How do I find a CDA Professional Development Specialist in my area?

After you submit your completed application and the Council accepts it, they help match you with a PDS from their national network. You can also search for PDS professionals through the Council's website before applying to gauge wait times in your region. In rural areas or states with fewer specialists, waits of eight to twelve weeks for an observation visit are not unusual. Starting your application well before you need the credential is smart.

Does completing a CDA credential increase my pay or subsidy reimbursement rate?

It can, indirectly. Many states' quality rating systems give points for lead teachers or home providers with active CDA credentials, and higher ratings often carry higher subsidy reimbursement rates. Some states also offer direct wage supplements through T.E.A.C.H. or WAGE$ programs for credentialed staff. The increase varies by state but can run from a few cents to over a dollar per child per hour in reimbursement, plus any employer wage differential tied to earning the credential.

What happens to my CDA if I change from a center-based role to home daycare?

Your center-based CDA (Preschool or Infant/Toddler) stays valid through its three-year period regardless of where you work. But if your state's licensing rules or QRIS require a Family Child Care CDA specifically for home-based providers, a Preschool CDA may not satisfy that requirement even while active. You would need to apply for the Family Child Care CDA separately. The two can coexist; you do not surrender one to earn another.

Can I use free preschool curriculum resources as part of my CDA portfolio?

Yes. Your CDA Professional Portfolio has a resource collection section where you document curriculum materials, activities, and teaching resources you use or plan to use. Open-access and publicly available resources count. Many candidates build their collections from a mix of purchased and free materials. Quality and alignment to child development principles matter more than whether the resources cost money. See our guide to free preschool curriculum for ideas.

Do I need the CDA credential to open a family child care home?

Not in most states. Most licensing regulations require home daycare providers to meet a minimum age (usually 18 or 21), pass background checks, complete a set number of initial training hours (often 15 to 30), and meet health and safety standards. A CDA is rarely a minimum to open, but it may be required to reach higher levels in the state quality rating system or to qualify for certain subsidy contract types. Check your state's family child care licensing rules.

Are there scholarships to pay for the CDA credential?

Yes. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarships are the main source, running in about 24 states as of 2024, and they cover most or all of the training and application costs for qualifying candidates in exchange for a work commitment. Many state CCR&R agencies also hold small grant funds. Head Start and Early Head Start grantees often fund CDA training for their own staff. Start with your local CCR&R to find out what your state offers before paying out of pocket.

What is the CDA Exam like and how hard is it to pass?

The CDA Exam is a 65-question multiple-choice computer-based test taken at a Pearson VUE testing center. You get 90 minutes. Questions cover all six CDA Competency Standards. The Council does not publish a raw passing score. Most candidates who have finished the 120 training hours and built their portfolio pass on the first attempt, but it is not a guaranteed pass without preparation. Reviewing the Council's Competency Standards book and doing practice questions beforehand helps a lot.

How does the CDA credential interact with Head Start staff requirements?

Head Start performance standards require that every Head Start teacher hold at least a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or be enrolled in a program leading to an associate degree, and that at least half of Head Start teachers nationally hold an associate degree or higher in ECE or a related field. This is codified in 45 CFR Part 1302. An active CDA satisfies the minimum teacher qualification standard under federal Head Start rules, so it is directly relevant for programs serving Head Start-eligible children.

Sources

1. Council for Professional Recognition, CDA Credential Overview and Requirements: CDA requires 120 training hours, 480 work experience hours, a Professional Portfolio, PDS visit, and CDA Exam; credential valid 3 years; renewal fee $150 member/$175 non-member; application fee $425 member/$500 non-member; over 500,000 credentials awarded.
2. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarships are available in approximately 24 states and cover most CDA training and exam costs for qualifying candidates.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, CCDF Final Rule 2016: CCDF final rule requires states to set minimum preservice or orientation qualifications for child care workers in CCDF-funded programs and encourages linking provider qualifications to payment rates.
4. Child Care Aware of America, 2023 State Child Care Facts: State quality rating systems vary widely in how they credit CDA credentials; some states pay 10 to 25 percent higher subsidy reimbursement rates at top QRIS levels.
5. California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Child Development Permit Matrix: California issues the Child Development Permit (CDP) through the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, with multiple levels including Associate Teacher, Teacher, Master Teacher, Site Supervisor, and Program Director.
6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Performance Standards 45 CFR Part 1302: Head Start performance standards require all teachers to hold at least a CDA credential or be enrolled in a program leading to an associate degree, per 45 CFR Part 1302.
7. National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance (NCECQA), Quality Rating and Improvement Systems: Most state QRIS frameworks award points toward higher quality rating levels when lead teachers hold CDA credentials, affecting subsidy reimbursement rates.
8. Pearson VUE, CDA Exam Delivery: The 65-question CDA Exam is administered at Pearson VUE testing centers; candidates have 90 minutes to complete it.
9. National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), Family Child Care Credentialing: The Family Child Care CDA is specifically designed for home-based providers serving mixed-age groups, with portfolio and PDS observation requirements tailored to that setting.