Administrator training
24 hours for the administrator and the alternate in the first year, then 12 hours a year each. HHSC lists training providers but shows no prices and does not endorse them. The Presurvey Training page mentions no fee.
Texas · License fees and time frames · 26 TAC §558.3, §558.31
Texas home care license: cost and timeline
HHSC charges $2,625 for a Texas home care (HCSSA) license that lasts three years, and the same again to renew. The rules give HHSC up to 90 days to issue it once your complete application is paid for. Here is every state fee, every deadline and the mistakes that cost money.
- Rule-verified September 30, 2026
- Quoted from 26 TAC Chapter 558
- Linked to HHSC’s own pages
Quick answer
Cost: HHSC’s fee for an initial Texas HCSSA license is $2,625, and the license lasts three years. Renewal costs the same. The fee does not change with the number of service categories, so a personal assistance services (PAS) license costs the same as a home health one. Fees paid to HHSC are not refundable.
Time: once your application is submitted and paid, HHSC has up to 45 days to confirm it is complete and up to 45 more days to issue the license. If something is missing, you get one notice and 30 days to fix it. After the license is issued you have six months to admit a first client and request your initial survey.
HHSC does not set the other start-up costs, such as administrator training courses, business registration, staff background checks or an office.
What HHSC charges
Every amount below is a state fee paid to HHSC through its online portal, set by 26 TAC Chapter 558.
| What for | HHSC fee | Notes | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial license, three years | $2,625 | The same fee whatever categories of service you are licensed for. | §558.3(a)(1) |
| Renewal, every three years | $2,625 | Apply by the 45th day before the license expires. | §558.3(a)(2) |
| Late renewal fee | + $1,312.50 | Half the renewal fee, on top of it, if you apply in the last 45 days. | §558.3(c) |
| Branch office license | $2,625 | Per branch address, if you open more locations later. | §558.3(a)(4) |
| Reporting a change | $30 | New location, name, administrator, controlling person, category or service area. Contact details, hours and a new alternate administrator are free. | §558.208(b) |
| Reporting a change late | + $100 | On top of any $30 fee. | §558.208(c) |
Alternate delivery sites (used by hospices) have their own, lower fees. HHSC does not review an application "until the applicant submits the application and the online portal reflects a status of payment received" (§558.3(e)).
Costs HHSC does not set
HHSC requires each of these, but the price is up to whoever provides them. We do not quote typical prices, because they vary and no official source publishes them.
Business registration
HHSC requires the agency to be registered with, and in good standing with, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Texas Secretary of State. Their fees depend on your business structure.
A place of business
A permanent physical place in Texas. A home address is allowed; a virtual office is not.
26 TAC §558.11(e); HCSSA FAQ p. 8Running your agency from home →
Staff checks and your policies
Criminal history checks and registry searches before hiring, and the written policies Chapter 558 requires, ready for the surveyor.
26 TAC §558.247, §558.521(d)Every policy Chapter 558 requires →
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How long it takes, step by step
The rules set maximum time frames for HHSC and deadlines for you. How long the preparation takes is up to you.
Before you apply
Your paceThe administrator and alternate complete HHSC’s Presurvey Training: seven online modules of 30 minutes to an hour each. They also complete 8 hours of administration training in the 12 months before they are designated. Register the business with the Texas Comptroller and Secretary of State, set up a physical place of business in Texas and write your policies.
26 TAC §558.13(a), §558.259(c)Apply and pay online
Day 0Submit HHSC Form 2021 through TULIP, HHSC’s online portal. HHSC does not start reviewing until the portal shows the fee as paid.
26 TAC §558.3(e), §558.12(a)HHSC checks the application is complete
Up to 45 daysUp to 45 days. If anything is missing HHSC sends one electronic notice, and you have 30 days to supply it or the application may be denied without a refund.
26 TAC §558.31(b)(1), §558.12(d)HHSC issues the license
Up to 45 daysUp to 45 more days from the date the application is complete. The license lasts three years. Only now can you admit clients.
26 TAC §558.31(b)(2), §558.15(b)First client and survey request
Within 6 monthsAdmit and serve at least one client, then send HHSC Form 2020 to request the initial survey. The surveyor arrives unannounced.
