Minnesota home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes — MDH Home Care Provider license (Basic or Comprehensive).
- License required?
- Yes
- License / pathway
- MDH Home Care Provider license (Basic or Comprehensive)
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- $2,100 basic temporary license; annual fee by revenue
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
Minnesota 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 home care provider generally must hold a temporary or current Minnesota home care provider license to operate or provide services, unless exempt or excluded. The listed exemptions include certain Medical Assistance personal care assistance providers and registered providers offering only home management services. [1][2] |
| License type / name | Apply for a basic or comprehensive home care license, depending on services offered; initial licenses are temporary. Certain Medical Assistance personal care assistance services are exempt from this license requirement under the cited statute. [1][3] |
| Licensing agency | Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Home Care Licensure within the Health Regulation Division. [2][3] |
| Agency website | https://www.health.state.mn.us [3] |
| Initial application / license fee | Temporary home care license application fee: $2,100 for a basic provider or $4,200 for a comprehensive provider. A separate optional initial fee for an HCBS designation is $155. [4][5] |
| Renewal fee | The annual home care license renewal fee is based on prior-calendar-year home care revenues; the stated schedule ranges from $231 to $7,651. An optional HCBS designation has an additional annual revenue-based fee ranging from $40 to $320. [4][5][6] |
| Renewal cycle | Annual; a license may be renewed for one year. The optional HCBS designation renews annually with the home care license. [4][6] |
| Typical approval timeline | MDH has 60 days after an application is deemed complete to issue or deny a temporary license. A renewal application must be submitted at least 30 days before license expiration. [3][4] |
| Administrator qualifications | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Caregiver background checks | Owners, managerial officials, and the named RN or licensed health professional on the application must complete and pass background studies before license issuance. The application must document required studies for persons involved in management, operation, or control. [7][4] |
| Caregiver training hours | Home care laws require staff orientation, training, and competency evaluations, but the sources reviewed specify no number of training hours. [4][8] |
| Registry checks | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| General liability insurance | The application must include documentation of liability coverage if the provider has it; the cited section does not state that general liability coverage is mandatory. [4] |
| Workers' compensation | The application must provide evidence of workers’ compensation coverage as required by Minnesota Statutes sections 176.181 and 176.182. [4] |
| Bonding (surety / dishonesty) | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Rule changes 2025–2026 | In 2026, Minnesota Statutes section 144A.472, subdivision 5, was amended by Chapter 95, Article 3, Section 6; section 144A.471, subdivision 8, was amended by Chapter 121, Article 2, Section 3. Chapter 121 added an exemption for federally qualified health centers providing specified nursing services, effective the day following final enactment; the sources reviewed do not give the enactment date. [4][1][9] |
Sources
- Sec. 144A.471 MN Statutes
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144A.471 - Home Care Provider
https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/regulation/homecare/index.html - Basic Home Care License - Minnesota.gov
https://mn.gov/elicense/a-z/index.jsp?id=1083-231362 - Sec. 144A.472 MN Statutes
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144A.472 - [PDF] Minnesota Statutes 2025, Section 144A.484 - MN Revisor's Office
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144A.484/pdf - [PDF] Home Care Integrated License Application
https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/regulation/homecare/docs/providers/hcbsdesignation.pdf - Home Care Agency Application Materials - MN Dept. of Health
https://www.health.mn.gov/facilities/regulation/homecare/starting.html - Compassionate Professionals - MN.gov
https://www.mn.gov/adresources/search/0e6e4ca0-cf25-5c2f-b97e-e0b94abee96f/?entry=topic_card - Chapter 121 - MN Laws
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2026/0/Session+Law/chapter/121/
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