From application to approval, we handle your OHCA 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 Hawaii? You need a Home Care Agency License from the Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance. Our estimate: 60–90 days for provisional approval plus an on-site survey. State filing fees total $1,500 and are paid directly to OHCA.
Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance
License Types
1 Categories
Home Care Agency License
Certificate of Need
Not Required
Non-medical home care agencies do not require a CON in Hawaii.
Medicaid Program
Med-QUEST (Hawaii Medicaid)
Plus the Get Ready Before You Expand for qualifying providers.
Home Care License Type in Hawaii
Hawaii regulates home-based care under several license categories. Most new founders start with a Home Care Agency License for non-medical care, then add skilled services later if they choose.
NON-MEDICAL
Home Care Agency License
Hawaii requires a license for non-medical home care.
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:
$1,500 Initial License Fee
Timeline:
60-90 Days for provisional approval
Regulator:
Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance
How to Get Licensed in Hawaii
Hawaii licensing follows a structured 7-step process through OHCA. 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.
60–90 days from start to provisional approval
1
FOUNDATION
2
INSURANCE
3
SURVEY
4
POLICIES
5
APPLICATION
1
Form Your Business
FOUNDATION
Register your LLC or corporation. Get an EIN. Open a business bank account. Get your Hawaii general excise tax license. OHCA asks for a tax clearance and a Certificate of Good Standing.
2
Name a Qualified Supervisor
INSURANCE
Pick a supervisor with two years of home care experience or training, or a professional license. Attach their qualifications to the application.
3
Complete Background Checks
SURVEY
Owners, managers, staff, and volunteers with client contact get background checks. Fingerprinting runs through Fieldprint. Workers also need TB clearance before they meet clients. Keep the letters for your file.
4
Write Your Policies and Gather Documents
POLICIES
OHCA asks for your policies on service plans, client records, staff orientation and training, HR, and more. It also wants your client contract and brochure. Have workers' compensation in place before you hire.
5
Mail the Application
APPLICATION
Fill out the OHCA Home Care Agency application. Mail hard copies with your supporting documents to OHCA, State Licensing Section, 601 Kamokila Blvd., Room 361, Kapolei, HI 96707.
6
Pass the Survey and Pay the Fee
SURVEY
OHCA reviews your file and may ask for more records. It surveys you before it issues a license. Once you pass, you have 10 days to pay the $1,500 fee. Then the license is issued.
7
Prepare for Inspections
SURVEY
OHCA can inspect without notice. Keep your records and staff files ready from day one. Renew at least 30 days before your license ends, or it expires.
Why Hawaii 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 Hawaii Agency Licensed
Pick the level of support that matches how hands-on you want to be. Hawaii state fees ($1,500 to OHCA) are passed through at cost.
Hawaii 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 Hawaii consultancies don't offer.
Hawaii Licensing Workspace
Track your application, documents, and deadlines in one dashboard. Your Atlas specialist works in the same view you do.
Custom Hawaii 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 Hawaii?
The first license fee is $1,500. You pay it after you pass OHCA's survey and before the license is issued. Renewal is $1,000. The license lasts two years. Fees are set in HAR Chapter 11-103.1. OHCA's 2018 instructions still say $1,200, but the 2022 rule raised it. Your total startup cost is much higher once you add staff, insurance, office, and working capital.
How long does licensing take in Hawaii?
OHCA does not post a time. We think 60 to 90 days is a fair guess. It depends on how fast you finish background checks, send complete documents, and pass the survey.
What insurance is required in Hawaii?
The license rules do not require any insurance. Hawaii's separate workers' compensation law covers employers. Most agencies also buy general liability insurance.
What is the difference between a Home Care Agency and a Home Health Agency in Hawaii?
A Home Care Agency gives non-medical help like personal care and homemaker tasks. A Home Health Agency gives skilled nursing and therapy. Its first license fee is $2,750, not $1,500. Picking the wrong one delays your license.
Is Hawaii a good market for home care agencies?
It can be. Competition is limited and private-pay rates are high. But staffing, island travel, and the cost of living make it harder to run than most mainland markets.
Hawaii Home Care Licensing: What You Need to Know
Hawaii requires a license for non-medical home care. It is called a Home Care Agency license. The law is HRS Sec. 321-14.8. The rules are in Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 11-700. A home care agency gives personal care, homemaker help, and respite care in the client's home. It does not give nursing care. Nursing is for home health agencies. New agencies must be licensed before they serve any client. The first fee is $1,500. The license lasts two years. Renewal is $1,000.
The Home Care Agency License
You cannot serve clients until OHCA issues your license. OHCA can also visit without notice at any time. Your application must include background check results for owners, managers, and staff. Every worker or volunteer who gives care or supervises must be checked (HAR 11-700-9). OHCA's checklist asks for Fieldprint results. Your supervisor needs two years of home care experience or training, or a professional license like RN, LPN, or social worker. The supervisor may also be the administrator. The supervisor cannot be a client's case manager.
Certificate of Need (CON) in Hawaii
Hawaii does not require a Certificate of Need (CON) for non-medical home care. You can move directly into the licensing process without a separate market-need review.
Hawaii Medicaid is run by Med-QUEST. To serve Medicaid clients, contact Med-QUEST to ask how to become a provider. That is a separate step from your license.
Common Reasons Hawaii 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 Hawaii Strategy Call
15 minutes with a home care specialist. We'll map out Hawaii licensing for you, your timeline, and your best next step — even if you don't hire us.
Which Hawaii license type fits your business model (Home Care Agency License)
Your realistic timeline and budget
Whether Med-QUEST (Hawaii Medicaid) enrollment makes sense for your plan
No pressure. No obligation. Hawaii-specific guidance either way.
Your Future Hawaii Clients Are Already Looking for Care.
Every week you spend piecing this together alone is a week you're not serving your first Hawaii client. Let's get your agency licensed, launched, and visible — with people on your side who know OHCA.
