Maine home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes — DHHS DLC Personal Care Agency license.
- License required?
- Yes
- License / pathway
- DHHS DLC Personal Care Agency license
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- $500 initial; $200–$2,000 renewal by employee count
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
Maine 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. Beginning July 1, 2024, an entity may not provide home care services without a personal care agency license issued by the Department. The rule also says no PCA may provide services or accept payment unless first licensed. [1][2] |
| License type / name | Maine Personal Care Agency (PCA) license under 22 M.R.S. § 1717 and 10-144 CMR ch. 129; licenses may be provisional, full, or conditional. The rule excludes home health care providers licensed under 22 M.R.S. ch. 419 and Family Provider Agencies. [1][2] |
| Licensing agency | Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Licensing and Certification (DLC). [3][2] |
| Agency website | https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/dlc/licensing-certification/personal-care-agencies [3] |
| Initial application / license fee | $500 for each initial application. [2] |
| Renewal fee | Based on employee count at renewal: 1–5 employees, $200; 6–10, $500; 11–20, $1,000; 21–50, $1,500; 51 or more, $2,000. [2] |
| Renewal cycle | A full license may be issued for up to two years. The renewal application must be filed at least 60 calendar days before expiration. [2][1] |
| Typical approval timeline | The rule says the Department will approve or deny initial licensure in writing within 90 working days after receiving all required documentation. A DLC page version dated August 20, 2024 reports a 6–9 month backlog beyond typical processing and inspection timelines. [2][3] |
| Administrator qualifications | The applicant/licensee and administrator must demonstrate to the Department’s satisfaction the capacity to operate and manage the agency with regard for client health and safety and compliance. [2] |
| Caregiver background checks | The rule requires owners to submit State Bureau of Identification criminal background-check results completed no more than 30 calendar days before application. Employees, owners, and administrators must be eligible based on a Maine Background Check Center check; the statute also requires comprehensive checks for direct access personnel and their immediate supervisors. [2][1] |
| Caregiver training hours | No total number of training hours is specified in the provided PCA rule facts. Direct-care employees must receive agency orientation before working independently and annual training; required personal-care training must be completed within nine months of hire if the employee enrolls within 60 days. [2] |
| Registry checks | Before hiring covered CNAs, direct care workers, and their immediate supervisors, the agency must check the Maine Registry of Certified Nursing Assistants and Direct Care Workers and verify there are no disqualifying notations. The rule states the MBCC check fulfills the registry-check obligation for CNA listing and disqualifying notations. [1][2] |
| General liability insurance | Evidence of general and professional liability insurance is required with the initial application. The agency must maintain coverage adequate to protect clients in the event of personal injury; no coverage amount is specified in the provided PCA rule facts. [2] |
| 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 | The 2025 amendment to 22 M.R.S. § 1717, PL 2025, c. 305, Pt. A, § 1, allows a conditional license upon initial application when an agency failed to comply with applicable laws and rules while operating under another license; the supplied statute text does not state the amendment’s effective date. An April 16, 2025 statement discusses proposed PCA-rule changes, but the sources reviewed do not establish that those proposals were adopted. A Winter 2026 PCA-rule revision appears as an agenda plan, not an adopted change. [1][4][5] |
Source notes and conflicts
The timeline sources give different practical expectations: the PCA rule specifies a 90-working-day decision period after receipt of all required documentation, while the DLC page version dated August 20, 2024 reports a 6–9 month backlog beyond typical processing and inspection timelines. The backlog report is dated and may not reflect current processing.
Sources
- Title 22, §1717: Licensing of personal care agencies
https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes//22/title22sec1717.html - [DOC] 10-144 CMR Ch 129, Personal Care Agency Licensing Rule
https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/144c129-2024-188%20(RPR).docx - Personal Care Agencies | Department of Health and ...
https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/dlc/licensing-certification/personal-care-agencies - [PDF] Statement of Support for the Proposed Changes to Personal Care ...
https://legislature.maine.gov/testimony/resources/HHS20250417Reid133893809489516038.pdf - [DOC] 10, 14 HHS ARA 25-26 (Amended 12.19.2025).docx - Maine.gov
https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/10,%2014%20HHS%20ARA%2025-26%20(Amended%2012.19.2025).docx
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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