Do you need a license to run a home care agency in Maine?

Yes. Maine requires a state license to run a non-medical home care agency: the Personal Care Agency license, issued by the Maine DHHS, Division of Licensing and Certification. Maine licenses personal care agencies (PCAs), which provide personal care services to people in their homes, under a rule adopted in August 2024. No PCA may provide services or accept payment until licensed. A full license runs up to two years; provisional licenses run 3 to 12 months.

What are the key facts?

How do you get licensed in Maine?

1. Complete the Department-approved application form
2. Pay the $500 initial fee
3. Show proof of general and professional liability insurance
4. Submit State Bureau of Identification criminal background checks for all owners (done within 30 days of applying)
5. Name the administrator and wait for the decision (within 90 working days of a complete application)

What should you confirm with the state?

Training hours for personal support specialists aren't stated in the rule; confirm the current requirement with the Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification. That training isn't required if services are limited to tasks such as meals and housekeeping. Operating without a license can bring fines of $500 per day, up to $10,000.

What should you budget for?

The license fee is a small part of startup cost. Insurance, payroll for your first caregivers before clients pay, and office staff usually cost far more. Use the bill rate calculator to check your pricing covers it, and the intake form and care plan templates for the paperwork inspectors ask to see.