Extended Timelines for HCA Certifications
The Department of Health has adopted permanent rules that extend the Home Care Aide (HCA) certification timelines and clarify who is exempt from certification, as well as what basic training is still required. These rules take effect July 3, 2026, and remain in place through December 31, 2027, under the temporary authority in SB 5672 and RCW 18.88B.022.
What this means for your staff
Long‑term care workers, including staff in adult family homes, will have more time to complete certification, but the core training expectations do not change.
Basic training (generally 75 hours) still must be completed within 120 calendar days of the date of hire.
Staff now have 365 days from their hire date to become certified as a Home Care Aide, an increase from the previous 200‑day limit.
Limited‑English‑proficient workers who qualify for a provisional HCA certificate have up to 425 days from date of hire to complete certification.
These extended timelines apply to workers who submit an original HCA application on or before December 31, 2027. If the legislature does not act again, timelines are currently scheduled to revert to 200 days (and 260 days for provisional certificates) for future hires after that date.
For adult family homes, this creates some breathing room in a tight labor market, but it does not remove your obligation to ensure staff stay on track. You will still need systems to monitor hire dates, training completion, and certification deadlines.
Working before certification
The rules also clarify when a caregiver can be on the floor before they are fully certified.
A caregiver may provide care before certification if they complete the required entry‑level/basic training modules under RCW 74.39A.074 before they begin providing care.
The caregiver must submit an HCA certification application to the Department of Health within 14 calendar days of hire. The official application date is based on the postmark or the date DOH accepts the application.
A caregiver can no longer continue working without a credential if they do not finish required training within 120 days or fail to obtain certification within 365 days (or 425 days with a provisional certificate).
Adult family homes should review onboarding processes now: make sure applications are filed within 14 days and that you have a way to track the 120‑day training and 365‑/425‑day certification deadlines for each employee.
Provisional certificates for limited‑English‑proficient workers
The rules also adjust how provisional HCA certificates work.
DOH can issue a provisional certificate when a limited‑English‑proficient worker requests one and provides verification of their hire date from DSHS (for individual providers) or their employer.
Under the new timelines, a provisional certificate becomes effective at 365 days from the worker’s date of hire and expires at 425 days. The worker must stop working after 425 days if they are not fully certified.
Provisional certificates can only be issued once and may be denied under the Uniform Disciplinary Act or RCW 18.88B.080.
For AFHs employing limited‑English‑proficient caregivers, this additional time can be helpful, but remember that the extra 60 days apply only to completing certification, not to completing basic training within 120 days
How long these changes last
Finally, these extensions are temporary and tied to a biennial performance audit of HCA training and competency assessments required by Initiative 1163.
DOH must maintain these extended timelines until 90 days after the legislative session following publication of the 2026 performance audit.
The underlying statute authorizing additional time to complete certification expires December 31, 2027. Unless the legislature extends or changes this authority, certification timelines are scheduled to return to 200 days (and 260 for provisional certificates) for hires after that date.
For now, adult family home providers should treat this as a limited window to stabilize staffing, support workers through training, and strengthen internal compliance systems ahead of any future changes.
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