Conditions on the license
For a repeat of a similar violation, or one not corrected by the date set or agreed, DOH may impose reasonable conditions, such as correction within a set time, training, or hiring a DOH-approved consultant.
Washington · Home care agency survey · WAC 246-335-320, -340 and -345
Washington home care agency survey: what DOH checks, plans of correction and fines
DOH surveys every new Washington home care agency before it issues the license, in an announced initial survey that reviews your policy manual, sample files and knowledge of the rules. After that it surveys unannounced at least once each licensure period and investigates complaints. Here is what DOH looks at, the survey tools it publishes and where they differ from the rules, and what happens after: the plan of correction, fines and other enforcement.
- Rule-verified October 2, 2026
- Quoted from chapter 70.127 RCW and chapter 246-335 WAC
- With DOH’s survey tools and plan of correction instructions
Quick answer
Before DOH licenses a home care agency, an initial announced survey confirms you meet chapter 246-335 WAC, and you must pass it. WAC 246-335-320(3) DOH says it focuses on reviewing and approving your policies, sample employee and client files, and your knowledge of the rules. DOH Survey Program page
After licensing, DOH surveys unannounced, at least once each licensure period (12 months for the first license, then two years), and investigates complaints. WAC 246-335-340 If it finds problems, you send a plan of correction within 10 working days and finish corrections within 60 days. WAC 246-335-345(2) For repeat or uncorrected violations, DOH may fine up to $3,000 per violation. RCW 70.127.165(2)
DOH surveys
- Who surveys
- DOH’s Office of Investigation and Inspection; registered nursesDOH Survey Program page
- First survey
- Announced, before the license is issuedWAC 246-335-320(3)
- Later surveys
- Unannounced, at least once each licensure periodWAC 246-335-340(1)
- Plan of correction
- Within 10 working days of the statement of deficienciesWAC 246-335-345(2)
- Corrections
- Within 60 days unless DOH allows longerWAC 246-335-345(2)(b)
Checked against official sources on October 2, 2026.
The initial survey, before the license
The rule: "An initial announced survey conducted by the department will confirm the applicant meets the requirements of this chapter." WAC 246-335-320(3) DOH adds: "Applicants must pass the survey process in order for their license to be issued." DOH, License Requirements
DOH’s survey page says "Our survey team consists of registered nurses who have experience and training in home care, home health, and hospice services." and "Initial licensure surveys focus primarily on reviewing and approving an applicant’s policies and procedures, sample employee and client/patient files, and demonstrated knowledge of the in-home services rules and client/patient delivery of care." DOH, In-Home Services Survey Program
- Your manual. DOH’s license requirements sheet says the policies the rules require make up a manual "DOH must review and approve before your license can be issued", and not to send it with the application: "our survey office will request them at a later point in the licensing process." DOH 505-109 (April 2026) The manual must not be the WAC or RCW copied word for word. DOH Survey Program page What DOH looks for in the policies.
- Sample files. We did not find DOH guidance on what sample client files should be for an applicant with no clients yet. Ask DOH when it contacts you to schedule the survey.
- Your knowledge. DOH looks for demonstrated knowledge of the in-home services rules and of how care is delivered, so expect questions to the people running the agency.
Nine months. "an applicant has nine months from the application submission date to complete all steps required for initial licensure"; after that DOH may close the application with no refund of its fees, and you can reapply with new fees. WAC 246-335-320(4) DOH publishes no time for scheduling the survey.
Other initial surveys. A licensee adding a service category (home health, for example) has an initial survey for that category. WAC 246-335-320(5) After a change of ownership, DOH may survey to assess the new owners’ delivery of care. WAC 246-335-330(9)
DOH accepts your application
DOH tells you in writing about any missing documents or fees. After it accepts the application, its Office of Investigation and Inspection contacts you to schedule the initial survey. We found no published scheduling time.
The survey office asks for your manual
You do not send the policy manual with the application. DOH says its survey office will request it later, and that DOH must review and approve it before the license can be issued.
