Last updated: November 2026
An Illinois home health, home services or home nursing agency license is the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) license that the Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing Agency Licensing Act requires before a person opens, manages, conducts or maintains such an agency, unless the Act or the rules exclude the agency. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) drafts the application packet and the policy set and conducts a mock survey for start-up agencies and agencies adding a license, county or owner. Your organization approves the documents and files them.
What is Illinois home health, home services and home nursing agency licensing?
The governing text is the Act, 210 ILCS 55, and the rules, 77 Ill. Adm. Code 245 (latest amendment shown: effective January 30, 2026). IDPH also publishes FAQ pages for home health, home services and home nursing agencies. All were opened 2026-11-06; we did not check for proposed changes.
| License | What the Act says it is |
|---|---|
| Home health agency | Skilled nursing plus at least one other home health service (section 2.04). |
| Home services agency | Provides services directly, or acts as a placement agency, for help with daily living, housekeeping, laundry and companionship at home, not services that would be required to be performed by an individual licensed under the Nurse Practice Act (sections 2.08, 2.09). |
| Home nursing agency | Provides skilled nursing and home health aide services directly, or acts as a placement agency, at home; the definition also covers a certified family health aide for individuals receiving or eligible to receive in-home shift nursing under Medicaid EPSDT or the 1915(c) waiver for persons who are medically fragile and technology dependent (section 2.11, amended by Public Act 104-9, effective June 16, 2025; we did not compare the earlier text, so confirm the fit with counsel). |
The Act forbids opening, managing, conducting or maintaining any of these agencies, or advertising as one, without an IDPH license (sections 3, 3.3, 3.7). It does not apply to a home health agency conducted by and for adherents of a well recognized church or denomination to care for the sick who depend on prayer or spiritual means for healing (section 13). The home services definition excludes agencies licensed under listed other acts, housecleaning-only agencies, and programs serving exclusively through the Community Care Program, the Department of Human Services Office of Rehabilitation Services or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. An out-of-state agency needs a license to provide care in Illinois or to match workers with clients for home nursing or home service care, including by internet, and must be authorized to do business in Illinois and have an Illinois office (Rule 245.80(f)).
Who needs it and what triggers it
- A start-up needs a license before it opens, unless the Act excludes it. The Act bars the hospitals and nursing home facilities it lists, and State-funded health care providers licensed under an Illinois Act, from referring a patient or the patient's family to an unlicensed agency (section 3.8).
- An agency entering a new county seeks IDPH approval before caring for clients there (FAQs; Rule 245.80(i)).
- A sale that changes who controls or operates an agency makes it a new agency; the new owner applies at least 30 days before the sale (Rule 245.80(d)).
Illinois agency licensing timeline
Rule 245.100(a)(1) says IDPH will issue a provisional license to a new agency (one never previously licensed, or not in operation when it applies) within 90 days after receiving the application, provided it complies with Rule 245.90.
- IDPH reviews the application within 30 days of submission and contacts the applicant about revisions (Home Health FAQ).
- The FAQ says the application must be completed and approved within 90 days of submission, or it may be denied under Rule 245.130(b).
- A provisional license is valid for 240 days unless sooner suspended or revoked. Within the first six months, the FAQ says, IDPH informs the applicant of the operational requirements for the survey.
- Within 30 days before the provisional license ends, the Department inspects the agency and, if the applicant substantially meets the requirements, issues a license. If not, but the agency has made significant progress, the Director may renew it once, for not more than 90 days from the first one's expiration.
In our reading (November 2026), the 90 days attach to an application that complies with Rule 245.90, so finish the policy set first.
What to have ready
Rule 245.90(a) lists what an initial application must contain at a minimum. Act section 5(a) lists ten items for a provisional license application, including patient load and agency utilization; build to the Rule list and the current form, and keep those projections on file. IDPH forms opened: the Home Health Initial Licensure Application, the Home Services Application and the Home Nursing Application.
- Agency name, address and location; ownership, organization and governing structure; the alternate administrator designated in writing (Rule 245.40(a)(11)); all persons who own at least 5 percent.
- For a corporation, its officers, shareholders holding more than 5 percent, and any felony conviction or guilty plea, or two or more misdemeanors involving moral turpitude, in the previous year for the applicant and its officers.
- A description of services, a staff list or placement registry with any applicable licensure, registration or certification, job descriptions for every position, sources of financing and other income, a service area description or map, and charges by type of service.
- A governing body with bylaws or the equivalent, reviewed annually, and meeting minutes, and for a home health agency a qualified administrator (Rule 245.30(a)).
- Policies on complaint resolution, employee health and safety, infection control, background check and mandated reporting, supervisory visits, client records and training.
- A Certificate of Insurance of at least 1 million dollars per occurrence and 3 million dollars in the aggregate, and proof of registration with the IDPH Web Portal and Health Care Worker Registry access.
