How to start a home care agency in Maine (the PCA license, 2026)

The statute defines a personal care agency as a business that "hires and employs direct access personnel or individuals who work in direct contact with clients, patients or residents to provide home care services to individuals in the places in which they reside, either permanently or temporarily" (22 M.R.S. § 1717(1)(C)). The rule describes the same work as help "with ADLs and IADLs" (Ch. 129 § 1), where:

• ADLs are "tasks that are routinely performed by an individual to maintain bodily function, including, but not limited to, bed mobility; transfers between surfaces; locomotion; dressing; eating; toileting; bathing; and personal hygiene assistance" (Ch. 129 § 1).
• IADLs are "activities related to independent living, including preparing meals, managing money, shopping for groceries or personal items, performing light housework, and communication" (Ch. 129 § 1).

DLC’s page says personal care services "include, but are not limited to" activities of daily living, household tasks such as shopping, laundry and cleaning, and medication reminders (DLC licensing page). Private-pay agencies are covered: the application gives the payment source, which "may include, but is not limited to, private pay, MaineCare, or private insurance" (Ch. 129 § 2(F)(1)).

Homemaker and companion-only agencies: our reading

Neither the statute nor the rule says in so many words whether an agency that only does IADL work needs the license. The rule does say: "Personal Support Specialist training is not required when the services provided are limited to meals, managing money, shopping, light housework, and communication." (Ch. 129 § 4(A)(2)). Our reading: that exemption only makes sense if IADL-only agencies are licensed, so a homemaker-only agency probably needs the license. Companionship on its own is not named in either definition. DLC has not answered this in writing; ask DLC (AH-PCA.dlc@maine.gov) before relying on an exemption.

Who is outside it

• Home health care providers and Family Provider Agencies. "“Personal care agency” does not include a home health care provider licensed under 22 MRS Ch. 419 or a Family Provider Agency as defined in 10-144 Ch. 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Ch. II Section 96." (Ch. 129 § 1)
• People hiring their own carers. "An individual who hires and employs direct access personnel or individuals who work in direct contact with clients, patients or residents to provide care for that individual is not a personal care agency, except when permitted by rule of the department." (22 M.R.S. § 1717(1)(C))

No health care advertising

"No PCA may advertise that they are a home health agency or that they provide any type of “health” or “healthcare” services that require the services of a licensed medical professional." (Ch. 129 § 2(A)(2)) DLC describes the license this way: "Personal Care Agencies provide non-medical services to individuals in their homes." (DLC licensing page)

The rule lists when an inspection may occur, starting with "Prior to the issuance of a license" (Ch. 129 § 10(B)(1)), and the statute says "An application for licensure of a personal care agency constitutes permission for entry and inspection to verify compliance with applicable laws and rules" (22 M.R.S. § 1717(9)(A)).

What DLC’s records show (our count). We read the licence detail page of every personal care agency in DLC’s public licence search. Of the 130 agencies first licensed since August 20, 2024, 112 show an on-site inspection on or before the first license date, a median of five to six days before it. “First licensed” uses the first licensure date on each detail page; agencies registered before 2024 keep their older date (DLC licence records, 4 to 8 October 2026). Across all 330 licence numbers, 316 show an on-site inspection, and 109 show at least one that ended with an accepted plan of correction (our count).

What we do not know. DLC does not publish what it checks at the visit before licensing, or a survey checklist. Our advice: have the site, the records set-up and the full operations manual ready before DLC comes, because the rule requires all three and the provisional license is for an applicant that "complies with all applicable laws and rules, except those that can only be complied with once clients, patients or residents are served by the applicant" (22 M.R.S. § 1717(2-C)(A)(2)).

After licensing. "DLC is now beginning to survey PCAs for compliance with the rule as providers reach the end of provisional licensure." (DLC listening session slides, August 2025) The statute also says "the department shall engage in monitoring activities on at least a biennial basis to ensure that a personal care agency, regardless of its licensure status, is in compliance with applicable laws and rules." (§ 1717(13-A)).

