51
Jurisdictions
All 50 states + D.C.
State Regulatory Library
Senior Living Regulations by State
Licensing rules, inspection frameworks, complaint processes, and Medicaid guidance for every state. Direct links to oversight agencies — no referral agency in the middle.
5
Topics per state
Licensing, complaints, staffing, Medicaid, ombudsman
Direct
State links
Official oversight agencies
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Why This Matters
Understanding senior living oversight
Senior living regulation in the United States is a patchwork. Assisted living, memory care, residential care homes, and adult day services are all regulated at the state level, not federally. That means licensing standards, staffing requirements, inspection frequencies, and complaint processes vary significantly from state to state — and sometimes from county to county. A community that would pass inspection in one state might not meet the baseline requirements of another.
This matters for families because it means there is no single national database to check. Verifying a license, pulling an inspection report, or filing a complaint all require knowing which state agency oversees which care type — and how to actually reach them. Most referral agencies don't provide this information because it isn't in their commercial interest to do so. SilverTech's regulatory hubs exist specifically to fill that gap.
Nursing homes are the exception: Medicare- and Medicaid-certified facilities are also regulated at the federal level by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which conducts inspections and publishes Five-Star Quality Ratings. For nursing homes, the CMS data is often the strongest objective signal available to families — and SilverTech surfaces CMS certification numbers on nursing home listings so you can cross-reference them directly. For assisted living and all other care types, state licensing data is the primary verification tool.
Start Here
What families miss without reading regulations
Most families compare amenities first and oversight second. That order causes avoidable mistakes. Use our answer-first anchor guide to see how staffing rules, inspection systems, memory care standards, and disclosure laws change decisions before a move-in deposit.
State Regulatory Hubs
Browse oversight rules by state
Each state hub covers licensing authority, ombudsman contacts, Medicaid long-term care programs, complaint intake, and veterans' care resources.
Alabama Regulatory hub Alaska Regulatory hub Arizona Regulatory hub Arkansas Regulatory hub California Regulatory hub Colorado Regulatory hub Connecticut Regulatory hub Delaware Regulatory hub District of Columbia Regulatory hub Florida Regulatory hub Georgia Regulatory hub Hawaii Regulatory hub Idaho Regulatory hub Illinois Regulatory hub Indiana Regulatory hub Iowa Regulatory hub Kansas Regulatory hub Kentucky Regulatory hub Louisiana Regulatory hub Maine Regulatory hub Maryland Regulatory hub Massachusetts Regulatory hub Michigan Regulatory hub Minnesota Regulatory hub Mississippi Regulatory hub Missouri Regulatory hub Montana Regulatory hub Nebraska Regulatory hub Nevada Regulatory hub New Hampshire Regulatory hub New Jersey Regulatory hub New Mexico Regulatory hub New York Regulatory hub North Carolina Regulatory hub North Dakota Regulatory hub Ohio Regulatory hub Oklahoma Regulatory hub Oregon Regulatory hub Pennsylvania Regulatory hub Rhode Island Regulatory hub South Carolina Regulatory hub South Dakota Regulatory hub Tennessee Regulatory hub Texas Regulatory hub Utah Regulatory hub Vermont Regulatory hub Virginia Regulatory hub Washington Regulatory hub West Virginia Regulatory hub Wisconsin Regulatory hub Wyoming Regulatory hub
Common Questions
How senior living regulation works
Who regulates assisted living facilities in the United States?
Assisted living is regulated at the state level, not the federal level. Each state has its own licensing agency, inspection process, staffing requirements, and complaint intake system. There is no single national standard. This is why SilverTech maintains a regulatory hub for each state — the rules, oversight contacts, and verification tools vary significantly from state to state.
How do I verify that a senior living facility is properly licensed?
License verification is handled by each state's licensing agency. The process varies: some states offer online lookup tools; others require a phone call or written request. The state-specific regulatory hub pages on SilverTech link directly to each state's verification tool. You can also find the license number on each facility's listing on SilverTech and cross-reference it with the state database.
How do I file a complaint about a nursing home or assisted living facility?
Complaints can be filed through two main channels: the state licensing agency (which can trigger an unannounced inspection) and the state long-term care ombudsman program (which advocates for residents and investigates concerns). Both are accessible through the state regulatory hub pages on SilverTech. For nursing homes, complaints can also be filed directly with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Does Medicare inspect and rate nursing homes?
Yes. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) conducts regular inspections of Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes and publishes a Five-Star Quality Rating for each facility. The rating covers health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures. SilverTech surfaces CMS certification numbers on nursing home listings, which link to the federal quality database. Assisted living communities are not rated by CMS — they are regulated only at the state level.
What is a long-term care ombudsman?
A long-term care ombudsman is an advocate for residents of nursing homes, assisted living communities, and other long-term care settings. Ombudsman programs are federally mandated but operated at the state and local level. They investigate complaints, advocate for resident rights, and can help families navigate concerns about care quality, discharge decisions, or resident rights violations. Every state's regulatory hub on SilverTech includes direct contact information for the ombudsman program.