Kentucky home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes (certification) — CHFS OIG Personal Services Agency certification.
- License required?
- Yes (certification)
- License / pathway
- CHFS OIG Personal Services Agency certification
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- $500 initial; $350 annual
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
Kentucky 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. A non-medical personal services agency must obtain certification from the Office of Inspector General before operating. Certain health facilities, health services, and regulated health-care practitioners are exempt for specified services. [1][2] |
| License type / name | Certification to operate a Personal Services Agency (PSA), under 906 KAR 1:180. [1] |
| Licensing agency | Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG), Division of Health Care. [1][3][4] |
| Agency website | OIG application information: https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/os/oig/dhc/Pages/ltcapplications.aspx [1][5] |
| Initial application / license fee | $500 initial application fee, payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer. [1][5] |
| Renewal fee | $350 annual recertification fee, payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer. [1][5] |
| Renewal cycle | Annual recertification; submit materials to OIG at least 60 calendar days before certification expires. [1] |
| Typical approval timeline | A 90-day provisional certificate is available in the stated circumstances. The sources reviewed do not specify standard application processing time. [1][3] |
| Administrator qualifications | The agency must employ a manager responsible for its organization and daily operation; the sources reviewed state no specific manager qualifications. [1] |
| Caregiver background checks | Before acting as manager or providing direct services, applicants must complete a criminal record check and substance abuse test, among other listed pre-employment requirements. The statute also bars employment in direct-client-service positions for a person with a qualifying conviction. [1][2] |
| Caregiver training hours | Direct-care staff serving clients exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia must complete at least 6 hours of initial dementia-care training and 3 hours annually. Other agency training is required before direct services, but no general number of hours is stated. [1][4] |
| Registry checks | Pre-employment checks include the nurse aide and home health aide abuse registry and the caregiver misconduct registry. [1][3][4] |
| General liability insurance | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Workers' compensation | The written service agreement must explain whether the agency pays workers’ compensation or other benefits for the service provider. The sources reviewed do not establish that coverage is mandatory. [1] |
| Bonding (surety / dishonesty) | The written service agreement must explain whether the agency provides bonded protection for the client. The sources reviewed do not establish that bonding is mandatory. [1] |
| Rule changes 2025–2026 | 906 KAR 1:180 is listed as certified effective November 24, 2025. The sources reviewed identify this as a correction/certification date but do not describe a substantive rule or fee change; no 2026 rule change is identified. [1][3] |
Source notes and conflicts
The supplied statute says a parent agency with Kentucky branches does not need separate certificates for those branches, while the 2021 regulation text says an out-of-state agency operating a Kentucky branch must obtain a separate certificate for each Kentucky branch. The supplied current regulation excerpt does not resolve this branch-office difference.
Sources
- Title 906 Chapter 1 Regulation 180
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/906/001/180/ - 216.712 Certification of personal services agency required -- Criminal background
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=9105 - [PDF] Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General ...
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/downloads/docs/10928/document.engrossed.pdf - Office of Inspector General Application for Certification to ...
https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/os/oig/dhc/Documents/CertifiedPersonalServicesAgencyApplication2.pdf - Applications for Health Care and Long-Term Care
https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/os/oig/dhc/Pages/ltcapplications.aspx
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