"A license may be provisional, full, or conditional." (Ch. 129 § 2(C))

• Provisional. "A provisional license may be issued for a minimum period of 3 months or a longer period, as deemed appropriate by the Department, not to exceed 12 consecutive months." (Ch. 129 § 2(C)(1)) The statute gives it to an applicant that has not previously operated as a personal care agency, meets every applicable law and rule except those that need clients, and shows it can meet them all by the end of the term (22 M.R.S. § 1717(2-C)(A)).
• Full. "A full license may be issued for a period of two years, if in substantial compliance with this rule. If the applicant is not in substantial compliance, the Department may issue a license for less than two years or take other action as authorized by this rule." (Ch. 129 § 2(C)(2)) In the statute, a full license is for an applicant that has operated a personal care agency or is renewing a license, and that complies with all applicable laws and rules (§ 1717(2-C)(B)).
• Conditional. For a licensed agency that fails to comply with the laws and rules, when the Commissioner judges it in the public’s best interest, for up to 12 months (22 M.R.S. § 1717(2-C)(C); Ch. 129 § 10(I)). Since 2025, the statute also allows one on a first application: "A conditional license may be issued to an agency upon initial application if the agency has failed to comply with applicable laws and rules while operating under another license." (22 M.R.S. § 1717(2-C)(C))
• Not transferable. "A license is immediately void if ownership or control of the personal care agency changes." (§ 1717(2-D)) The agency gives DLC written notice at least 60 days before a sale, and the new owner files a new application at least 45 days before it (Ch. 129 § 2(I)).
• Waivers. "An agency holding a full license may request, in writing, a waiver of a provision of this rule." (Ch. 129 § 10(D)) DLC’s page says waivers are for rules "not mandated by state or federal law, and do not violate client rights or agency expectations", using its waiver request form (DLC licensing page; form).
• Renewal. "The agency must file an application with the Department for renewal of its license at least 60 calendar days prior to the expiration of the current license." (Ch. 129 § 2(G)(1))

Licenses past their expiry date. In DLC’s licence search, 176 of the 318 active licenses show an expiry date that has passed but are still listed as active, and each of these licence pages carries DLC’s “Title 5” note (our count). On our reading, that reflects renewals DLC has not yet decided, not a problem with those agencies; check your own license page and file renewals on time.

• Renewal by headcount. The renewal fee depends on the "Number of employees at the time of renewal" (Ch. 129 § 2(E)(2)). The statute keeps license fees between $200 and $2,000 (22 M.R.S. § 1717(2-B)(J)).
• No refunds. "No fee will be refunded." (Ch. 129 § 2(E)(4))
• Background checks. "The current fee is $56 per background check and a check is good for five years." (MBCC FAQs) Every employee, owner and administrator needs one (Ch. 129 § 4(B)(1)). See where the sources disagree on the five years.
• Liability insurance. "The agency must maintain general and professional liability insurance adequate to protect clients in the event of personal injury." (Ch. 129 § 3(A)(3)) The rule names no amount, so ask your insurer and DLC what it expects. Evidence of the insurance goes with the application (§ 2(F)(2)).
• No bond. We found no surety bond requirement in § 1717 or Chapter 129 (our reading of the saved text; Ch. 129).
• Penalties. Operating without a license is "a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $500 per day of operation but not more than $10,000 may be adjudged" (22 M.R.S. § 1717(4)(A-1)). DLC may impose $500 per day of operation for any of seven listed violations, including failing to conduct a background check or to report allegations of abuse or neglect (Ch. 129 § 10(H)(3)(b)).
• Costs we cannot price. Our sources do not give the State Bureau of Identification fee for the owners’ checks, any cost for the APS and CPS checks, or what PSS course providers charge.

"The agency must have a manual that includes, at a minimum, the following:" (Ch. 129 § 5(A)(1))

• (a) An organizational diagram delineating the lines of responsibility and accountability (§ 5(A)(1)(a))
• (b) Job descriptions for all positions within the agency (§ 5(A)(1)(b))
• (c) A description of the orientation program, including but not limited to mandated reporting requirements (§ 5(A)(1)(c))
• (d) Policies and procedures on topics, "including but not limited to" the 17 below. "Policies and procedures on topics that are addressed by this rule or by statutes applicable to the agency must comply with the relevant law." (§ 5(A)(1)(d))

Follow what you write. "Agency policies and procedures must be implemented and followed by the agency, including the plan for communicating policy changes with all employees." (§ 5(A)(2))

Written items outside Section 5(A)