The announced initial survey
Scheduled with youDOH’s surveyors are registered nurses. DOH says the initial survey focuses on reviewing and approving your policies and procedures, sample employee and client files, and your knowledge of the in-home services rules and of how care is delivered.
A statement of deficiencies, if anything is missing
It says what is required to comply, the date DOH requires compliance, contacts for any DOH technical assistance, and how to ask for more time for good cause.
Your plan of correction
10 working daysA written plan within ten working days of receiving the statement of deficiencies, signed and returned by the date DOH requires.
Pass, and DOH issues the license
Within 9 months of applyingDOH says applicants must pass the survey process for the license to be issued. Every step must be finished within nine months of submitting the application, or DOH may close it with no refund.
Every licensing step, from the orientation class to the license →
Later surveys: unannounced, each licensure period
The statute says "The department shall conduct a survey within each licensure period", RCW 70.127.100 and the rule lets DOH "conduct unannounced surveys at any time and at least once during a licensure period". WAC 246-335-340(1) DOH’s survey page: "Initial surveys are scheduled and announced; on-going surveys are unannounced." DOH Survey Program page
How often, in practice. "A license, unless suspended or revoked, is effective for a period of two years, however an initial license is only effective for twelve months." RCW 70.127.100 So by our reading, expect at least one unannounced survey during the first 12-month license and at least one in each two-year license after it. Neither the statute nor the rule says whether the initial survey counts toward the first licensure period, and we found no DOH statement on it. DOH publishes no other schedule.
What they look at. "On-going surveys of licensed agencies focus primarily on the delivery of client/patient care, interviewing client/patients about the services they receive, interviewing agency employees about training and knowledge of agency policies and procedures, and a review of randomly selected client/patient and employee files." DOH Survey Program page
Surveys for cause. DOH may also "survey a licensee at any time if the department has reason to believe the licensee is providing unsafe, insufficient, inadequate or inappropriate client or patient care". WAC 246-335-340(2)
DSHS or AAA monitoring. A home care agency under contract with and monitored by DSHS or an AAA (on-site monitoring in the last 24 months, reports sent to DOH, private-pay clients sampled) is not subject to the routine state survey. DOH still does initial surveys and complaint investigations. WAC 246-335-350(3), (5) DSHS contracts are not available to newly licensed home care agencies, so by our reading this does not apply to a new agency. DOH 505-053
Complaint investigations
DOH may "investigate complaints against in-home services licensees that allege noncompliance with chapter 70.127 RCW and this chapter". WAC 246-335-340(4) DOH’s Office of Investigation and Inspection runs routine state and federal surveys and complaint investigations. DOH Survey Program page
DOH’s complaint page describes the process: it decides whether the complaint describes a violation it has authority to investigate, and if so opens a file. DOH says: "Most investigations consist of going to the healthcare facility, reviewing patient records, reading and reviewing the facility’s policies and procedures", along with documents about the incident, staff interviews and, depending on the incident, observing care. "Investigations may take as little as a few weeks or, in some cases, up to six months or more." DOH, Healthcare Agencies and Facilities Complaint Process Complaints reach DOH online, by email or by mail. DOH, Facility Complaint Process
Your side of it. Your quality improvement program includes your own complaint process, WAC 246-335-455(1) and your bill of rights tells clients how to complain to you and to DOH. WAC 246-335-435 Mandatory reporters must also report rule noncompliance to DOH, on DOH’s forms, within 14 calendar days of knowing. WAC 246-335-425(8)(a)
What happens during a survey
- Records and operations. "The department may conduct in-home visits to observe patient/client care and services." DOH may survey all records and operations at any time. RCW 70.127.180(1)
- Cooperation, and client consent. You must cooperate with surveys, which may include record review and on-site visits with client consent. WAC 246-335-335(4)
- What not to do. Refusing to let DOH inspect required records or the premises, and willfully interfering with its work, including misrepresenting facts during a survey, are grounds for action against the license. RCW 70.127.170(4) RCW 70.127.170(5)
- Afterwards. "Following a survey, the department shall give written notice of any violation of this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter." The notice describes the reasons for noncompliance. RCW 70.127.180(2)
DOH’s published survey tools
DOH publishes the checklists its surveyors use and says "Agencies are encouraged to review the below tools and checklists to help them prepare for their next survey." DOH Survey Program page All six home care tools are dated May 2018, before later rule changes. The "Watch for" column is our comparison with the rule text, not DOH’s.
