Georgia Private Home Care Provider (PHCP) license — Fixed-Price Application Support
$2,495.00
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Southeast
Georgia Home Care, Home Health & Hospice Licensing
Three distinct licensing tracks — non-medical home care, CON-gated home health, and CON-exempt hospice — each with its own regulator, portal, and timeline.
RegulatorDCH / HFRD
Typical timelinePHCP: state licensure typically takes 60–120 days from a complete GAHLES submission. Home Health: add 6–18 months for CON review (120-day statutory review clock does not begin until the application is deemed complete) before licensure even begins — total time to an operational Medicare-certified agency commonly runs 18–24 months or more. Hospice: state licensure without CON typically takes 60–120 days; budget 6–12 months total before billing Medicare — longer while the current CMS enrollment moratorium is in effect.
License routes3
Delivery100% Virtual
Licensing in Georgia
Georgia operates three separate licensing tracks for home-based care. Non-medical personal care requires a Private Home Care Provider (PHCP) license from the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (HFRD), applied for through the state's GAHLES online portal with no Certificate of Need involved. Skilled home health is a Certificate of Need service under O.C.G.A. § 31-7-155, meaning CON approval from the Office of Health Planning must precede HFRD licensure. Hospice is the notable exception: under O.C.G.A. § 31-7-179, a licensed Georgia hospice is expressly exempt from CON — state licensure through HFRD is the only gate. All three tracks are also affected, as of May 13, 2026, by a CMS nationwide six-month moratorium blocking new Medicare enrollment for home health agencies and hospices until at least November 13, 2026.
Your regulator
Georgia Department of Community Health, Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (DCH / HFRD)
Official licensing page →License routes we cover in Georgia
Private Home Care Provider (PHCP) License
Any agency providing personal care, companion, homemaker, or private-duty nursing services through employees or contractors in a client's residence — no CON required.
Home Health Agency License (with CON)
Agencies providing Medicare/Medicaid-eligible skilled nursing and therapy services in the home; CON from DCH's Office of Health Planning is required before applying for state licensure under Rule 111-8-31.
Hospice License
Agencies providing palliative and comfort care to terminally ill patients; state licensure under Rule 111-8-37 is required but, by statute (O.C.G.A. § 31-7-179), no CON is required.
How we get you licensed
- 1Determine your license track
Decide whether your services fall under the PHCP category (non-medical/private-duty), Home Health Agency (skilled/Medicare), or Hospice. The track determines whether a Certificate of Need is required before state licensure can begin.
- 2Obtain a Certificate of Need (Home Health only)
Submit a Letter of Intent electronically through the DCH Office of Health Planning submission portal at least 25 days before filing the formal CON application. The Department does not accept Letters of Intent submitted by telephone, facsimile, or e-mail; electronic submission through the portal is required. Then file the formal CON application no later than 30 days after the Letter of Intent is received — with the required fee (flat $1,000 for projects under $1 million; 0.1% of project cost, capped at $50,000, for larger projects). The department batches home health applications at least twice yearly; the statutory review period runs 120 days from the date the application is deemed complete. This step does not apply to PHCP or Hospice applicants.
- 3Form your legal entity and meet pre-application requirements
Register your business entity with the Georgia Secretary of State, obtain a local business license, secure general and professional liability insurance, identify a qualified administrator, and initiate GCIC/FBI fingerprint background checks through Georgia's GCHEXS system for all owners and the administrator.
- 4Submit the state licensure application through GAHLES
Create an account in the GAHLES (Georgia Healthcare Licensing, Enforcement, and Surveys) portal at gahles.dch.georgia.gov. Upload all required supporting documents — business registration, notarized affidavits, administrator credentials, background check clearance letters (must be dated within 12 months), RN license if nursing services are offered, and proof of minimum staffing. Pay the applicable licensing fee through the online payment portal.
- 5Undergo HFRD initial survey or inspection
After the application is reviewed for completeness, HFRD schedules an on-site compliance survey. Home health agencies with existing Medicare/Medicaid certification may present that certification as a substitute for a separate licensure inspection. Private home care providers accredited by a DCH-recognized body (such as CHAP) may also qualify for inspection waivers.
