Last verified: September 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm every figure with Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) before you file.
Texas is one of the biggest markets in the country for private-pay home care, and its licensing system is more structured than most. This guide covers what it takes to open a non-medical home care agency in Texas in 2026, with a link to the official rule behind each step.
Quick facts: Texas home care licensing
| License name | Home and Community Support Services Agency (HCSSA) license, Personal Assistance Services (PAS) category |
| Issued by | Texas HHSC, Long-Term Care Regulation, HCSSA Licensing |
| Governing law | Health & Safety Code Ch. 142; 26 TAC Chapter 558 |
| License fee | $2,625, nonrefundable |
| License term | 3 years (renewal $2,625) |
| Required training | Pre-survey computer-based training (CBT), Modules 1–3, 80% to pass |
| Apply through | TULIP online portal |
Do you need a license for home care in Texas?
It depends on what your caregivers do:
- Hands-on personal care (help with bathing, dressing, toileting, eating and other activities of daily living) requires an HCSSA license in the Personal Assistance Services category, for every place of business.
- Companion-only services are exempt. Texas law excludes “sitter-companion services or chore or household services that do not involve personal care, health, or health-related services” (Health & Safety Code §142.003(a)(15)).
Most agencies that want to grow end up needing the PAS license, because families’ needs move from companionship to hands-on care. Also note: since September 1, 2025 (HB 2510), providing personal assistance services to an assisted living resident without the required license is a Class A misdemeanor.
Step-by-step: how to get a PAS license in Texas
- Register your business with the Texas Secretary of State and Comptroller. HHSC checks that you are in good standing.
- Choose a qualified administrator and alternate. For a PAS-only agency, each needs a high school diploma or GED plus 1 year of experience caring for people with functional disabilities, or 2 years of full-time college in a health-related field. No RN is required for PAS only.
- Pass the pre-survey CBT. The administrator and alternate complete Modules 1 (Introduction), 2 (General Standards) and 3 (PAS), score at least 80%, and upload the signed certificates.
- Apply in TULIP and pay the $2,625 fee. HHSC doesn’t review the application until the payment shows as received.
- Get licensed, then admit a client. Within 6 months of the license date you must admit at least one client and file HHSC Form 2020 (Notification of Readiness for Initial Survey).
- Pass the unannounced initial survey. After that, HHSC resurveys within 18 months and then at least every 36 months.
Administrators also need 8 clock hours of training before designation and 24 hours in their first 12 months (26 TAC §558.259). The CBT does not count toward those hours.
How much does it cost?
- Initial HCSSA license: $2,625
- Each branch office: $2,625
- Renewal (3-year license): $2,625, with a late fee of half the renewal fee
Texas rules don’t set a liability insurance or bond minimum for PAS agencies, but they do require enough funds to operate and meet payroll (26 TAC §558.252). In practice, you’ll want liability and workers’ comp coverage anyway, and most referral sources and managed care plans will ask for it.
Caregiver requirements in Texas
- Criminal history check under Health & Safety Code Chapter 250. Certain convictions bar employment.
- Registry checks of the Nurse Aide Registry and the Employee Misconduct Registry before hire or first client contact, then every 12 months.
- Age and competency: aides generally must be 18 or older and show competency in the tasks assigned. Texas sets no fixed number of training hours for PAS aides.
How long does it take?
Under 26 TAC §558.31, HHSC has up to 45 days to decide whether your application is complete and up to 45 more days to issue the license, so about 90 days by rule. You then have 6 months to admit your first client and request the survey.
Medicaid in Texas
A licensed PAS agency can contract with HHSC for programs such as Primary Home Care and Community Attendant Services, and can join STAR+PLUS managed care networks through each health plan’s credentialing. Contracting is optional and separate from licensing.
Starting in a different state? Compare home care licensing by state.
Want the full playbook?
I built and run a licensed home care agency in California. The licensing steps differ state to state, but getting clients, hiring good caregivers and managing cash flow work the same way in Texas. The Home Care Agency Blueprint covers that side in 49 lessons. You can see the syllabus or start with the $29.99 Startup Workbook.
FAQ
Do I need a license for companion care in Texas?
Not if your services are strictly companion, sitter, chore or household help with no personal care. Once caregivers help with bathing, dressing or other hands-on care, you need a PAS license.
Do I need to be a nurse to open a PAS agency?
No. A PAS-only agency doesn’t need an RN. The administrator must meet the experience or education standard in 26 TAC §558.244.
Can I serve clients while my application is pending?
No. You may not provide licensed services until the license is issued.
Sources
- Health & Safety Code §142.002 and §142.003
- 26 TAC Chapter 558 (including §558.3 fees, §558.244 administrator, §558.247 registry checks, §558.521 initial survey)
- HHSC HCSSA Pre-survey CBT, Module 1
- TULIP licensing portal
- HB 2510 (2025)
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with HHSC or a licensing attorney before you apply.
Want help getting licensed in Texas?
We write the policy binder Texas asks for, prepare your HCSSA PAS license application for you to sign, and answer correction letters until the state decides. The full PremiumCare Academy course is included.