Free years, income-based fees and sibling discounts across all 16 German federal states.
8/16
Free states
8/16
Income-based states
2026
Data as of
■ Dark = no income-based fees (free or flat-rate model)
Baden-Württemberg
Sibling discountFee-free years
No universal fee-free year (some municipalities offer voluntary fee-waivers)
Key features
Highly variable by municipality. Stuttgart and others offer fee-waivers. KiföG BW sets minimum standards.
Bayern
Sibling discountFee-free years
1 fee-free year (final year before school entry)
Key features
BayKiBiG regulates funding. Final Kita year free since 2012.
Berlin
FreeFee-free years
Fully free since 2018
Key features
Fully free since 2018 for up to 7 hours/day in Kita and childminder care.
Brandenburg
FreeFee-free years
Last 3 Kita years free (since 2023)
Key features
KitaG Brandenburg: 6 hours/day free. Meal and extended care may incur fees.
Bremen
FreeFee-free years
3 free years (Kita ages 3–6)
Key features
Fully free from age 3. Income-based under age 3.
Hamburg
Sibling discountFee-free years
5 free hours/day (basic entitlement)
Key features
KibeG Hamburg: 5 free hours/day. Income-based fees for additional hours. Kita voucher system.
Hessen
FreeSibling discountFee-free years
Free from age 3 (Hessisches KiföG)
Key features
Fully free from age 3 (6 hrs/day) since 2018. Income-based under age 3.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Sibling discountFee-free years
Final Kita year free
Key features
KiföG MV. Fees significantly reduced by state subsidies since 2024.
Niedersachsen
FreeFee-free years
Last 3 years free (from 3rd birthday)
Key features
NKiTaG: fully free from age 3. Krippe (0–3 yrs) income-based. Meal fees separate.
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Sibling discountFee-free years
2 free years (last 2 years before school)
Key features
KiBiz NRW: strongly income-based with many tiers. Final year fully free. Fee waiver for low incomes.
Rheinland-Pfalz
FreeFee-free years
Fully free since 2010
Key features
KiTaG RLP: free from age 2 since 2010 — a German pioneer. Ages 0–2 income-based.
Saarland
FreeFee-free years
Fully free from age 1
Key features
Free from age 1 since 2017. Regardless of income.
Sachsen
Sibling discountFee-free years
No universal free year state-wide (municipalities decide)
Key features
SächsKitaG: income-based fees. No state-wide free year, but many municipalities offer waivers. 2nd child often free.
Sachsen-Anhalt
Sibling discountFee-free years
Last 2 years free
Key features
KiföG LSA: last 2 Kita years free. Krippe income-based.
Schleswig-Holstein
Sibling discountFee-free years
No universal state-wide free year
Key features
KiTaG SH: municipal fees. State subsidy for low-income families. No unified free year.
Thüringen
FreeFee-free years
Fully free (law since 2021)
Key features
ThürKitaG: fully free from age 1 since 2021. Meal fees separate (max €23/month recommended).
All information is indicative (as of January 2026). Kita fees can vary significantly by provider and municipality. Always confirm directly with your Kita or local Jugendamt.
— Editorial
Redaktion Faktencheck
Source Verification & Editorial Quality Assurance
Before every release, our fact-check team reconciles the core figures — Kindergeld rate, Elterngeld thresholds, Kinderzuschlag tiers, Düsseldorfer Tabelle — with the latest official publications. Every cent shown in a calculator is traceable to a specific statute or agency notice.
Fact-checked by:Redaktion Faktencheck — Source Verification & Editorial Quality Assurance
Last reviewed:May 2026
Researched and editorially reviewed. Not legal advice within the meaning of § 2 RDG.
About our editorial team →