• Involuntary closure. A policy to transfer every current client to another provider if DLC refuses to renew, revokes, suspends or voids the license, including notice to the Long Term Care Ombudsman (§ 2(K)).
• Abuse reporting. "The agency must have a written policy and procedure to address the reporting of abuse, neglect, and/or misappropriation of client property. The policy may not conflict with 22 MRS §3477 or 22 MRS §4011-A." (§ 6(A)(1))
• Quality improvement. "The agency must develop, implement, and maintain a data-driven Quality Improvement Plan that focuses on indicators of the outcomes of care and quality of life." (§ 5(E))
• Grievances. A process for clients to raise concerns, a record of each grievance, and a written resolution within seven calendar days (§ 7(B)).
• Emergencies and disasters. Emergency and disaster policies, taught every year (§ 5(C)).
• Client paperwork. A written contract showing the costs the client pays (§ 3(E)(1)), a copy of the agency expectations given when the contract is signed (§ 7(A)), and a written service plan developed with the client before any service (§ 8(A)(1)).

Orientation and annual training

"All employees providing direct care to clients must receive agency orientation prior to working independently with any client." (§ 5(B)(1)) The orientation covers at least 13 topics, and every employee gets annual training on at least 7 (§ 5(B)(2); § 5(C)):

The Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) links a free Personal Care Agency Operational Manual Template Sample and ten sample forms, from a client service plan to a discharge and transfer form (OADS PCA Licensing Initiative). OADS says of them: "The information contained within these documents may exceed current licensing or policy requirements for Personal Care Agencies (PCA)." It adds that providers should refer to Chapter 129 for regulatory requirements (OADS).

The template is an outline. Most headings have a placeholder in square brackets, such as "[Insert Organizational Chart]", or a short tip; the agency writes the content (template). It follows its own order, not the rule’s list. We compared its headings with the 17 topics in § 5(A)(1)(d):

• What it covers. Headings for an organizational chart, roles and responsibilities, orientation and training, referrals, care plans, emergency procedures and a continuous improvement plan, which relate to § 5(A)(1)(a) to (c), several of the 17 topics and the Quality Improvement Plan in § 5(E) (template).
• What it leaves out. By our comparison, 6 of the 17 topics have no matching heading: a higher level of care, supervision and call-outs, gifts and loans, grievances, discontinuing services, and communicating policy changes. Several others are covered only in part (notes in the table).
• What it adds. Headings the rule does not ask for, such as a mission statement, HIPAA and OSHA, billing, payroll, technology and marketing. Its table of contents also lists "Home Health Aide Services" and "Medication Management" (template). A personal care agency may not advertise that it is a home health agency (Ch. 129 § 2(A)(2)), and Chapter 129 does not mention medication administration (see medication below).

Used alongside the rule, the outline is a reasonable place to start. The rule’s own list in § 5(A) is what the manual must cover, at a minimum.

Chapter 129 requires no nurse. The agency designates one or more supervisors for its direct care staff (Ch. 129 § 5(D)), and each one must meet one of four routes:

• a Licensed Practical Nurse or Registered Nurse license in good standing;
• the Department-approved course in personal care services plus at least one year’s experience providing personal care services;
• registration as a CNA; or
• at least five years of education or experience, or both, in a related field (§ 5(D)).

DLC’s PSS curriculum puts it this way: "PSSs, unlike Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), work under the direction of the administrator of your facility and are not part of the clinical staff." (PSS curriculum) Nursing belongs to a different license: under the home health rule, "The Director of Nurses is a registered nurse" (10-144 C.M.R. Ch. 119).

Supervision visits

"The supervisor must provide on-site supervision at least once every 30 days to each employee assigned direct care duties, for the first three months of employment." Each visit is documented: the services observed, any competency issues, the action plan, and an interview with the client or their legal representative about their satisfaction with the services and whether the service plan is followed. The supervisor also completes an annual performance review based on the date of hire (§ 5(D)). After the first three months, the rule names no visit frequency; our reading is that your supervision policy sets it. Ask DLC what it expects.

Scope of duties and medication

"Employees providing direct care to clients may only complete duties which they have been trained to perform through a state-approved Certified Nursing Assistant program or a Department-approved program related to the provision of care" (§ 4(D)) DLC lists "Medication Reminders" among personal care services (DLC licensing page). Chapter 129 says nothing about giving medication. Our reading: offer reminders only unless DLC confirms more is allowed.

For direct care involving bodily functions, including bed mobility, transfers between surfaces, locomotion, dressing, eating, toileting, bathing and personal hygiene, each caregiver must meet one of three routes (Ch. 129 § 4(A)):

• listed as an active CNA on the Maine Registry of Certified Nursing Assistants and Direct Care Workers;
• completed Personal Support Specialist (PSS) training or another Department-approved personal care program; or
• enrolled in one within 60 calendar days of hire. "The employee must complete the training within nine months of hire." If not, they "may not provide personal care services until they have completed the program" (§ 4(A)(1)).

