Home Care License in Washington

Choose a name for your home care business that makes sense. A common issue with starting a home care business and getting it licensed is the choice in name. If you use words that relate to medical terminology it can hurt your ability to market and give consumers the wrong opinion about what services, your home care business is offering and can offer. Transparency is the best marketing strategy for your home care business. Be clear and concise on what you are trying to convey to the consumer (i.e. Using words like Health or Medical or services such as nursing or therapies). This can also cause issues with licensing your home care business further down the line and depicts that your business is not what it seems (Home Care and Home Health Care are not the same – If you would like to learn more about starting a home health care business or would like to know the difference between the two, call us today for more information.)

Make it unique! The constantly growing home care market is saturated with common names that use words such as: always, best, caring, first, and hands (to name a few). There are other barriers that can also prevent you from registering your name.  As with many great ideas, there is a chance someone thought of it first. Names that are matching other business names cannot be registered and names that are too alike can also be rejected. Researching to see if the name is available is always required and this is done with a search on the Washington Secretary of State website.

Deciding the best option for your home care business taxation is a huge decision. People often work with consulting firms, attorneys, or accountants to best suit the needs of the home care business. The way you register your home care business will also determine filing fees and other annual costs that will be required to make sure your home care business stays in good standing.

Create a brightly lit path that can help you pave the way to success by knowing the ins and outs of what to expect when your dream becomes your reality. Otherwise, it may turn into a nightmare. Researching the market and determining that there is a need for your type of home care business can seem overwhelming. That’s when utilizing a home care business consultant might become a good idea.

There are many barriers to entry. Primarily there is an Orientation Class that must take place before even considering starting an Agency.  The owners of the agency must be able to pass a background check.  There are fees associated with the formation of the Agency and licensing. Researching the census and local competition in Washington is very important. Determining your pay sources are important as well, determining referral sources, etc. Furthermore, your home care business must have enough capital to get the business started and run it for at least 6 months.

Washington Secretary of State Formation, Employer Identification Number, State Tax ID, and a National Provider Identification number will be needed to get your home care business started. You will need a tangible address to start the agency (P.O. Boxes are not acceptable). This is where a little help from a home care business consultant will come in handy.  We do all of this for you. 

The State of Washington requires the following for home care licensure in Washington:

The State of Washington requires that the business be covered by both General/Professional liability [WAC 246-335-320(2)(b)] and Workman’s Compensation to operate. Please give us a call to learn more. 

To start your home care business, the Agency owners will have to attend a state approved Orientation Class and receive a certificate of completion then apply for the home care license in Washington. A home care license application will need to be compiled with Home Care Policies and submitted with a $1530 fee to the state.  Initial Licensure application review can take up to 3 months for initial review and the application process can take up to 9 months.  An initial one (1) Year license is granted then the agency must pass a survey after initial licensure the survey renewal will take place every two (2) years. Let us take the stress off handling this long and complicated process with our team of professionals.

Researching the Washington regulations is a must when starting this process of applying for your home care license in Washington. Washington also requires a Supervisor of Direct Care Services [Manager/Administrator] and an Alternately qualified individual to run the home care business. This person is required to attend an Orientation to gain the knowledge, experience, ability to effectively manage the agency, and maintain ten hours of training annually. All staff and owners must be able to pass a Criminal Background Check. 

The Home Care License is not permanent in the state of Washington and there is a renewal process to keep the status of the license active. This is not an easy task, professional assistance will most likely be required to navigate the process and keep the business running smoothly. Our home care license and home care business startup consultants can help. Call us today. 

The county or township may have specific requirements that need to be met with an application for a local license to conduct business in that area and this will be required as part of the application process. Having an optimal location and the proper office set is important. Make sure all the proper licenses are in a conspicuous area.

Your home care business will need staff to open its doors and in the case of Washington the key staff/managers need to be identified in the initial application process. Hiring the staff and making sure they get paid is an important part of starting your home care business. This process can be done by the home care business owners or a professional equipped to handle these situations. The state of Washington has very specific laws associated with being an employer. This can make or break the agency if they do not follow the letter of the law.