# How to Start a NEMT Business in Washington, DC (2027)

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/states/district-of-columbia/ · Updated 2026-09-28

To start a NEMT business in Washington, DC, register your company and business license with DLCP, get a WMATC certificate of authority and for-hire tags, and enroll with DC Medicaid. Then join the brokers: Verida, whose contract for fee-for-service and IDD waiver rides starts October 1, 2026 in place of MTM Health, and the ride vendors for the AmeriHealth Caritas DC, MedStar Family Choice, and HSCSN plans.

- Verida's contract to run fee-for-service and IDD waiver rides starts October 1, 2026, replacing MTM Health, so new providers should talk to Verida first.
- Every paid trip that starts and ends in WMATC's district, which covers all of DC, needs a WMATC certificate of authority and $1.5 million in insurance for vans seating 15 or fewer.
- The broker contract builds its network from NEMT providers enrolled in DC Medicaid and licensed by WMATC, so finish both before you apply.
- Verida must subcontract 35 percent of its DC contract dollars to DSLBD-certified businesses, so certification is worth getting if you qualify.
- DC sets no per-trip rate for van rides. Your broker agreement does, and undisputed invoices are due within 30 business days if it sets no terms.

## District of Columbia NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Medicaid agency | DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF). It pays its fee-for-service broker a fixed monthly rate per eligible member, and health plans arrange rides for their own members. |
| How rides work | Each health plan arranges its members' rides, and one DHCF broker serves about 40,000 to 50,000 fee-for-service members and 1,900 IDD waiver members. There are no regions. |
| Medicaid brokers | Verida for fee-for-service and IDD waiver members under a contract starting October 1, 2026, replacing MTM Health. Access2Care for MedStar Family Choice, Verida for HSCSN. AmeriHealth Caritas DC books its own rides. |
| How to join | Enroll with DC Medicaid at dcpdms.com, then send Verida its Request for Qualifications with your driver and vehicle lists. Ask each health plan's ride vendor too. |
| State registration | A WMATC certificate of authority: restricted for vehicles seating 15 or fewer, driver included, or unrestricted for any size. Add a DLCP business license and DC for-hire tags. |
| Insurance | WMATC: $1.5 million combined single limit for restricted authority, $5 million for unrestricted. Verida adds general liability and must be an additional insured on your policies. |
| Drivers | At least 21 with a DC, Maryland, or Virginia license not suspended or revoked in 5 years, no listed convictions in 7 years, and fewer than 3 moving violations or accidents in 7 years |
| Vehicle inspections | The broker inspects each vehicle before service and every 12 months. WMATC inspects each vehicle when you apply, and DC DMV inspects for-hire vehicles every year. |
| Pay | The broker sets your rate in your agreement. If the agreement sets no payment terms, the broker must pay an undisputed invoice within 30 business days. |
| EVV | No. DHCF's EVV covers personal care, home health, and some in-home IDD waiver services, not transportation. |

Washington, DC has no NEMT regions and no single broker for everyone. Members of a health plan get rides through their plan, and the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) uses one broker for fee-for-service members. That broker is changing: DHCF's contract with Verida, Inc. starts October 1, 2026, in place of MTM Health. The rules below follow DHCF's Transportation Billing Manual, version 1.4 of June 3, 2026, and the Verida contract, number CW135340.

## How Medicaid rides work in Washington, DC

DHCF runs DC Medicaid. About 250,000 residents have coverage, and about 220,000 of them are in a managed care plan that arranges their rides, according to the background section of DHCF's 2026 broker contract. Fee-for-service members ride through DHCF's broker: about 40,000 to 50,000 a month, plus about 1,900 people in the waiver for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

DHCF pays the broker a fixed monthly capitation rate for each eligible member. From October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, that rate is $38.87 per fee-for-service member and $446.87 per IDD waiver member. The broker screens each request, picks the ride type, assigns the trip, and pays the transportation provider.

| Member's coverage | Who arranges the ride | Booking notice |
|---|---|---|
| Fee-for-service and IDD waiver | DHCF's broker: MTM Health, then Verida | 3 days, not counting weekends |
| AmeriHealth Caritas DC | The plan's transportation line | 48 hours, not counting weekends or holidays |
| MedStar Family Choice DC | Access2Care | 3 business days |
| HSCSN | Verida | 24 hours, Monday to Friday |

As of September 2026, DHCF's DC Healthy Families page lists two health plans: AmeriHealth Caritas DC and MedStar Family Choice DC. Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN) serves children and young adults up to age 21 who receive or qualify for SSI.

