Title: Home Care: Basic Home Care / Comprehensive Home Care License | Integrated License: Home and Community-Based Services Designation
Alternate Title:
Description:
Minnesota laws require individuals and agencies that offer home care services be licensed. Home care services may not be offered nor provided without a valid license (unless the provider is exempted or excluded from licensure. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
Subject: Health Care
Health Care Providers
Home Health Care
Creation Date: 9/11/2008 2:13:45 PM
Modification Date: 7/1/2026 3:07:24 PM
Agency Name: Health (MDH), Minnesota Department of
Agency URL: https://www.health.state.mn.us
Agency Description:
The Minnesota Department of Health is the state's lead public health agency, responsible for protecting, maintaining and improving the health of all Minnesotans.
Agency Phone: 651-201-5000
888-345-0823
Agency Fax: Agency URL: https://www.health.state.mn.us
Agency Address: Health, Minnesota Dept. of
625 Robert St. N.
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul
MN
55164-0975
Division Name: Health Regulation Division
Division URL:
Division Description:
Division Phone: 651-201-4200
Division Fax: Division URL:
Unit Name: Home Care
Unit URL: https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/regulation/homecare/index.html
Unit Description:
Unit Phone: 651-201-4200
Unit Fax: Contact person(s): health.homecare@state.mn.us
Unit URL: https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/regulation/homecare/index.html
Unit Address:
P.O. Box 64900
St. Paul
MN
55164-0900
Audience: Hold
Application URL:
Renewal URL: https://icsd.web.health.state.mn.us/security/login.do
Versa URL:
Requirements:
Review:
Home Care
Information about starting a home care agency in Minnesota
Home Care Licensure
Minnesota laws require individuals and agencies that offer home care services be licensed. Home care services may not be offered nor provided without a valid license (unless the provider is exempted or excluded from licensure as addressed below).
Information about licensure is provided on the Home Care website. MDH encourages parties interested in becoming licensed to review all sections of the Home Care website to become familiar with the requirements of licensure.
Applicants and licensed providers must understand Minnesota home care laws. The home care laws can be accessed for free electronically and may also be purchased as a bound book or a digital (PDF) file.
Home Care Laws
Minnesota has two types of home care licenses. The license a home care provider holds depends on the types of services offered.
Download the following documents to see the services that are allowed under the basic and comprehensive home care licenses.
Integrated License: Home and Community-Based Services Designation
Some providers may choose to add a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) designation to their home care license. This is referred to as an integrated license. An integrated license allows the licensee to provide basic support services as identified under Minn. Stat. § 245D.03, subd. 1, paragraph (b) under their existing MDH issued home care license. This integration is intended to support home care licensees who are serving home care clients and wish to also offer and provide basic support services as part of a broader care plan.
It is important to understand that the HCBS designation does not substitute the core requirements of a home care license. Licensees must still meet the legal requirements of both the 144A homecare license and the 245D.03 basic supportive services. Providing HCBS basic support services alone do not fulfill the statutory requirement to provide homecare services (for a fee). Licensees who apply for an integrated license but do not provide at least one homecare service to each client will have their (integrated) home care license denied, refused to renew, or revoked.
The home care license is not a substitute pathway for obtaining 245D licensure from the Department of Human Services (DHS), nor is it intended for licensees who wish to offer only 245D basic support services to clients. If your business model does not include the delivery of home care services to each client, you will not meet the requirements for an MDH home care license.
For more information, review Minn. Stat. § 144A.484
Who is excluded or exempt from home care licensure?
Some providers are not required to hold a home care license to provide home care services. Those which are exempt from home care licensure are regulated by other laws and/or licensed under separate licensing bodies. Those which are excluded are either not providing direct home care services or otherwise meet the specific conditions as outlined in statute for exclusion.
Review Minn. Stat, § 144A.471 to see who must hold a home care license. Information about exempt and excluded providers can be found in subdivisions 8 and 9 of this statute.
Exempt providers must comply with the applicable provisions of the home care bill of rights in Minn. Stat. § 144A.44. Excluded individuals and businesses are not required to provide the home care bill of rights.
