Florida Home Care / Homemaker-Companion license: Fixed-Price Application Support
$2,495.00
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Southeast
Florida Home Care, Home Health & Hospice Licensing
Florida welcomes new home care agencies. Hospice needs a Certificate of Need, and federal Medicare enrollment froze in May 2026.
RegulatorAHCA
Typical timeline1 to 18 months
License routes4
Delivery100% Virtual
Licensing in Florida
Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) licenses home health agencies under Chapter 400, Part III and Chapter 408, Part II, Florida Statutes. HHAs need no Certificate of Need, but hospice providers must get a CON first. Since May 13, 2026, a six-month federal Medicare moratorium blocks new HHA and hospice enrollments.
License routes we cover in Florida
Home Health Agency (HHA) License
Agencies that employ staff for skilled nursing, therapy, and personal care. Needed for Medicare/Medicaid.
Homemaker and Companion Services Provider Registration
Non-medical help like housekeeping, meals, transportation, and companionship. No hands-on personal or skilled care.
Nurse Registry License
Referral-only businesses matching clients with independent-contractor nurses and aides. No Medicare, but no employment model.
Hospice License (with Certificate of Need)
End-of-life care providers. Both a CON and an AHCA license are needed before serving patients.
How we get you licensed
- 1Form your Florida business entity
Register an LLC or corporation via Florida's SunBiz. Homemaker-companion providers with a medical-sounding name also need a fictitious name.
- 2Set up an AHCA Portal account and prepare your application
Apply online through AHCA's Online Licensing System (Rule 59A-35.060, F.A.C., since March 2024); paper isn't accepted. Use Form 3110-1011 (HHA) or 3110-1003 (homemaker-companion).
- 3Start Level 2 background screening
Owners with 5%+ interest, officers, administrators, and direct-care staff need Level 2 background checks (FDLE/FBI fingerprints via AHCA Clearinghouse). Clears in one to two weeks.
- 4Submit your application with the fee and documents
Submit Form 3110-1011 with the HHA fee: $2,005 total ($1,705 license plus $300 processing; the license fee is capped at $2,000 per biennium, Section 400.471, F.S.). Homemaker-companion: Form 3110-1003, $50.75.
- 5Pass the AHCA initial licensure survey
AHCA runs an on-site survey before issuing an HHA license (Chapter 400, Part III; Rule 59A-8, F.A.C.). Skilled-care HHAs also need accreditation; fully accredited ones may skip routine state surveys.
- 6Enroll in Medicare/Medicaid after the moratorium
After licensing, enroll with your Medicare Administrative Contractor and pass a CMS certification survey. But since May 13, 2026, a six-month moratorium denies new HHA and hospice enrollments.
How long does it take?
Typical time to a live license in Florida. Times assume a complete, accurate application; missing items add time.
- Homemaker / Companion
- 30 to 45 days
- Home Health Agency
- 60 to 90 days, plus 2 to 3 months of prep
- Hospice (needs a CON)
- 12 to 18 months
Key Florida requirements
- Level 2 FDLE/FBI fingerprint checks via the AHCA Clearinghouse for owners with 5%+ interest, officers, administrators, and direct-care staff (Chapter 435; Section 408.809, F.S.).
- CPA-prepared proforma financials for two years, plus a contingency reserve of one month's average operating expenses (Rule 59A-35.062, F.A.C.).
- At least $250,000 per-claim liability and malpractice insurance, shown at application and each renewal.
- Administrator and director of nursing available eight straight hours between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, and reachable within one hour of an unannounced AHCA visit (Rule 59A-8.003, F.A.C.).
- Accreditation from CHAP, ACHC, The Joint Commission, or DNV GL Healthcare for agencies providing skilled care.
- Hospice providers need a CON through AHCA's competitive batching cycle before filing a license application; the fee is $10,000 plus 1.5% of proposed expenditure, up to $50,000 (Section 408.039, F.S.).
Traps that catch new owners
- State AHCA licensing and federal Medicare enrollment are separate. The May 13, 2026 moratorium blocks new Medicare enrollment for at least six months, even when fully licensed.
- A homemaker-companion name using words like 'health,' 'nursing,' or 'medical' may need a fictitious name or be rejected as out-of-scope.
- AHCA gives only 21 days to fix deficiencies. Missing financials, or a first-year monthly operating margin of 15% or more, triggers a deficiency notice and possible denial.
Florida licensing packages
Fixed price, agreed in writing before any work begins. Each package is prepared and submitted for you, fully online.
Florida licensing FAQs
Does Florida require a Certificate of Need to open a home health agency?
No. Florida HHAs have never been subject to the state's Certificate of Need program, and still aren't. A new HHA needs only an AHCA license, plus separate Medicare/Medicaid enrollment. CON is still required for hospice programs and freestanding hospice inpatient facilities.
Can I serve clients while my Medicare enrollment is pending?
Yes for private-pay and Medicaid (enroll separately), but not Medicare. Since May 13, 2026, a six-month federal moratorium blocks new Medicare enrollment. Your AHCA state license is unaffected, so you can serve private-pay clients but can't bill Medicare yet.
What's the difference between a Homemaker-Companion registration and an HHA license, and which do I need?
A Homemaker-Companion registration ($50.75 biennial) covers non-medical help only: housekeeping, meals, companionship, transportation. Staff can't bathe clients, help with medication, or give any hands-on care. You need an HHA license for personal care, skilled nursing, therapy, or Medicare/Medicaid, and if you offer both.
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