The broker does not serve plan members, people covered only as Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries, or residents of residential habilitation or of supported living facilities that provide transportation. The Health Care Alliance, DC's locally funded program, stopped covering non-emergency rides on October 1, 2025. See the Alliance change.

Fee-for-service members book at least 3 days ahead, not counting Saturday and Sunday, or the day before for an urgent visit, according to DHCF's 2025 member handbook. Under the Verida contract, urgent care requests are filled within one hour, and riders leaving a hospital or nursing home are picked up within one hour of the call. See [hospital discharge transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/hospital-discharge-transportation/). Standing orders for recurring rides are recertified with the medical provider every 90 days.

The contract's ride types are ambulatory, wheelchair, bariatric, and stretcher vans, non-emergency and air ambulances, Metro and MetroAccess, and rideshare. Trips start in the District and go to providers in the Washington area, which the contract defines to include Montgomery and Prince George's counties and Baltimore City in Maryland and Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria in Virginia. Trips farther away need a written referral for care not available locally.

The contract lists these fee-for-service trip legs for fiscal year 2023:

| Ride type | Trip legs, FY2023 |
|---|---|
| Ambulatory van | 208,291 |
| Wheelchair van | 34,375 |
| Stretcher van | 5,940 |

When DHCF wrote the solicitation, the outgoing broker had agreements with 19 active transportation providers.

## Which brokers to join

You do not bill DHCF for van rides. The Transportation Billing Manual says transportation providers must contract with the broker directly. Plan members ride through each plan's vendor, so a DC company usually needs more than one agreement.

### DHCF's fee-for-service broker

The DC Council deemed Verida's contract approved on July 6, 2026. It runs from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, with four one-year options through September 30, 2031. Verida may not run trips until DHCF's readiness testing is complete, so ask Verida and DHCF for the date rides move. Until then, MTM Health is the broker named in the billing manual and on MTM's own DC page. Our [MTM Health guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/) covers its other programs.

The contract has Verida build its network from NEMT providers enrolled in DC Medicaid and licensed by WMATC:

1. **Enroll with DC Medicaid.** The billing manual sends transportation providers to the Provider Data Management System at dcpdms.com, run by Maximus.
2. **Get your WMATC certificate of authority.** See the licensing section below.
3. **Send the Request for Qualifications.** Fill out Verida's online form with a driver list and a vehicle list. Verida adds providers where it needs them and calls you for an interview.
4. **Send your documents.** Verida asks for a current business license, proof of liability insurance, driver credentials, background checks for all drivers, drug screens for all owners and drivers, and each driver's driving record.
5. **Pass inspections and training.** Each vehicle passes Verida's safety inspection, and each driver finishes the required training.
6. **Attend the owner orientation,** then sign the Transportation Provider Service Agreement (TPSA).

Before signing, and after, the broker checks that your company is not excluded from federal or District programs, not convicted of or under investigation for fraud, and current on licenses and background checks. See the [OIG exclusion list](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/oig-exclusion-list/).

Verida's DC provider line is 866-991-5433, and its claims line is 678-510-4600 (press 2), as of September 2026. Our [Verida guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/verida/) covers the company in its other states.

One detail matters for small local companies. The contract requires Verida to subcontract at least 35 percent of its dollar volume to small business enterprises certified by the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), and Verida's plan sets aside $11,996,910. To be certified, your principal office must be in DC and your top managers must work there. More than half of your employees or owners must also live in DC, or more than half of your assets or gross receipts must be in DC. Certification lasts three years.

### Health plan ride vendors

- **MedStar Family Choice DC** uses Access2Care, which MTM Health bought on October 8, 2024. Ask MTM how to join the Access2Care network in DC.
- **AmeriHealth Caritas DC** books rides through its own transportation line. Call its provider services team at 202-408-2237 or 888-656-2383 and ask which company contracts its transportation providers.
- **HSCSN** uses Verida, so the same Verida agreement and provider line apply.

## Licenses and registrations

### Your company

Register your LLC or corporation with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) through BOSS, the system that replaced CorpOnline. As of September 2026, initial registration costs $99 for a DC for-profit entity and $220 for one formed in another state. You also keep a registered agent in DC. Your first biennial report (form BRA-25) is due by April 1 of the calendar year after you register, then every two years, for $300, plus $100 if late.

