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Short answer. An HME license is a state license for businesses that sell, rent or service home medical equipment. It is issued by a state agency under state law, so the rules differ by state: in Florida the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) licenses HME providers under Chapter 400, Part VII of the Florida Statutes, and in Ohio the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy licenses or registers them under Chapter 4752 of the Ohio Revised Code. This page is general information, not legal advice; confirm your own situation with the regulator or counsel.
Definition and scope: what a home medical equipment license is
A home medical equipment license (HME license) is permission from a state to operate as a provider of equipment used in the home. It is separate from Medicare supplier enrollment, which is covered in the DME license guide and the guide to Medicare-approved DME suppliers. A business can need one, the other, both or neither, depending on what it sells and where.
The two states define the activity differently:
- Florida. AHCA describes an HME provider as any person or entity that offers to sell or rent to a consumer any home medical equipment and provides equipment-related services such as delivery, set-up and maintenance. Section 400.93(1) makes a person or entity that holds itself out to the public as providing home medical equipment and services, or accepts physician orders for them, subject to licensure.
- Ohio. The Board of Pharmacy describes an HME service provider as a person or company licensed by the Board that engages in the sale, delivery, installation, maintenance, replacement or demonstration of home medical equipment as defined in Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4752.
How states license HME providers: Florida and Ohio side by side
| Question | Florida | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) | State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy |
| Governing law | Chapter 400, Part VII and Chapter 408, Part II, Florida Statutes; Chapters 59A-25 and 59A-35, Florida Administrative Code | Chapter 4752, Ohio Revised Code; Chapter 4729:11, Ohio Administrative Code |
| Form of authorization | One license; a separate license for each separate premises, even under the same management (s. 400.93(4)) | A license, or registration with a designated accrediting body (Board’s HME page and facility self-assessment) |
| Accreditation | AHCA may accept an accrediting organization’s survey in place of its own periodic inspections for licensure, if the accreditation is not provisional | The Board recognizes a list of national accrediting bodies; registration is tied to a designated accrediting body |
| Where to apply | AHCA licensure application and forms | Ohio eLicense system |
HME license Florida
Florida requires a license to provide home medical equipment and services in the state (s. 400.93(3)). Section 400.93(5) lists exemptions from HME provider licensure, including providers operated by the Department of Health or the federal government, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospices, hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers licensed under Chapter 395, manufacturers and wholesale distributors when not selling directly to consumers, licensed health care practitioners who use HME in their practice but do not sell or rent it to patients, and pharmacies licensed under Chapter 465. An exempt entity that has a separate company, corporation or division in the HME business for consumers at their residence loses the exemption for that business. AHCA lists the accrediting organizations whose accreditation it accepts for state licensure: ACHC, BOC, CHAP, HQAA, The Compliance Team (TCT) and The Joint Commission.
HME license Ohio
Ohio law applies only to certain HME services. The Board’s facility self-assessment explains that Ohio requires a license or registration only of facilities providing specific HME services to the public. It describes HME as equipment that can stand repeated use, is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose, is appropriate for home use, and falls into one of three groups: life-sustaining equipment, technologically sophisticated equipment needing individualized adjustment or regular maintenance, or an item named by the Ohio Respiratory Care Board. The Board’s rule 4729:11-1-01 lists qualifying equipment, such as ventilators, oxygen concentrators, CPAP devices, suction machines, feeding pumps and infusion pumps. Exceptions under s. 4752.02(B) include a manufacturer or wholesale distributor that does not sell directly to the public, a health care practitioner who does not sell or rent HME, and a pharmacy that does not sell or rent HME or receives less than ten thousand dollars per year from selling or renting it. The Board urges applicants to seek legal counsel to confirm whether a license is required.
Accreditation as a route
Both states connect HME oversight to national accrediting bodies, but the lists are published separately and are not identical. Six names appear on both the AHCA list and the Ohio Board’s list adopted March 18, 2024: ACHC, BOC, CHAP, HQAA, The Compliance Team and The Joint Commission. The Ohio list also names the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics (ABC) and CARF, which are not on the AHCA list. AHCA’s table marks each of its listed bodies as accredited for state licensure and not as an accredited option for Medicare certification, which is one more reason to treat state licensure and Medicare enrollment as separate questions.
Where it matters for clinic and lab supply decisions
A clinic or lab that buys or arranges home-use equipment for patients may deal with HME suppliers. The following checklist is built only from what the regulators publish; it is a prompt for questions, not a ruling on any supplier.
- Ask which state or states the supplier is licensed or registered in, and for the license or registration number. Florida licenses each separate premises, so the number belongs to a location.
- Ask whether the supplier holds accreditation from a body on the relevant state’s list, and whether it is provisional (Florida accepts only non-provisional accreditation in lieu of its own inspections).
- Check the credential with the regulator directly. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy offers a license lookup on its HME page.
- For Ohio, note whether the supplier says it holds a license or a registration, and look it up with the Board.
- Ask separately about Medicare or Medicaid enrollment. See medical equipment suppliers, Medicaid DME and how to start a DME business.
Common misunderstandings
- One national HME license. Licensing is set by each state, and Florida and Ohio use different agencies, laws and terms.
- HME license equals DME license. State HME licensure is distinct from Medicare supplier enrollment; see PECOS for the ordering side of Medicare enrollment.
- Every seller of medical products needs it. Both states list exemptions, and Ohio applies the law only to listed kinds of HME services. Exemptions have conditions, so read the statute.
- Accreditation replaces the license. In Florida, accreditation can stand in for AHCA’s periodic inspections for a licensed provider; the license is still required (s. 400.93(3)).
FAQ
What is a home medical equipment license?
A state-issued license for businesses that sell, rent, deliver, install or maintain home medical equipment, as defined by that state’s law. Florida and Ohio each have their own.
Who regulates the HME license in Florida and Ohio?
Florida: the Agency for Health Care Administration. Ohio: the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
Does a pharmacy need a separate HME license?
Florida exempts pharmacies licensed under Chapter 465. Ohio exempts a pharmacy that does not sell or rent HME or that receives less than ten thousand dollars per year from selling or renting it. Both exemptions carry conditions, so read the statute.
Does accreditation replace the state license?
In Florida, no. AHCA may accept a non-provisional accreditation survey in place of its own periodic inspections, but the license is still required. In Ohio, the Board describes registration as tied to a designated accrediting body.
Sources
- Florida AHCA, Home Medical Equipment (HME) Providers, checked 2026-11-01.
- The Florida Senate, 2025 Florida Statutes, s. 400.93, checked 2026-11-01.
- State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Home Medical Equipment Service Providers, checked 2026-11-01.
- State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Facility Self-Assessment for Ohio Licensure or Registration as an HME Services Provider, updated 1/2/2020, checked 2026-11-01.
- State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Recognition of National Accrediting Bodies for Home Medical Equipment, adopted March 18, 2024, checked 2026-11-01.
