For a child under 2 who is cared for at home by yourself or by relatives or friends, you can receive the Ministry of Health and Welfare's childcare allowance (育兒津貼): NT$5,000 a month for the 1st child, NT$6,000 for the 2nd and NT$7,000 for the 3rd or later. If you send the child to publicly run childcare (公共化托育), the monthly subsidy starts at NT$7,000, and for a quasi-public sitter or infant care center (準公共保母或托嬰中心) it starts at NT$13,000. A child aged 2 to under 5 who is not attending a public, non-profit or quasi-public preschool (幼兒園) can receive the Ministry of Education's childcare allowance, at the same NT$5,000, 6,000 and 7,000. A child in a publicly run or quasi-public preschool instead has a "monthly cap on parent fees". For the same child in the same period, the childcare allowance and the childcare subsidy (托育補助) are either/or: you can receive only one.
Note: The Executive Yuan has approved the "low birth rate countermeasure plan 2.0 (2026 to 2029)" (我國少子女化對策計畫 2.0), which states that the childcare allowance and childcare subsidy will continue to be paid. When this article was checked, the amounts listed on the websites of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and its social and family affairs administration (社家署) were still the current childcare allowance of NT$5,000 / 6,000 / 7,000 (the ministry page states that it applies from January 1, 2023, when the means test was also abolished) and the childcare subsidy standards from January 2024. No announcement of a further increase in 2026 was seen. Amounts and eligibility follow the latest announcements of the social and family affairs administration, the Ministry of Education, and the Taipei and New Taipei city governments. The Ministry of Health and Welfare helpline is 1957.
What you can receive at each stage from age 0 to 6
| Age and type of care | Subsidy (authority in charge) | Monthly amount or parent's share |
|---|
| Under 2, cared for by yourself or by relatives or friends | Childcare allowance (Ministry of Health and Welfare) | 1st child NT$5,000, 2nd child NT$6,000, 3rd child or later NT$7,000 |
| Under 2, in publicly run childcare (publicly built, privately run infant care centers (公設民營托嬰中心) and community public childcare homes (社區公共托育家園)) | Childcare subsidy (Ministry of Health and Welfare) | General families NT$7,000 / 8,000 / 9,000 (by birth order) |
| Under 2, in a quasi-public sitter or quasi-public infant care center | Childcare subsidy (Ministry of Health and Welfare) | General families NT$13,000 / 14,000 / 15,000 (by birth order) |
| Turned 2 and staying on in public childcare, a quasi-public sitter or an infant care center | Extended childcare subsidy (Ministry of Health and Welfare) | From January 1, 2020, the subsidy is extended to under age 3 |
| Age 2 to under 5, not attending a publicly run or quasi-public preschool | Childcare allowance (Ministry of Education) | 1st birth NT$5,000, 2nd birth NT$6,000, 3rd birth or later NT$7,000 |
| Age 5 until entering elementary school, attending an ordinary private preschool | Age-5 school attendance subsidy (5 歲就學補助) (Ministry of Education) | Same amounts as the childcare allowance |
| Age 2 to 6, attending a public, non-profit or quasi-public preschool | Reduced school costs (Ministry of Education) | Parent's monthly fee cap NT$1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 (1st birth), further reduced for the 2nd and 3rd births |
The "2nd child" and "3rd child" refer to the 2nd, or the 3rd or later, child counted by date of birth among children registered in the household registration to the same mother or father. In remarried (blended) families, the order can be worked out with reference to custody or who actually cares for the children.
Childcare allowance for under-2s: eligibility and how to apply
According to the social and family affairs administration's announcement, a child with Taiwan nationality who meets the following conditions "at the time of application" can apply. The means test has been abolished since January 2023:
- Under 2 years old.
- Birth registration or initial household registration has been completed.
- Not placed in government-funded placement care.
- Not using publicly run or quasi-public childcare services (that is, not receiving the childcare subsidy).
How to apply: Bring the application form, ID documents for the applicant and the child, and a copy of the cover page of a post office or designated financial institution account belonging to one of the applicants (or the child). For the 2nd and 3rd children, also bring additional proof. Apply by mail or in person at the district office (區公所) of the child's household registration address. If the applicant is one of the child's parents, you can also apply on the administration's online application site for the childcare allowance for children under 2 (未滿 2 歲兒童育兒津貼線上申辦) (twbaby.sfaa.gov.tw). So if the child is registered in Taipei, go to the district office for that Taipei household registration; if in New Taipei, go to the district office for that New Taipei household registration. If you have just moved, first confirm where the child's household registration is; see what to bring to move your household registration.
