What is the estimated range for Brightstar Care business licenses and other required licenses?
Brightstar_Care Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
| Type of expenditure | Amount | Method of payment | When due | To whom payment is to be made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Licenses and Other Required License See Note 8 | $200 – $8,633 | City/county municipal authority; if applicable, state health care governing authority | As required by applicable authority | Applicable authority |
NOTE 8. Business Licenses and Other Required Licenses. State rules vary on medical and staffing licensure and other associated licenses, e.g., CLIA waiver. As noted in Item 1, you are responsible for investigating the availability of and requirements for obtaining all necessary licenses in your state. You should conduct this investigation before acquiring our franchise because you cannot operate as a franchisee without all required licenses. A Home Health Agency License ("HHA") to perform skilled services is not required until you achieve $15,000 in weekly revenue. Some states will still require personal care or staffing licenses and costs will vary depending on your state. The high end of this range ($8,603) is for California, which requires a $3,000 surety bond for Nurse Registry application and $5,165 for the HCO license. The HCO license in California enables you to perform companion and personal care services. If you are not able to obtain a newly-issued home health agency or other required license in your state because of a state-imposed or other moratorium or because of a requirement to show a certificate of need, you might be able to acquire
Source: Item 7 — ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT (FDD pages 34–41)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Brightstar Care's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the estimated initial investment for business licenses and other required licenses ranges from $200 to $8,633. These costs are paid to the city, county, municipal authority, and, if applicable, the state healthcare governing authority. The timing of these payments is determined by the requirements of the applicable authority.
The FDD notes that state rules vary regarding medical and staffing licensure, as well as other associated licenses such as CLIA waivers. Brightstar Care franchisees are responsible for investigating the availability of and requirements for obtaining all necessary licenses in their specific state before acquiring the franchise, as operation is contingent upon securing these licenses.
A Home Health Agency License (HHA) to perform skilled services is not required until the franchisee achieves $15,000 in weekly revenue. However, some states may still require personal care or staffing licenses, with costs varying by state. The higher end of the estimated range, $8,603, is specifically for California, which mandates a $3,000 surety bond for Nurse Registry application and $5,165 for the HCO license, which enables the franchisee to perform companion and personal care services. The document also advises that if a newly-issued license is unobtainable due to moratoriums or certificate of need requirements, a previously-issued license might be acquired from an existing provider, though this could be significantly more expensive.