Colorado home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes — CDPHE Home Care Agency license, Class B (non-medical).
CHANGED SINCE MARCH 2026 Change flag: New 2026/27 fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 (amounts Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency).
- License required?
- Yes
- License / pathway
- CDPHE Home Care Agency license, Class B (non-medical)
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- Initial Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency; FY2026 base renewal $1,545.62
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
Colorado requirements, item by item
Bracketed numbers link to the official sources at the bottom of this page.
Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency We could not confirm this item on an official state source during our review, so we did not estimate it.
| Item | What the guide found |
|---|---|
| License required? | A Colorado Home Care Agency license is required for Personal Care services under CFC beginning July 1, 2025. Class B is the non-medical category. Homemaker-only providers under CFC do not require a license; the sources reviewed do not separately establish a rule for companion-only services. [1][2][3][4] |
| License type / name | Class B Home Care Agency license for non-medical services, including agencies providing only personal care. Under CFC, a homemaker-only provider does not require a license and uses Medicaid specialty 652; licensed providers enroll for Personal Care/Homemaker specialty 666. [4][3][5] |
| Licensing agency | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division (HFEMSD). [5][3] |
| Agency website | https://cdphe.colorado.gov/home-care-agencies [4] |
| Initial application / license fee | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency — A 2025 HCPF memo lists a $2,200 Class B initial cost for unlicensed SLS Waiver Personal Care providers applying after September 30, 2024. The sources reviewed do not give the current Class B initial fee for applications submitted on or after July 1, 2026. [3][6] |
| Renewal fee | The July 2025 audit lists the FY 2026 base renewal fee as $1,545.62, versus $1,808.09 for facilities providing medical services. An earlier HCPF memo lists a $1,325 Class B renewal cost; see conflicts. [7][3] |
| Renewal cycle | Annual; facilities must reapply for licensure and pay related license fees. [7] |
| Typical approval timeline | A first-time applicant submits a Letter of Intent and associated fee at least 90 days before the anticipated opening date. A 2025 HCPF memo estimates the application and provider enrollment process at approximately 8 months. [7][3] |
| Administrator qualifications | For Class B, the HCA Manager must have a high school diploma or GED and at least one year of documented supervisory experience providing personal care services. First-time administrators/managers must also meet training requirements under the cited rules; the sources reviewed give no required number of training hours. [3][8] |
| Caregiver background checks | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency — CBI lists a $39.50 fingerprint-based Colorado and nationwide criminal-history search for the Home Care Agency category, but the sources reviewed do not state who must be checked or whether it is a licensing requirement. [9] |
| Caregiver training hours | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Registry checks | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| General liability insurance | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Workers' compensation | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Bonding (surety / dishonesty) | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Rule changes 2025–2026 | July 1, 2025: Personal Care under CFC began requiring a Class A or Class B Home Care Agency license; the 664 specialty code was to become unavailable. July 1, 2026: the 2026/2027 facility fee schedule became effective and applies to initial applications submitted on or after that date. The 2025 audit reports statutory facility-fee increases of 8% for FY 2026 and 6% in each of the next three fiscal years. [3][6][7] |
Source notes and conflicts
The older HCPF memo lists a $1,325 Class B renewal cost, while the July 2025 audit reports a FY 2026 base renewal fee of $1,545.62 (and $1,808.09 for facilities providing medical services). The sources reviewed do not establish the current Class B-specific renewal amount in the facility-specific schedule effective July 1, 2026. The HCPF memo's $2,200 Class B initial cost is for unlicensed SLS Waiver Personal Care providers applying after September 30, 2024, and should not be treated as a verified current 2026 fee.
Sources
- [PDF] HCPF PM 23-008 New Licensure requirement for personal care ...
https://hcpf.colorado.gov/sites/hcpf/files/HCPF%20PM%2023-008%20New%20Licensure%20requirement%20for%20personal%20care%20service%20providers%20under%20Community%20First%20Choice%20-%20Policy%20Memo.pdf - HCPF PM 24-003 Upcoming Licensure Requirement for Personal Care Service Providers Under Comm…
https://hcpf.colorado.gov/sites/hcpf/files/HCPF%20PM%2024-003%20Upcoming%20Licensure%20Requirement%20for%20Personal%20Care%20Service%20Providers%20Under%20Community%20First%20Choice.pdf - [PDF] HCPF PM 25-001 Upcoming Licensure Requirement for Personal ...
https://hcpf.colorado.gov/sites/hcpf/files/HCPF%20PM%2025-001%20Upcoming%20Licensure%20Requirement%20for%20Personal%20Care%20Service%20Providers%20Under%20Community%20First%20Choice.pdf - Home Care Agencies | Colorado Department of Public Health and ...
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/home-care-agencies - Medicaid Certification Guidance Document for HCBS Waiver Services
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/health-facilities/facility-licensing-fees-and-certification/health-facilities-letter-of-intent-1 - Facility fees | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/health-facilities/facility-licensing-fees-and-certification/facility-fees - Health Facility Licensing Program and Cash Funds
https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/audits/2460p_health_facility_licensing_program_and_cash_funds_final-accessible.pdf - Approved Educational Opportunities For First Time Home ...
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/approved-educational-opportunities-for-first-time-home-care-agency-administrators/managers - Employment and Background Checks | Colorado Bureau of ...
https://cbi.colorado.gov/records-background-checks/employment-and-background-checks
Limits: fees and forms change often. Agencies sometimes post conflicting figures (a statute vs. an older form); those conflicts are shown, not resolved by guessing. Confirm the current fee with the agency before filing. This guide is a research reference, not legal advice.
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