| Tool | What it covers | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Policy and procedure checklistDOH 505-141 | One survey tag for each policy element of WAC 246-335-415, -420 and -425: 60 tags, Z0330 to Z0625, with a column for your administrator to verify each one and a signature line. | It uses home health wording in places ("home health services", "patients") and cites WAC 246-335-425 (16) and (17) for evaluations, where the home care rule says (13) and (14). Z0365 |
| Deficiency checklistDOH 346-099 | Every home care rule in Part 2 (WAC 246-335-405 to -455) by survey tag, Z0325 to Z0985: 132 tags by our count. | It uses tag Z0950 for client record documentation, while the personnel tool puts its CPR column under the same tag. DOH 655-014 |
| Bill of rights checklistDOH 505-145 | Each of the 19 statements your written bill of rights must contain under WAC 246-335-435, with its survey tag. | The checklist follows the rule. The rule asks for DOH’s "complaint hotline number"; we found no number DOH calls that, so ask DOH which to print. DOH, File a Complaint |
| Personnel survey toolDOH 655-014 | What the surveyor looks for in staff, contractor and volunteer files: credential, references, orientation, contracts, skills verification, background checks and disclosure statement, training on current and revised policies, annual evaluation with on-site observation, TB, Hepatitis B, job description, in-person contact before care, infection control, communicable disease testing, food handling, abuse and neglect, and the character, competence and suitability factors. | It has a CPR column that no home care rule requires. Its rows call the first check "Initial WSP"; DOH’s Updated Rules page says initial hiring checks go through DSHS’s Background Check Central Unit, and the two-year rechecks through the State Patrol. Z0655; DOH Updated Rules |
| Client record reviewDOH 505-152 | Each client file: identity and contact details, consent, bill of rights received, payment source, signed visit notes, record access and transfer summaries, each plan of care element and its 12-month review, one-time visit records, and the six-month supervisory contact. | Nothing we flag. |
| Long-term care worker checklistDOH 346-097 | Sorts each caregiver into one of six types (within 200 days of hire, provisional or full home care aide certification, an NA-C, RN or LPN credential, nursing assistant training, or caregiving work between January 1, 2011 and January 6, 2012) and what each needs. | It still uses a 200-day certification window and cites WAC 388-71-0514. The rules now give 365 days from hire (425 with a provisional certificate) for applications made by December 31, 2027. WAC 246-980-030(2)(b) |
Our reading: the rules are what you must meet, so where a 2018 tool and the rule text differ, follow the rule and keep a short note of the difference to show the surveyor. If a surveyor raises it, ask DOH. The Washington guide counts the 60 policy checklist tags by rule section.
