Last verified: October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm every figure with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services before you file.
Michigan does not license non-medical home care agencies. LARA licenses only skilled home health agencies. That makes private-pay home care quick to start, but Medicaid work runs through MDHHS enrollment and regional waiver contracts. This guide covers both.
Quick facts: Michigan home care licensing
| State license | None for non-medical home care |
| Who licenses home health | LARA (skilled home health only) |
| Medicaid Home Help | Agency enrollment in CHAMPS with MDHHS |
| MI Choice waiver | Contracts with regional waiver agencies (mostly Area Agencies on Aging) |
| EVV | Required for Home Help agency providers since July 1, 2024 |
| Companion-only license? | No |
Do you need a license for home care in Michigan?
No state license is required for personal care, companion or homemaker services in Michigan. Bills to license non-medical home care come up regularly in Lansing, but none had passed as of October 2026. You still need a business entity, insurance, workers’ compensation and a background screening process.
Step-by-step: how to open a home care agency in Michigan
- Form your business and get an EIN.
- Get insurance and workers’ compensation.
- Write policies and set up caregiver background screening.
- Start serving private-pay clients.
- For Home Help: enroll in CHAMPS as a Home Help agency provider (MDHHS defines an agency as an employer of two or more caregivers).
- Enroll each caregiver in CHAMPS and link them to your agency before they work a Home Help case, and set up EVV.
- For MI Choice: apply to your regional waiver agency for a provider contract.
How much does it cost?
- No state license fee.
- Business formation, insurance and workers’ compensation.
- Background checks for each caregiver.
Budget separately for insurance, payroll for your first caregivers before clients pay, software, and marketing. Licensing is rarely the biggest line. See what it really costs to start a home care agency.
Caregiver requirements in Michigan
- Private pay: Michigan sets no minimum training hours; your policies define training.
- Home Help: MDHHS runs criminal history screening when caregivers are enrolled in CHAMPS, and caregivers cannot work a case until approved.
- MI Choice: training standards are set in each waiver agency’s contract; ask your regional waiver agency.
How long does it take?
Private pay can start within weeks once you are insured and staffed. CHAMPS enrollment and waiver contracting add months.
Medicaid in Michigan
Michigan has two main paths. In Home Help, clients choose their caregiver, and agencies compete to be chosen; you enroll in CHAMPS and must use EVV. In MI Choice, you contract with regional waiver agencies, and rates are negotiated with each one.
Comparing states? See the home care license requirements for every 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 Michigan. The Home Care Agency Blueprint covers that side in 49 lessons. You can see the syllabus, start with the $29.99 Startup Workbook, or book a free call to map out your Michigan launch.
FAQ
Do I need a state license for home care in Michigan?
No, not for non-medical care. You do need a business entity, insurance, workers’ compensation and background screening.
Can I bill Medicaid right away?
Only after CHAMPS enrollment, and each caregiver must also be enrolled and linked to your agency.
Will Michigan start licensing home care agencies?
Bills are introduced regularly, but none had passed as of October 2026. Watch the Michigan Legislature site.
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