From application to approval, we handle your HHSC 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 Texas? You need a Home and Community Support Services Agency (HCSSA) from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Our estimate: 120–180 days for provisional approval plus an on-site survey. State filing fees total $2,625 and are paid directly to HHSC.
Non-medical home care agencies do not require a CON in Texas.
Medicaid Program
STAR+PLUS
Plus the Community First Choice (CFC) for qualifying providers.
Home Care License Type in Texas
Texas regulates home-based care under several license categories. Most new founders start with a HCSSA License for non-medical care, then add skilled services later if they choose.
NON-MEDICAL
Home and Community Support Services Agency (HCSSA)
Texas puts all home-based care under one license: the HCSSA license.
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:
$2,625 application fee
Timeline:
4-6 Months for provisional approval
Regulator:
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
How to Get Licensed in Texas
Texas licensing follows a structured 8-step process through HHSC. Our specialists handle all 8 steps in the Launch and Signature packages; in the Licensing Kit, you handle the submission yourself with our expert guidance.
120–180 days from start to provisional approval
1
FOUNDATION
2
POLICIES
3
SURVEY
4
APPLICATION
5
OPERATIONS
6
PROCESS
1
Entity Formation & NPI
FOUNDATION
File your LLC with the Texas Secretary of State. Get your National Provider Identifier (NPI) for billing.
2
Administrator Training (8 Hours Pre-Application)
POLICIES
A first-time administrator and alternate must each finish 8 clock hours of training in the 12 months before they are named (26 TAC 558.259). Private trainers sell this course. Prices vary. Then 16 more hours are due in the first 12 months on the job (24 hours total).
3
HHSC Presurvey CBT
SURVEY
Your administrator and alternate must finish HHSC's Presurvey Training (26 TAC 558.13(a)). It is offered online as a CBT. It does not count toward the 24 administrator hours. Save the certificates for the TULIP portal.
4
Office Setup & Compliance
APPLICATION
Lease a space with a private office where you can keep client records safe. A private suite in a shared office building is fine. Set up locked file cabinets for records. Ask HHSC before you use a coworking desk or virtual office.
5
TULIP Application Submission
APPLICATION
Submit your HCSSA application through the TULIP online portal. Include your full policy manual, proof of insurance, training certificates, and the $2,625 fee.
6
HHSC Review
OPERATIONS
HHSC has up to 45 days to decide if your application is complete, then up to 45 more days to issue the license (26 TAC 558.31). It also checks the background of owners and controlling persons. HHSC says that if it asks for fixes, you have 30 days to reply.
7
License Issuance & Soft Launch
PROCESS
Your license is issued. Now you can legally market and take clients.
8
The Initial Survey
SURVEY
Admit and serve your first client. Send HHSC Form 2020 within 6 months of your license date (26 TAC 558.521). Then get ready for the survey.
Why Texas 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 Texas Agency Licensed
Pick the level of support that matches how hands-on you want to be. Texas state fees ($2,625 to HHSC) are passed through at cost.
Texas 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 Texas consultancies don't offer.
Texas Licensing Workspace
Track your application, documents, and deadlines in one dashboard. Your Atlas specialist works in the same view you do.
Custom Texas 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
Can I use a virtual office address for my HCSSA license?
Not really. You need a real office where client records are kept safe. A private office inside a shared office building can work. Ask HHSC before you use a coworking desk or virtual office.
How much administrator training is needed before I can apply?
A first-time administrator or alternate needs 8 clock hours before being named. Then 16 more hours in the first 12 months (24 hours total). Both the administrator and alternate must do this. The HHSC Presurvey Training is separate and does not count toward these hours.
What is the TULIP portal?
TULIP is HHSC's online portal for HCSSA license applications. All forms, documents, and training certificates go through TULIP. HHSC does not take mailed or emailed applications.
How long does the NPI number take to get?
It is free from NPPES. Online applications are often done in 1-2 weeks, but times vary.
What happens during the initial survey?
After you admit your first client and send Form 2020, HHSC surveys your agency. Surveyors look at client records and how you follow the HCSSA rules. Have staff files, policies, and records ready.
Is a surety bond required for HCSSA licensure?
No. A surety bond is not part of HCSSA licensing. Some Medicaid MCO contracts may ask for one. Check with each MCO if you plan to serve Medicaid clients.
Texas Home Care Licensing: What You Need to Know
Texas puts all home-based care under one license: the HCSSA license. Non-medical agencies apply for the Personal Assistance Services (PAS) category. The rules are in 26 TAC Chapter 558 and Health and Safety Code Chapter 142. You apply only through the TULIP online portal. The initial license costs $2,625 and lasts three years. Before you apply, your administrator and alternate must finish HHSC's Presurvey Training (26 TAC 558.13), which HHSC offers as a computer-based training (CBT). A first-time administrator and alternate also need 8 hours of administrator training before they are named. You also need a real place of business where records are kept safe from loss and from people who should not see them.
The Home and Community Support Services Agency (HCSSA)
All HCSSA applications go through the TULIP online portal. HHSC does not take mailed or emailed applications. HHSC has up to 45 days to decide if your application is complete. Then it has up to 45 more days to issue the license. If something is missing, you get 30 days to fix it. You need a real office where you keep client records. The rules say records must be kept safe from loss and from people who should not see them. A private office with locked files is the safest choice. Ask HHSC before you use a coworking desk or virtual office. Texas also requires 8-hour administrator certification (typical cost $150 - $800).
Certificate of Need (CON) in Texas
Texas 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 — STAR+PLUS
Texas Medicaid managed care for adults 65 and older and adults with disabilities. You contract with the health plans (MCOs) that serve your area. Ask HHSC or each plan which plans serve your counties.
The HHSC On-Site Survey
Mandatory Pre-Survey CBT. Your administrator and alternate must finish HHSC's Presurvey Training before you apply (26 TAC 558.13(a)). HHSC offers it as an online CBT. Save the certificates. You upload them in TULIP.
Common Reasons Texas 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 Texas Strategy Call
15 minutes with a home care specialist. We'll map out Texas licensing for you, your timeline, and your best next step — even if you don't hire us.
Which Texas license type fits your business model (Home and Community Support Services Agency)
Your realistic timeline and budget
Whether STAR+PLUS enrollment makes sense for your plan
No pressure. No obligation. Texas-specific guidance either way.
Your Future Texas Clients Are Already Looking for Care.
Every week you spend piecing this together alone is a week you're not serving your first Texas client. Let's get your agency licensed, launched, and visible — with people on your side who know HHSC.
