From application to approval, we handle your AHCA licensing — then hand you the platform to run your agency from day one. Most consultancies disappear when your license arrives. We keep going.
Want to open a non-medical home care agency in Florida? You need a Homemaker and Companion Services (HCS) Registration, Nurse Registry License, or Home Health Agency (HHA) License from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Our estimate: 84 days for provisional approval plus an on-site survey. State filing fees total $50 and are paid directly to AHCA.
Non-medical home care agencies do not require a CON in Florida.
Medicaid Program
Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC)
Plus the Private-Pay First for qualifying providers.
Home Care License Type in Florida
Florida regulates home-based care under several license categories. Most new founders start with a HCS License for non-medical care, then add skilled services later if they choose.
NON-MEDICAL
Homemaker and Companion Services (HCS) Registration, Nurse Registry License, or Home Health Agency (HHA) License
Florida has three paths.
Personal care and daily living assistance
Companionship and homemaker services
Medication reminders (not administration)
Transportation and errand assistance
Respite care for family caregivers
State fee:
$50 HCS Registration Fee (Every 2 Years)
Timeline:
8-12 Weeks for provisional approval
Regulator:
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
How to Get Licensed in Florida
Florida licensing follows a structured 7-step process through AHCA. Our specialists handle all 7 steps in the Launch and Signature packages; in the Licensing Kit, you handle the submission yourself with our expert guidance.
84 days from start to provisional approval
1
FOUNDATION
2
POLICIES
3
APPLICATION
4
OPERATIONS
5
SURVEY
1
Choose Your License Type
FOUNDATION
Decide if you will give help that is not hands-on (HCS), refer contractors (Nurse Registry), or employ and supervise aides (HHA).
2
Form Your Business Entity
FOUNDATION
Register your LLC or corporation. Get an EIN. Open a business bank account. HCS names cannot use words like "home health," "nursing," or "personal care."
3
Complete Level 2 Screening
POLICIES
Owners, the administrator, the financial officer, and staff get fingerprinted. Results go to the AHCA Clearinghouse. Do this early. It is a common cause of delay.
4
Prepare Your Documents
APPLICATION
Gather ownership details and staff information. HHA applicants also need proof of $250,000 malpractice and liability insurance. They also need 2-year financial projections signed by a CPA.
5
Submit Your Application
APPLICATION
File online through the AHCA Online Licensing system, or mail the paper form. Pay the fee.
6
Respond to AHCA Review
OPERATIONS
AHCA has 30 days to tell you what is missing. You then have 21 days to send it, or your application is withdrawn. AHCA decides within 60 days of a complete file.
7
Pass the Initial Survey (HHA and Nurse Registry)
SURVEY
AHCA surveys new HHAs and Nurse Registries before it issues the license. For skilled care, an accrediting group does the HHA survey instead. HCS registrants do not get a pre-opening visit.
Why Florida Founders Choose HomeCareAtlas
The biggest difference between us and traditional consultancies isn't the license — it's what happens after the license arrives.
Traditional Consultant
HomeCareAtlas
Pricing
A mystery sales process and hard upsells
Clear packages built for your goals
Policies & Procedures
Generic templates
Built around your state and your service model
Application Filing
You assemble the packet
Done-for-you in Launch and Signature
Survey Day
You're on your own
On-call phone support during your state visit
After License Arrives
Relationship ends
Platform, dashboard, and directory listing go live
Caregiver Onboarding
Not included
Digital onboarding ready for hire #1
Compliance Tracking
You build a spreadsheet
Live compliance dashboard included
Directory Presence
None
Listed on Carezano the day you open
Three Ways to Get Your Florida Agency Licensed
Pick the level of support that matches how hands-on you want to be. Florida state fees ($50 to AHCA) are passed through at cost.
Florida charges a state application fee, paid directly to the state licensing body. We don't mark it up.
Want to see pricing? We share it on your free 15-minute call. Pick a time →
The Platform That Comes With Your License
Every tier includes free time on Home Care Atlas — the operating system for your new agency. This is the part other Florida consultancies don't offer.
Florida Licensing Workspace
Track your application, documents, and deadlines in one dashboard. Your Atlas specialist works in the same view you do.
Custom Florida P&P Manual
Written around your state's rules, your service model, and your agency — not a generic national template. Survey-ready before you file.
Business Formation
LLC, EIN, NPI, surety bond, and insurance — all tracked and handled in Launch and Signature packages.
