From application to approval, we handle your IDPH 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 Illinois? You need a Home Services Agency License from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Our estimate: 30–90 days for provisional approval plus an on-site survey. State filing fees total $1,500 and are paid directly to IDPH.
Home Services Agency, Home Health Agency, Hospice Program
Certificate of Need
Not Required
Non-medical home care agencies do not require a CON in Illinois.
Medicaid Program
Home Services Program (HSP)
Plus the Persons with Disabilities Waiver and Community Care Program (Illinois Department on Aging) for qualifying providers.
Three Types of Home Care Licenses in Illinois
Illinois regulates home-based care under several license categories. Most new founders start with a HSA License for non-medical care, then add skilled services later if they choose.
NON-MEDICAL
Home Services Agency (HSA)
Non-medical personal care, companionship, and homemaking. This is the most common starting point for first-time founders and the fastest path to opening.
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 license fee, paid each year
Timeline:
Up to 90 days to provisional license
Regulator:
IDPH Division of Health Care Facilities and Programs
SKILLED / MEDICAL
Home Health Agency
Skilled nursing plus at least one other home health service. A state license is required. Medicare certification is a separate, optional step.
Skilled nursing under physician orders
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Medical social work
Home health aide services under RN supervision
State fee:
$1,500 for a two-year license
Timeline:
Up to 90 days to provisional license, then a 240-day provisional period
Regulator:
IDPH + CMS
END-OF-LIFE
Hospice Program
Comfort care and support for people near the end of life. Hospice has its own state license. We have not checked its fee or timeline yet.
Pain management and comfort care
Skilled nursing and physician oversight
Bereavement and spiritual support
Interdisciplinary team including chaplain and social worker
State fee:
Ask IDPH
Timeline:
Varies — ask IDPH
Regulator:
IDPH + CMS
How to Get Licensed in Illinois
Illinois licensing follows a structured 5-step process through IDPH. Our specialists handle all 5 steps in the Launch and Signature packages; in the Licensing Kit, you handle the submission yourself with our expert guidance.
30–90 days from start to provisional approval
1
FOUNDATION
2
QUALIFICATION
3
COMPLIANCE
4
APPLICATION
5
SURVEY
1
Business Entity Formation
FOUNDATION
Register your LLC or corporation with the Illinois Secretary of State. Get your EIN from the IRS. Set up an office with a working phone that is staffed during business hours (77 Ill. Adm. Code 245.40(a)(12)).
2
Administrator & Staffing
QUALIFICATION
Name an agency manager and an alternate in writing. IDPH reviews the manager on Attachment E. Register on the IDPH Web Portal so you can run Health Care Worker Background Check Act checks on workers.
3
Policies & Procedures Manual
COMPLIANCE
Write the policies the IDPH application lists. They cover complaints, worker health, infection control, and background checks. They also cover supervisory visits, client records, training, and accepting clients. Surveyors review your manual.
4
Application Submission
APPLICATION
Mail the IDPH Home Services Application with its attachments. These include your client contract, scope of services, fee schedule, job descriptions, and policies. Add a certificate of liability insurance ($1 million per occurrence, $3 million total). Add proof of Health Care Worker Registry access. The license fee is $1,500. You pay it each year.
5
State Survey
SURVEY
IDPH issues a provisional license within 90 days of a complete application. It lasts 240 days. An IDPH nurse surveyor visits in the 30 days before it ends. Pass the survey and your full license is issued.
Why Illinois 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
Often gated behind a mystery sales process
Clear packages built for your state and goals
Policies & Procedures
Generic templates, lightly customized
Custom-built for your state and service model
Application Filing
They walk you through it
We prepare and submit it for you
Survey Day
You're on your own
On-call phone support during your IDPH 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 HomeCareAtlas the day you open
Three Ways to Get Your Illinois Agency Licensed
Pick the level of support that matches how hands-on you want to be. Illinois state fees ($1,500 to IDPH) are passed through at cost.
$1,500 IDPH license fee, paid directly to the state each year. We don't mark this 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 Illinois consultancies don't offer.
Illinois Licensing Workspace
Track your IDPH application, documents, and deadlines in one dashboard. Your Atlas specialist works in the same view you do.
Custom Illinois P&P Manual
Written around 77 Ill. Admin. Code 245, your service model, and your agency — not a generic national template. Survey-ready before you file.
Business Formation
LLC, EIN, NPI, and liability 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
Illinois-compliant I-9, W-4, direct deposit, and Health Care Worker Background Check Act verification — all collected digitally.
HomeCareAtlas Directory Listing
Listed on our public directory the day you open. Chicago and suburban families find you, referral partners find you, you're visible from day one.
