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HB403 • 2026

Income tax, state; credits for child care-related expenses.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 a section numbered 58.1-339.15 and by adding in Article 13 of Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 a section numbered 58.1-439.12:13, relating to income tax credits; child care-related expenses.</p>

Children Labor Taxes
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Reid
Last action
2026-02-18
Official status
Failed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on how to claim these credits, only that the Tax Commissioner will develop guidelines.

Income tax credits for child care expenses

This bill establishes refundable income tax credits to help with child care costs for individuals and employers in Virginia from 2026 to 2030.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a refundable tax credit of up to 20% of the federal Employer-Provided Childcare Credit for qualified taxpayers who earn below certain income limits based on poverty guidelines.
  • Allows employers to claim a refundable tax credit equal to 50% of their child care expenses, with an annual limit of $500,000 per employer and adjusted annually for inflation.
  • Limits the total amount of credits available each year to $10 million for both individual and employer claims combined.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Individuals who qualify as 'qualified taxpayers' based on their income level relative to federal poverty guidelines.
  • Employers who provide child care benefits or incur expenses related to providing child care services.

Terms To Know

Qualified taxpayer
An individual or married couple whose Virginia adjusted gross income does not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty guideline amount for their household size.
Qualified child care expenditure
Expenses related to providing child care services, including costs for operating and expanding child day centers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The total amount of tax credits available each year is capped at $10 million.
  • Details on how to claim these credits will be developed by the Tax Commissioner.
  • The bill does not specify an effective date beyond the taxable years it covers (2026-2030).

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-18 House

    Left in Committee Education

  2. 2026-02-18 House

    Left in Finance

  3. 2026-02-02 Subcommittee #1

    Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 2-N)

  4. 2026-01-31 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From TAX (1/31/2026 3:31 pm)

  5. 2026-01-12 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101204D

  6. 2026-01-12 Finance

    Referred to Committee on Finance

Official Summary Text

Income tax credits; child care-related expenses.
Establishes in taxable years 2026 through 2030 (i) a refundable tax credit in an amount equal to 20 percent of the credit claimed by a qualified taxpayer, as defined in the bill, pursuant to the federal Employer-Provided Childcare Credit, and (ii) a refundable tax credit equal to 50 percent of an employer's qualified child care expenditures, as defined in the bill. The bill directs that the aggregate amount of credit for an employer's qualified child care expenditures shall not exceed $500,000 per taxable year and such amount shall be adjusted annually for inflation.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 a section numbered
58.1-339.15
and by adding in Article 13 of Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 a section numbered
58.1-439.12:13
, relating to income tax credits; child care-related expenses.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 a section numbered
58.1-339.15
and by adding in Article 13 of Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 a section numbered
58.1-439.12:13
as follows:

§
58.1-339.15
. Child
-
care expenses tax credit.

A. For purposes of this section:

"Poverty guidelines" means the poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia updated annually in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of § 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981.

"Qualified taxpayer" means an individual or married persons filing jointly whose family Virginia adjusted gross income does not exceed 400 percent of the poverty guideline amount corresponding to a household of an equal number of persons as listed in the poverty guidelines published during such taxable year.

B
.
For taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 202
6
, but before January 1, 20
31
,
any qualified
taxpayer
eligible for a tax credit pursuant to § 21 of the Internal Revenue Code, may
,
for the taxable year
,
claim a refundable credit against the tax imposed pursuant to §
58.1-320
in an amount equal to 20 percent of the credit claimed by the individual or married individuals for federal individual income taxes pursuant to § 21 of the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year.
The aggregate amount of credits allowable under this section shall not exceed $10 million per taxable year.

C.
If the amount of the credit exceeds the taxpayer's liability for such taxable year, the excess
shall
be refunded by the Tax Commissioner

on behalf of the Commonwealth for 100 percent of face value

within 90 days after the filing date of the income tax return on which the individual applies for the refund.

D. The Tax Commissioner shall develop guidelines for claiming the credit provided by this section. Such guidelines shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§
2.2-4000
et seq.).

§
58.1-439.12:13
. Employer
-
provided child
-
care tax credit.

A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Qualified child care expenditure" means the cost of (i) acquiring, constructing, rehabilitating, or expanding property used as a qualified child day
center
;
(ii) operating a qualified child day
center
, including training costs, certain compensation for employees, and scholarship programs
;
and (iii) contracting with a qualified child day center to provide child care. "Qualified child care expenditure" does not include expenses in excess of the fair market value of such child

care.

"Qualified child day center" means a duly licensed child day center as defined by §
22.1-289.02
, provided that such child day center participates in the Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5) system established pursuant to §
22.1-289.05
.

B. For taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2026, but before January 1, 2031, a
n
employer shall be allowed a refundable credit against the tax levied pursuant to §
58.1-320
or
58.1-400
for 50 percent of such employer's qualified child care expenditures. The aggregate amount of credit for each taxpayer shall not exceed $500,000 per taxable year. Such aggregate amount shall be adjusted annually beginning January 1, 2027
,
based on the change in the
Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the U.S. Department of Labor or any successor index for the previous year
. The employer shall submit with its tax return the records of its qualified expenditures, including any purchase receipts or invoices.
The aggregate amount of credits allowable under this section shall not exceed $10 million per taxable year.

C.
If the amount of the credit exceeds the taxpayer's liability for such taxable year, the excess shall be refunded by the Tax Commissioner on behalf of the Commonwealth for 100 percent of face value within 90 days after the filing date of the income tax return on which the individual applies for the refund.

D. The Tax Commissioner shall develop guidelines for claiming the credit provided by this section. Such guidelines shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§
2.2-4000
et seq.).