Florida · personal care aide (PCA)
Florida has no separate personal care aide credential. Most paid hands-on care like bathing and dressing comes through a licensed home health agency or nurse registry, where aides need 40 hours of training or a passing score on a state competency test. Homemakers and companions can register with the state but cannot give hands-on care.
At a glance
What the state asks of PCAs who work for licensed agencies or Medicaid programs.
| Job titles | Home health aide, certified nursing assistant (CNA), homemaker, companion, direct service worker |
| Training | 40 hours, or pass the state test, for state-licensed home health agencies. Medicare or Medicaid certified agencies require 75 hours or a federal competency evaluation. |
| Exam | Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) home health aide competency test, accepted in place of the 40 hours at state-licensed agencies only |
| Certification | No separate personal care aide credential |
| Background check | Level 2 fingerprint background screening before hire |
| Yearly training | Not confirmed in state sources; ask the agency |
| Minimum age | Not confirmed in state sources; ask the agency |
| Agency licensing | AHCA licenses home health agencies and nurse registries and registers homemaker and companion providers |
Training
In Florida, most paid hands-on personal care such as bathing, dressing, and feeding is provided through a licensed home health agency or nurse registry. Aides at state-licensed agencies need at least 40 hours of training or a passing score on the AHCA home health aide competency test. Agencies certified for Medicare or Medicaid follow the federal rule: 75 hours of training or a federal competency evaluation. The AHCA test does not count for those agencies. State law also exempts some workers from agency licensing, such as aides and CNAs working on their own and relatives caring for family.
Home health agency employees must also complete Alzheimer’s disease and dementia training. Homemaker and companion workers can help with chores and keep clients company, but they may not give hands-on personal care.
The steps
The usual path for a new aide.
Family caregivers
Yes, through the Participant Direction Option (PDO) in the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC) program. Enrollees can hire family members, friends, or neighbors for personal care, homemaker, and companion services.
A person who serves as the enrollee’s representative cannot also be paid as the worker. Rules on paying spouses were not stated in the state sources reviewed.
Read our full guide: how to get paid to care for a family member.
Compare
All three help people with daily care. Training, tasks, and pay differ.
| Personal care aide | Home health aide | CNA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | 40 hours or a state test (home health aides) | 75 hours federal minimum, including 16 hands-on | State-approved program, 75 hours or more |
| Medical tasks | Mostly not. Help with daily living, like bathing, dressing, meals, and housework | Some, like vital signs, under nurse supervision | Yes, under nurse supervision |
| Where you work | Clients' homes, group homes, assisted living | Clients' homes, through home health agencies | Nursing homes and hospitals |
| Median pay (FL) | $16.25 an hour* | $16.25 an hour* | $18.03 an hour |
*Federal pay data groups personal care aides with home health aides. Many PCAs later become CNAs, which opens more jobs and higher pay.
FAQ
Short answers to what people ask most.
Florida has no separate personal care aide license. Most hands-on care jobs are with a licensed home health agency or nurse registry, where you complete 40 hours of training or pass the state competency test.
No. Homemaker and companion providers register with AHCA but may not give hands-on personal care like bathing or dressing.
Yes, if she is enrolled in the SMMC Long-Term Care program and uses the Participant Direction Option. Enrollees can hire family members.
Yes. Florida requires Level 2 background screening with fingerprints before hire.
Home health and personal care aides in Florida earn a median of $16.25 an hour, based on the May 2025 federal wage survey.