The statement of deficiencies
The rule defines a statement of deficiencies as "a survey or investigation report completed by the department identifying one or more violations of chapter 70.127 RCW or this chapter." It names the specific law or rule violated and the reasons for noncompliance. WAC 246-335-310(40)
It says what is required to comply, the date DOH requires compliance, contacts for any DOH technical assistance, and how to ask for more time for good cause. WAC 246-335-345(1)
DOH’s plan of correction instructions add that the statement of deficiencies "is a document available to the public" about the agency’s deficiencies and what is being done to remedy them. DOH 655-012
The plan of correction
For deficiencies that are not significant, broadly systemic or recurring, DOH may require "a written plan of correction within ten working days of receipt of the statement of deficiencies". WAC 246-335-345(2) DOH’s survey page says a plan of correction describes how each deficiency will be or was corrected, the measures or monitors that keep it from recurring, who is responsible, and when each is or was corrected. DOH Survey Program page "The licensee must complete all corrections within sixty days, unless the department authorizes a longer time frame for correction of some of the deficiencies." WAC 246-335-345(2)(b)
| What | Deadline | Counted from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan of correction | 10 working days | Your receipt of the statement of deficiencies | WAC 246-335-345(2) |
| All corrections | 60 days, unless DOH authorizes longer for some | The rule does not say; the statement of deficiencies gives DOH’s compliance date | WAC 246-335-345(1), (2)(b) |
| Signed plan (or directed plan) back to DOH | On or before the required date | DOH’s date | WAC 246-335-345(6) |
| Correction plan for immediate jeopardy | 24 hours | DOH’s written notification | RCW 70.127.165(3)(a) |
| Contest conditions, a limited stop service, suspension, revocation or non-renewal | 28 days | Your receipt of the adverse notice | RCW 70.127.175(1) |
Ten working days, or ten days? The rule and DOH’s survey page say ten working days: "Agencies that are not Medicare certified must submit a written plan of correction (POC) within 10 working days after receiving the statement of deficiencies". DOH Survey Program page DOH’s general instruction sheet for facility surveys and investigations (DOH 655-012, October 2024), which the survey page links, says the "POC must be submitted to DOH within ten (10) days" of receiving the list of deficiencies. DOH 655-012 Our suggestion: aim for ten calendar days, which meets both.
What DOH’s instructions add.
- "A facility cannot dispute SOD finding(s) in the POC; it will be rejected." If you disagree with a deficiency, you contact the surveyor who did the on-site survey. DOH 655-012
- "Stating in the POC “Instruction or in-service of staff” is not a sufficient plan of correction." Simply stating that a deficiency has been corrected is not acceptable either. DOH 655-012
- DOH’s instructions say direct care issues must be corrected immediately and monitored, and each plan names the position responsible for monitoring the correction. DOH 655-012
A directed plan. For significant or broadly systemic deficiencies, or when DOH finds the agency’s own plan unacceptable (it will not correct the deficiencies, will take too long, or fails to protect the public), DOH may issue a directed plan of correction. WAC 246-335-345(3) "Neither the requirement to submit a plan of correction nor a directed plan of correction is an agency action for which an adjudicative hearing must be afforded to the licensee." WAC 246-335-345(7)
An extra survey can cost $5,000. DOH may charge $5,000 for a follow-up on-site survey needed to finish the survey process, a survey after an inadequate response to deficiencies, a survey after a substantiated complaint, or renewal surveys longer than two days. This is DOH’s fee, not a CareRulebook charge. WAC 246-335-990(6)
CareRulebook
A written process for every DOH survey
CareRulebook’s Washington manual includes Policy 1.8, DOH surveys and plans of correction: getting ready for the initial survey, sending the manual when DOH asks, cooperating with surveyors and home visits, and answering a statement of deficiencies on time, with a survey-day checklist and a plan of correction worksheet.
- 42 policies, 154 requirements mapped to chapter 246-335 WAC and related law
- Every tag on DOH’s home care policy checklist answered, with a tag table for the administrator’s verification column
- A DOH review copy without the rule text, plus editable Word and PDF
Preview your manual
$199CareRulebook founding price for the first 50 Washington agencies, then $249. Not a DOH fee.
Fines and enforcement
A plan of correction is the usual answer to a deficiency. For completeness, here is what the statute and rules allow beyond it.
Fines of up to $3,000 per violation
On the same triggers, DOH may fine up to $3,000 per violation. The statute requires DOH to set specific amounts by rule according to severity; it has not done so yet. A licensee can appeal a fine. These are DOH penalties, not CareRulebook charges.