Get your employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS, for free. Then get your Basic Business License through BOSS. Before you apply, register for DC taxes on MyTax.DC.gov, owe the District no more than $1,000 (the Clean Hands rule), and get a Certificate of Occupancy from the Department of Buildings for an office, or a Home Occupation Permit for a home-based company.

DLCP's General Business activity costs $49 for six months, $99 for two years, or $198 for four years. Call DLCP at 202-671-4500 to confirm which license category fits a transportation company.

### Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission (WMATC)

WMATC regulates private carriers that carry passengers for hire in the Washington area, under a compact among Maryland, Virginia, and DC. You need a WMATC certificate of authority for any paid trip between points in its Metropolitan District: DC, Alexandria, Falls Church, Arlington and Fairfax counties, Montgomery and Prince George's counties, and Dulles airport. A trip from one DC address to another counts. Operating before your certificate is issued can bring fines of up to $5,000 a day.

| Certificate | Vehicles allowed | Filing fee |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Seating 15 or fewer, driver included | $300 |
| Unrestricted | Any size | $300 |

1. **Apply.** File the application with a certificate of good standing from the jurisdiction where your company was formed, dated within 6 months. A company based outside the Metropolitan District names an agent inside it.
2. **Wait for the conditional grant.** WMATC sends a notice of acceptance within about two weeks and posts your application. The public has 14 days to protest, and routine applications are decided within about 14 days after that.
3. **Finish within 180 days.** File a vehicle list and for-hire registration cards, prove each vehicle passed a safety inspection in the past year, pass WMATC's own inspection, file a lease for any vehicle not registered to you, file a tariff, and have your insurance company file WMATC's insurance endorsement.

In DC, take the conditional grant order to DC DMV to get for-hire tags (B or L tags). Temporary tags are not accepted. Your certificate then stays valid until suspended or revoked, as long as you file an annual report and pay the $175 annual fee by January 31, as the 2026 form sets. Each is $150 more if late.

All your rates must be in a tariff on file with WMATC. A general tariff holds your rates for the public. Any transportation contract lasting 60 days or more is filed as a contract tariff, for $75 when filed outside an application, so ask WMATC how to file your broker and facility agreements.

Trips that leave the Metropolitan District may also need authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Maryland Public Service Commission, or the Virginia DMV, WMATC says. See our [Maryland](https://nemtguide.com/states/maryland/) and [Virginia](https://nemtguide.com/states/virginia/) guides, and [NEMT license requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-license-requirements/) for how licensing works in every state.

Ambulances are separate. The contract says the word "ambulance" may appear only on a vehicle with a DC Health permit, and WMATC bars its carriers from claiming they provide life support.

## Vehicle rules

Three inspections come before a van carries Medicaid riders:

- **DC DMV.** A vehicle passes DC DMV inspection before it is registered, and for-hire inspections last one year. First inspections are at the DC DMV Inspection Station, 1001 Half Street SW.
- **WMATC.** Inspectors check seating, markings, plates, registration, the safety decal, VIN, horn, tires, seat belts, mirrors, wipers, lights, and any lift and tie-downs. Appointments are usually one to two weeks out, near WMATC's office in Silver Spring.
- **The broker.** Under the Verida contract, the broker inspects each vehicle before its first trip, again within 12 months, and after complaints.

WMATC also has daily rules. In vehicles seating 8 or fewer, the driver checks brakes, lights, windows, mirrors, seat belts, horn, steering, and wheels before the first trip each day. Vehicles seating 9 or more follow most federal motor carrier safety rules. Each side of the vehicle shows your name and "WMATC" with your number, in permanent letters at least 2.5 inches tall.

The Verida contract bars vehicles more than 10 years old, and wheelchair and stretcher vans more than 8 years old. Every vehicle also needs:

- A two-way radio or phone linked to your office, plus a GPS covering DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
- Working heat, air conditioning, speedometer, odometer, and clock.
- A seat belt for every seat, two seat belt extensions, a belt cutter above the driver's door, and child safety seats for children under 5.
- Two outside mirrors and an inside mirror for watching passengers.
- Tires with at least 3/32 inch of tread, a spare, and tire chains for every tire.
- Two 2.5-pound fire extinguishers, three reflective triangles (no flares), two first aid kits, and a mounted spill kit.
- A retractable step or an approved step stool when riders step up to board.
- A current inspection sticker and a passing emissions test. A lit check engine, oil, or brake light takes the vehicle out of service.
- Your company name and phone number on the front doors in letters at least 3 inches tall, with the vehicle number, and nothing that suggests the vehicle carries Medicaid riders.

