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Care business licensing, state by state

Try a license (“assisted living”), an agency (“AHCA”) or a topic (“background screening”).

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Licensing guides

Step-by-step guides to licensing a care business, each checked against the state agency’s own rules and dated with its last review.

All guides (301)

  1. Alabama assisted living facility license: ADPH rules, fees and steps

    How ADPH licenses Alabama assisted living: group vs congregate classes, the 3-bed minimum, admission limits, administrator licensing and the $240 + $18 per bed fee.

    Alabama · Assisted living facilityUpdated

  2. Alabama day care center license: DHR rules, ratios and application

    How to license an Alabama day care center under DHR's performance standards (660-5-26): the 12-child threshold, church exemption, ratios, director rules and ARISE.

    Alabama · Child care centerUpdated

  3. Alaska assisted living home license: Residential Licensing rules, fees and steps

    How Alaska licenses assisted living homes: the three-resident line, Anchorage change-of-use permit, administrator tiers, fees and the probationary license.

    Alaska · Assisted living facilityUpdated

  4. Alaska child care center license: State and Anchorage rules for 13+ children

    Licensing a child care center in Alaska: State CCPO or Anchorage Health Department, 7 AAC 57 ratios, 35/75 sq ft space, administrator education, fire approval, AKCCIS.

    Alaska · Child care centerUpdated

  5. Opening a licensed child care home in Alaska: state rules and the Anchorage exception

    How Alaska licenses home child care: the 4-child exemption, the 8-child home and 12-child group home, 7 AAC 57 ratios, fire rules, background checks and Anchorage.

    Alaska · Family child care homeUpdated

  6. Arizona adult day health care facility license: ADHS rules, plan review and fees

    Licensing an Arizona adult day health care facility under A.R.S. 36-401 and R9-10 Article 11: 5-adult threshold, plan review, 40 sq ft rule, staffing, fees, ALTCS.

    Arizona · Adult day careUpdated

  7. Arizona assisted living facility license: homes, centers and ADHS steps

    How the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) licenses assisted living homes, centers and adult foster care: care levels, manager certificate, fees, timelines.

    Arizona · Assisted living facilityUpdated

  8. California child care center license: how CDSS licenses a center

    How California licenses child care centers: the single license and its age components, director units, ratios, space, fees and the 2026-27 changes.

    California · Child care centerUpdated

  9. California family child care home license: small (8) or large (14) home

    How CDSS licenses home child care in California: the one-other-family exemption, small vs. large capacity, zoning protections, fees, training and 2026-2027 changes.

    California · Family child care homeUpdated

  10. Certificate of need for care businesses: which states require one, by license type

    Which states require a certificate of need for home health, assisted living and adult day businesses, plus state moratoriums and the 2026 CMS home health freeze.

    All states · Certificate of needUpdated

  11. Child care center staff-to-child ratios and group sizes by state

    Staff-to-child ratios and maximum group sizes for licensed child care centers in all 50 states and DC, read from each state's rule text, with age bands and group caps.

    All states · Child care ratiosReviewed

  12. Licensing a family child care home in Colorado: five home licenses and how to qualify

    How Colorado licenses home child care: the 4-child exemption, five CDEC home license types, 15-hour pre-licensing course, background checks, home safety rules and fees.

    Colorado · Family child care homeUpdated

  13. Florida assisted living facility license: AHCA rules, fees and steps

    How AHCA licenses Florida assisted living facilities: who needs a license, chapter 419 zoning, administrator core training, emergency power, fees and specialty licenses.

    Florida · Assisted living facilityUpdated

  14. Opening a family child care home in Florida: registration, license or large home

    How Florida regulates home child care: county-by-county registration or licensure, capacity counting your own kids, 35 training hours, Level 2 screening and fees.

    Florida · Family child care homeUpdated

  15. Florida home health agency license: AHCA rules, money tests and Medicare

    How AHCA licenses Florida home health agencies: skilled vs non-skilled licenses, the CPA-compiled money test, 120-day accreditation, fees and the 2026 Medicare freeze.

    Florida · Home health agencyUpdated

  16. Georgia personal care home permit: from two residents to 25 beds and beyond

    How to get a Georgia personal care home permit from DCH: the two-resident trigger, the 25-bed line, sprinklers at 7 beds, GAHLES application, fees and staffing.

    Georgia · Small residential care homeUpdated

  17. Kansas child care center license: opening a center under KOEC

    How a Kansas child care center or preschool gets licensed by the Office of Early Childhood: fire occupancy, space, ratios, director rules, training and steps.

    Kansas · Child care centerUpdated

  18. Maine residential care facility license: one license from a single bed up, under Ch. 113 Part B

    Maine residential care facilities: who needs the DLC license, the $10-per-bed fee, fire marshal approval by bed count, RN visits, staffing ratios and the 2025 rule.

    Maine · Small residential care homeUpdated

  19. Massachusetts family child care license: the EEC route from 6 to 10 children

    How EEC licenses home child care in Massachusetts: the 6, 8 and 10-child tiers, 16 hours of pre-application training, LEAD, background checks, space rules and C3 grants.

    Massachusetts · Family child care homeUpdated

  20. Massachusetts group and school age child care license: Large and Small Group rules

    How Massachusetts licenses child care centers, preschools and after-school programs: Large vs Small Group, EEC steps in LEAD, space, ratios, staff tiers and fees.

    Massachusetts · Child care centerUpdated