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IHSS Provider

How to register for ESP (IHSS providers and recipients)

9 stepsCDSS 10/2026

Independent guide based on official CDSS documents. Not affiliated with CDSS, the State of California or any county.

Use this guide the first time you open the Electronic Services Portal (ESP), as a provider or a recipient. Registration has five steps and you only do it once. After that, you just log in.

  • Open the registration page

    Step 1: The ESP login screen with the Register Here button next to the login form.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    Go to the ESP website at etimesheets.ihss.ca.gov. Click Register Here.

    Button to click on the screen:Register Here

  • Choose your account type

    Step 2: The ESP Welcome screen with account type choices and the Begin Registration button.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    Choose "Applicant" or "Recipient", or choose "Provider". Then click Begin Registration.

    Button to click on the screen:Begin Registration

  • Enter your information

    Step 3: Registration step 1, the User Information form with name, birth date, number and SSN or ITIN fields.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    Enter your name, date of birth, and your 7-digit recipient number or 9-digit provider number. Add the last 4 digits of your SSN or ITIN, then click Next.

    Button to click on the screen:Next

    Your information must match your IHSS records. If you see a message that it does not match, contact your county IHSS office.

  • Create your username

    Step 4: Registration step 2, the Account Information form with username and email fields.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    Choose a username with at least 6 letters or numbers and no spaces. Enter a valid email address twice, then click Next.

    Button to click on the screen:Next

    Your username is case sensitive. Choose one you will remember.

  • Set your security questions

    Step 5: Registration step 3, the Security Questions form with three drop-down lists.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    Choose three different security questions from the drop-down list and answer each one. Then click Next.

    Button to click on the screen:Next

    Pick answers that are hard for others to guess but easy for you to remember.

  • Send the passcode

    Step 6: Registration step 4, the Email Verification screen with the Send Passcode button.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    Click Send Passcode. Then check your email for your one-time passcode.

    Button to click on the screen:Send Passcode

    The passcode expires 10 minutes after it is sent. No email? Check your spam folder, then click Resend Passcode.

  • Confirm your registration

    Step 7: Registration step 5, the Confirm Registration screen with the passcode box and checkbox.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    Enter the 6-digit code from your email. Check the User Verification box, then click Confirm Registration.

    Button to click on the screen:Confirm Registration

  • Do not share your information

    Step 8: The ESP main page with a pop-up message about not sharing personal information and an OK button.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    A pop-up message asks you not to share your personal information with anyone. Click OK.

    Button to click on the screen:OK

  • Your account is ready

    Step 9: The ESP main landing page after registration is complete.
    CDSS screen, ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026

    You land on the ESP main page. If your recipient has not registered for ESP or TTS yet, a note under their name says so.

Step 1

All steps in one list

  1. 1. Open the registration page

    Go to the ESP website at etimesheets.ihss.ca.gov. Click Register Here.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 4

  2. 2. Choose your account type

    Choose "Applicant" or "Recipient", or choose "Provider". Then click Begin Registration.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 5

  3. 3. Enter your information

    Enter your name, date of birth, and your 7-digit recipient number or 9-digit provider number. Add the last 4 digits of your SSN or ITIN, then click Next.

    Your information must match your IHSS records. If you see a message that it does not match, contact your county IHSS office.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 6

  4. 4. Create your username

    Choose a username with at least 6 letters or numbers and no spaces. Enter a valid email address twice, then click Next.

    Your username is case sensitive. Choose one you will remember.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 8

  5. 5. Set your security questions

    Choose three different security questions from the drop-down list and answer each one. Then click Next.

    Pick answers that are hard for others to guess but easy for you to remember.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 9

  6. 6. Send the passcode

    Click Send Passcode. Then check your email for your one-time passcode.

    The passcode expires 10 minutes after it is sent. No email? Check your spam folder, then click Resend Passcode.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 10

  7. 7. Confirm your registration

    Enter the 6-digit code from your email. Check the User Verification box, then click Confirm Registration.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 11

  8. 8. Do not share your information

    A pop-up message asks you not to share your personal information with anyone. Click OK.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 12

  9. 9. Your account is ready

    You land on the ESP main page. If your recipient has not registered for ESP or TTS yet, a note under their name says so.

    Source: CDSS ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026, page 13

Submitted your timesheet? Here is what happens next

  1. 3

    Recipient approves The recipient reviews the hours and approves or rejects the timesheet

  2. 4

    The state processes and pays A complete timesheet turned in on time is usually paid within 10 days of when the state receives it (SOC 846)

  3. 5

    What comes next? Where is my pay, direct deposit, taxes, paid sick leave

Get the official guide

Official CDSS guide (PDF)

Who this guide is for

Anyone who uses the Electronic Services Portal (ESP) for the first time, as a provider or a recipient. You register once. After that, you only log in.

Get this information ready

Enter it exactly as it appears in your IHSS records.

  • Your first and last name
  • Your 7-digit recipient number (recipients) or 9-digit provider number (providers)
  • Your date of birth
  • The last 4 digits of your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN)
  • Your valid email address

Your recipient number is also called your case number. You can find it on paperwork like a notice of action. Providers can find their number on paperwork like a past paystub.

If a message says your information does not match

Contact your county IHSS office. Providers in the Waiver Personal Care Services (WPCS) program should contact In-Home Operations (IHO) at (916) 552-9105.

Your personal information is not stored on the website. It is only used to check it against the IHSS or WPCS system.

What you can do after you register

  • Recipients can review, approve or reject their provider's timesheets, and see timesheet history.
  • Providers can view timesheets and payments, request supplemental timesheets, enroll in or change direct deposit, submit a sick leave claim, and check in and out each workday.

Things to remember

  • Do not share your username or one-time passcode with anyone.
  • The passcode expires 10 minutes after it is sent.
  • Your account locks for a while after 5 wrong passcode entries or more than 3 passcode requests. You can wait 30 minutes or click Unlock Account Now and answer your security questions.
  • If you did not ask for a passcode, ignore it and delete it. Do not click suspicious links.

Source: ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, Revised 10/2026.

Related guides

CDSS: ESP Recipient/Provider Registration, 10/2026