- 6Pursue Medicare/Medicaid enrollment (with moratorium awareness)
After receiving state licensure, apply to CMS for Medicare certification via Form 855A. As of May 13, 2026, CMS imposed a nationwide six-month moratorium blocking new Medicare enrollment for home health agencies and hospices. Applications received by a Medicare contractor before that date may continue through the enrollment process; applications received on or after May 13, 2026 face denial during the moratorium period. Monitor CMS Federal Register notices for updates before beginning this step.
Key Georgia requirements
- PHCP applicants must hold a current local business license and Georgia Secretary of State registration before submitting to HFRD.
- Home Health Agency applicants must obtain CON approval from DCH's Office of Health Planning before state licensure can be issued — no workaround exists under O.C.G.A. § 31-7-155.
- All owners and the administrator must complete GCIC and FBI fingerprint background checks through Georgia's GCHEXS system; background check eligibility is governed by O.C.G.A. § 31-7-350 et seq. and disqualifying convictions result in denial.
- Home Health administrator must be a licensed physician, RN, or have at least one year of supervisory or administrative experience in home health or a related health program, per Rule 111-8-31.
- PHCP agencies offering nursing services must employ a fully licensed Georgia registered professional nurse to supervise those services, per Rule 111-8-65.
- As of May 13, 2026, CMS imposed a nationwide six-month moratorium on new Medicare enrollment for home health agencies and hospices; state licensure may proceed independently, but Medicare billing cannot begin until the moratorium is lifted or the applicant qualifies based on a pre-moratorium application receipt date.
Traps that catch new owners
- Confusing PHCP with Home Health: agencies that intend to provide skilled nursing or therapy services under a physician's plan of care must pursue the Home Health Agency license and CON — not the simpler PHCP track. Operating skilled services under a PHCP license violates Rule 111-8-65 and exposes the agency to enforcement.
- Missing the CON batching window for Home Health: DCH batches competing home health CON applications and the review clock resets when a competing application is filed within 30 days of yours. A missed cycle can add six months or more to the timeline. The Letter of Intent must be submitted electronically through the DCH Office of Health Planning portal at least 25 days before the formal application — telephone, fax, and email submissions are not accepted.
- Submitting Medicare enrollment paperwork for a new home health or hospice agency after May 13, 2026 without confirming the application was received by a Medicare contractor before that date — applications received on or after May 13, 2026 are denied under the current CMS moratorium, meaning state licensure alone will not enable Medicare billing until the moratorium is lifted.
Georgia licensing packages
Fixed price, agreed in writing before any work begins. Each package is prepared and submitted for you, fully online.
Georgia Home Health Agency license (Certificate of Need) — Fixed-Price Application Support
$3,995.00
View detailsGeorgia licensing FAQs
Does Georgia hospice require a Certificate of Need?
No. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-7-179, a hospice that holds a valid Georgia state license issued by HFRD is expressly exempt from the CON requirement. You need HFRD licensure only — not CON approval — to operate a hospice in Georgia.
Can I start a home health agency in Georgia right now and bill Medicare?
You can begin the CON and state licensure process now, but Medicare billing faces two hurdles: CON approval under O.C.G.A. § 31-7-155 must precede licensure (adding months to the timeline), and CMS imposed a nationwide six-month moratorium on new home health agency Medicare enrollment effective May 13, 2026 through approximately November 13, 2026. Applications received by a Medicare contractor before May 13 may continue through the process; those received on or after that date are denied during the moratorium period. State licensure itself is not blocked by the moratorium.
What is the GAHLES portal and do I have to use it?
GAHLES — Georgia Healthcare Licensing, Enforcement, and Surveys — is the state's online licensing platform at gahles.dch.georgia.gov. HFRD requires all PHCP, Home Health, and Hospice licensure applications to be submitted through this portal, which replaced the older GAMMIS system. You will use GAHLES to upload supporting documents, manage your application, submit Plans of Correction, and request hearings.
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