Residents of Tallinn can apply for a place fee and food cost exemption for a child attending a municipal kindergarten.

Exemption from a municipal kindergarten place fee

According to the Tallinn City Council regulation ‘Parents' share of the costs of pre-school municipal kindergartens’, parents are exempt from paying their share (referred to as the place fee) until the end of the academic year (until 31 August) on the basis of a parent's application:

• if the parent(s) net monthly income per the first family member is lower than the current minimum wage* and for each subsequent family member is less than 80% of the current minimum wage, and if both the parent and the child are registered at the same address in the population register in the city of Tallinn;
• the right to apply for and receive exemption from the parent's share of the place fee is granted to a parent whose registered place of residence has been continuously in the city of Tallinn both on December 31 of the calendar year preceding the application year and throughout the current year.

* net income of 885.99 euros for the first family member and 708.79 euros for each subsequent family member.
for a family of 2, a maximum of 1594.78 euros;
for a family of 3, a maximum of 2303.57 euros;
for a family of 4, a maximum of 3012.36 euros;
for a family of 5, a maximum of 3721.15 euros.

* The net income of the family is assessed by the social welfare department of the district the applicant lives in.

* The application for exemption from the fee based on income must be submitted by the parent separately for each child attending the kindergarten and at the time of submitting the application, the child must be living with the parent at the same address in the city of Tallinn, according to the population register. You can apply for an exemption of the place fee from the date of the start of registration of a kindergarten class in a Tallinn municipal kindergarten.

• for a two or more children attending a childcare institution, if two or more children in the family are attending a municipal childcare institution in Tallinn and if both the parent and the children in question have their place of residence in the city of Tallinn according to the population register;

* If a parent has more than two children attending a Tallinn municipal kindergarten, an application for each child must be submitted in the self-service environment. The application for place fee exemption can be submitted by the parent from the date of the child's enrolment at the kindergarten (the date of the start of attendance).

• if their child has received a recommendation to attend an inclusive kindergarten classroom from an external counselling team (Innove Rajaleidja Centre) or if the child attends or is on the waiting list for a special needs class. In both cases, the place of residence of both the parent and the child in question must be the city of Tallinn, according to the population register.

Applications for place fee exemption can be submitted digitally at info.haridus.ee/lasteaiakoht or on paper to the kindergarten’s director.

Application forms for place fee exemption:

Exemption from paying the parent’s share of the fee based on income

Exemption from paying the parent’s share of the fee for parents of two or more children attending kindergarten

Exemption from paying the parent’s share of the fee based on the recommendation of a counselling team

Parents can apply any time the need arises, but please note that the place fee exemption, which depends on the family's income, is temporary and valid until the end of the academic year (until 31 August). The place fee exemption will be terminated before the end of the academic year if the residence of the parent and/or the child is not in the city of Tallinn according to the population register.

The right to apply for and receive exemption from the parent's share of the place fee is granted to a parent whose registered place of residence has been continuously in the city of Tallinn both on December 31 of the calendar year preceding the application year and throughout the current year. 

Under the Regulation, the income-based place fee exemption applies from the month following the month in which the application is submitted by the parent. For example, if the application is submitted in September, the parent will receive the discount starting from 1 October and will have to pay the September fee. Parents whose parental leave expires at the end of the academic year (until 31 August) can apply for a place fee exemption for the new academic term starting in August. You can apply for a place fee exemption for a new child from the date of the child's class registration date (the start date of the child’s kindergarten class).

Based on the decision by external counselling team (Innove Rajaleidja Centre) or in the case of two or more children attending kindergarten, the exemption will be applied starting from the month the parent submits the application. The place fee exemption ends when the child leaves the kindergarten. If the exemption was applied based on a counselling team's decision, it will be terminated if the child no longer attends a special needs class or is no longer on the waiting list for a special needs class.

• If a kindergarten or the group which the child attends is closed due to the epidemic spread of infectious diseases, parents will be exempted from paying their share of the municipal kindergarten costs. The exemption will be applied for the period during which the kindergarten or group is closed.

 Coverage of food costs in municipal kindergartens up to a set limit

As of 1 September 2017, Tallinn City Council Regulation No. 17 of 7 September 2017 established the conditions and procedure for covering the food costs of children attending pre-school municipal kindergartens in Tallinn and Tallinn City Government Regulation No. 31 of 6 December 2023 set the maximum limit for covering the food costs of children attending pre-school municipal kindergartens in Tallinn.

The limit for covering the cost of food for a nursery child in the city of Tallinn is 2.75 euros per day and the limit for covering the cost of food for a kindergarten child is 3.05 euros per day.

The daily food cost for the child allowance is decided by the childcare institution’s board and approved by the director, and includes the cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If the daily cost of food, as approved by the director of the childcare facility, is higher than the limit set by the city government, the difference is covered by the parent on the basis of a monthly invoice issued in the month following the month of the invoice.

Parents do not need to submit an application for covering food costs up to the limit set by the city government.

 Full exemption from food costs

A child can be fully exempted from food costs based on the parent's application in the following cases:

• a child of a low-income family, if the child and their parent(s) are registered as living in Tallinn in the population register, and the family's net income per the first family member is lower than the current minimum wage, and lower than 80% of the current minimum wage for each additional family member;
• a child staying in Tallinn Children's Home under foster care services and attending a preschool child care institution.

A justified request for exemption from food costs must be submitted to the director of the child care institution. If the parent has not submitted an application, the teacher or the head of the foster care home may do so.