Childcare subsidy for under-2s: amount table for public and quasi-public care
In the system this money is called "assistance with paying service fees" (協助支付服務費用). It is approved by the special municipality government and paid monthly. Amounts by family category and birth order are as follows (applicable from January 2024):
| Family category | Public, 1st child | Public, 2nd child | Public, 3rd child or later | Quasi-public, 1st child | Quasi-public, 2nd child | Quasi-public, 3rd child or later |
|---|
| General families | 7,000 | 8,000 | 9,000 | 13,000 | 14,000 | 15,000 |
| Middle-low-income households | 9,000 | 10,000 | 11,000 | 15,000 | 16,000 | 17,000 |
| Low-income households and disadvantaged families | 11,000 | 12,000 | 13,000 | 17,000 | 18,000 | 19,000 |
Unit: NT$ per month. Disadvantaged families means families with a child under 2 who has a developmental delay or a disability, families in special circumstances (特殊境遇家庭), or disadvantaged families recognized under the law by the special municipality, county or city government. If the childcare fees actually paid are lower than the listed standard, payment is made at the actual fee.
Eligibility (Point 12 of the administration's operating guidelines (作業要點)): the child's birth or household registration has been completed; the child is in day, full-day or night childcare for 30 hours or more per week; during the reporting period the child is not in government-funded placement and the childcare allowance for this child is not being received; and one-to-one care by a designated person is not allowed (except in special circumstances such as developmental delay, disability or rare disease).
Reporting deadline: within 15 days from the date childcare actually begins, prepare the documents and report to the city government (the city government may entrust home-based childcare service centers, infant care centers or childcare homes to accept them). The subsidy counts from the day childcare begins; if you report late, it counts from the day the complete documents are delivered. For childcare of less than 1 month, more than half a month is counted as 1 month, and half a month or less is counted as half a month.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare page also states that from 2024, the restriction that "if you receive the parental leave allowance (育嬰留職停薪津貼), you cannot receive the childcare subsidy" was abolished.
Ages 2 to 6: Ministry of Education childcare allowance and preschool fees
From age 2 the Ministry of Education is in charge. According to the low birth rate plan 2.0, a child with Taiwan nationality aged 2 to under 5 who is not attending a public, non-profit or quasi-public preschool, a special education school, a mutual-aid childcare center (互助教保中心) and so on, and who is not in government-funded placement, can receive the childcare allowance, in the amounts of NT$5,000, 6,000 and 7,000 (from August 2022). A child aged 5 up to elementary school entry who attends an ordinary private preschool instead receives the age-5 school attendance subsidy, in the same amounts as the childcare allowance. The plan also mentions that local governments mostly entrust district offices to accept and review applications.
Children in affordable preschools instead have "capped fees" (from August 2022):
| Preschool type | 1st birth | 2nd birth | 3rd birth or later | Low-income and middle-low-income families |
|---|
| Public preschool | Not more than NT$1,000 a month | Free | Free | Free |
| Non-profit preschool | Not more than NT$2,000 a month | NT$1,000 | Free | Free |
| Quasi-public preschool | Not more than NT$3,000 a month | NT$2,000 | NT$1,000 | Free |
The table above gives the monthly fee amounts for parents cited in low birth rate plan 2.0 from Ministry of Education data. The fee items that individual preschools actually charge (for example transportation and after-school extended care) may be charged separately; follow announcements from the preschool and the education bureau (教育局).
Is there an increase in 2026? How it differs from the birth subsidy
The biggest change in 2026 is in "childbirth" rather than "childcare". For births or premature births on or after January 1, 2026, the maternity benefits of Labor Insurance, national pension insurance (國保) and farmers' insurance (農保) plus a government subsidy total NT$100,000 per birth, and birth mothers who are not enrolled in social insurance can also receive NT$100,000. This is a one-time birth subsidy and is a different system from the monthly childcare allowance and childcare subsidy, so you can receive both. Taipei and New Taipei City governments also have their own birth subsidies; see how much the 2026 birth subsidy is.
