Home Care License in North Carolina
Get your North Carolina Home Care License. Learn what steps are necessary to achieve home care licensure in North Carolina.
Get Your Home Care License in North Carolina
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 North Carolina Secretary of State.
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. 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. Determining your pay sources is important as well as there are Medicaid Programs available for Non-Medical agencies in North Carolina, 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.
Secretary of State Formation, Statement of Information, 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 North Carolina requires the following for home care licensure in North Carolina:
The State of North Carolina requires that the business be covered by both General/Professional liability and Workman’s Compensation especially if the Agency is going to participate in any state programs for reimbursement.
To start your home care business, you will need to apply for your home care license in North Carolina. Alternately there are two different types of Agencies one with In Home Aide Services which is a hands-on service (i.e. dressing, feeding, bathing, etc.) and one without In Home Aide Services (i.e. chore services, and companionship). If the Agency owner has never managed or owned a home care agency before this business venture, they will need to attend a North Carolina sanctioned seminar to receive a certificate, the seminar is not free and is a third-party cost. After receiving the certificate an initial home care license application will need to be compiled with and sent to the State of North Carolina with a fee of $560. There is a second Part of the Application where a specific packet must be submitted with Home Care Policies and Personnel information. Initial Licensure can take up to 4 months. This is a very complicated process, and the state recommends using a professional to assist.
Researching the North Carolina regulations is a must when starting this process of applying for your home care license in North Carolina. A Registered Nurse Supervisor is needed to oversee the aides with one (1) year supervisory experience. Two (2) Aides/Caregivers must be hired and presented a time of submission of the second half of the application with full personnel files. North Carolina also requires an Administrator and Alternately qualified individual to run the home care business. The Agency Director/ Administrator shall be:
Within Home Aides Services:
- Health Care Practitioner
- At least 2 years of supervisory or management experience in home care or any other provider pursuant to G.S. 131E or G.S. 122C; or
- Bachelor’s Degree in health, business, or public administration science and has at least one year supervisor/management experience in home care or other licensed health care program.
Without in Home Aide Services:
Shall be a high school graduate, or be certified under the G.E.D. Program, and shall meet one or more of the following qualifications:
- Shall be a health care practitioner as defined in G.S. 90-640(a); or
- Shall have one year experience in home care, companion, sitter, or respite services, or any other provider licensed pursuant to G.S. 131E or G.S. 122C.
- The agency shall designate a person responsible for supervising non-hands-on care services that is provided by the agency either directly or by contract. This individual may be the supervisor for the companion, sitter, or respite services and may also serve as the agency director.
The Agency Director also needs to pass a background check.
The Home Care License will have to be renewed every year and a state survey of the agency will take place. 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. 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.
North Carolina Resources for Starting your Home Care Business
What are you waiting for? Get started on your home care license in North Carolina today!
Call us today to get started on your home care license in North Carolina application. Ask us how we can help you start your home care business. We do the work for you!