Limited stop service
Only for immediate jeopardy: noncompliance that has put clients at risk of serious injury, harm, impairment or death. DOH notifies you in writing and you have 24 hours to put a DOH-approved correction plan in place; if not corrected, DOH may stop that category of services for new and existing clients, and follows up within five business days (or later, if you ask for more time).
Denial, suspension or revocation
DOH may deny, restrict, condition, modify, suspend or revoke a license. Failing to correct deficiencies or to follow a plan of correction may be grounds, and where deficiencies pose an imminent risk of harm DOH may summarily suspend or limit the license pending enforcement.
When formal action can follow a survey
A repeat of a similar violation, failing to comply by a set date, or a violation that caused, or could cause, serious physical or emotional harm or an immediate threat to someone’s health, safety, welfare or rights.
A hearing to contest action
If DOH moves to deny, restrict, condition, modify, suspend or revoke a license, or to fine, you are offered an adjudicative hearing. To contest conditions, a limited stop service, a suspension, revocation or refusal to renew, the written application must reach DOH within 28 days of your receiving the notice. A fine is appealed under RCW 43.70.095.
Fine amounts: RCW 70.127.165(2)(c); appeals: RCW 70.127.165(2)(d); summary suspension: WAC 246-335-345(5); immediate jeopardy: RCW 70.127.010(14); limited stop service: RCW 70.127.165(3)(b). Operating without a license is separate: DOH may fine up to $5,000 a day. RCW 70.127.213(5)
Under consideration since August 18, 2025 · no draft text yet
Fine amounts: DOH’s rulemaking notice
DOH filed a preproposal statement of inquiry (CR-101, WSR 25-17-068) saying it is considering amending chapter 246-335 WAC, with three other facility chapters, to set fine amounts: "The bill requires the department to adopt rules to establish specific fine amounts in relation to the severity of noncompliance at an adequate level to deter future noncompliance." WSR 25-17-068 No proposed text, hearing or comment deadline has been published, and DOH lists it as a rule in progress. DOH, Rules in Progress Until DOH adopts amounts, the statute’s limit of up to $3,000 per violation is what the law sets. To follow it: Join DOH’s interested parties list (GovDelivery, "In-Home Services" topic) or contact Julie Tomaro, PO Box 47843, Olympia, WA 98504-7843, 360-236-2937, julie.tomaro@doh.wa.gov.
How to be ready
Our practical suggestions, not rule text. Each card links the source it helps you meet and the manual policy that covers it.
Finish the manual before you apply
DOH asks for it after you apply, and the nine months run from submission. Writing it first leaves the time for DOH’s review and the survey.
DOH 505-109; WAC 246-335-320(4)Manual: Policy 1.3
Fill in DOH’s verification column yourself
Go through DOH’s policy checklist tag by tag and note which policy answers each. Where the 2018 checklist and the rule differ, write to the rule and keep a note of why.
DOH 505-141Manual: Policy 1.3
Have sample files ready
A complete personnel file for each person already hired, and a full set of your blank client forms. DOH has not said what "sample client files" means for an applicant with no clients yet, so ask when the survey is scheduled.
DOH Survey Program pageManual: Policy 1.8
Rehearse how you meet the rules
DOH looks for "demonstrated knowledge" of the rules. Have the administrator and supervisor talk through, rule by rule, how the agency meets each one.
DOH Survey Program pageManual: Policy 1.8
Run a mock survey with DOH’s tools
Before the initial survey and once a year, check your files against the deficiency checklist, personnel tool and client record review, the way a surveyor would.
DOH Survey Program pageManual: Policy 1.8
Track caregiver dates against the rule
Training within 120 days, certification within 365 days (425 with a provisional certificate), counted from the date of hire, which can be with an earlier employer. Do not rely on the 2018 worker checklist’s 200 days.
WAC 246-980-030Manual: Policy 4.6
Keep the six-month contacts documented
The client record review checks that the supervisor contacted each client by phone or visit every six months. A dated note in each record shows it.
