Important License Fee and DECAL KOALA Information

MEMORANDUM

To: Child Care Provider

License Number

From: Pam Stevens

Deputy Commissioner for Child Care Services

Date: November 1, 2018

Re: Annual License Fee

Bright from the Start is collecting the annual license fee for the 2019 calendar year beginning today, November 1, 2018. Payment of the annual license fee is due by December 1, 2018. Georgia law requires annual license fees for all licensed child care programs. Family child care learning home providers must also complete the Disclosure Statement in DECAL KOALA, www.decalkoala.com, before the license fee can be paid.

When you pay your license fee in DECAL KOALA, take a minute to update your profile. The provider search allows parents to compare up to six programs at a time based on information from DECAL KOALA. You can indicate if you: are currently enrolling new children; accept part-time children; are on a school bus route or provide transportation; have bilingual teachers; your weekly rates; and more! Quality Rated programs can also upload pictures. The information you add could be just what a parent is looking for!

Georgia law requires you to verify lawful status in the U.S. before you can pay the license fee and receive your license. If you have previously submitted verification as a U.S. citizen to Bright from the Start, you are not required to be re-verified as a U.S. citizen. However, if your facility is owned by a corporation, you must affirm that information about your facility has not changed since last year by completing the online affirmation process in DECAL KOALA at www.decalkoala.com before the license fee can be paid. 

Bright from the Start will notify you via a separate e-mail if you are required to complete the verification of lawful presence process or affirmation process this year. 

The annual license fees are as follows:

 Facility Capacity                             Fee Amount             Late Fee          

25 Children or less                               $50                              $25

26 to 50 Children                                 $100                            $50 

51 to 100 Children                               $150                            $75

101 to 200 Children                             $200                            $100

More than 200 Children                        $250                            $125

The license fee is based on the center’s or home’s licensed capacity that Bright from the Start has on file. According to our records, the licensed capacity for Facility is XX.  If this information is not correct, contact your Child Care Services consultant or call 404-657-5562.

NOTE: The law authorizes Bright from the Start to “impose a late fee for failure of an early care and education program to pay the annual fee for licensure, registration, or commission within 30 days of due date as established by the department.” See O.C.G.A. Section 20-1A-12(c)(7). A late fee in the amount of half of the license fee for your child care program (as shown in the above chart) will be added to your fee amount after December 31, 2018. Failure to pay license fees will result in a citation and could result in the denial or revocation of your license. If you do not pay your license fee and your license is revoked or denied, you cannot participate in other Bright from the Start programs such as Georgia’s Pre K Program, Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Quality Rated.

Bright from the Start will continue to update providers with e-mails and postings to our website. It is critical that we have your current e-mail address because we communicate with you using the primary e-mail address we have on file for you. Go to DECAL KOALA (www.decalkoala.com), to update your e-mail address or, if you are a Georgia’s Pre-K provider, go to Panda to update your site e-mail address. 

Questions?

License fees: http://www.decal.ga.gov or feepayment@decal.ga.gov 
Affidavit/affirmation: ccsaffidavit@decal.ga.gov 
DECAL KOALA: decalkoala@decal.ga.gov
Or call 404-657-5562 

Important Dates to Remember:

November 1, 2018: License fees can be paid online from DECAL KOALA (www.decalkoala.com) or mailed in if the verification process is complete. 

December 1, 2018:  License fees are due.

January 1, 2019: A late fee is added to the license fee, and a citation is issued. If the license fee and the late fee are not paid, the license revocation process will begin.

This email was sent to Child Care Provider at Facility from Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. Please add donotreply@decal.ga.gov to your address book to ensure you continue to receive Bright from the Start e-mails and notifications.