Hawaii home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes — DOH/OHCA Home Care Agency license (HAR 11-700).
- License required?
- Yes
- License / pathway
- DOH/OHCA Home Care Agency license (HAR 11-700)
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- $1,500 initial; renewal Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
Hawaii 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? | Yes. Hawaii requires a Home Care Agency license before a new agency provides services to clients. The OHCA also states existing agencies must apply immediately and may operate during the application process. Its separate waiver page identifies listed agencies with an expiration date of 03/31/2024. [1][2][3] |
| License type / name | Home Care Agency (HCA) license under Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 11-700. The provided OHCA description includes personal care, homemaker assistance, and respite care; Act 051 excludes an individual, including an individual incorporated as a business, and an unpaid or stipended volunteer from the definition of a home care agency. [1][4][5] |
| Licensing agency | Hawaii State Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA), State Licensing Section. The license is issued by the director. [1][6][3] |
| Agency website | https://health.hawaii.gov/ohca/state-licensing-section/hcal/ [1] |
| Initial application / license fee | $1,500 for a Home Care Agency license under HAR Chapter 11-103.1. The fee is due within ten days after the prospective licensee receives notice that it is in full compliance. [7] |
| Renewal fee | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency — A renewal fee is required, but the amount is not stated in the sources reviewed. It must be paid at least 30 days before the license renewal date. [1][7] |
| Renewal cycle | The license is valid for two years. Apply for renewal at least 30 days before expiration. [3] |
| Typical approval timeline | New agencies must be licensed before providing services to clients. Existing agencies must apply immediately and may continue operating during the application process; OHCA states it may begin enforcement against agencies that do not apply within three months after the licensing program starts. After notice of full compliance, the initial fee is due within ten days. [1][7] |
| Administrator qualifications | The application must provide the administrator’s name and qualifications. The sources reviewed do not specify particular credentials or qualifications. [3][8] |
| Caregiver background checks | Background checks are required for employees and volunteers who provide client care or supervise staff, including the administrator. The application checklist also calls for pre-hire employee and/or volunteer background-check clearance, including Fieldprint determination. [3][8] |
| Caregiver training hours | The agency must provide orientation on its policies and procedures for personnel rendering services and continuous in-service education. No training-hour amount is specified. [3] |
| 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 | Act 051 was approved May 15, 2025 and took effect upon approval. It amended home care agency licensing provisions, including limiting agencies to services authorized by their license and excluding individuals (including incorporated individuals) and unpaid or stipended volunteers from the statutory definition of a home care agency. [5] |
Source notes and conflicts
The OHCA State Licensing Section page says home care agency licensure was waived pursuant to Act 091 SLH 2019, and a related page lists agencies with an expiration date of 03/31/2024. However, the current HCAL licensing page says new agencies must be licensed before providing services and existing agencies must apply. The sources reviewed therefore support a general licensing requirement alongside a waiver listing with a stated 2024 expiration; they do not establish a current blanket waiver. The 2018 application lists an initial fee of $1,200, while the later-effective HAR Chapter 11-103.1 schedule lists $1,500; this entry uses the later fee schedule.
Sources
- Home Care Agency Licensing – Office of Health Care Assurance
https://health.hawaii.gov/ohca/state-licensing-section/hcal/ - -Home Care Agency licensure waived pursuant to Act 091 SLH 2019
https://health.hawaii.gov/ohca/home-care-agency-licensure-waived-pursuant-to-act-091-slh-2019/ - 1 0 2018 - Hawaii State Department of Health
https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2026/09/chapter-11-700-HAR-effective-2018.08.10.pdf - Type of Hawaii State Licensed and/or Federal Certified Facilities or ...
https://health.hawaii.gov/ohca/type-of-hawaii-state-licensed-andor-federal-certified-facilities-or-agencies/ - JOSH GREEN, M.D.
https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/GM1151_.pdf - State Licensing Section - Hawaii Department of Health
https://health.hawaii.gov/ohca/state-licensing-section/ - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2026/09/chapter-11-103.1-HAR-effective-2022.09.16.pdf - Home Care Agency Licensing Application
https://health.hawaii.gov/ohca/files/2018/07/Application-with-Instructions.pdf
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.
Want to talk through your state?
A free 15-minute clarity call with Home Care Agency Blueprint, the publisher of this site. Bring your state and your questions; you do not need to finish the checklist first.
Book a free 15-minute clarity call