Reviewed by Scott Strachan, RN BSN
Quick answer: To offer homemaker or companion services in Florida, you must register with the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) under s. 400.509, F.S. Registration costs $50 and lasts two years, and your AHCA registration number must appear in every ad. A homemaker or companion registration does not allow hands-on personal care. Every employee who provides homemaker or companion services must also complete Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) training under s. 430.5025, F.S.: basic written information at hire, the free DOEA 1-hour training within 30 days, and 2 additional hours within 7 months. AHCA surveyors cite missing training under core tags CZ875 and ZZ875.
New to the term? See What Is ADRD Training? for a plain-English explanation of Florida's requirement.
How to Register a Homemaker or Companion Service with AHCA
Apply to AHCA. Submit the Homemaker and Companion Services Provider application (AHCA Form 3110-1003) through AHCA's online licensing portal, under s. 400.509, F.S., and Rule 59A-8.025, F.A.C.
Pay the $50 registration fee. Registration is valid for two years. Submit your renewal at least 60 days before it expires.
Screen your staff. Complete Level 2 background screening and verify the employment history of everyone who will work in clients' homes (see Background Screening below).
Advertise with your number. Your AHCA registration number must appear in every advertisement for your services.
Keep client records. Maintain a confidential record for each client, including contact and emergency information, the client's physician, the service agreement, and the services provided.
Train your caregivers. ADRD and HIV/AIDS training apply to homemaker and companion staff (covered below).
Companion services provided only to people with developmental disabilities under a contract with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities are exempt from registration.
What a Homemaker or Companion Registration Does Not Allow
Under s. 400.462, F.S., companions and homemakers may not provide hands-on personal care. That rules out help with bathing, dressing, eating, personal hygiene, transfers, walking, and taking medications.
Want to offer hands-on care? You need a nurse registry license.
A Florida nurse registry license lets you refer CNAs, home health aides, and nurses to provide personal care, with caregivers working as independent contractors. Many registries started as companion services. NurseRegistryConsultant.com, run by Scott Strachan, RN BSN, helps Florida operators get licensed and stay compliant.
The ADRD Training Timeline
At hire (all employees): basic written information about interacting with people who have Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.
Within 30 days (employees who provide personal care or have regular client contact): DOEA's 1-hour training, available free online.
Within 7 months (employees who provide personal care): 2 additional hours covering behavior management, promoting independence in daily activities, and working with families and caregivers.
It Applies to Every Caregiver, Not Just Dementia Cases
This is the most common misunderstanding. Florida law defines personal care to include homemaker and companion services, so the requirement attaches to the job, not to the client's diagnosis. If your caregivers provide homemaker or companion services in person, they need the training.
The phase-in period is over. Staff hired before July 1, 2023 had until July 1, 2026 to complete the training. That deadline has passed, and the requirement now applies to everyone on your roster.
Enforcement is active across the industry. AHCA inspection records on FloridaHealthFinder show surveyors actively citing ADRD training deficiencies against Florida nurse registries and home health agencies throughout 2025 and 2026. C-E-U.com's own data suggests the companion sector is badly behind: see Florida's Companion-Service Industry May Be Facing a Massive ADRD Compliance Failure.
What an ADRD Certificate Must Show
Under s. 430.5025(5)(c), the training provider must give each employee a record that includes the employee's name, the provider's name, the topics covered, and the date of completion.
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) has also confirmed to AHCA that ADRD certificates must include both the DOEA-approved curriculum number and the DOEA training provider number. A certificate missing either one may not hold up on survey. Check the certificates in your personnel files now.
Get the 2-Hour ADRD Training at C-E-U.com
C-E-U.com's 2-Hour ADRD Training for Caregivers uses a DOEA-approved curriculum, and every certificate shows both required numbers: DOEA Curriculum #HH10743 and DOEA Training Provider #HH10747. The course costs $10.99 per caregiver, and the certificate is available immediately after completion. Bulk registration is available for agencies of any size.
Enroll in the 2-Hour ADRD Training »
Need the free DOEA 1-hour course? See Free DOEA-Approved Alzheimer's Training for Caregivers.
HIV/AIDS Training
Section 381.0035, F.S., requires a one-time HIV/AIDS educational course for employees of providers under part III of chapter 400, F.S., the part that governs homemaker and companion services. Keep a record of each employee's completion. Employees who have completed the course do not need to repeat it when they change employers.
C-E-U.com offers HIV/AIDS training for caregivers here.
Background Screening and Employment History
Level 2 background screening: required for homemaker and companion staff under s. 400.512 and chapter 435, F.S.
Employment history: providers must collect and verify the work history of anyone who will have contact with clients in their homes, under s. 400.509(4).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register a homemaker or companion service in Florida?
Apply to AHCA using the Homemaker and Companion Services Provider application, pay the $50 fee, and renew every two years. Your registration number must appear in every advertisement.
Can a companion service provide bathing or dressing?
No. Florida law prohibits companions and homemakers from providing hands-on personal care. Offering it requires a different license, such as a nurse registry or home health agency license.
Do my companions need ADRD training if none of our clients have dementia?
Yes. The requirement applies to every employee who provides personal care, regardless of the client's diagnosis.
Is the free 1-hour DOEA training enough?
No. Caregivers who provide personal care must complete 2 additional hours within 7 months of hire.
What are CZ875 and ZZ875?
They are AHCA core tags. Core tags apply across provider types, including nurse registries, home health agencies, homemaker and companion providers, and nursing facilities. Surveyors use them when citing missing ADRD training.
Does a caregiver have to retake ADRD training after changing employers?
No. Completed training transfers to a new provider, but the new employer should keep a copy of the certificate.
Does the HIV/AIDS course have to be repeated every year?
No. Florida law requires a one-time course.
Does ADRD training count toward CNA in-service or nursing CE?
It may count toward CNA in-service hours under s. 430.5025(7) and toward a licensed practitioner's continuing education under s. 430.5025(8).
Ready to Get Your Staff Compliant?
Enroll your homemaker and companion staff in C-E-U.com's DOEA-approved 2-Hour ADRD Training for $10.99 per caregiver. Bulk registration makes it easy for larger services, and individual enrollment is available too.
Enroll Now | Bulk Registration