Rhode Island home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes — RIDOH Home Care Provider license (+ Certificate of Need).
- License required?
- Yes
- License / pathway
- RIDOH Home Care Provider license (+ Certificate of Need)
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- $650 annual licensure fee; CON fee $500 + 0.25%
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
Rhode Island 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. Rhode Island requires a Home Care Provider license for non-skilled home care services, including assistance with daily living and personal care. [1][2] |
| License type / name | Home Care Provider license. Establishment also requires a Letter of Intent and Certificate of Need application, prior Health Services Council review, and written approval by the Director of Health. For Medicaid participation, the cited rule additionally requires CMS Medicare certification as a home health services provider and a Rhode Island Medicaid provider number before services are provided. [1][3][4] |
| Licensing agency | Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). [1] |
| Agency website | https://health.ri.gov/regulations/ [1] |
| Initial application / license fee | Fee schedule lists for Home Care Provider: Certificate of Need application $500 + 0.25% of capital cost (regular/accelerated) or $750 + 0.25% (expedited), and the $650 annual licensure fee. A separate initial application fee amount is not listed (Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency). [5] |
| Renewal fee | $650 annual licensure fee (Home Care Provider, 216-RICR-10-05-2). Change of owner/operator/lessee: $1,500–$50,000. [5] |
| Renewal cycle | Annual. A license expires on December 31 following issuance and may be renewed from year to year; each license is for no more than one year. [1][5] |
| Typical approval timeline | For initial licensure or a change in owner, operator, or lessee, the licensing decision is rendered within 90 days after application acceptance. [1] |
| Administrator qualifications | The administrator must be a licensed physician; or have health-service-administration training and experience plus at least one year of supervisory or administrative experience in home nursing care, home care, or related health programs; or be an RN meeting 42 C.F.R. Part 484 qualifications. [1] |
| Caregiver background checks | Criminal records checks for employees are required in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17-34; the sources reviewed do not specify the check procedures. [1] |
| Caregiver training hours | Homemakers must complete 20 classroom hours and at least 5 hours of practical experience, and pass the final examination. Staff also receive ongoing in-service education, including orientation for direct-care staff. [1] |
| Registry checks | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| General liability insurance | Agency policy must require liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. The cited rule does not specifically label it general liability insurance. [1] |
| Workers' compensation | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Bonding (surety / dishonesty) | Agency policy must require employee bonding insurance for theft and damage of at least $10,000 per loss. [1] |
| Rule changes 2025–2026 | June 3, 2025: the cited Medicaid provider-participation rule became effective. It requires a state license, CMS Medicare certification as a home health services provider, and a Rhode Island Medicaid provider number before services are provided. No 2026 rule change is stated in the sources reviewed. [4] |
Source notes and conflicts
The $650 annual licensure fee is listed in a supplied fee schedule, while the active licensing rule refers to Part 10-05-2 without stating the amount. Other supplied versions of that fee schedule are labeled inactive. The facts do not establish a separate initial licensure fee.
Sources
- Licensing Home Nursing Care Providers and ...
https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/216-40-10-17 - Home Healthcare - Rhode Island Department of Health - RI.gov
https://health.ri.gov/home-healthcare - Home Care Providers - Rhode Island Department of Health
https://health.ri.gov/home-care-providers - Home Care and Home Health Providers - Rhode Island Department ...
https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/210-20-05-1 - 216-RICR-10-05-2 – RIDOH Fee Structure
https://rules.sos.ri.gov/Regulations/part/216-10-05-2?reg_id
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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