26 TAC §558.521(a)Finish the administrator training
Within 12 months of designationThe other 16 of the 24 hours, then 12 hours of continuing education every year after.
26 TAC §558.259(d)Renew
Every 3 yearsHHSC opens the renewal at least 120 days before expiry. Apply by the 45th day before, having served at least one client in the license period.
26 TAC §558.17(c), (f)
Mistakes that cost money
Sending an incomplete application
HHSC sends one notice. Miss the 30-day reply window and it may deny the application and keep the fee.
§558.12(d)(2)Withdrawing after paying
You must withdraw in writing, and HHSC does not refund the license fee.
§558.12(c)(2)Renewing in the last 45 days
A late fee of $1,312.50 on top of the $2,625 renewal.
§558.3(c), §558.17(f)Letting the license expire
HHSC denies a renewal filed after expiry and keeps the fee. You must stop operating and apply for a new initial license.
§558.17(g)Serving no clients
You need at least one client in each license period to renew, and one before your initial survey.
§558.17(c), §558.521(b)Not reporting a change on time
A $100 late fee on top of the $30 change fee, and a surveyor who finds it can take other action too.
§558.208(c), (e)One rule works in your favor: "If HHSC does not process the application in the time frames stated in subsection (b) of this section, the applicant has the right to request that HHSC reimburse the license fee." HHSC can refuse if it had good cause, such as a surge of 15 percent or more in applications.
Proposed · not in force
What the proposed 2026 rules change
HHSC’s proposed rewrite of Chapter 558 keeps the $2,625 agency license and renewal fees. It drops the old two-year renewal rates and raises the initial alternate delivery site fee from $1,000 to $1,500. It would also make the six-month survey deadline run even if you have no payer contract yet. Comments close on October 19, 2026.
Read the full rule-change guide →Frequently asked questions
How much does a Texas home care license cost?
HHSC charges $2,625 for an initial HCSSA license, which lasts three years, and $2,625 to renew it. The fee is the same however many categories of service the license covers. Branch offices cost another $2,625 each. These are state fees paid to HHSC.
How long does it take to get a Texas HCSSA license?
The rules give HHSC up to 45 days to confirm your application is complete and up to 45 more days to issue the license, so up to 90 days once you have paid, if nothing is missing. If HHSC asks for more information you have 30 days to reply. Before applying you also need the Presurvey Training and 8 hours of administrator training.
Is the license fee refundable?
No. Fees paid to HHSC are not refundable, including if you withdraw or your incomplete application is denied. The one exception: if HHSC misses its own processing time frames without good cause, you can ask for the fee back.
Does the HHSC Presurvey Training cost anything?
HHSC’s Presurvey Training page does not mention any fee. It is seven online modules, each taking 30 minutes to an hour, with no time limit.
Can I start serving clients while my application is pending?
No. You must not admit a client or start services until you have the initial license.
What happens if I renew late?
Apply in the last 45 days before expiry and you pay a late fee of half the renewal fee, $1,312.50, on top of the $2,625. Apply after the license expires and HHSC denies it: you must stop operating and apply for a new initial license.
Is the fee different for PAS than for home health?
No. The fee schedule applies to an agency authorized to provide one or more services, so a PAS-only license costs the same $2,625 as a license for several categories.
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Sources
- 26 TAC Chapter 558, Licensing Standards for Home and Community Support Services Agencies · Texas HHSC (text via Cornell LII) · retrieved September 30, 2026
- HCSSA Frequently Asked Questions (updated July 2026) · Texas HHSC · retrieved September 30, 2026
- How to Become a Licensed HCSSA Provider · Texas HHSC · retrieved September 30, 2026
- HCSSA Computer-Based Trainings (Presurvey CBT) · Texas HHSC · retrieved September 30, 2026
- Providers of Training in the Administration of HCSSAs · Texas HHSC · retrieved September 30, 2026
- Proposed Rules, 26 TAC Chapter 558 (rule project 22R045), 51 TexReg 6429, September 18, 2026 · Texas Register · retrieved September 30, 2026