Wheelchair vans need 56 inches from floor to ceiling, an interlock that keeps the van from moving while the lift is out, a lift rated for 600 pounds with a manual backup, and a forward-facing tie-down tested to 30 mph and 20 g at each position. See [wheelchair securement](https://nemtguide.com/guides/wheelchair-securement/). Stretcher vans carry a gurney rated for at least 500 pounds, locked to floor mounts, and the service needs two stretcher staff. See [what a stretcher van is](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/stretcher-van/).

The contract's safety section for IDD waiver riders also calls for video cameras covering the driver and passenger areas in every vehicle carrying eligible riders, with footage kept 12 months. Use our [vehicle inspection checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-vehicle-inspection-checklist/) before each inspection, and see [NEMT vehicle requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-vehicle-requirements/) for vehicle types in general.

## Driver rules and training

Under the Verida contract, no driver or attendant may carry riders if they:

- Are under 21, or lack a valid DC, Maryland, or Virginia license.
- Had a license suspended or revoked in the past 5 years.
- Were convicted in the past 7 years of a listed crime, including murder, assault, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, theft, fraud, forgery, a firearms or sexual offense, child abuse, or drug distribution.
- Are convicted of any felony during the contract.
- Received drug treatment or had a positive drug screen in the past 5 years.
- Have 3 or more moving violations or accidents in the past 7 years.
- Are not fluent in English or cannot read driving directions.

A driver comes out of service after two moving violations, or one accident where the driver was partly or fully at fault, within 12 months. A failed drug test also takes a driver out, as do more than one failure to secure a wheelchair (until retrained) and two rider complaints within five business days (until you fix the problem).

WMATC sets its own floor for vehicles seating 8 or fewer. Drivers must be at least 21, hold a valid license from their home state, and speak and read English well enough to talk with riders and keep records. A conviction for driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, or a crime involving a for-hire vehicle disqualifies a driver for 90 days to 1 year, and longer for repeat offenses. Before you hire a driver, get a certified copy of the full driving record from every state that licensed them in the past 10 years, and the criminal history record from every state they lived in during that time. Get both again every 12 months. Drivers of vehicles seating 9 or more follow the federal motor carrier driver rules instead.

Each driver needs FBI and criminal background checks before service, updated every year. Drivers pass a drug screen before starting and random screens at least four times a year, which the contract has the broker pay for. The contract applies the federal testing rules in 49 CFR Parts 40 and 382 to every driver, including pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident tests.

Before the first ride, drivers and attendants complete driver and defensive driving training, first aid and CPR (which the broker does not have to offer or pay for), spill kit and biohazard training, passenger assistance, safety and sensitivity, emergency procedures, customer service, and courses from the Department on Disability Services. Every IDD waiver ride carries a designated attendant.

On the job, drivers wear a company uniform and ID badge. They never text, wear headphones, or make personal calls. They open doors, help riders to the main door, and wait until each rider is inside, and they never leave a rider alone in the vehicle.

Keep a file for each driver with the license, the WMATC driving and criminal records, the broker's background checks, first aid and CPR cards, training certificates, and every complaint, accident, and ticket. Our [driver file checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-driver-file-checklist/) tracks them, and [NEMT driver requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-requirements/) compares other states.

## Trip rules and how you get paid

The Verida contract carries these standards into every TPSA:

- **Pickup.** Arrive on time and wait at least 15 minutes past the scheduled time, and call your dispatcher before leaving. A pickup more than 15 minutes off schedule is not on time. The broker may cancel a trip when a rider is not ready 10 minutes after the scheduled time, and HSCSN tells its members that drivers wait only 10 minutes, so confirm the wait rule in your TPSA.
- **Lateness.** No more than 2 percent of trips may be late or missed each day. A provider with more than 5 percent of trips 20 minutes or more late comes out of service until it fixes the cause.
- **Backup.** When a vehicle runs more than 20 minutes late, the broker arranges a backup taxi or rideshare within 30 minutes.
- **Returns.** Arrive within 60 minutes of the call. See [will-call trips](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/will-call-trip/).
- **Shared rides.** No rider stays in the vehicle more than 60 minutes longer than a direct trip would take.
- **Notice.** The broker sends trip assignments at least 48 hours ahead when it can.
- **No farming out.** Your TPSA bars you from subcontracting trips.

Each vehicle's daily manifest is due by 10 a.m. the next business day. It lists the rider's name and Medicaid number, appointment time, pickup and destination, scheduled pickup and actual arrival, and odometer readings at pickup and drop-off. Record the same on your [trip log](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/). You also send trip data in the HIPAA X12 837 format. See encounter data.

