Compliance
Do You Need a License to Run a Non-Medical Home Care Agency?
In most states, yes. How the license depends on the services you offer, what six states actually require, what applications ask for, and how to check your state.
Do you need a license to run a home care agency in Oklahoma?
Last verified October 17, 2026 · All Oklahoma resources
Yes. Oklahoma requires a state license to run a non-medical home care agency: the Home care agency license; separate companion or sitter service license, issued by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Under the Home Care Act, no home care agency may operate without a license from the State Department of Health; agencies providing only personal care must have a supervising physician or registered nurse available. A business that offers only sitter or companion services needs a separate companion or sitter service license. People who provide maid services only, or a person acting alone in the home of a relative, neighbor, or friend, are exempt.
What are the key facts?
| License required | Yes |
|---|---|
| License | Home care agency license; separate companion or sitter service license |
| Regulator | Oklahoma State Department of Health |
| Fee | $1,000 initial, $500 renewal (home care agency and companion/sitter service) |
| Renewal | Every year (home care agency licenses expire July 31) |
| Rule | 63 O.S. 1-1960 et seq. (Home Care Act); Okla. Admin. Code 310:662 |
What should you confirm with the state?
Agencies must carry liability insurance of $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, and administrators must be certified by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. A 2024 law changed some supportive home assistant provisions; confirm current requirements with the Department.
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.
More for Oklahoma
Agency licensing by state: other states
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General
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Compliance
How Long Does It Take to Get a Home Care License?
Plan on 2 to 6 months in most licensing states. Statutory review clocks are 60 to 90 days, but they start only when your application is complete.
General
Home Care Agency Startup Costs: A Line-by-Line Budget
What it costs to open a non-medical home care agency: real state license fees, insurance minimums, office, hiring, software and the working capital most owners underestimate.
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