- By type: affiliation agreements (home health); client service contracts (home services, home nursing); service plan forms (home services); plans of treatment (home health, home nursing); acceptance criteria (all).
Rule 245.130(b) lets IDPH consider denial for unmet standards, lack of qualified personnel, or insufficient financial or other resources. To compare your documents with this list, use the free introductory call below.
How IHS helps
IHS prepares the documents and the rehearsal; your organization makes every decision and filing. IHS works as three practice lines: accreditation, compliance and program development. Thomas G. Goddard, JD, PhD, founder of IHS and former URAC Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, leads the engagement personally.
What IHS drafts
- A gap assessment of your plan against the Act, Part 245 and the IDPH form for your license type.
- The application packet, organized to the Rule 245.90(a) list, with an evidence map.
- The policy set, with clinical content drafted for your clinicians to approve.
- A mock survey with a findings list and drafted corrections.
What you supply and the real limit
You supply ownership and governing documents, the administrator and any supervising nurse the type requires, the service list, staffing and credentials, insurance and financial records, your office, and clinical sign-off on every clinical policy. IHS does not decide whether IDPH will license your agency. IHS does not file your application and does not contact IDPH for you. Your organization files and handles all contact with IDPH.
What a mock survey tests
IDPH publishes a Surveillance Nurse Visit Checklist for home services and for home nursing agencies (the Home Services FAQ points to it for a renewal survey). They say a survey may include record review, interviews and client or patient home visits with consent, and list policy manuals, bylaws, governing body minutes, client and employee lists, the insurance certificate, the complaint log, training files and registry verifications. In our reading, that list is a sound base for a mock survey.
How it compares
State licensure answers a different question from accreditation or Medicare certification, and you may need more than one.
- Payor sources differ by license (FAQs). Home services: private pay and private insurance, with Medicaid clients through the Community Care Program or the Division of Rehabilitation Services. Home nursing: private pay, Veterans Affairs, private insurance, and Medicaid only if the agency is accepted to provide services for the Division of Specialized Care for Children.
- Accreditation is a private review; see our home health and hospice page.
What it costs
- IDPH's application forms state a license fee of 1,500 dollars for a home services agency and for a home nursing agency, and 1,500 dollars for a single home health agency license that runs two years (opened 2026-11-06). Rule 245.95 sets the home services and home nursing agency fee at not more than 1,500 dollars annually and the placement agency fee at not more than 500 dollars annually, says fees are not refundable, and exempts a certified local health department. Verify current fees with IDPH.
- Consulting fees depend on scope. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
What this is not
- It is not legal advice. IHS is a consulting firm, not a law firm.
- It is not a guarantee that IDPH will license your agency. IDPH decides.
- It is not filing or liaison work. IHS does not submit to IDPH and does not contact it for you.
Frequently asked questions
Which Illinois license does my agency need?
Match the license to the services you plan: home health (skilled nursing plus at least one other home health service), home services (help with daily living, housekeeping, laundry and companionship) or home nursing (skilled nursing and home health aide services). Ask your counsel to confirm the match.
What goes in an Illinois agency license application?
Rule 245.90(a) lists the minimum contents: ownership and governing structure, owners of at least 5 percent, services, staff, financing, service area, charges and required policies, plus a Certificate of Insurance of at least 1 million dollars per occurrence and 3 million dollars in the aggregate. Some items depend on the agency type.
How long does Illinois home health agency licensing take?
Rule 245.100 says IDPH will issue a provisional license to a new agency, meaning one never previously licensed or not in operation when it applies, within 90 days after receiving the application, provided it complies with Rule 245.90. IDPH's FAQ adds that an application not completed and approved within 90 days may be denied.
What is a provisional license?
For an applicant never previously licensed, or an agency not in operation when it applies, the Department may issue a provisional license valid for 240 days unless sooner suspended or revoked. Within the 30 days before it ends, the Department inspects the agency and issues a license if the applicant substantially meets the requirements.
When does IDPH survey a new agency?
IDPH's FAQ says it must conduct an on-site survey within 30 days before the provisional license expires. After licensure, the Department conducts the inspections it deems necessary to assess compliance.
What does Illinois home health agency licensing cost?
IDPH's application forms state a license fee of 1,500 dollars for a home services or home nursing agency, and 1,500 dollars for a single home health agency license that runs two years. Fees are not refundable, an applicant for multiple licenses pays the fee for each, and a certified local health department is exempt. Verify current fees with IDPH. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
How do I expand to a new county?
Seek IDPH approval before caring for clients in a new county. IDPH's FAQ points to its Geographic Service Area Request Form, and Rule 245.80(i) requires approval for any service area expansion or reduction.
How does Illinois licensure differ from accreditation or Medicare certification?
Licensure is IDPH's authorization under the Act. Rule 245.10 says a licensed home health agency may be eligible for Medicare under federal rules, which in our reading makes certification a separate step. Accreditation is a private review that we did not research for Illinois.