Staff who only help with meals, managing money, shopping, light housework and communication do not need PSS training (§ 4(A)(2)), but every employee giving direct care still completes your orientation before working alone with a client (§ 5(B)(1)).

• The course. "The Personal Support Specialist (PSS) training is designed for unlicensed entry-level workers." DLC’s 2019 curriculum says "This training includes 14 modules" (DLC PSS training page and curriculum). MaineCare’s Section 19, in the Secretary of State copy we saved, describes "has completed a Department approved training course of at least fifty (50) hours" (MaineCare Benefits Manual Ch. II § 19); that copy may be older than the current MaineCare manual.
• Mandated reporter training. "A person required to make a report under subsection 1, paragraph A shall complete at least once every 4 years mandated reporter training approved by the department." (22 M.R.S. § 3477(8)) That list includes "Unlicensed assistive personnel" (§ 3477(1)(A)(21)). Our reading: PCA caregivers fall in that group, so plan on DHHS-approved mandated reporter training at least every four years, on top of the rule’s yearly training on Maine’s reporting statutes.

"A PCA must have a physical site in Maine, in a non-residential building that is zoned for business or, if operating out of a private home or residential setting, located in a separate and distinct space which ensures confidentiality and contains locked storage for records." (Ch. 129 § 2(A)(6)) "Site means the physical location(s) where services are coordinated and managed. A site may consist of one or more facilities. A site is where administrative staff are housed and records are maintained." (§ 1)

DLC’s site notice of August 11, 2025 adds (DLC site requirements):

• "A dedicated room in a residence may serve as the site, if that room allows for confidential conversations in person or over electronic media and also contains secure storage of the employee and client records required under this rule."
• "Examples of locations that would not meet the standards set in rule are storage areas, shared bedrooms, garages, sheds, and other rooms in a home open to common access."
• "The rule does not permit “virtual” sites nor the sharing of sites with other Personal Care Agencies."

At the site: a dedicated phone line and email, a designated administrator, and "designated office hours that are posted on the entrance of the site containing the office space" (§ 3(A)(1)). Business records kept there include articles of incorporation (if incorporated), insurance policies and an organizational chart (§ 9(D)). Adding a site needs notice to DLC at least 60 days before it opens, and a change application with Maine’s $10 processing fee (§ 2(H); § 2(J)).

In August 2025, DLC and OADS counted 77 licensed agencies with a primary site out of state (listening session slides). A 2025 bill to remove the in-state site requirement, LD 1442, did not pass (LD 1442 status).

"All employees and the owner(s) and administrators must be eligible for employment as evidenced by successful completion of a background check completed by the Maine Background Check Center (MBCC) under 22 MRS Ch. 1691." (Ch. 129 § 4(B)(1)) Personal care agencies are mandatory users of the Maine Background Check Center (MBCC) (22 M.R.S. § 9054(7)).

• Before starting work. The employer receives a final background check report before a direct access worker starts, unless the worker is conditionally employed (22 M.R.S. § 9057).
• Conditional employment. Up to 60 calendar days, only if the worker is entered in MBCC as conditionally employed, is not already disqualified, agrees to the steps needed, signs a statement, has submitted biometric data, and works under direct personal supervision, and you have verified and documented their biometric submission and identity and work-eligibility documents (§ 9057(4); § 9057(4)(E)). Direct personal supervision means a supervisor with "immediate access to the conditionally employed individual with ability to promptly respond to an emergency situation" (10-144 C.M.R. Ch. 60 § 1).
• The registry. A check of the CNA and Direct Care Worker Registry before hiring a CNA, direct care worker or their immediate supervisor (22 M.R.S. § 1717(3-A)); Chapter 129 says the MBCC check fulfills it (§ 4(B)(1)). "A certified nursing assistant, a registered direct care worker or an immediate supervisor with a notation of a substantiated finding on the registry is banned for life from employment as a certified nursing assistant, a direct care worker or an immediate supervisor." (§ 1812-G(13))
• Disqualifying crimes. The MBCC rule’s "Table of Disqualifying Crimes" lists disqualifying offenses by class of crime (A-E) and the years after conviction a person may not work as a direct access worker (10-144 C.M.R. Ch. 60 § 3(I)(1)).
• Owners. State Bureau of Identification results for all owners go with the application, completed no more than 30 days before (Ch. 129 § 2(F)(3)), and each owner’s record holds their MBCC, APS and CPS results (§ 9(C)).
• The file. "The agency must maintain a file which contains the result of all background checks. This file must contain the date each check was conducted and a printout from the databases checked or documentation from the source that performed the check." (§ 4(B)(3))

