From application to approval, we handle your ODH 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 Ohio? You need a Nonmedical Home Health Services (NMHHS) License from the Ohio Department of Health. Our estimate: 30–90 days for provisional approval plus an on-site survey. State filing fees total $250 and are paid directly to ODH.
Non-medical home care agencies do not require a CON in Ohio.
Medicaid Program
PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources Today)
Plus the MyCare Ohio and Ohio Home Care Waiver and Payer Mix Strategy for qualifying providers.
Home Care License Type in Ohio
Ohio regulates home-based care under several license categories. Most new founders start with a NMHHS License for non-medical care, then add skilled services later if they choose.
NON-MEDICAL
Nonmedical Home Health Services (NMHHS) License
Ohio now licenses 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:
$250 $250 Fee (License Lasts 3 Years)
Timeline:
30-90 Days for provisional approval
Regulator:
Ohio Department of Health
How to Get Licensed in Ohio
Ohio licensing follows a structured 6-step process through ODH. Our specialists handle all 6 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
INSURANCE
3
POLICIES
4
SURVEY
5
APPLICATION
6
OPERATIONS
1
Register your business
FOUNDATION
File your LLC with the Ohio Secretary of State ($99 filing fee). Get your EIN from the IRS, open a business bank account. Register with the Ohio Department of Taxation and the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.
2
Secure insurance & surety bond
INSURANCE
Get general liability, professional liability, workers' comp, and auto liability (if you drive clients). Workers' comp comes from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. New agencies must get a $20,000 surety bond (ORC 3740.03). This applies if you were not giving these services on or just before September 30, 2021.
3
Create policies & procedures
POLICIES
Write policies for care, hiring, safety, client rights, emergencies, infection control, privacy, and quality. You must include a criminal records check policy with your application (ORC 3740.03). Ohio sets no training hours, but a written training plan is smart.
4
Complete background checks & hire staff
SURVEY
Get fingerprint impressions for the primary owner. Follow ODH's instructions for how. Write a criminal records check policy. For each direct care hire, first check the six required databases. Then run a BCI fingerprint check (add FBI if not an Ohio resident for 5 years). You may hire someone on a conditional basis if you request the check within 5 business days (ORC 3740.11(G)). Train them per your policies.
5
Submit ODH license application
APPLICATION
Get the application from ODH and follow its current filing steps. Include the $250 fee (cashier's check or postal money order to "Treasurer, State of Ohio," per OAC 3701-60-03). Add the surety bond (if required), the owner's fingerprint impressions, your criminal records check policy, and copies of your Secretary of State filings. If ODH asks for more, you have 14 days to answer (OAC 3701-60-03).
6
ODH review & license issuance
OPERATIONS
ODH reviews your application. ODH does not post a processing time. Our estimate is 30-90 days for a complete application. Do not serve clients until you have your license (ORC 3740.02). Contact ODH through its website with questions.
Why Ohio 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 Ohio Agency Licensed
Pick the level of support that matches how hands-on you want to be. Ohio state fees ($250 to ODH) are passed through at cost.
Ohio 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 Ohio consultancies don't offer.
Ohio Licensing Workspace
Track your application, documents, and deadlines in one dashboard. Your Atlas specialist works in the same view you do.
Custom Ohio 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
Do I need a license to start a home care agency in Ohio?
Yes. Since 2022, Ohio requires a Nonmedical Home Health Services license from the Ohio Department of Health under ORC Chapter 3740. It is for any agency that gives personal care, like help with bathing, dressing, medicine, or respite. Before this, no license was needed for private-pay non-medical care. "Nonmedical home health services" is Ohio's legal term. It is a non-medical license, separate from the skilled home health license.
How much does the license cost?
The fee is $250 and is not refunded. The license lasts 3 years. New agencies must also post a $20,000 surety bond. Our estimate for total startup costs is $40,000 - $80,000. That includes insurance, working capital, and business setup.
How long does licensing take?
ODH does not publish a set timeframe. Our estimate is 30-90 days for a complete application. Missing items cause delays. If ODH asks for more, you have 14 days to answer (OAC 3701-60-03).
What is the $20,000 surety bond?
Under ORC 3740.03, new agencies must post a $20,000 surety bond with the license application. It must come from a company licensed in Ohio. You are exempt only if you were giving these services on or just before September 30, 2021. Our estimate for the yearly premium is $200-$600, based on credit.
What background checks are required?
The primary owner sends ODH fingerprint impressions. Every direct care hire needs a BCI fingerprint check. Add an FBI check if they have not lived in Ohio for the past 5 years. Before the check, search six databases (ORC 3740.11(D); OAC 3701-60-05). They are SAM, the OIG exclusion list, the DD employee registry, the sex offender database, the state inmate database, and the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry.
What training do Ohio caregivers need?
Ohio sets no training hours for the nonmedical license (ORC 3740; OAC 3701-60). It has no CPR rule for it either. PASSPORT (Medicaid) providers must meet ODA training rules. Still, train every aide and keep records. Many agencies add CPR and first aid.
