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Common California IHSS Forms in One Place
Updated September 16, 2026. Reviewed September 16, 2026 against public CDSS, DHCS, Medicare.gov, VA, and CareScout 2025 California tables. County wages, hours, and wait times still change. Official .gov pages decide.
SOC 295, SOC 873, SOC 426, SOC 846, and SOC 2298 explained as a map, with links to deeper guides for each form.
About 5 minutes to read. Based on CDSS and DHCS public program pages retrieved 2026-09-16. County offices apply these rules. Hourly rates, hour totals, and wait times are local and change.
Short answer
California IHSS uses different SOC forms for different jobs. SOC 295 applies for services. SOC 873 is the Health Care Certification. SOC 426 and SOC 846 belong to provider enrollment. SOC 2298 is the live-in self-certification that changes EVV steps. Send the packet that matches the step you are on, and keep copies of each page.
Who decides
The county IHSS office tells you which forms they need for the recipient file and for provider enrollment. Medi-Cal remains a separate determination.
What to do next
List the forms you already have, match each one to the recipient application, the medical certification, or provider enrollment, and ask the county for any blank you are missing.
A map of the forms families see first
County IHSS files use SOC numbers for statewide forms. The numbers look similar on a kitchen table. They do different jobs. Some pages belong to the person who needs care. Some belong to the person who hopes to be paid. Some belong only to live-in providers who self-certify for Electronic Visit Verification. This guide is a map. Each deeper page explains one job in more detail.
CDSS publishes the program, provider, and EVV pages that sit behind these numbers. County offices apply them. If a clerk hands you a local cover sheet, treat that as part of the same packet. Do not invent extra forms, and do not skip a number the county named in writing.
Recipient forms: SOC 295 and SOC 873
SOC 295 is the statewide IHSS application. You send it to the county IHSS office that serves the applicant. It starts the file. It does not enroll a provider and it does not certify medical need by itself.
SOC 873 is the Health Care Certification. A licensed health professional completes it, or the county accepts alternative documentation. Services are not authorized until that medical piece is in. Extra hospital dumps can slow the file. Keep those records for the county packet and return the certification unless a worker asked for a specific page. How to get SOC 873 signed is the errand version of that rule.
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Questions people ask
- Which form starts the IHSS case?
- SOC 295, sent to the county IHSS office. SOC 873, or acceptable alternative documentation, is the medical piece that must arrive before services are authorized.
- Which forms does a family caregiver fill?
- After the recipient is moving through the case, the chosen provider completes enrollment, including SOC 426, the SOC 846 provider agreement, and a background check where required. Live-in providers who self-certify use SOC 2298 for EVV.
- Should I send every SOC form in one envelope?
- Send what the current step requires. Mixing a blank provider packet with an incomplete application can confuse the file. Ask the county which pages they want now.
Official sources for this guide
Related pages on California Home Help
Reviewed against CDSS, DHCS, Medicare.gov, and CareScout public pages. We do not quote IHSS wages. County IHSS offices and Medi-Cal decide eligibility, hours, and pay. For current county wage rates, use the official CDSS wage page. CDSS county IHSS wage rates.
Official program pages: CDSS: In-Home Supportive Services, CDSS: IHSS for children, County IHSS offices, CDSS: IHSS providers, CDSS: county IHSS wage rates, CDSS: provider orientation, CDSS: Electronic Visit Verification, CDSS: Electronic Services Portal, DHCS: Medi-Cal, Apply for Medi-Cal, BenefitsCal, CDSS: hearing requests, CDSS: forms catalog, CDSS: IHSS overtime and workweek, DDS: regional centers.