Oklahoma home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes — OSDH Home Care Agency license; Sitter/Companion agency license.
- License required?
- Yes
- License / pathway
- OSDH Home Care Agency license; Sitter/Companion agency license
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- Companion/sitter $1,000 initial, $500 renewal; home care agency initial Conflicting official figures — confirm current fee with the agency. (sources conflict), $500 renewal
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
Oklahoma 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. Oklahoma requires home care agencies to be licensed under the Home Care Act, 63 O.S. § 1-1960 et seq.; public or private agencies providing companion or sitter services also require a license. The companion/sitter license does not permit hands-on home care services. [1][2][3] |
| License type / name | Home care services, including personal care, require a Home Care Agency license. A companion/sitter agency providing no hands-on services uses the Sitter or Companion Service license; a qualifying home care agency may also provide companion/sitter services under its existing license. [4][2][3] |
| Licensing agency | Oklahoma State Department of Health, Home Services Division (Medical Facilities Service). [4][2] |
| Agency website | Oklahoma.gov/Health [2] |
| Initial application / license fee | Home care agency: the 2017 unofficial Act version states an initial application fee of up to $3,000. Companion/sitter service: $1,000. Older rules and a 2024 proposed rule document state $1,000 for a new home care agency or subunit; the sources reviewed do not establish that proposal was adopted. [3][5][6][2] |
| Renewal fee | Home care agency: $500 for an application or renewal for an existing agency. Companion/sitter service: $500 renewal application fee. [3][5] |
| Renewal cycle | Home care agency licenses generally renew annually and expire July 31. Under the provided rules, companion/sitter service licenses expire one year after issuance, on the last day of the issuance month. [3][5] |
| Typical approval timeline | Initial home care agency applications must be filed at least 30 days before operations begin; this is a filing deadline, not a processing-time estimate. Companion/sitter applications are processed in order received, and a survey follows receipt of a complete application and document review; no duration is stated. [5][2] |
| Administrator qualifications | A home care agency administrator must hold Department certification. The Act describes education or training in administration, supervision, fiscal management, ethics, community relations, public information, and human relations. [3][6] |
| Caregiver background checks | Supportive home assistants must receive a criminal-history background check before providing services; the Act also requires a nurse aide registry check. Companion/sitter agencies must conduct qualifying criminal background checks; the application letter identifies OKSCREEN as the required National Background Check. [3][2] |
| Caregiver training hours | No total number of training hours is stated. Supportive home assistant training must be agency-based and taught by a registered nurse, with competence testing and training in applicable subjects. [3][7] |
| Registry checks | Supportive home assistants require a check of the State Department of Health nurse aide registry and may not have abuse notations. The companion/sitter application identifies OKSCREEN as the required National Background Check. [3][2] |
| General liability insurance | The provided rules specify at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate liability coverage for home care agencies and companion/sitter services. The Act separately states that companion/sitter liability amounts are determined by the Department. [5][3] |
| Workers' compensation | Workers’ compensation coverage is required for companion/sitter services; the provided rules require proof of participation for employees subject to pertinent labor laws. [3][5] |
| Bonding (surety / dishonesty) | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Rule changes 2025–2026 | No adopted or effective 2025–2026 rule change is established by the sources reviewed. OSDH lists 2026 Chapter 662 rule-change consultation activities, but the page does not state that changes were adopted or became effective, and gives no activity dates. [1] |
Source notes and conflicts
For home care agency initial fees, the 2017 unofficial Act version states up to $3,000, while older rules and a 2024 proposed rule document state $1,000. The sources reviewed do not establish adoption of the proposed rule or resolve the discrepancy; the current OSDH page says fees must accompany the application but gives no amount. For liability coverage, the rules specify $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, while the Act says companion/sitter liability amounts are determined by the Department.
Sources
- Home Services Division - Oklahoma.gov
https://oklahoma.gov/health/services/licensing-inspections/medical-facilities-service/home-services-division.html - Re: Sitter or Companion Service Guidance Letter ... - Oklahoma.gov
https://aem-prod.oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/health/health2/aem-documents/protective-health/medical-facilities-division/home-services/companion-sitter-application-letterhead.pdf - [PDF] TITLE 63 O.S. §§ 1-1960 et seq. HOME CARE ACT ... - Oklahoma.gov
https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/health/health2/documents/662-and-664-home-care-act.pdf - Licensure Applications and Forms - Oklahoma.gov
https://oklahoma.gov/health/services/licensing-inspections/medical-facilities-service/home-services-division/licensure-applications-and-forms.html - CHAPTER 662 HOME CARE AGENCY RULES - Oklahoma.gov
https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/health/health2/aem-documents/protective-health/hrds/home-care-administrator/662.pdf - [PDF] title 310. oklahoma state department of health
https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/health/health2/aem-documents/organization/proposed-amendments-to-osdh-rules/flight-2-2024/OSDH%20662%20rule%20state%20online.pdf - Home Care Act §63-1-1960
https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/health/health2/aem-documents/protective-health/medical-facilities-division/home-services/mfs-title-63-1-1960.homecareact.eff.11.2013.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.
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