From application to approval, we handle your LDH 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 Louisiana? You need a HCBS Provider License with Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Module from the Louisiana Department of Health. Our estimate: 90–120 days for provisional approval plus an on-site survey. State filing fees total $600 and are paid directly to LDH.
HCBS Provider License with Personal Care Attendant
Certificate of Need
Not Required
Non-medical home care agencies do not require a CON in Louisiana.
Medicaid Program
Louisiana Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS)
Program details available during your strategy call.
Home Care License Type in Louisiana
Louisiana regulates home-based care under several license categories. Most new founders start with a PCA License for non-medical care, then add skilled services later if they choose.
NON-MEDICAL
HCBS Provider License with Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Module
Louisiana requires a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider License with a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) module.
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:
$600 HCBS License Fee, Up To (State Cap; Plus $200 FNR Fee)
Timeline:
90-120 Days for provisional approval
Regulator:
Louisiana Department of Health
How to Get Licensed in Louisiana
Louisiana licensing follows a structured 7-step process through LDH. 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.
90–120 days from start to provisional approval
1
FOUNDATION
2
INSURANCE
3
APPLICATION
4
POLICIES
5
SURVEY
1
Register your business & secure office space
FOUNDATION
Register your LLC or corporation with the Louisiana Secretary of State. Get your EIN from the IRS. Find an office that is not a home someone lives in. It must be in the LDH region you want to serve.
2
Learn the rules
INSURANCE
Read LAC 48:I Chapter 50 (HCBS licensing) and Chapter 125 (FNR). You will write policies to match them. LDH's formal provider training comes later, after you apply.
3
Submit Facility Need Review (FNR)
APPLICATION
Send the FNR application and $200 fee to LDH. Add proof of need, like waiting lists or letters from doctors and hospitals. The committee has up to 90 days to decide. If approved, you must be licensed within 6 months.
4
Secure line of credit, insurance & background checks
INSURANCE
Get a $50,000 line of credit from a federally insured lender. Buy general and professional liability insurance ($300,000 or more) and workers' comp. Get a Louisiana State Police criminal check, with sex offender status, for every owner and the administrator.
5
Develop policies, procedures & hire administrator
POLICIES
Write policies for client rights, privacy, staff, abuse reporting, and emergencies. Your emergency plan must cover hurricanes and other disasters (LAC 48:I.5063). Hire an administrator who lives in Louisiana and meets the education and work rules (LAC 48:I.5055).
6
Submit HCBS license application to LDH
APPLICATION
Apply to LDH Health Standards Section for the HCBS license with the PCA module. Include your FNR approval letter, line of credit, insurance papers, owner and administrator checks, ownership form, hours, org chart, and the license fee (up to $600; LDH sets it). The fee is not refunded. If something is missing, you have 90 days to send it.
7
Admit one client & pass the LDH licensing survey
SURVEY
Finish LDH's provider training. Then, within 30 days, admit one client and call the HSS field office to set up your first survey. You must be fully set up and serving only that one client. LDH tells you the survey date ahead of time. Once you pass, you get your license for one year.
Why Louisiana 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 Louisiana Agency Licensed
Pick the level of support that matches how hands-on you want to be. Louisiana state fees ($600 to LDH) are passed through at cost.
Louisiana 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 Louisiana consultancies don't offer.
Louisiana Licensing Workspace
Track your application, documents, and deadlines in one dashboard. Your Atlas specialist works in the same view you do.
Custom Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
State law caps the license fee at $600 a year (R.S. 40:2120.4). LDH sets the actual fee, so check with LDH. The Facility Need Review fee is $200 (LAC 48:I.12505). We estimate total startup costs at $50,000 to $90,000. The line of credit, a real office, and insurance add up fast.
What is the Facility Need Review (FNR)?
The FNR is a review you must pass before you can be licensed. An LDH committee decides if your region needs another agency. You must prove people would have serious trouble getting care without you. The committee has up to 90 days to decide (LAC 48:I.12505).
How long does licensing take in Louisiana?
Plan on at least 90-120 days. That is our estimate. The FNR alone can take up to 90 days. Then come the application, LDH training, and your first survey. Start the FNR first.
Can I run a home care agency from my house in Louisiana?
No. Your business location cannot be in a home someone lives in (LAC 48:I.5005). You need a separate office.
What is the $50,000 line of credit requirement?
It is proof you have money to run the agency. You need a line of credit of at least $50,000 from a federally insured lender, in your agency's name. It must be current when you apply (LAC 48:I.5007).
What training is required for caregivers?
16 hours of training at hire, before giving care. A basic first aid course within 45 days. Then at least 8 hours of in-service training every year. Each worker also gets an unannounced supervisory visit within 60 days of hire and at least yearly.
What insurance is required in Louisiana?
You need general and professional liability insurance of at least $300,000 and workers' comp (LAC 48:I.5007). The rules do not call for a bond. The $50,000 line of credit is the money proof instead.
Is Louisiana a good market for home care?
It can be, but it is hard to get in. Louisiana has about 868,000 adults 65+ (Census 2025 estimate). New Orleans and Baton Rouge have the most clients. The FNR is the biggest hurdle. The bar for approval is high.
Louisiana Home Care Licensing: What You Need to Know
Louisiana requires a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider License with a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) module. First you must win a Facility Need Review (FNR). That is where you prove your area needs another agency. You also need a $50,000 line of credit and an office that is not a home you live in. After you apply, you take LDH provider training. Then you admit one client and pass a survey. By state law the license fee can be up to $600 a year (R.S. 40:2120.4). LDH sets the actual fee. The license lasts one year.
The HCBS Provider License with Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Module
Non-medical home care agencies need an HCBS Provider License with the PCA module from LDH Health Standards Section. You may not serve clients without it (LAC 48:I.5005). Before you can be licensed, an LDH committee must approve your FNR. The bar is high. You must show that people in your LDH region would have serious trouble getting care without you (LAC 48:I.12523). The fee is $200. You need a line of credit of at least $50,000 from a federally insured lender. It must be in your agency's name and current when you apply (LAC 48:I.5007). Your business location cannot be in a home someone lives in (LAC 48:I.5005). It must be in the LDH region your license covers. You need general and professional liability insurance of at least $300,000 and workers' comp. List LDH Health Standards Section as the certificate holder (LAC 48:I.5007). After LDH gets your complete application, you must take its HCBS provider training. You can go to a class or do it online (LAC 48:I.5007).
Certificate of Need (CON) in Louisiana
Louisiana 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 — Louisiana Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS)
Louisiana Medicaid pays for personal care for people who qualify. To bill it, you must also enroll as a Medicaid provider. Medicaid visits must use EVV.
Common Reasons Louisiana 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 Louisiana Strategy Call
15 minutes with a home care specialist. We'll map out Louisiana licensing for you, your timeline, and your best next step — even if you don't hire us.
Which Louisiana license type fits your business model (HCBS Provider License with Personal Care Attendant)
Your realistic timeline and budget
Whether Louisiana Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) enrollment makes sense for your plan
No pressure. No obligation. Louisiana-specific guidance either way.
Your Future Louisiana Clients Are Already Looking for Care.
Every week you spend piecing this together alone is a week you're not serving your first Louisiana client. Let's get your agency licensed, launched, and visible — with people on your side who know LDH.
Built exclusively for non-medical home care|Louisiana-specific guidance under LAC 48:I Ch. 50 (HCBS Providers Licensing Standards; Personal Care Attendant module)|Platform & HomeCareAtlas directory on day one
Louisiana licensing details verified by HomeCareAtlas on November 1, 2026.
Louisiana Home Care License — Done-for-You Licensing
