Verified October 10, 2026 against the statutes, regulations and sources cited below. The state decides every application. All states
What suppliers miss in California
- A warehouse that stores but does not dispense needs its own license at half the facility fee ($791 a year).
- The fee section, 111656.1, is set to be repealed on January 1, 2028 unless the legislature extends it.
- An exemptee license costs $466 up front and $280 a year, and lets a trained non-pharmacist run the floor where prescription devices are sold.
Does California require a DME supplier license?
No one may run a home medical device retail business in California without a CDPH license, one for each premises, renewed every year and not transferable. Pharmacies are exempt because the Board of Pharmacy regulates them, as are hospitals, prescribers and manufacturers that do not sell to patients.
- DME or HME license
- Home Medical Device Retailer (HMDR) License; Out-of-State HMDR Registration
- Issued by California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch
Citation: Cal. Health & Safety Code 111656 et seq.
Do out-of-state suppliers shipping into California need a license?
CDPH licenses California facilities and registers out-of-state HMDR facilities. An out-of-state facility qualifies for the registration only if it supplies prescription medical devices.
- Covers out-of-state suppliers
- No California location required
Citation: CDPH Home Medical Device Retailer Program
What does a California DME license cost?
- Initial: $1,584 per in-state facility; $280 for an out-of-state registration; $466 for an exemptee license (as of July 23, 2026)
- Renewal: $1,584 per year in-state; $280 per year out-of-state; $280 per year for an exemptee (as of July 23, 2026)
Citation: CDPH fee notice of July 23, 2026; Cal. Health & Safety Code 111656.1
How often does a California DME license renew?
- Renews every year
Who must be on staff at a licensed California location?
A licensed pharmacist or a CDPH-licensed exemptee must be in charge and on the premises whenever prescription devices are available for sale or fitting, unless those devices are locked away under that person's control. Exemptees need a year of related work experience and approved training.
Citation: Cal. Health & Safety Code 111656.4
Does Medicare accreditation count in California?
Every facility is inspected before licensing. After that, a licensee accredited by a CMS-approved organization is inspected only on a complaint, while a licensee without accreditation is inspected at least once a year.
Citation: Cal. Health & Safety Code 111656.1(a)
Licensing in California?
We confirm what California requires for the products you sell, prepare the application and every attachment for your owner or officer to sign, and track it to a decision. A state DME license is $699 per state.