Questions About the Certification

It's a private, verifiable credential for IHSS providers who treat care work as their profession. It shows a client or family that you understand how IHSS actually works day to day: HTG rankings, timesheets, EVV and the ESP, identifying care needs accurately, protective supervision, documentation habits, and more. You take a free 15-question quiz. If you pass, you can buy the certificate for $20: an instant PDF and a badge anyone can check live.

No. It does not replace state-required enrollment, orientation, or background checks — those still go through your county IHSS office or Public Authority. This certification is optional, additional proof of knowledge, not a substitute for anything the state requires.

No. IHSSProviderReady.com is an independent verification service. It is not issued, endorsed, or required by the California Department of Social Services, any County IHSS Public Authority, or any government agency.

One year from the date it's issued. After that, it needs to be renewed to stay listed and verifiable — renewal is $10/year and never happens automatically, so you're never charged without choosing to.

Your certificate simply shows as expired if someone looks it up on the verification page — nothing happens automatically or negatively beyond that. You can renew any time afterward at the renewal page to bring it current again.

15 questions, drawn randomly from a larger pool each time. You need 12 correct (80%) to pass.

You can retake it immediately, as many times as you need — retakes are completely free. Each attempt draws a fresh set of 15 questions from the pool, so it won't always be the exact same set.

No. The quiz is free every time. There's no limit on attempts, and each one draws a new set of questions. You only pay, once, if you pass and want the certificate.

Timesheet/EVV/ESP proficiency, HTG rankings, identifying and describing care needs, protective supervision, mandated reporting, provider rights, WPCS, and documentation habits. The Provider Articles cover the same material in more depth if you want to study first.

No. The quiz is free, with no sign-up. You pay $20 only after you pass, and only if you want the certificate. You don't have to buy right away: when you pass you get a quiz code that is good for 3 days, and you can enter it on any phone or computer to come back and get your certificate. Reading the Provider Articles beforehand is a good way to walk in prepared.

The quiz is free. The certificate is $20, one time, and you can only buy it after you pass. After that it's $10 a year if you choose to renew and stay verifiable. That's it: no hidden fees and no charge per quiz attempt.

No. Both the $20 certificate and the $10 renewal are plain one-time charges, not a recurring subscription. Nothing is ever billed automatically. Renewal only happens when you actively choose to renew.

You take the quiz and see your score before you pay anything, and the certificate and badge are delivered instantly, so there's no formal refund window. If something went wrong on our end, such as a duplicate charge or a technical issue that kept you from receiving your certificate, email support@ihsshours.com with your details and we'll make it right.

They enter your certificate ID at the public verification page — no account needed. It instantly shows whether it's active, expired, or revoked, plus your name and the county on file.

The embeddable badge is checked live every time someone views it, so it always reflects your real current status — it can't accidentally show as valid if it isn't. If it shows expired, renew for $10 to bring it current again. If you believe a revocation was made in error, contact support@ihsshours.com.

Yes — after you're certified, you get an embeddable badge snippet you can add anywhere: a resume, a profile, an intro message to a potential recipient. Because it's checked live, it stays accurate wherever you post it without you needing to update anything yourself.

It's built by the same team behind IHSSHours.com, an independent educational resource for California IHSS applicants, recipients, and providers.

Only what's needed to issue and verify your certificate — your name and county — is stored. Payment is processed securely through Stripe; card details never touch our own servers.

Email support@ihsshours.com and a real person will get back to you.