Understanding Daycare Contracts in Texas — What Every Parent Should Know

Signing a daycare contract feels like a formality — a stack of paperwork between you and your child starting care. But the details buried in that document can cost you hundreds of dollars, restrict your ability to leave, or leave you without care on short notice if you're not careful.

In Texas, daycare contracts are legally binding agreements. Texas does not have a standardized childcare contract template, which means individual centres have wide latitude. Here's what every Texas parent needs to understand before they sign.

Tuition Structure and Payment Policies

Weekly vs. Monthly Billing

Texas daycares charge tuition weekly or monthly. Monthly billing provides more predictability, but usually means you're charged for the full month regardless of holidays, sick days, or absences.

Always clarify: Is tuition based on attendance or enrollment? In most cases, you are paying to hold your child's spot — not for each individual day they attend.

Registration and Supply Fees

Most Texas daycares charge a non-refundable registration fee ($50–$200) at enrollment. Some also charge annual supply fees. Confirm whether the registration fee is truly non-refundable even if care doesn't start, and what the supply fee covers.

The Notice Period — Read This Carefully

The notice period clause is the single most consequential section of a daycare contract. Two weeks is standard. Four weeks is common. Some contracts require 30 or 60 days' written notice — meaning you could owe an additional month or two of tuition after your last day of attendance.

This matters especially if you're enrolled while on a waitlist somewhere else. If your preferred daycare calls with an opening, a 60-day notice clause could cost you $1,500 in overlap tuition.

Late Pickup Fees

These fees are typically steep and start immediately at closing time — not after a grace period. Common structures: $1 per minute after closing per child, or a flat $20–$50 fee for any pickup more than 5 minutes late. Understand the exact fee structure before you enroll.

Termination — By the Daycare

Understand under what conditions the daycare can terminate care for your child: non-payment, behavioral issues (often with broad language), or failure to comply with policies. Ask how much notice the daycare gives you if they terminate. The notice owed to parents is often shorter than what parents owe the daycare.

What Happens During Closures

Daycares are not required by Texas law to provide refunds for closures caused by circumstances outside their control. Ask about weather closures, holiday closures, and any prolonged closures before signing.

Your Rights as a Texas Parent

Under Texas DFPS regulations, parents of enrolled children have the right to:

• Enter the licensed facility unannounced at any reasonable time during operating hours while their child is in care
• Review the facility's most recent DFPS inspection report
• Access their child's records
• File a complaint with DFPS without retaliation

No daycare contract in Texas can legally eliminate these rights.

Manage Your Daycare Enrollment with Zukeepr

Zukeepr gives parents a clear, transparent view of their enrollment status, billing history, and communication with their daycare — so you're never in the dark about what you've agreed to or what you're owed.

Find licensed daycares on Zukeepr →