DC sets no per-trip rate for van rides. The broker pays you from its capitation under your TPSA. If the TPSA sets no payment terms, the broker must pay an undisputed invoice within 30 business days of receiving it. The broker also pays quarterly bonuses to its best providers and drivers. It can also charge providers liquidated damages, which it reports to DHCF each month. Before you sign, ask what your TPSA charges for late or missed trips and how it treats [no-shows](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/) and late cancellations.

If Verida defaults, each TPSA passes to the District, with its terms and rates in effect until the District renegotiates. NEMT is not part of DC's electronic visit verification program, which covers personal care, home health, and in-home IDD waiver services such as respite.

## Insurance requirements

WMATC sets the floor for every vehicle. Its limits are combined single limits for bodily injury and property damage:

| Certificate | Minimum coverage |
|---|---|
| Restricted, 15 seats or fewer | $1.5 million |
| Unrestricted, any size | $5 million |

WMATC accepts only its own Certificate of Insurance and Policy Endorsement, filed by your insurance company. ACORD certificates and Form E filings are not accepted. If your endorsement ends without a replacement, your authority is suspended automatically, and lifting the suspension costs a $100 late filing fee. WMATC advises getting a quote before you apply, because the cost surprises some applicants.

Verida's DC provider page lists what it checks, as of September 2026:

| Item | What Verida looks for |
|---|---|
| Insurance company | Rated A- or better |
| General liability | "$1 M SAM Coverage with $2M aggregate" |
| Auto liability | All owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles, each listed |
| Additional insureds | Verida and HSCSN, primary and non-contributory, 30 days' notice of cancellation |
| Workers' compensation | Required |

The fee-for-service contract adds a TPSA minimum of $1.5 million in general liability, with the broker listed as an additional insured on your policies. A lapse or cut in coverage takes you out of service at once. Ask Verida's provider relations team for the full list in writing before you buy. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/) for other brokers.

DC's Office of Workers' Compensation says employers with one or more employees should cover all their DC employees, and going without coverage can bring fines of up to $10,000. Post the Notice of Compliance, Form 1 DCWC, and file Form 8 DCWC within 10 working days after you learn of an injury. The broker contract also requires workers' compensation of any provider with two or more full-time employees.

## What it costs and how long it takes

These are the fees DC and WMATC set as of September 2026. Vans, insurance premiums, and equipment depend on your quotes. See [what it costs to start a NEMT business](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-much-does-it-cost-to-start-a-nemt-business/) for those.

| Item | Cost | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| EIN | Free | IRS |
| DC LLC or corporation registration | $99 | DLCP |
| Biennial report | $300, plus $100 if late | DLCP |
| General business license | $99 for 2 years | DLCP |
| WMATC application | $300 | WMATC |
| WMATC annual fee | $175 | WMATC |
| WMATC tariff filed later | $75 | WMATC |

A workable order, from first call to first trip:

1. **Call Verida's DC provider line.** Ask whether it is adding providers, which ride types it needs, and when fee-for-service trips move from MTM Health.
2. **Form your company** through BOSS, get your EIN, and order a certificate of good standing for WMATC.
3. **Register for DC taxes and get your business license.**
4. **Get insurance quotes** that meet WMATC's limit and the broker's list.
5. **Apply to WMATC.** Expect about six weeks to a conditional grant for a routine application.
6. **Finish the WMATC steps** within 180 days: for-hire tags, DC DMV and WMATC inspections, your tariff, and your insurer's endorsement.
7. **Enroll with DC Medicaid** at dcpdms.com.
8. **Hire and screen drivers,** and book their first aid, CPR, and drug screens.
9. **Apply to Verida,** pass its inspection and training, attend the owner orientation, and sign your TPSA. If you qualify, apply for DSLBD certification too.

For the same steps in any state, see [how to start a NEMT business](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-start-a-nemt-business/).

## Work beyond Medicaid

Three other sources of rides are worth a call.