The gaps

• APS and CPS checks are separate. "The agency must determine that each employee has no history of substantiated incidents of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property by either Maine Adult Protective Services or Maine Child Protective Services." (§ 4(B)(2)) But "the MBCC does not perform either CPS or APS checks"; it says to contact the Office of Child and Family Services for a CPS check and OADS for an APS check (MBCC home page). We found no published request form, so ask OADS and OCFS how they want requests made and keep their answers in the background file.
• Maine criminal history only. MBCC lists Maine criminal history, licensing and registry, excluded provider, sex offender and OIG searches, and says: "We are currently working on adding a fingerprint based FBI check (nation wide- federal, state and local)." (MBCC FAQs) Its May 2026 notice says fingerprint-based checks are delayed while the MBCC Act is revised (MBCC home page).
• Rechecks. The five-year recheck is in the statute and the MBCC rule, but MBCC’s 2022 notice says DLC will not enforce it (see where the sources disagree). MBCC’s rap back monitoring "automatically monitors direct access workers’ criminal records for five years following a request for a comprehensive background check" (10-144 C.M.R. Ch. 60 § 2(F)(1)).

What the agency reports

"All allegations of client abuse, client neglect, exploitation, and/or misappropriation of client property involving agency staff must be reported immediately, to the following": the agency administrator, Adult Protective Services if the client is 18 or older, Child Protective Services if the client is under 18, and DLC (Ch. 129 § 6(A)(2)).

• Written report to DLC. After a phone or voicemail report, a written report on DLC’s online form or its Department form "must be received by the Department within 48 hours of the verbal report" (§ 6(A)(3)-(4)). Online incident form, or DLC’s Reportable Incident Form by email (DLRS.Complaint@Maine.gov) or fax (207-287-9307) (DLC incident page).
• The accused employee. "The alleged perpetrator, if an employee, may not work with any client until an investigation has been completed." (§ 6(B)(2))
• The investigation report. Due to DLC no later than the close of business on the seventh calendar day after the alleged incident (§ 6(B)(3)).
• Police. A reasonable suspicion of a crime against a client goes to law enforcement. If it caused serious bodily injury: immediately, and no later than two hours after forming the suspicion. Otherwise: no later than 24 hours after forming it (§ 6(B)(4)).

What caregivers report themselves

• Adults. The APS law covers "any person who has assumed full, intermittent or occasional responsibility for the care or custody of the incapacitated or dependent adult, regardless of whether the person receives compensation" (22 M.R.S. § 3477(1)(B)). "The duty to report under this subsection applies to individuals who must report directly to the department. A supervisor or administrator of a person making a report under this section may not impede or inhibit the reporting" (§ 3477(1)) Reports are made immediately by telephone (§ 3477(2)): "Call APS 24/7 at 1-800-624-8404." (OADS)
• Children. The child protection law lists "A homemaker" and "A home health aide" among mandated reporters (22 M.R.S. § 4011-A(1)(A)). Staff must immediately tell the person in charge or a designated agent, who has the report made (staff may also report directly) (§ 4011-A(1)), but "if the notifying person does not receive the confirmation from the institution, agency or facility within 24 hours of the notification, the notifying person immediately shall make a report directly to the department." (§ 4011-A(1)) OCFS: "To report suspected child abuse and/or neglect call Intake 1-800-452-1999" (OCFS).
• Complaints about an agency. DLC’s complaint line: 207-287-9308 or 1-800-383-2441 (DLC complaints page). Clients are told how to complain to DLC, and the agency may not retaliate (§ 7(A)(1)(j); § 10(C)).

