Kindergarten registration in Vancouver: the timeline

One registration window, a few documents, and a school that's already waiting for you. Here's how the year unfolds, and what happens if you're late.

Dates verified as of July 5, 2026

When does your child start?

Children born in 2022 start kindergarten in September 2027. Registration opens November 1, 2026 and closes January 31, 2027.

Children start kindergarten in the September of the calendar year they turn five. Parents can also choose to wait one more year. district admission procedure

The year, month by month

  1. November 1district registration page

    Registration opens

    The priority window opens for the following September. You register online with the district, then verify documents at your catchment school, the one that comes with your address.

  2. January 31district registration page

    The on-time window closes

    Registering anywhere inside the window counts the same. It isn't first-come, first-served, and sibling priority only applies to applications received by this date.

  3. Early January to early Februarydistrict late-immersion page

    Choice program and French Immersion applications

    Programs like French Immersion take a separate application with its own window. Your child must be registered at their catchment school first.

    Most recently published window: January 6 to February 3 for the most recent intake.

  4. Februarydistrict admission procedure

    Cross-boundary applications

    Hoping for a school outside your catchment? That process opens on the first school day of February and closes on the last, and the district answers by March 31.

  5. After the windowdistrict registration FAQ

    Draws and placement offers

    If a school has more on-time applicants than kindergarten seats, the district holds a random draw. Offers follow, and you have 48 hours to accept. Everyone else joins a waitlist, and every child is still guaranteed a seat somewhere nearby.

  6. Spring and summerdistrict registration FAQ

    Late registration continues

    Missed the window? Register as soon as you can. Late applications are simply processed after the on-time ones, in the order they arrive. Your child still gets a school.

  7. September

    First days: gradual entry

    Kindergarten starts gently: most schools begin with shortened days over the first week or so, and your school publishes its own schedule.

What you'll need

Registration is two steps: an online application, then a document check at your catchment school. Have these ready:

The district publishes the accepted-document list alongside the form. district registration page

If you miss the window

Take a breath. Your child still gets a school. Registering after the on-time window simply means your application is processed after the on-time ones, in the order it arrives. If your catchment school has filled by then, the district offers the nearest school with space instead. The only thing the window really buys is more say in which seat, so register when you can, and don't let a missed date spiral into a crisis.

When these dates change

The district publishes each year's windows on its own pages. The source links above go straight to them, and the note at the top of this guide says when we last checked every date.

North Vancouver families: this timeline follows the Vancouver district's calendar. Your registration windows and documents are set by your own district, so check its pages for the exact dates. The way catchments work, though, is the same on both sides of the inlet.

Questions people ask

When should I register my child for kindergarten?
During the district's priority window, which runs from November 1 to January 31 for the following September. Anywhere inside the window counts the same. It isn't first-come, first-served.
What happens if I miss the registration window?
Your child still gets a school. Late applications are processed after the on-time ones, in the order they arrive. You just have less say in where, if your catchment school has filled.
Does registering early improve our chances?
No. Every application inside the window is treated the same, and if a school has more applicants than seats, the district holds a random draw with sibling and catchment priority, not a race by timestamp.
What if we move after registering?
Tell the district your new address. Your catchment school changes with the address, and your registration follows. You don't restart the process.
See which schools come with your address

Keep reading

Or browse the facts directly: every catchment and every school has its own page.