As for the childcare allowance and childcare subsidy themselves, low birth rate plan 2.0 says they will "continue to be paid". When this article was checked, no announcement of adjusted 2026 amounts was seen on the websites of the social and family affairs administration or the Ministry of Health and Welfare. For new-system amounts circulating online, follow the official announcements.
FAQ
Can I receive the childcare allowance and the childcare subsidy together?
No, not for the same child in the same period. One eligibility condition for the childcare allowance is "not using publicly run or quasi-public childcare services", while the childcare subsidy requires that the childcare allowance for this child is not being received during the reporting period. When you switch to childcare or stop using it, remember to apply again for the other one.
Is the childcare allowance means-tested?
No. The social and family affairs administration states that the means test was abolished from January 2023. A child with Taiwan nationality who is under 2, has completed birth registration, is not in government-funded placement and is not in publicly run or quasi-public childcare can apply.
Where do I apply for the childcare allowance?
For a child under 2, apply at the district office of the child's household registration address (by mail or in person); parents can also apply online. For the Ministry of Education childcare allowance from age 2, local governments mostly entrust district offices to accept applications. The childcare subsidy is reported to the city government within 15 days after childcare begins, through a home-based childcare service center or an infant care center.
How much is the childcare allowance for a second child?
For a 2nd child under 2 it is NT$6,000 a month; the Ministry of Education childcare allowance for ages 2 to under 5 is also NT$6,000 for the 2nd birth. The 3rd child (birth) or later is NT$7,000 in all cases.
Can I still receive the childcare allowance while on parental leave without pay?
Yes. Low birth rate plan 2.0 explains that in the phased adjustments starting August 2021, the restriction that "the parental leave allowance and the childcare allowance may not be received at the same time" was abolished for the allowance for children under 2. The Ministry of Health and Welfare page also states that from 2024, the childcare subsidy is no longer restricted by the parental leave allowance.
Last updated: 2026-11-01
This article was compiled by SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only. For individual cases, contact the district office of the child's household registration, the Taipei City Government social affairs bureau (臺北市政府社會局), the New Taipei City Government social affairs bureau (新北市政府社會局), or the Ministry of Health and Welfare 1957 helpline.
Sources
- Social and family affairs administration (社會及家庭署), Ministry of Health and Welfare: childcare allowance for children under 2 (in Chinese; published 2022-12-30, verified 2026-11-01): childcare allowance of NT$5,000 / 6,000 / 7,000, definition of child order, eligibility, required documents, applying at the household registration district office or online.
- Ministry of Health and Welfare: explanation page for the childcare allowance and childcare subsidy (in Chinese; updated 2026-07-13, verified 2026-11-01): means test abolished in 2023, childcare subsidy from January 2024 starting at NT$7,000 for public care and NT$13,000 for quasi-public care, the restriction against receiving it together with the parental leave allowance abolished, the subsidy extended from age 2 to under age 3, low birth rate plan 2.0, the 1957 helpline.
- Social and family affairs administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare: operating guidelines for special municipality, county and city governments handling publicly run and quasi-public childcare services for children under 2, and Schedule 2 (in Chinese; amended and issued July 16, 2025; Schedule 3, the infant care center subsidy standards, was separately amended on August 17, 2026 and does not affect parents' subsidy amounts; verified 2026-11-01): childcare subsidy amount table by family category and birth order, definition of disadvantaged families, reporting eligibility (30 hours a week, not receiving the childcare allowance), reporting within 15 days, the half-month counting rule.
- Social and family affairs administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare: low birth rate countermeasure plan 2.0 (2026 to 2029), approved version (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-01): Ministry of Education childcare allowance amounts and eligibility for ages 2 to under 5, age-5 school attendance subsidy, parent fee caps at public, non-profit and quasi-public preschools, childcare subsidy extended to under age 3 from 2020, top-up subsidies bringing the maternity benefits of each type of insurance up to NT$100,000.
- Bureau of Labor Insurance, Ministry of Labor: guidelines for the worker maternity subsidy (勞工生育補助要點) (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-01): for births or premature births on or after January 1, 2026, the Labor Insurance maternity benefit plus the subsidy totals NT$100,000.
Related reading: Taiwan Parental Leave Allowance 2026: 80% Pay & Daily Claims · Birth Registration in Taiwan: 60-Day Deadline and Fines