"The new rule replaces the existing requirement for registration with a licensing process" (OADS). The old Chapter 129 dated from January 1, 1999 (OADS). DLC’s online service tells registered agencies: "For agencies that have a current registration, when selecting a licensing option please select "Renew a Personal Care Agency license"." (DLC online service)

DLC’s rollout guidelines gave existing agencies a timeline for gradual compliance (listening session slides):

The rule took effect on August 20, 2024 (listening session slides), so by our arithmetic the last of these deadlines fell in August 2025. DLC began surveying agencies for compliance as their provisional licenses ended (listening session slides), and 109 of the 330 licence numbers show at least one on-site inspection that ended with an accepted plan of correction, counting all agencies, not only those registered before 2024 (our count). If your agency has not finished any item above, the operations manual and the 17 topics are a good place to start.

• Chapter 129. DHHS’s regulatory agenda for October 2026 to September 2027 lists, for Chapter 129: "Revise the rule to clarify some provisions in response to provider queries", with a schedule for adoption of "Summer 2026", a date that had already passed when the agenda period began (DHHS regulatory agenda). It gives no draft text. Our check of the Secretary of State’s weekly rulemaking notices from January 7 to September 30, 2026 found no Chapter 129 proposal or adoption, so the rule in force is still the August 2024 text.
• Background check rule. The same agenda plans to amend 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 60 "to adopt statutory changes regarding biometric data, procedures for relief, and scope of mandated users enacted by PL 2025 c. 243, and to update the matrix of disqualifying criminal convictions", scheduled for Summer 2027 (DHHS regulatory agenda).
• A 2025 bill that did not pass. LD 1442 would have had DHHS amend Chapter 129, starting with removing the in-state site requirement. It was placed in Legislative Files (dead) on May 29, 2025 (LD 1442).
• 2026 laws. The statute pages we saved say their data was extracted on January 5, 2026 (22 M.R.S. § 1717), so a 2026 law would not show there yet. We have not confirmed whether the 2026 session changed § 1717 or the MBCC Act.

We will email rule-change alerts when a proposal is published (sign up below), and all states’ open changes are on our rule changes page.

• The plan of correction deadline. The rule says a plan of correction "must be submitted to the Department within ten (10) business days of the organization’s receipt of an SOD" (Ch. 129 § 10(F)(3)), but its penalty schedule lists "Failure to submit a POC within ten calendar days after receipt of a SOD." (§ 10(H)(3)(b)(i)). Our reading: sending it within ten calendar days satisfies both.
• The five-year recheck. The statute says "Criminal history record checks for all direct access workers using a biometric identifier must be completed every 5 years subsequent to the anniversary date of a previous background check completed through use of the Background Check Center." (22 M.R.S. § 9054(5)), and MBCC’s FAQ says a check "is good for five years" (MBCC FAQs). But MBCC’s April 2022 notice says: "Therefore, the Division of Licensing and Certification will not pursue enforcement of this requirement." (MBCC home page) Our reading: keep the notice on file, rely on rap back for now, and watch for MBCC’s fingerprint rollout, which would bring the recheck back into play.
• Conditional employment and biometric data. One condition is that "the individual provides evidence to the employer that the individual has submitted the individual's biometric identifier data for the background check" (22 M.R.S. § 9057(4)(D-1)), while MBCC says fingerprint-based checks are delayed (MBCC home page). Our reading: ask MBCC how to meet that condition before you let anyone start on a conditional basis; otherwise wait for the final report.
• Homemaker and companion-only work. Covered above: on our reading, an IADL-only agency probably needs the license, and companionship alone is not settled.
• The inspection before licensing. The rule says an inspection may occur before a license is issued (§ 10(B)(1)); DLC’s records show one for most new agencies (our count). What DLC checks at it is not published.
• Medication. DLC lists medication reminders among services, OADS’s outline has a "Medication Management" heading, and Chapter 129 says nothing about giving medication (DLC licensing page; template). Our reading: reminders only, and caregivers do only what their training covers (§ 4(D)).
• Supervision after three months. The rule sets on-site visits every 30 days for the first three months and an annual review, and names no frequency after that (§ 5(D)). Our reading: your supervision policy should set one.

In August 2025, DLC and OADS said: "There are 362 licensed Personal Care Agencies." "285 are located in Maine and 77 have a primary site that is out of state." (listening session slides)

In October 2026, DLC’s public licence search showed 330 personal care agency licence numbers: 318 active, 9 expired and 3 denied, with 315 of the active licenses at a Maine site. The search export repeats a licence for each agency name, so we counted distinct licence numbers (DLC licence records, our count). By first licensure date, 92 licence numbers have a first licensure date in 2025 (this may include registered agencies moving to a licence), and 36 in the 12 months to September 2026 (our count). The records do not say why the total fell.