Home Care Agency License: 6-State Renewal Guide and Tracker
A home care agency license is the state's permission to send caregivers into clients' homes for the services named on it. Whether you need one depends on your state and on what your staff do: some states license only medical home health, others also license non-medical personal care. Terms run from up to one year in Minnesota to 2 years in California and Florida and 3 years in Texas.
This guide compares six states from their own statutes and agency pages, shows you how to hit each renewal window, and gives you a tracker for the license and every caregiver credential that hangs off it. There's no federal home care license. Medicare only says that "if state or local law provides licensing of HHAs, the HHA must be licensed" (42 CFR 484.100).
How long a home care agency license lasts in six states, from the official statutes, codes and agency fee tables (checked 12 October 2026).What the license actually covers
The license names your agency, the services you may provide, the premises you operate from and an expiry date. Read the services line closely. Florida says a license issued on or after 1 July 2018 "must specify the home health services the licensee or registrant is authorized to perform", so adding a service can mean amending the license first.
Medicare and Medicaid sit on top of the state license, not instead of it. A Medicare-certified home health agency (HHA) still follows state law, and its aides must meet federal training rules: at least 75 hours of training, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, plus 12 hours of in-service training in every 12-month period (42 CFR 484.80).
Non-medical home care needs a license in many states
Non-medical care means help with bathing, dressing, meals and companionship, with no skilled nursing or therapy. Four of our six states treat it like this:
- California: non-medical agencies need a Home Care Organization (HCO) license from the Department of Social Services, and their aides must be listed on the state Home Care Aide Registry.
- Florida: a provider offering only companion or homemaker services is "exempt from licensure" but "must register" with the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Home health services need a full home health agency license.
- North Carolina: licensed "home care services" include "in-home aide services that involve hands-on care", so hands-on personal care needs a license.
- Pennsylvania: home care agencies and home care registries need a Department of Health license under 28 Pa. Code chapter 611, and that covers personal care, companionship and respite care.
Texas puts personal assistance services on the same agency license as home health, hospice and habilitation. Minnesota issues "a basic or comprehensive home care license" depending on what you provide.
License rules in six states, side by side
Each row below comes from the state's own statute, code or fee page, checked on 12 October 2026. Fees and terms change, so confirm with your regulator before you file.
Home care agency licensing in 6 states (last verified 12 October 2026)
| State | License and regulator | What it covers | Term and renewal | Fee (official figure) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | Home Care Organization license; Department of Social Services, Home Care Services Branch | Aides helping clients with activities of daily living at home; aides listed on the Home Care Aide Registry | 2 years; aide registration also 2 years | $5,603 per 2-year license; $35 per aide registration |
| Florida | Home health agency license; Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) | Home health services named on the license; companion and homemaker providers register instead | Biennial; renewal received 60 to 120 days before expiry; $50 a day late fee (capped) | Companion or homemaker registration: $50 per biennium |
| Minnesota | Basic or comprehensive home care license; Minnesota Department of Health | Home care services at the licensed level | Valid for up to 1 year; new providers start on a temporary license | Not checked for this guide |
| North Carolina | Home care agency license; state Department under N.C. Gen. Stat. 131E-138 | Nursing, therapy and in-home aide services involving hands-on care | Renewed under Medical Care Commission rules | $510 nonrefundable annual license fee |
| Pennsylvania | Home care agency or home care registry license; Department of Health (28 Pa. Code ch. 611) | Personal care, help with daily tasks, companionship, respite and specialized care | Term shown on the license; renewal form at least 60 days before expiry; inspection before renewal | $100 application or renewal fee |
| Texas | Home and community support services agency (HCSSA) license; Health and Human Services Commission | Home health, hospice, habilitation and personal assistance services | Expires 3 years after issue | Set by rule between $600 and $2,625 |
Official sources for each row:
- California: CDSS Home Care Services, application fees and the Home Care Aide Registry
- Florida: s. 400.464, s. 400.509 and s. 408.806
- Minnesota: s. 144A.473 and s. 144A.43
- North Carolina: G.S. 131E-136 and G.S. 131E-138
- Pennsylvania: 28 Pa. Code ch. 611
- Texas: Health and Safety Code ch. 142
Running a residential setting as well? Our assisted living regulations by state guide covers facility licenses.
Renew from the date on the license, not from a state reminder
States don't promise to remind you, and a missed window costs money. Florida charges $50 a day for a late renewal, capped at half the license fee or $500, whichever is less (s. 408.806). Work through these steps each cycle:
- Copy the exact expiry date and license number from the certificate, one row per licensed location. Pennsylvania licenses each location separately.
