TuitionPingFree childcare provider template
Daycare late-fee policy template
Write down when tuition is due, how grace days work, and what happens if a balance remains unpaid. Customize this starting point for a home daycare, preschool, or childcare center.
Take the template with you
Edit the Word document for your program, or use the PDF as a printable reference. No signup required.
Copy and customize the policy
Replace every bracketed field. Delete clauses you do not use. The examples below use a one-time fee; a daily or recurring fee needs its own explicit terms.
Late tuition payment policy — [Program Name]
Tuition of $[amount] is due [each Monday / on the 1st of each month] by [time and timezone], for [billing period]. Accepted payment methods: [methods or payment link].
A grace period of [number] calendar days applies. The due date is day 0; the next day is day 1. Weekends and holidays [count / are handled as follows: explain].
If a tuition balance remains after the grace period, a one-time late fee of $[amount] applies to that bill. The fee is not charged again each week or month for the same bill. Any different recurring or daily fee must be stated separately in the agreement.
The maximum late fee for one bill is $[cap / not applicable]. Approved credits and verified payments will be recorded against the balance. Contact [name and contact details] if you need a balance review or payment arrangement.
Returned-payment terms: [describe any permitted charge and when it applies, or remove this clause]. Any change to care arrangements follows [notice procedure and timing] and the program's enrollment agreement and applicable rules.
A parent reporting payment does not confirm that funds have arrived. We verify payments against our records before confirming receipt. Any exceptions or arrangements will be documented in writing.
Program contact: [name, phone and email]. Effective date: [date]. Parent/guardian acknowledgment: [signature and date].
Template only. Adapt it to your enrollment agreement and the rules that apply to your program; it does not establish that a particular fee or change in care is permitted.
Weekly and monthly grace-period examples
Weekly billing example
Tuition is due Monday, October 5, 2026. With two calendar grace days, Tuesday and Wednesday are grace days; the first fee-bearing day is Thursday, October 8. A $300 unpaid bill with a one-time $15 fee totals $315. These are example numbers, not recommended charges.
Monthly billing example
Tuition is due October 1, 2026. With five calendar grace days, October 2 through 6 are grace days; the first fee-bearing day is October 7. A $1,000 unpaid bill with a one-time $25 fee totals $1,025. These are example numbers, not recommended charges.
The difference is the billing schedule, not the day-counting rule. Check your own tuition amount, grace period and fee before putting the numbers in your policy.
Before you add this to your enrollment packet
- State the due date and cutoff. Include a time and timezone if your policy uses one.
- Define grace precisely. Say whether calendar days count, whether fees begin after grace or apply retroactively, and how weekends are handled.
- Name the fee trigger. One time per bill, daily, and recurring charges are different policies. Do not mix them without explaining each.
- Describe credits and payments. Keep dates and amounts so a partial payment can be reconciled correctly.
- Document arrangements. Record any waiver or payment plan and apply your stated exception process consistently.
- Disclose changes before using them. Follow the notice and acknowledgment process in your agreement.
Common policy questions
Does a five-day grace period mean the fee starts on the fifth?
In this template, no. Five full calendar days follow the due date; the fee begins on overdue day six. If your agreement uses another rule, spell it out and check your examples.
Should unpaid fees repeat every month?
This template assesses one fee for one bill. Repeating the same fee on an older bill is a separate rule and is not implied by a new month's tuition becoming due.
Can I use this for a late pickup?
This is a tuition-payment policy. Charges for minutes after closing need a separate pickup policy.
How do I follow up without a difficult pickup conversation?
Use a private message with the due date, actual remaining balance, and payment method. The English and Spanish reminder templates include before-due and overdue examples. Record your follow-up in the free payment tracker.
Part of a complete payment policy
This page covers one clause — the late fee. A complete daycare payment policy also states the tuition amount, due date, payment methods, how absences are treated and how to request an arrangement, so the fee never has to carry the whole conversation. When the amount itself changes, send a tuition increase letter with the notice your policy promises.
Schedule the reminder part
TuitionPing sends scheduled tuition texts and records parent replies. You choose your policy and verify payments in your existing system. The account's fee settings are separate from this template and the free calculator.
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