Common Questions Before You Book
How is this different from 21st Century, Certified Homecare, or TBOSC?
Two things. First, our packages are clear and built for your goals — a real conversation, not a mystery sales process. Second, you walk away with an operational platform, not a binder of documents. Traditional consultancies end the relationship when your Illinois license arrives. We keep going — caregiver onboarding, compliance tracking, and your HomeCareAtlas directory listing are all live on day one.
What's unique about Illinois licensing?
Illinois home services agencies follow 77 Ill. Admin. Code 245. New agencies start with a 240-day provisional license. You need $1 million / $3 million liability insurance. Workers are checked through the IDPH Web Portal under the Health Care Worker Background Check Act. And the application needs a long list of written policies. Our specialists work in Illinois rules specifically.
Do I need to be a nurse or have medical experience?
Not for a Home Services Agency (non-medical) license. The rules set no degree or course for the agency manager. IDPH reviews the manager's work history on Attachment E. Home health agencies need clinical staff, like an RN supervisor.
How long does Illinois licensing actually take?
IDPH decides on your provisional license within 90 days of a complete application. The provisional license lasts 240 days. You can serve clients while it is active. IDPH does the on-site survey in the 30 days before it expires. Pass the survey and you get your full license. It expires one year from the end of the month your provisional license was first issued.
Will my license be approved?
We can't promise that. Only IDPH decides. We check your forms before you send them. That helps you avoid common mistakes.
What if I want Medicare certification later?
Medicare certification is for home health agencies, which need a separate Illinois license. Your Atlas platform and policies grow with you. We can add home health and Medicare prep as a separate project when you're ready. Signature-tier clients get priority access.
Illinois Home Care Licensing: What You Need to Know
Illinois has clear rules for home care. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) licenses home services agencies under 77 Ill. Admin. Code 245. The license fee is $1,500 a year. New agencies start with a 240-day provisional license. Then IDPH inspects before the full license is issued.
The Home Services Agency License
A Home Services Agency license is what you need for non-medical personal care, housekeeping, companionship, or help with daily living. It is the most common license for new founders. It doesn't allow skilled or medical care. The $1,500 license fee goes to IDPH. You pay it each year. Key rules are in 77 Ill. Admin. Code 245. You need an agency manager and a named alternate. You need the written policies the application lists. Workers are checked through the IDPH Web Portal. Each caregiver gets 10 hours of training in year one. A supervisor visits at least every 90 days. You need liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence and $3 million total. And your office phone must be staffed during business hours.
Certificate of Need (CON) in Illinois
Illinois has a Certificate of Need law, but it does not cover home care agencies. The law lists the facilities that need one, like hospitals, nursing homes, surgery centers, and dialysis centers (20 ILCS 3960/3). Home services, home nursing, and home health agencies are not on that list.
Medicaid Participation — Home Services Program (HSP)
A home services license lets you serve private-pay clients and private insurance. IDPH says Medicaid clients come through the Illinois Department on Aging (Community Care Program) or the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services. You contact those agencies directly for approval. Our Launch and Signature tiers include help with this.
The IDPH On-Site Survey
In the 30 days before your 240-day provisional license ends, an IDPH nurse surveyor reviews your agency. Your manager or a designee must be there. The surveyor asks for your policy manual, bylaws, and governing body minutes. They also ask for client and employee lists, your insurance certificate, and your complaint log. And they review training files, job descriptions, Registry checks, and service plans. The survey can include client home visits with consent. If IDPH finds problems, you have 10 days to send a plan of correction. Our specialists prep Launch and Signature clients for this, including live survey day phone support.
Common Reasons Illinois Applications Are Rejected or Delayed
Generic P&P manuals that don't reflect Illinois-specific regulations
Incomplete administrator documentation
Background check paperwork that doesn't meet Health Care Worker Background Check Act requirements
Liability insurance below the $1 million / $3 million state minimum
Missing one of the policies on the application attachment list
No proof of IDPH Web Portal registration and Health Care Worker Registry access
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 Illinois Strategy Call
15 minutes with a home care specialist. We'll map out Illinois licensing for you, your timeline, and your best next step — even if you don't hire us.
Which Illinois license type fits your business model (Home Services Agency vs. Home Health Agency vs. Hospice Program)
Your realistic timeline and budget
Whether Home Services Program (HSP) enrollment makes sense for your plan
No pressure. No obligation. Illinois-specific guidance either way.
Your Future Illinois Clients Are Already Looking for Care.
Every week you spend piecing this together alone is a week you're not serving your first Illinois client. Let's get your agency licensed, launched, and visible — with people on your side who know IDPH.
