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Section A — Licensing Application Forms ~60 min

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Arkansas is a "Certificate of Need" state. You must prove there is a public need for your agency in your chosen counties before the Department of Health will issue a license.

The Permit of Approval (POA) Process

Unlike other states where you just pay a fee and get a license, Arkansas requires you to "win" a spot in the market.

The $3,000 Barrier

The application fee for the POA is significantly higher than the actual license fee. This is a non-refundable state fee used to review the population density and existing provider count in your area.

Public Need Justification

You will be asked why a new agency is needed.

  • The Winning Strategy: Highlight specific underserved populations (e.g., "Increasing senior population in Benton County" or "Lack of Spanish-speaking caregivers in the Delta").
  • Service Area: Be precise. If you list a county where the market is deemed "Full," your POA may be denied.
Timeline

The Commission meets periodically. If you miss a filing deadline, you may have to wait 2-3 months for the next review cycle. Submit early!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • 1Applying for a county that is already over-saturated with providers.
  • 2Missing the quarterly filing deadline for the Permit Commission.
  • 3Forgetting to include the non-refundable $3,000 fee, which stalls the review immediately.

Tips

  • Call the Health Services Permit Agency before filing to ask which counties currently have the highest "unmet need."
  • Ensure your legal business name on the POA matches your Secretary of State filing exactly.

What You Need to Do

  1. 1
    Download and complete the HSPA Application for Permit of Approval
  2. 2
    Mail the application and $3,000 check to the Permit Agency in Little Rock
  3. 3
    Upload the application copy and fee receipt for tracking

Information You Will Need

Have these details ready before you sit down to fill this out:

Target Counties

List the specific Arkansas counties you intend to serve.

Required
Has the $3,000 POA fee been submitted?
Required

Documents Needed

  • Health Services Permit Application
    RequiredPDF · Max 10MB
  • Permit of Approval Fee Receipt ($3,000)
    RequiredPDF, JPG, PNG · Max 5MB

Official Resources

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