Applications
Background Studies
All owners, managerial officials, and the named RN or licensed health professional on home care license applications must complete and pass background studies prior to the issuance of a home care license.
What is the typical processing time for a temporary home care license?
The time it takes to obtain a license is dependent upon how complete an application is when received by MDH. In addition to the application and the fee, there are many documents that are required to make a complete application. Review the application closely, including the checklist, to be sure you are providing all materials. Home care laws require that MDH review each application to determine the applicant’s knowledge of and compliance with Minnesota home care regulations. We may request additional information or a telephone or in-person meeting with applicants to make this assessment. Once an application is deemed complete MDH has 60 days to issue or deny the temporary license.
Medicare Certification
Licensed home care providers may apply to become Medicare certified home health agencies (HHAs) after being found in substantial compliance with the initial full survey and receiving a comprehensive home care license. Temporary licensees are not eligible for Medicare certification, nor are basic licensees.
Refer to Federal Certification Process for Home Health Agencies on the MDH website for more information.
Home management Registration
Home management services are different from home care services. Home management includes only these three services:
- Housekeeping
- Meal preparation
- Shopping
If an individual or an agency is providing at least two of those services to a person who is unable to perform these activities due to illness, disability, or physical condition, these providers must be registered with the Minnesota Department of Health. In addition, they must comply with the provisions of the home care bill of rights, and they must attend an orientation session that provides training on the home care bill of rights and on the aging process and the needs and concerns of elderly and disabled persons.
For More Information
Individuals and businesses interested in starting a home care agency are encouraged to review all sections of the Home Care website.
If you have questions call 651-201-4200 or submit an inquiry via the contact us button.
Rules:
Statutes: 144A.43 - .484
144D
144G
626.556
626.557
626.5572
Forms:
Forms for Home Care Providers
Application for Home Care Licensure: Temporary Basic Home Care (PDF)
Application for Home Care Licensure: Temporary Comprehensive Home Care (PDF)
Application for Change of Ownership: Basic Home Care License (PDF)
Application for Change of Ownership: Comprehensive Home Care License (PDF)
Application for Registration as a Provider of Home Management Services (PDF)
Integrated License: Home and Community-Based Services Designation (PDF)
Survey Forms
Survey forms and self-audit tools
Other Forms
Statement of Home Care Services: Basic License (PDF)
Statement of Home Care Services: Comprehensive License (PDF)
Notice from Temporary Licensee of Providing Home Care Services (PDF) workers’ compensation insurance, and housing with services locations.
Use this form to update the MDH about changes in provider address, administrator/agent, phone number, email address, Change of Home Care Provider Information Form (PDF)
Use this form to inform MDH within five days after beginning to provide home care services.
Home Care Revenue Worksheet (PDF)
This worksheet is to assist providers with calculating their revenue from providing home care services.
License Closure Form (PDF)
Use this form to inform MDH if you are closing or not renewing your home care license.
Fees:
An initial applicant seeking temporary home care licensure must submit the following application fee to the commissioner along with a completed application:
See Minn. Stat. § 144A,484, subd. 8
Period of Issuance:
A license is effective for one year from the effective date.
Initial licenses issued are “temporary” and are effective for up to one year from issuance. Within that first year, MDH will conduct an initial full survey to ensure that the licensee is in substantial compliance with the requirements of home care laws. If, upon the initial full survey, the licensee is found in substantial compliance, a basic or comprehensive license will be issued. If, upon the initial full survey, the licensee is found not in substantial compliance, a license will not be issued.
Length of Determination:
The time it takes to obtain a license is dependent upon how complete an application is when received by MDH. In addition to the application and the fee, there are many documents that are required to make a complete application. Review the application closely, including the checklist, to be sure you are providing all materials. Home care laws require that MDH review each application to determine the applicant’s knowledge of and compliance with Minnesota home care regulations. We may request additional information or a telephone or in-person meeting with applicants to make this assessment. Once an application is deemed complete MDH has 60 days to issue or deny the temporary license.
Other Info:
Activity: Hospice
Health Care Providers
Home Health Care
License Detail URL:
Home Care
Health Care Provider Directory
