Group homes · question

How do you start a personal care home in Georgia?

To start a personal care home in Georgia, you apply to the Department of Community Health (DCH) online, through its GAHLES portal, with zoning approval, fire and electrical inspections, a floor sketch, background checks and proof you control the property. DCH: personal care homes

Below is DCH’s own checklist in plain words, what happens once you’re licensed, and what your website needs.

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The checklist

DCH’s application packet lists these for a new home:

Proof from the Georgia Secretary of State that your corporation or LLC is registered, if you have one.
City or county zoning approval.
A notarized affidavit of personal identification, with a copy of the photo ID you showed the notary.
Proof you own or control the property: a deed, a lease, a bill of sale or a property record.
A fire safety inspection with no violations, dated within 12 months, showing the capacity. A sprinkler system is required for 7 or more beds.
An electrical inspection by a Georgia-licensed electrician, dated within 6 months.
A floor sketch: every room labelled, bedroom measurements, doors, windows and where each bed goes.
The owner form in the online application.
A fingerprint background check through DCH’s criminal history system for the administrator and every owner with 10% or more, dated within 12 months.
Approval of your water and sewage, such as a water bill with sewage charges, or a septic report.
For 25 or more beds, two more: a letter of determination from DCH’s Office of Health Planning and a notarized affidavit of financial stability.
The license fee, paid in full before a permit is issued.

DCH says not to submit until every document is ready to upload, and that application fees are not refunded. DCH: the Personal Care Home application packet (PDF) GAHLES, DCH’s application portal

Once you’re open

DCH’s Personal Care Home program inspects homes unannounced, about every 11 to 15 months, or as needed. DCH: personal care homes
Families can find your home and check its license and inspection reports on GaMap2Care, the search DCH points to. DCH: personal care homes
If your residents’ services are funded through DBHDD, the license is a different one: what a community living arrangement is. DCH: personal care homes

Your website

Say it plainly. A licensed personal care home, the town, who you serve and how many residents. DCH: personal care homes
Mind one word. DCH says a personal care home may not use “assisted living” in its name or marketing unless it is licensed as an assisted living community, which starts at 25 residents. DCH notice on the term “assisted living” (PDF) DCH: personal care homes
Build it while you wait. The name, photos, requirements and tour form can be ready before the permit. Add the license once it’s issued.

Checked against each linked page on 2 November 2026. This is a plain summary, not legal advice: the rule itself, or the agency, has the final word.

More on Georgia’s kinds of home: the Georgia page.

What you get

The website, the flyer and the rest, for one price.

Everything in the $300

Your own website with your services, your house, requirements, questions and answers, and contact info.
Contact and tour forms so families can reach you any time, day or night.
Better photos of your house, made from the ones you send us. No photos yet? We make pictures for your site.
Your admin page to see messages, reply, post updates and send newsletters.
Email newsletters a sign-up box on your site, and you send updates to families from your admin page.
A flyer to match your site with a QR code, ready to print.
A logo if you need one (free) at no extra charge.
Set up on Google so families can find you.
Ready for ChatGPT and AI search set up so ChatGPT and other AI assistants can read your site and point families to it.
Web address with the first year included yours to keep.
About 3 business days from your details to your live site, for most sites.

$300 one-time. Monthly or yearly plans, add any time: Fast Lane $20, Full Care $50 or Unlimited $100 a month, or $100, $500 or $1,000 a year paid up front ($8.33, $41.67 or $83.33 a month). We stay with you after launch.

Start

$300, flat. Send your name and a way to reach you, and your site is usually live in about 3 business days, with a free logo if you need one.

Start your website Not ready? Get the free info packet

You pay on the last step. Secure checkout by Stripe. Terms & refunds.

Questions first? Message us or email hello@luziq.ai.