Admission for day nursery or public childminding

Day nursery or public childminding are for children from 6 months to 2 years and 10 months. We recommend signing up before your child turns 4 months.

All waiting lists for childcare in The City of Copenhagen are managed by Pladsanvisningen. Application for day nursery or public childminding must be completed online on this website with your MitID. 

You can sign your child up for one or two childcare offers:

•    one or two day nurseries
•    one public childminder and one day nursery
•    two public childminders

Date of need

When you sign your child up on the waiting lists, you must state when your child will need a place at the earliest.  Your child will be offered the first vacant place according to the date of need stated, if your child is at top of the waiting list.

Please notice that your child are not guaranteed a place at the childcare offer on the day of need.  If a place is not available, you should consider registering your child on the guarantee list.

The registration date decides your child’s place on the waiting list.  Seniority starts the day your child turns 4 months but your child can at the earliest be enrolled in day nursery or public childminding when it turns 6 months. Most children are around 1 year old when they get enrolled. 

Sign your child up for day nursery or public childminding

Waiting list and offers - Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

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When will my child be offered enrolment?

Your child will be offered the first available place according to its position on the waiting list and date of need, which does not have to be offered to a sibling to a child already enrolled in the day care offer.

Where can I see my child's position on the waiting list?

You can see your child's position on the waiting list from your child turns four months old at Digital Pladsanvisning.

Can I decline an offer for enrolment in day nursery or public childminding?

Yes. You can decline an offer without it affecting your child's position on the waiting list. If you decide to decline an offer, remeber to do it in writing. Pladsanvisningen may, however, postpone your date of need two months ahead from the starting date of the offer. The change of the date of need after having declined an offer only concerns the specific waiting list you have declined.

If your child already is enrolled and you decline a new day care offer that you have applied for, the child will be deleted from that waiting list.

What happens if I refrain from replying to an offer for enrolment?

If you do not reply once to an offer for enrolment in a day nursery or a public childminder, Pladsanvisningen may postpone your date of need two months ahead from the starting date of the offer. 

If you do not reply twice to an offer for enrolment in a day nursery or public childminder, Pladsanvisningen will remove your child from that waiting list. 

What to do if If I am unable to obtain childcare when I need it?

You may consider to register your child on the guarantee list and be guaranteed enrollment within 2 months from the registration date.

You may also consider private childcare.

Do siblings have priority?

Yes. Pladsanvisningen take siblings into consideration. This means that siblings will be offered enrolment before children on the waiting list who do not have a sibling in the day care.

In case you do not get an offer for enrolment in the day care were the sibling is already enrolled, you may accept an offer for another day care and keep the position on the waiting list to the sibling's day care. If you accept an offer to another day care, it is important that you inform Pladsanvisningen that you want the sibling to stay on the waiting list.

Admission - Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

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When can I sign my child up for day nursery and public childminding?

You can sign up your child from the day your child has a civil registration number (CPR number). However, the seniority date will be the same whether you sign your child up when your child is two days old or the day your child turns four months.

When should I sign up my child?

We recommend that you sign up your child no later than the day your child turns 4 months.

If your child is more than 4 months old, senority on the waiting list will be from the current registration date. 

You can sign up your child for day nursery and public childminding until your child is 2 years and 10 months old.

Can I change my registration on the waiting list?

Yes, you can always make changes. Please note, however, that the senority date on the waiting list you have changed will be the current registration date.

Can I apply for my child to transfer to another day nursery or public childminder?

Yes, you can always choose to substitute one day care wish with another. But please note the senority date on the waiting list you have changed will be the current registration date.

Please note that specific rules apply for transfer between day care services:

  • The date of need has to be today's date
  • You will only receive 1 offer for transfer
  • Your child will be removed from the waiting list when it reaches the age of 2 years and 6 months.
  • No matter if you accept, decline or do not reply to an offer for transfer, Pladsanvisningen will remove your child from the waiting list. 

You can subsequently choose to re-register your child on the waiting list to accumulate seniority as of the date on which you do so.

Can I sign up my child on waiting lists in another municipality?

Each municipality can decide whether they want to have their waiting lists open to children from other municipalities. 

If you live in The City of Copenhagen, you can choose to sign up your child to waiting lists in another municipality. You have to contact the municipality you have in mind and enquire directly. Your child will be registered on their waiting list according to their rules, which may be different than the admission rules in Copenhagen.

On the website ventelistelukning.dk you will find information on the municipalities that have open or closed waiting lists for citizens from other municipalities.

Please note that the cost for day care in another municipality may be different for citizens who do not live in the municipality. It is the parental payment section in your municipality who can inform you about the cost.

Can I apply for admission in Copenhagen, if I do not live in Copenhagen?

The City of Copenhagen has closed its waiting lists for children from other municipalities until November 21st 2024 (will be updated every 3rd month).

If you do not live in Copenhagen, you can still:

  • Sign up your child on a waiting list to a company-owned day care facilitiy in case you and/or the other parent are employed in that company
  • Sign up your child on a waiting list, if you live in Sweden and work in the City of Copenhagen.

When is it not possible to use Digital Pladsanvisning for admission?

You cannot use Digital Pladsanvisning, if:

  • You do not have MitID
  • You or your child do not have a civil registration number (CPR number)
  • You do not have an officially registered address in Copenhagen
  • You do not live on the same address as your child
  • You do not have custody over your child.
  • If you are abroad (not physically in Denmark)

Please contact Pladsanvisningen in case you cannot use Digital Pladsanvisning.

Contact

Pladsanvisningen

Nyropsgade 7, 1st floor

1602 København V

Office opening hours

Monday

09:00 - 13:00

Tuesday

09:00 - 13:00

Wednesday

09:00 - 13:00

Thursday

13:00 - 18:00

Friday

09:00 - 13:00

Phone opening hours

Monday

09:00 - 13:00

Tuesday

09:00 - 13:00

Thursday

13:00 - 18:00

Friday

09:00 - 13:00

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