Compliance Dashboard
From caregiver #1 onward, every certification, background check, and required document is tracked with automatic expiration alerts.
Caregiver Onboarding
I-9, W-4, direct deposit, and required background-check verifications — all collected digitally.
Carezano Directory Listing
Listed on our public directory the day you open. Local families find you, referral partners find you, you're visible from day one.
Common Questions Before You Book
How much does a home care license cost in Florida?
It depends on the path. HCS registration is $50 every two years by law. AHCA bills $50.75. A Nurse Registry license is $2,000. An HHA license is $2,005. That is a $1,705 license fee plus a $300 two-year assessment.
How long does licensing take in Florida?
AHCA must decide within 60 days of a complete application. We think most HCS registrations take 8 to 12 weeks in all. HHAs and Nurse Registries take longer because of the survey. Skilled-care HHAs also need accreditation.
What is the difference between HCS, Nurse Registry, and HHA?
HCS covers cooking, cleaning, errands, and company. No hands-on care. A Nurse Registry refers independent contractors and cannot supervise them. An HHA employs and supervises aides who give hands-on care.
Does Florida require a Certificate of Need for home care?
No. Florida's Certificate of Need law does not cover home health agencies or non-medical home care.
Is a surety bond always required in Florida?
No. The license laws do not require a bond for most owners. Florida Medicaid may ask for one when you enroll. The amount is tied to how much you bill (s. 409.907). HHA owners who are nonimmigrant aliens must post a $500,000 bond (s. 408.8065).
Is Florida a good market for home care agencies?
Yes. Florida has one of the largest senior groups in the country. Private-pay demand is strong where many retirees live.
Florida Home Care Licensing: What You Need to Know
Florida has three paths. Pick the one that fits what you will do. HCS registration (s. 400.509, F.S.) is for help that is not hands-on, like cooking, cleaning, errands, and company. It costs $50 every two years. A Nurse Registry (s. 400.506) refers independent contractors to clients. Its license costs $2,000. A Home Health Agency license (s. 400.471) lets you employ aides who give hands-on personal care. It costs $2,005 (a $1,705 license fee plus a $300 assessment). Florida does not require a Certificate of Need for home health.
The Homemaker and Companion Services (HCS) Registration, Nurse Registry License, or Home Health Agency (HHA) License
Owners, the administrator, the financial officer, and workers who see clients must pass Level 2 fingerprint screening. It runs through the AHCA Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. You can send a new application online through the AHCA Online Licensing system or on paper. Renewals must be done online. HCS cannot give hands-on care. A Nurse Registry may not supervise or train the workers it refers. An HHA employs and supervises aides. Pick wrong and you risk fines and delays.
Certificate of Need (CON) in Florida
No Certificate of Need. Florida's Certificate of Need law does not cover home health agencies. You do not have to prove community need to apply.
Medicaid Participation — Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC)
Florida Medicaid pays for in-home long-term care through managed care plans. To serve these clients, you sign a contract with each plan. Ask each plan which license types it will take.
Common Reasons Florida Applications Are Rejected or Delayed
Generic P&P manuals that don't reflect state-specific regulations
Incomplete administrator documentation
Insurance or surety bond policies that don't meet state minimums
Missing or inadequate quality assurance program documentation
Physical office that doesn't meet site-review standards
Caregiver background checks that miss required state databases
Every one of these is preventable with proper preparation. It's the biggest reason founders choose done-for-you packages over DIY — the cost of a rejection in lost time is almost always higher than the cost of doing it right the first time.
Book a Free Florida Strategy Call
15 minutes with a home care specialist. We'll map out Florida licensing for you, your timeline, and your best next step — even if you don't hire us.
Which Florida license type fits your business model (Homemaker and Companion Services)
Your realistic timeline and budget
Whether Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC) enrollment makes sense for your plan
No pressure. No obligation. Florida-specific guidance either way.
Your Future Florida Clients Are Already Looking for Care.
Every week you spend piecing this together alone is a week you're not serving your first Florida client. Let's get your agency licensed, launched, and visible — with people on your side who know AHCA.
Built exclusively for non-medical home care|Florida-specific guidance under Rule 59A-8.025, F.A.C.; s. 400.509, F.S. (Homemaker & Companion Services registration)|Platform & HomeCareAtlas directory on day one
Florida licensing details verified by HomeCareAtlas on November 1, 2026.
Florida Home Care License — Done-for-You Licensing