How do I become a PASSPORT Medicaid provider?
Get your ODH license first. Then apply to become an ODA-certified provider (OAC Chapter 173-39). Ask your local Area Agency on Aging how to start. Our estimate is 4-12+ weeks, based on your region and how complete your application is.
Do I need to comply with HIPAA?
It depends. HIPAA covers a health care provider that sends health information electronically for billing and other standard transactions (45 CFR 160.103). Most agencies that bill Medicaid are covered. A private-pay-only agency may not be. Still, it is smart to follow HIPAA from day one.
Can I hire caregivers as 1099 contractors?
Usually not. Tax and labor law decide if a worker is an employee. If you set the schedule and tell aides how to work, they are likely employees. Getting it wrong can bring IRS and state tax and workers' comp bills. Ask an employment lawyer if you are not sure.
Can I operate from home?
Maybe. We did not find an ODH rule that bans a home office for the nonmedical license. ODA-certified Medicaid providers must keep a business site (OAC 173-39-02). Check local zoning too.
Is Ohio a good market for home care?
Ohio has about 2.40 million adults 65 and older (about 20%, Census 2025 estimate). That is the 6th most in the U.S. Columbus is growing fast. Cleveland has many seniors. Medicaid programs like PASSPORT can add clients alongside private pay.
Ohio Home Care Licensing: What You Need to Know
Ohio now licenses non-medical home care. House Bill 110 created ORC Chapter 3740, effective September 30, 2021. The license rule started one year later (ORC 3740.02). Now any agency or person that gives nonmedical home health services must hold an ODH license. Before this, no license was needed for private-pay non-medical care. "Nonmedical home health services" is Ohio's legal term. It includes personal care: hands-on help with daily tasks like bathing and dressing, help taking medicine, respite, errands, and homemaking that goes with that care (ORC 3740.01). It is a separate license from the skilled home health license. The fee is $250 (ORC 3740.03) and is not refundable (OAC 3701-60-03). The rule says to pay by cashier's check or postal money order to "Treasurer, State of Ohio" (OAC 3701-60-03). The license lasts 3 years (ORC 3740.05). New agencies that were not giving these services on or just before September 30, 2021 must post a $20,000 surety bond. The primary owner must send ODH fingerprint impressions with the application. For Medicaid, you must also become an ODA-certified PASSPORT provider.
The Nonmedical Home Health Services (NMHHS) License
Under ORC Chapter 3740, an agency that gives personal care must hold a Nonmedical Home Health Services license from ODH. Personal care includes hands-on help with daily tasks, help taking medicine, and respite (ORC 3740.01). It does not matter who pays. A skilled home health license also covers these services. Ohio uses "home health" in the name, but this is a non-medical license. The fee is $250 (ORC 3740.03) and is not refunded (OAC 3701-60-03). Pay by cashier's check or postal money order (OAC 3701-60-03). The license lasts 3 years. New agencies must post a $20,000 surety bond from a company licensed in Ohio. This applies if you were not giving these services on or just before September 30, 2021. The primary owner sends ODH fingerprint impressions with the application (ORC 3740.03). Every direct care hire needs a BCI fingerprint check (OAC 3701-60-06). Add an FBI check if the person has not lived in Ohio for the past 5 years. First, you must search six databases (ORC 3740.11(D)). They are the federal SAM list, the OIG exclusion list, the Ohio DD employee registry, the sex offender database, the state inmate database, and the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. ORC 3740 and the ODH rules (OAC 3701-60) set no caregiver training hours. But you still need to train your staff well. Write a training plan and keep records. Medicaid programs like PASSPORT set their own training rules.
Certificate of Need (CON) in Ohio
Ohio 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 — PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources Today)
A Medicaid waiver for people 60 or older who need nursing home level care (OAC 5160-31-03). It helps them get care at home, like personal care and homemaker help. The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) runs it, with local Area Agencies on Aging.
Common Reasons Ohio 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 Ohio Strategy Call
15 minutes with a home care specialist. We'll map out Ohio licensing for you, your timeline, and your best next step — even if you don't hire us.
Which Ohio license type fits your business model (Nonmedical Home Health Services)
Your realistic timeline and budget
Whether PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources Today) enrollment makes sense for your plan
No pressure. No obligation. Ohio-specific guidance either way.
Your Future Ohio Clients Are Already Looking for Care.
Every week you spend piecing this together alone is a week you're not serving your first Ohio client. Let's get your agency licensed, launched, and visible — with people on your side who know ODH.
Built exclusively for non-medical home care|Ohio-specific guidance under ORC Ch. 3740; OAC 3701-60 (Home Health Agencies, incl. Nonmedical Home Health Services license)|Platform & HomeCareAtlas directory on day one
Ohio licensing details verified by HomeCareAtlas on November 1, 2026.
