From application to approval, we handle your CHFS 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 Kentucky? You need a Certification to Operate a Personal Services Agency (PSA) from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Our estimate: 60–90 days for provisional approval plus an on-site survey. State filing fees total $500 and are paid directly to CHFS.
Certification to Operate a Personal Services Agency
Certificate of Need
Not Required
Non-medical home care agencies do not require a CON in Kentucky.
Medicaid Program
Home and Community Based (HCB) Waiver
Plus the Participant Directed Services (PDS) and Private-Pay First Strategy for qualifying providers.
Home Care License Type in Kentucky
Kentucky regulates home-based care under several license categories. Most new founders start with a PSA Certification for non-medical care, then add skilled services later if they choose.
NON-MEDICAL
Certification to Operate a Personal Services Agency (PSA)
Kentucky calls non-medical home care a Personal Services Agency (PSA).
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:
$500 PSA Certification Fee ($350 renewal)
Timeline:
60-90 Days for provisional approval
Regulator:
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
How to Get Licensed in Kentucky
Kentucky licensing follows a structured 7-step process through CHFS. 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
POLICIES
4
SURVEY
5
APPLICATION
6
OPERATIONS
1
Register Your Business
FOUNDATION
Register your LLC or corporation with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Obtain an EIN from the IRS. Register for state tax accounts with the Kentucky Department of Revenue.
2
Secure Insurance
INSURANCE
Get general liability insurance, professional liability insurance, and workers' comp. Your service agreement must tell clients if you pay workers' comp and if you are bonded (906 KAR 1:180 §8).
3
Develop Policies and Procedures
POLICIES
Write your service agreement, client rights statement, service plan form, and grievance policy. Write how you will test each worker's skills. Write the manager's daily duties. These go in with your application.
4
Complete Background Checks and Screenings
SURVEY
Screen the manager and every caregiver before they work. That means a criminal record check, two registry checks, a drug test, and a TB risk check. A worker at higher TB risk also needs a skin or blood test.
5
Submit PSA Application to OIG
APPLICATION
Mail form OIG-1180 to the OIG Division of Health Care in Frankfort. Include the $500 fee, payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer. It is not refunded. Add the manager's duties, a list of staff with their check and training dates, your skills test plan, service agreement, client rights statement, and grievance policy. If you use a "dba" name, add the Secretary of State assumed name paper. Incomplete forms are sent back.
6
OIG Review
OPERATIONS
The OIG checks your papers against 906 KAR 1:180. If something is missing, it writes to you. You have 10 calendar days to send it. Have 3 or fewer workers and plan to hire more? You can ask for a 90-day provisional certificate.
7
Receive Certification and Begin Operations
OPERATIONS
Once the OIG approves your papers, you get your certificate. Make sure each worker is trained and checked before their first client. Renew 60 days before it expires.
Why Kentucky 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 Kentucky Agency Licensed
Pick the level of support that matches how hands-on you want to be. Kentucky state fees ($500 to CHFS) are passed through at cost.
Kentucky 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 Kentucky consultancies don't offer.
Kentucky Licensing Workspace
Track your application, documents, and deadlines in one dashboard. Your Atlas specialist works in the same view you do.
Custom Kentucky 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
What do I need to start a home care agency in Kentucky?
You need a Certification to Operate a Personal Services Agency (PSA) from the OIG, Division of Health Care. The fee is $500, then $350 each year. You also need a business, insurance, policies, and screened staff.
How much does a Kentucky home care certification cost?
The PSA fee is $500 the first time, then $350 each year. We estimate total startup costs at $30,000 to $60,000. That includes insurance, staff, and cash to get through the first months.
How long does Kentucky certification take?
Plan on about 60 to 90 days. That is our estimate. The OIG does not post a time. Incomplete or hard-to-read forms are sent back, which adds delay.
What is the difference between certification and licensure in Kentucky?
Non-medical agencies (PSAs) are "certified" by the OIG under KRS 216.710-216.716. Home health agencies give skilled care. They are "licensed" under a different law with stricter rules. The PSA rules have no Certificate of Need step.
What background checks are required in Kentucky?
Each manager and caregiver needs a criminal record check, a Nurse Aide and Home Health Aide Abuse Registry check, and a Caregiver Misconduct Registry check. They also need a drug test and a TB risk check before they work.
Is dementia training required in Kentucky?
Yes, for staff who serve clients with dementia. They need 6 hours first, then 3 hours each year (KRS 216.713). The Office of Dementia Services must approve your course before you start. It says review takes up to 30 days.
Is Kentucky a good market for home care agencies?
It can be. Kentucky has about 868,000 adults 65+ (Census 2025 estimate). The fee is low. Louisville and Lexington have the most clients and big hospital systems.
Can employees serve as a client's guardian or POA in Kentucky?
No. 906 KAR 1:180 says the agency and its workers may not be a client's guardian, conservator, or power of attorney.
Kentucky Home Care Licensing: What You Need to Know
Kentucky calls non-medical home care a Personal Services Agency (PSA). You need a Certification to Operate a PSA from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Kentucky says "certified," not "licensed." The rules are 906 KAR 1:180 and KRS 216.710-216.716. You mail the application to the OIG with a $500 fee. The PSA rules have no Certificate of Need step. Home health agencies are a different, licensed type with stricter rules. You may not serve clients until you are certified.
The Certification to Operate a Personal Services Agency (PSA)
You must get a Certification to Operate a Personal Services Agency from the OIG (906 KAR 1:180). Use the word "certification" when you talk to the state. It renews every year for $350. Before work, every manager and caregiver needs a criminal record check (Kentucky court or Justice Cabinet records). They also need a Nurse Aide and Home Health Aide Abuse Registry check and a Caregiver Misconduct Registry check. Add a drug test and a TB risk check by a doctor, APRN, PA, or RN (906 KAR 1:180 §6). Staff who care for clients with dementia need 6 hours of dementia training first. Then they need 3 hours every year (KRS 216.713; 906 KAR 1:180 §7). The Office of Dementia Services must approve your course before you use it. All staff also need training on abuse reporting, medicine help, and talking with clients before they start.
Certificate of Need (CON) in Kentucky
Kentucky 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.
Medicaid Participation — Home and Community Based (HCB) Waiver
Kentucky's main Medicaid waiver for people 65+ or with a physical disability. Services include attendant care, adult day health care, respite, home-delivered meals, and home changes. Medicaid (DMS) and the Department for Aging and Independent Living run it. There is a waiting list.
Common Reasons Kentucky 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 Kentucky Strategy Call
15 minutes with a home care specialist. We'll map out Kentucky licensing for you, your timeline, and your best next step — even if you don't hire us.
Which Kentucky license type fits your business model (Certification to Operate a Personal Services Agency)
Your realistic timeline and budget
Whether Home and Community Based (HCB) Waiver enrollment makes sense for your plan
No pressure. No obligation. Kentucky-specific guidance either way.
Your Future Kentucky Clients Are Already Looking for Care.
Every week you spend piecing this together alone is a week you're not serving your first Kentucky client. Let's get your agency licensed, launched, and visible — with people on your side who know CHFS.