- **DC senior programs.** The Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL) offers Senior MedExpress, free round trips to visits such as chemotherapy or dialysis for residents 60 and older with a certified medical condition. Its ConnectorCard gives residents 60 and older a subsidized card for ground transportation to places they choose. Ask DACL at 202-724-5626 whether riders can use it with your company.
- **Veterans.** The VA pays for special mode transportation, such as a specially equipped vehicle, when a veteran qualifies for travel pay, a VA provider decides the veteran's condition requires it, and the trip is approved in advance. Ask the beneficiary travel office at your nearest VA medical center how it books these rides.
- **Facilities and private pay.** Dialysis centers, hospitals, senior living communities, and riders who pay for themselves add work that does not depend on one broker. Private pay rates go in your WMATC general tariff, and facility contracts of 60 days or more go on file as contract tariffs. See [how to get NEMT facility contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-get-nemt-facility-contracts/) and [private pay NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/private-pay-nemt/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is the Medicaid NEMT broker in Washington, DC?

It depends on the member's coverage. DHCF's contract with Verida, Inc. to broker rides for fee-for-service and IDD waiver members runs from October 1, 2026, after the DC Council deemed it approved on July 6, 2026. MTM Health holds that role until Verida takes over daily rides, which happens once DHCF finds Verida ready. Health plan members ride through their plan: Access2Care for MedStar Family Choice, Verida for HSCSN, and AmeriHealth Caritas DC's own transportation line.

### Do I need a WMATC certificate to run NEMT in DC?

Yes, for trips you are paid for. WMATC requires a certificate of authority to carry passengers for hire between points in the Metropolitan District, and a trip from one DC address to another counts. A restricted certificate covers vehicles seating 15 or fewer, driver included, with $1.5 million in insurance. Operating before your certificate is issued can bring fines of up to $5,000 a day. Verida's DC contract also recruits WMATC-licensed providers.

### Do I have to enroll with DC Medicaid to give NEMT rides?

Plan on it. DHCF's broker contract builds its network from NEMT providers enrolled in DC Medicaid, and the Transportation Billing Manual (June 3, 2026) sends transportation providers to the Provider Data Management System at dcpdms.com to enroll. You still bill the broker, not DHCF. The manual says transportation providers contract with the broker directly.

### How much does DC Medicaid pay for a NEMT trip?

DC does not set a per-trip rate for van rides. DHCF pays its broker a fixed monthly rate per member, $38.87 for each fee-for-service member and $446.87 for each IDD waiver member from October 1, 2026, and the broker sets your rate in your service agreement. If the agreement sets no payment terms, the broker must pay an undisputed invoice within 30 business days of receiving it.

### How long does it take to start a NEMT business in DC?

WMATC usually sets the pace. It sends a notice of acceptance within about two weeks, allows 14 days for public protests, and decides routine applications within about 14 days after that. You then have 180 days to register your vans for hire, pass inspections, file a tariff, and have your insurer file its endorsement. Broker credentialing comes on top of that, and Verida adds providers only where it needs them.

### Can a Maryland or Virginia company take DC Medicaid trips?

Yes, if it holds WMATC authority, enrolls with DC Medicaid, and meets the broker's rules. WMATC covers trips between DC and Montgomery, Prince George's, Arlington, Fairfax, and Alexandria, and accepts Maryland B and P tags and Virginia H tags. The broker contract accepts drivers licensed in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. A company doing business in DC also registers with DLCP as a foreign entity, for $220. Check your home state's rules too.

### Does the DC Health Care Alliance cover rides?

No, not since October 1, 2025. When the Alliance and the Immigrant Children's Program became one Health Care Alliance program, DHCF dropped non-emergency transportation from its benefits, along with vision, hearing, podiatry, and home health services. Medicaid members still get rides. Members covered only as Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries do not ride through the fee-for-service broker either.

## Official resources

- [Verida: Washington, DC transportation providers](https://verida.com/washington-dc-providers/)
- [Verida: Request for Qualifications form](https://verida.com/provider-request-for-qualifications-form/)
- [DC Medicaid: Provider enrollment (Provider Data Management System)](https://www.dcpdms.com/)
- [DHCF: Transportation Billing Manual](https://medicaid.dc.gov/SPDocumentLibrary/DocumentLibrary/Billing%20Instructions/Transportation%20Billing%20Manual%20v1.4.pdf)
- [WMATC: Forms (application, insurance endorsement, tariffs, vehicle list)](https://www.wmatc.gov/forms)
- [WMATC: Carrier application process FAQs](https://www.wmatc.gov/pdf/FAQs/Carrier%20Application%20Process%20FAQs.pdf)
- [DLCP: BOSS, company registration and business licenses](https://boss.dc.gov/)
- [DSLBD: CBE certification](https://dslbd.dc.gov/getcertified)
- [DC DMV: Vehicle inspections](https://dmv.dc.gov/inspections)
- [DOES: Workers' compensation](https://does.dc.gov/page/workers-compensation-does)