WAC 246-335-445(6)Manual: Policy 3.3
Diary the plan of correction date
Count ten working days from the day you receive a statement of deficiencies. Because DOH’s instruction sheet says ten days, aiming for ten calendar days meets both readings.
WAC 246-335-345(2); DOH 655-012Manual: Policy 1.8
Make corrections stick
Feed each deficiency into your quality improvement program, with a named person checking it stays corrected. DOH’s instructions say staff training alone is not a sufficient plan.
WAC 246-335-455(2); DOH 655-012Manual: Policy 7.1
Myths about DOH surveys
Will DOH inspect my agency before issuing the license?
Yes. After accepting the application DOH schedules an announced initial survey, which reviews and approves your policies, sample employee and client files and your knowledge of the rules. You must pass it to be licensed.
"An initial announced survey conducted by the department will confirm the applicant meets the requirements of this chapter."
Can I argue with a deficiency in my plan of correction?
No. DOH’s plan of correction instructions say a plan that disputes the findings will be rejected, and that if you disagree with a deficiency you contact the surveyor who did the on-site survey. Being asked for a plan of correction carries no hearing right, but an enforcement action against the license or a fine does.
"A facility cannot dispute SOD finding(s) in the POC; it will be rejected."
Can I use a generic national policy manual?
It depends. DOH says applicants may buy generic manuals, but the policies must clearly demonstrate compliance with chapter 246-335 WAC, must not reference Medicare requirements, and must not simply copy the WAC word for word. DOH says it reviews and approves the manual before licensing, so by our reading a generic manual needs rewriting for Washington and for how your agency actually works.
"Home care agency policies and procedures will not reference federal medicare requirements"
Frequently asked questions
When does DOH survey a new Washington home care agency?
After it accepts your application. DOH’s Office of Investigation and Inspection contacts you to schedule an announced initial survey, and you must pass it before DOH issues the license. DOH does not publish how long scheduling takes. Every licensing step, including the survey, must be finished within nine months of submitting the application, or DOH may close it with no refund of its fees.
What does DOH look at in the initial survey?
DOH says initial surveys focus primarily on reviewing and approving your policies and procedures, sample employee and client files, and your demonstrated knowledge of the in-home services rules and of how care is delivered. DOH must approve your policy manual before it issues the license, and its survey office asks for the manual after you apply.
What if I have no clients when DOH surveys me?
We did not find DOH guidance on what "sample client files" should be for an applicant that is not yet serving clients. Our suggestion: have a complete set of blank client forms ready (service agreement, bill of rights, plan of care, visit notes, supervisory contact record), and ask DOH’s survey office when it contacts you to schedule.
How often does DOH survey a licensed home care agency?
At least once in each licensure period, unannounced. The first license lasts 12 months and later licenses two years, so by our reading that is at least one survey during the first year and one in each two-year license after it. Neither the statute nor the rule says whether the initial survey counts toward the first period. DOH may also survey at any time if it has reason to believe care is unsafe or inadequate, investigates complaints, and may survey after a change of ownership.
Are Washington home care surveys announced?
The initial survey is. DOH’s survey page says "Initial surveys are scheduled and announced; on-going surveys are unannounced." Later surveys focus on how care is delivered: interviews with clients and employees and a review of randomly selected client and employee files.
How long do I have to send DOH a plan of correction?
Ten working days from receiving the statement of deficiencies, under WAC 246-335-345(2); DOH’s survey page says the same for agencies that are not Medicare certified. DOH’s general instruction sheet for facility surveys (DOH 655-012) says ten days. Corrections must be finished within 60 days unless DOH authorizes longer. A plan that disputes the findings will be rejected; to disagree with a deficiency, contact the surveyor.
Can DOH fine a Washington home care agency?