- Work out your filing window. In Florida it opens 120 days and closes 60 days before expiry. In Pennsylvania, file at least 60 days before.
- Check what's changed since last time: owners, administrator, address, services. Some changes must be reported when they happen; Texas charges a fee of up to $50 for certain application changes.
- Gather the pack: application, fee, insurance certificates, policies, staff roster and any accreditation documents.
- Review five caregiver files yourself before the renewal inspection. Pennsylvania inspects before it renews.
- File and pay, then keep the receipt and confirmation in one folder. If nothing arrives within 30 days, call.
- Post the new license where your state requires and enter the next expiry date the same day.
Count back from the expiry date: in Florida the renewal application must arrive between 120 and 60 days before it.Build a license and credential tracker today
One sheet can hold the agency license and every caregiver credential, with the filing window worked out for you. Set up these columns:
- A Item, B Person or location, C Expires, D Window opens (days before), E Window closes (days before), F Opens on, G Closes on, H Days to close, I Status, J Owner, K Backup.
- Opens on: =C2-D2 Closes on: =C2-E2
- Days to close: =G2-TODAY()
- Status: =IF(TODAY()<F2,"WAIT",IF(H2<0,"LATE",IF(H2<=14,"FILE NOW","OPEN")))
- Items without a legal window get your own lead time in D and E, such as 60 and 30.
Worked example
Say your Florida home health agency license expires on 31 March 2027. Put 120 in D and 60 in E. The window opens on 1 December 2026 and closes on 30 January 2027. On 16 January 2027, with 14 days left, the status flips to FILE NOW.
Which caregiver credentials belong in the tracker?
Caregiver credential clocks for home care agencies
| Credential or check | Cycle | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| California home care aide registration | 2 years; renew on or before expiry | CDSS Home Care Aide Registry |
| Texas employee misconduct and nurse aide registry search | Before hire, then annually | Health and Safety Code 253.008 |
| Florida level 2 background screening | Before contact; rescreen every 5 years | Fla. Stat. 400.512, 408.809 |
| Pennsylvania criminal history report | Obtained at application or within 1 year before | 28 Pa. Code ch. 611 |
| Medicare home health aide in-service | 12 hours each 12 months | 42 CFR 484.80(d) |
| Medicare aide supervision (skilled patients) | Supervisory assessment at least every 14 days | 42 CFR 484.80(h) |
| CNA registry status | Usually every 2 years | State nurse aide registry |
For new hires, our caregiver onboarding checklist puts each pre-hire and first-90-day item on a timeline. For aides who hold a CNA, see CNA license renewal requirements.
Habits that make the next renewal boring
None of these are legal requirements. They're what stops a renewal turning into a two-week scramble.
- Keep a renewal folder per location and drop documents in as they change, like a new insurance certificate or an updated policy.
- Name a backup for whoever owns the license, so a holiday or a resignation doesn't stall the filing.
- Review two caregiver files a week rather than all of them the week before inspection.
- Log every regulator email or notice with the date and what you did about it.
- Before you add a service such as medication help or skilled nursing, check that your license names it.
What happens if your license lapses
⚠️Operating without a valid license is unlicensed activity, and the penalties are real. In Florida, providing or advertising services not named on the license is unlicensed activity (Fla. Stat. 400.464). In Pennsylvania, no one may run a home care agency or registry "without first having obtained a license" (28 Pa. Code 611.2). In Texas, a person who must hold a license and gives personal assistance services to an assisted living resident without one commits a Class A misdemeanor, or a third-degree felony after a previous conviction (Health and Safety Code 142.00605, in force since 1 September 2025).
Spreadsheet or software?
One location with a handful of caregivers can run on the sheet above, as long as one person opens it every week. It gets fragile once you have several locations, high turnover, or caregivers whose credentials renew on different cycles. A spreadsheet also can't chase a caregiver for a renewed card.
ExpiryEdge holds the license and each credential as a record with an owner and a backup. It reminds them at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days by email, SMS, WhatsApp, Slack or Teams, escalates to a manager when something goes overdue, and lets caregivers upload renewed cards themselves. The audit trail shows a surveyor when each item was checked. You can try it free for 14 days without a credit card.
💡 Pro Tip
Write the license renewal itself down as a short checklist: confirm the window, gather documents, submit and pay, save the receipt, photograph the new license where it's posted. Once it's written, anyone on the team can run the next renewal.
