Home › Home care staff requirements › Idaho

Home care staff requirements in Idaho

Idaho licenses home health agencies through the Department of Health and Welfare and requires every licensed agency to meet the federal Medicare home health rules. Workers with direct patient access must get a Department criminal history and background check clearance, with fingerprints, and a clearance generally has to be redone when a worker joins a new agency more than three years after the last check. We did not find an Idaho license for non-medical-only home care agencies in the home health law.

Licenses

• No agency may operate or advertise as a home health agency in Idaho without a license from the Department of Health and Welfare (Idaho Code 39-2403).
• A home health agency is a business that primarily provides skilled nursing by licensed nurses plus at least one other health care service in a person's home (Idaho Code 39-2402).
• To be licensed, a home health agency must meet the federal Medicare home health rules in 42 CFR part 484 (IDAPA 16.03.07.013).

Background checks

• Owners, administrators, employees and contractors with direct patient access must complete and receive a Department criminal history and background check clearance (IDAPA 16.03.07.009.02).
• A worker must complete a notarized application before having access to patients and have fingerprints submitted within 21 days of the application (IDAPA 16.03.07.009.03).
• Until fingerprinted, the worker may only work under supervision, and anyone who discloses a disqualifying crime may not have patient access without Department clearance (IDAPA 16.03.07.009.03).
• The agency must review each background check result within 14 calendar days of the clearance being posted and makes the final hiring decision (IDAPA 16.05.06.060.05-06).
• A worker joining a new agency needs a new background check with fingerprints if the last Department check is more than three years old (IDAPA 16.05.06.195.01).
• An agency using a clearance less than three years old must link to it on the Department website before the worker starts and run an Idaho State Police state-only check within 30 days (IDAPA 16.05.06.195.02).

Training and competency

• Because licensed home health agencies must meet 42 CFR part 484, the federal home health aide training, competency evaluation, and 12-hour annual in-service requirements apply to all licensed agencies (IDAPA 16.03.07.013).

Also in the personnel file

• Agencies must keep applicant background check records as required by the background check rules (IDAPA 16.05.06.060.08).

Common questions

Some rules for Idaho weren't confirmed from an official source. Check with the state before relying on this page.

Sources

• Idaho Code 39-2402, Definitions (Idaho Legislature)
• Idaho Code 39-2403, Licensure required (Idaho Legislature)
• IDAPA 16.03.07.009, Criminal history and background check requirements (Cornell LII)
• IDAPA 16.03.07.013, Licensure general requirements (Cornell LII)
• IDAPA 16.05.06.060, Agency responsibilities (Cornell LII)
• IDAPA 16.05.06.195, Use of previously completed background checks (Cornell LII)

This page summarizes state licensing rules in plain words, with links to the rules themselves. It is not legal advice, rules change, and your license type decides what applies: check the linked source and your licensing agency. Medicare-certified home health agencies also follow 42 CFR 484.80. Checked October 2026.

More for Idaho

Idaho background check laws · Idaho drug testing laws · Medicare home health aide rules · All states

Nearby states

Montana home care staff requirements · Nevada home care staff requirements · Oregon home care staff requirements · Utah home care staff requirements · Washington home care staff requirements · Wyoming home care staff requirements