Yes, since 2024: up to $3,000 per violation when the agency repeats a similar violation or does not correct one by the date set or agreed. The law requires DOH to set specific fine amounts by rule, and DOH has only filed a notice that it is considering that rulemaking (no draft yet). Separately, DOH may charge a $5,000 fee for an extra on-site survey, for example after an inadequate response to deficiencies. These are DOH’s fines and fees, not CareRulebook charges.
Does the CareRulebook manual cover DOH surveys?
Yes. Policy 1.8, DOH surveys and plans of correction, covers getting ready for the initial survey, sending the manual when DOH asks, later and complaint surveys, cooperating with surveyors and home visits, statements of deficiencies, plans of correction and directed plans, the 60-day correction limit and DOH’s extra survey fee, with a survey-day checklist and a plan of correction worksheet.
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Keep reading
Washington
How to start a home care agency in Washington
The DOH license, the orientation class, the policy manual DOH approves and the initial survey.
Washington
Washington home health vs home care
The four license categories, what home care may do, and the certificate of need.
Washington
Washington home care policies and procedures
All 60 tags on DOH’s policy checklist mapped to a policy.
Washington
The Washington license application
DOH’s paper packet form by form, and when the survey office asks for your manual.
Manual
Build your Washington policy manual
Including Policy 1.8 on surveys and plans of correction.
Texas
The Texas HCSSA initial survey
How Texas does it: Form 2020 and the ten most-cited violations.
Illinois
Illinois home services agency survey
The survey near the end of the 240-day provisional license, and IDPH’s 15-item checklist.
North Carolina
North Carolina survey and inspections
The desk review, inspections at least every 3 years and plans of correction.
Georgia
Georgia survey and inspections
The provisional license, initial survey and re-licensure surveys.
Virginia
Virginia home care inspections
Unannounced OLC inspections at least every two years.
Sources
- Chapter 70.127 RCW, In-home services agencies · Washington State Legislature (app.leg.wa.gov) · retrieved October 1, 2026
- Chapter 246-335 WAC, In-home services agencies (Parts 1, 2 and 13; home health and hospice parts for comparison) · Washington State Legislature (app.leg.wa.gov) · retrieved October 1, 2026
- Chapter 246-980 WAC, Home care aide rules (as amended by WSR 26-12-065, effective July 3, 2026) · Washington State Legislature (app.leg.wa.gov) · retrieved October 2, 2026
- WSR 25-17-068, Uniform facility enforcement framework and background check standardization (preproposal statement of inquiry, CR-101, filed August 18, 2025) · Washington State Register (Code Reviser); Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- In-Home Services License Application Packet, DOH 505-052 (April 2026), with 505-053 instructions (February 2026), 505-109 license requirements (April 2026), 505-051 application, 505-055 disclosure statement and 505-137 FTE worksheet · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 1, 2026
- Home Care Agencies: License Requirements · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 1, 2026
- In-Home Services Survey Program (home care agencies) · Washington State Department of Health, Office of Investigation and Inspection · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Home Care Policy and Procedure Checklist, DOH 505-141 (May 2018) · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Bill of Rights Checklist, Home Care Category, DOH 505-145 (May 2018) · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Deficiency Checklist, Home Care Category, DOH 346-099 (May 2018) · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Home Care Personnel Survey Tool, DOH 655-014 (May 2018) · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Long-Term Care Worker Checklist for IHS Surveyors, DOH 346-097 (May 2018) · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Home Care Agencies: Updated Rules (guidance on the 2018 rules: background checks, character, competence and suitability, TB risk assessment) · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Home Care Agencies: Rules in Progress · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Healthcare Agencies and Facilities Complaint Process · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- File a complaint about a provider or facility · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Statement of Deficiencies and Plan of Correction: Instructions for Submitting a Plan of Correction for Facility Surveys and Investigations, DOH 655-012 (October 2024) · Washington State Department of Health, Office of Health Systems Oversight · retrieved October 2, 2026
- Home Care Client Record Review, DOH 505-152 (May 2018) · Washington State Department of Health · retrieved October 2, 2026