For the wider set of deadlines in care settings, see our assisted living compliance guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license to start a non-medical home care agency?
In many states, yes. California wants a Home Care Organization license from its Department of Social Services, North Carolina licenses in-home aide services that involve hands-on care, and Pennsylvania licenses both agencies and registries. Florida does it differently. Companion and homemaker providers there register with AHCA rather than getting a license. Check with your state before you take on a single client.
How long is a home care agency license valid?
It depends on the state. A Minnesota license lasts up to one year, and new providers start on a temporary license. California and Florida licenses run for 2 years, and a Texas license expires 3 years after it's issued. Pennsylvania prints the term on the license itself. Note the expiry date the day the license arrives and work back from it.
When should I submit my home care license renewal?
Inside your state's window. Florida's application must arrive between 120 and 60 days before expiry, and after that you pay a $50 daily late fee, capped at half the license fee or $500. Pennsylvania wants the renewal form at least 60 days before expiry and inspects before renewing. If your state sets no window, start 90 days out so there's time to fix gaps.
What is the difference between a home health agency and a home care agency?
A home health agency provides skilled services such as nursing and therapy, and it may be Medicare-certified. A home care agency usually provides non-medical help: personal care, meals, companionship. States license them differently. Florida, for example, licenses home health agencies but only registers companion and homemaker providers, while Texas puts both under one agency license.
Does Medicare require a state home care license?
Medicare requires a home health agency to be licensed wherever state or local law provides for HHA licensing (42 CFR 484.100). Medicare doesn't issue licenses itself, and it doesn't certify non-medical home care. So a Medicare-certified agency needs both: the state license and the federal certification, each with its own renewal and survey cycle.
How do I keep caregiver credentials current?
Give every credential an expiry or recheck date the day you file it, name an owner, and review the list weekly. The cycles differ: California aide registrations last 2 years, Texas repeats its registry searches every year, and Florida's level 2 background screening repeats every 5 years. Ask caregivers for renewed documents well before the date, not on it.
Sources
- 42 CFR 484.100, compliance with federal, state and local laws (eCFR)
- 42 CFR 484.80, home health aide services (eCFR)
- California DSS, Home Care Services
- California DSS, Home Care Services application fees
- California DSS, Home Care Aide Registry
- Florida Statutes s. 400.464, home health agency licensure
- Florida Statutes s. 400.509, companion and homemaker registration
- Florida Statutes s. 408.806, license application process
- Florida Statutes s. 408.809, background screening
- Minnesota Statutes s. 144A.473, temporary license and renewal
- Minnesota Statutes s. 144A.43, definitions
- North Carolina G.S. 131E-136, definitions
- North Carolina G.S. 131E-138, licensure requirements
- 28 Pa. Code ch. 611, home care agencies and home care registries
- Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 142, home and community support services
- Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 253, employee misconduct registry
- Last reviewed: 12 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the state. A Minnesota license lasts up to one year, and new providers start on a temporary license. California and Florida licenses run for 2 years, and a Texas license expires 3 years after it's issued. Pennsylvania prints the term on the license itself. Note the expiry date the day the license arrives and work back from it.
Inside your state's window. Florida's application must arrive between 120 and 60 days before expiry, and after that you pay a $50 daily late fee, capped at half the license fee or $500. Pennsylvania wants the renewal form at least 60 days before expiry and inspects before renewing. If your state sets no window, start 90 days out so there's time to fix gaps.
A home health agency provides skilled services such as nursing and therapy, and it may be Medicare-certified. A home care agency usually provides non-medical help: personal care, meals, companionship. States license them differently. Florida, for example, licenses home health agencies but only registers companion and homemaker providers, while Texas puts both under one agency license.
Medicare requires a home health agency to be licensed wherever state or local law provides for HHA licensing (42 CFR 484.100). Medicare doesn't issue licenses itself, and it doesn't certify non-medical home care. So a Medicare-certified agency needs both: the state license and the federal certification, each with its own renewal and survey cycle.
Give every credential an expiry or recheck date the day you file it, name an owner, and review the list weekly. The cycles differ: California aide registrations last 2 years, Texas repeats its registry searches every year, and Florida's level 2 background screening repeats every 5 years. Ask caregivers for renewed documents well before the date, not on it.
Not medical, clinical, or HIPAA compliance advice
This article is for general informational purposes and does not constitute clinical or HIPAA compliance advice. ExpiryEdge is not currently a HIPAA Business Associate. Healthcare organisations handling Protected Health Information should review the specifics of their compliance programme with a qualified privacy officer or HIPAA consultant.
