Last updated 2026-07-25
TL;DR
Arizona assisted living facility licenses are searched through the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) online licensing search tool. You can look up license status, capacity, assisted living manager credentials, and inspection history by facility name, license number, or city. The tool is free and public.
What is the Arizona assisted living license lookup and where do I find it?
The Arizona assisted living license lookup is a public database run by the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS), Bureau of Long Term Care Licensing. It lets anyone search licensed assisted living facilities, adult day health programs, and other health care institutions by name, address, city, or license number [1]. AZDHS calls this the "Health Care Institution Licensing" search, and it pulls directly from the same system inspectors and licensing staff use internally. You don't need an account. You don't pay a fee. You type in a facility name or city, and you get a license number, capacity, license status (active, provisional, suspended, revoked), and often a link to recent survey or complaint history [1]. If you're an operator checking your own listing, or a family member vetting a facility before move-in, this is the first stop. If you're building a new facility and want to see who else is licensed in your zip code, the search doubles as market research too. Separately, Arizona also licenses individual assisted living managers and caregivers through its own credentialing track, and that roster is searchable through a related AZDHS licensing portal [2]. A facility license and a manager credential are two different things, and a lookup that only confirms one doesn't confirm the other.
What is assisted living?
Assisted living is a licensed residential care setting for adults who need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, medication reminders, and meals, but who don't need the round-the-clock skilled nursing care a nursing home provides. Arizona regulates assisted living facilities under Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 10, Article 8, and AZDHS licenses them as a category of health care institution [3]. Arizona's rules split assisted living into three levels based on the assessed needs of residents: assisted living homes (up to 10 residents), assisted living centers (11 or more residents), and adult foster care-style settings that fall under different licensing tracks. Facilities are further classified as basic, personal care, or directed care, depending on how much supervision and health-related service they're authorized to provide [3]. Assisted living is not the same as independent living (no personal care included) and it's not the same as a nursing facility (which is licensed for skilled nursing and rehab under a different set of federal and state rules).
What is a group home?
A group home is a residential setting, usually in an ordinary house in a neighborhood, that houses a small number of people who need support because of age, disability, mental illness, or substance use recovery needs. The term gets used loosely, but licensing agencies usually attach it to specific populations: intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) group homes, behavioral health residential settings, or adult foster care homes. In Arizona, a facility that would colloquially be called a "group home" for seniors needing personal care is usually licensed as an assisted living home (10 beds or fewer) under AZDHS rules [3]. A group home serving adults with developmental disabilities, on the other hand, is typically licensed and certified through the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Division of Developmental Disabilities, a completely separate track with its own application and inspection process. Before you assume which license type applies to your project, confirm the target population and setting with your state licensing agency. The wrong license category is the single most common mistake new operators make.
What is an assisted living facility?
An assisted living facility is the licensed business, the building, and the state-approved capacity together, more than the physical house. In Arizona, the license attaches to a specific address, a specific licensee (the person or entity that owns or operates it), and a specific resident capacity and care level [3]. That's why a license lookup matters even for people who already toured a place in person. A facility can look fully staffed and well run and still be operating past its licensed capacity, under an expired license, or with a directed care designation it isn't actually authorized to provide. AZDHS's public search shows the licensed capacity and care level side by side with the facility's actual status, so a mismatch is visible immediately [1]. If you're licensing a new assisted living facility yourself, the assisted living facility guide walks through the application sequence AZDHS expects, from initial fire and building inspections through the final licensing survey.
What does assisted living provide?
Assisted living provides help with what regulators call "activities of daily living": bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, mobility, and eating, plus medication administration or reminders, meals, housekeeping, laundry, and social activities. Arizona's basic level covers residents who are largely independent; personal care level covers residents needing regular hands-on assistance; directed care level covers residents needing continual supervision because of cognitive or physical impairment [3]. What assisted living does not provide, by definition, is skilled nursing care of the kind delivered in a hospital or nursing facility: IV therapy, ventilator management, complex wound care beyond a basic level, or 24-hour licensed nursing oversight. If a resident's needs cross that line, Arizona rules require the facility to either arrange a higher level of care or discharge the resident to a more appropriate setting [3]. A facility's license record in the AZDHS lookup will show its authorized care level. That's the fastest way to confirm whether a place is even legally allowed to offer what it's advertising.
What is the difference between assisted living and nursing home?
| Licensing body (Arizona) | AZDHS, Bureau of Long Term Care Licensing [1] | AZDHS, plus federal CMS certification for Medicare/Medicaid participation [4] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staffing | Caregivers, assisted living manager, no required 24-hour RN | Registered nurse coverage required, federal minimum staffing standards apply [4] | |
| Typical setting | Home-like, private or semi-private rooms | Clinical, hospital-adjacent environment | |
| Medicare coverage | Room and board not covered by Medicare [5] | Short-term skilled stays can be covered under Part A, subject to conditions [5] | |
| Typical resident need | Help with daily activities, some supervision | Medical/rehab needs requiring licensed nursing daily | CMS finalized a federal minimum staffing rule for nursing homes in 2024, including a requirement tied to registered nurse and total nurse staffing hours per resident day, something assisted living has no federal equivalent for [4]. That regulatory gap is exactly why assisted living costs less on average but also can't legally take residents whose needs exceed personal care. |
The core difference is licensure and staffing intensity. Assisted living is licensed for personal care and supervision; a nursing home (skilled nursing facility) is licensed for 24-hour nursing care and is certified separately under federal Medicare and Medicaid rules. | Feature | Assisted living | Nursing home (skilled nursing facility) |
Does Medicare cover assisted living facilities?
No. Medicare does not cover the room and board cost of assisted living. CMS is explicit that "Medicare doesn't cover room and board for long-term care" including assisted living, and it only pays for specific medical services a resident might receive while living there, like doctor visits or short-term home health, the same way it would for someone living at home [5]. Medicare Part A can cover a short-term stay in a certified skilled nursing facility after a qualifying hospital stay, but that is different from long-term assisted living and comes with strict day limits and coinsurance after day 20 [5]. Medicaid, unlike Medicare, sometimes helps cover assisted living-type services through state Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers, though it generally still doesn't pay for room and board itself. Arizona's Medicaid program (AHCCCS) operates its Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) which can help cover personal care services in some licensed settings for eligible members [6]. Coverage rules, provider networks, and eligibility change by state and by year, so confirm current terms with AHCCCS or Medicaid.gov before you plan a business model around it.
How do I start a group home?
Starting a group home or assisted living facility in Arizona means choosing the right license category first, then working through zoning, building and fire code compliance, staffing plans, and a licensing application before you can accept a single resident. Skipping ahead on any of these steps is the most common reason applications stall. Here's the rough sequence AZDHS and comparable state agencies expect: 1. Decide the population you'll serve (seniors needing personal care, adults with IDD, behavioral health, etc.) since that determines which state agency licenses you. 2. Check local zoning. Many jurisdictions treat a small residential care home as a permitted single-family use, but larger centers can trigger commercial zoning and separate land-use approval. 3. Secure a location that can pass a life-safety and fire marshal inspection for the intended occupancy type and count. 4. Write your policy and procedure manual: admission/discharge criteria, medication management, emergency plans, resident rights, staffing ratios. 5. Hire and credential a qualified assisted living manager, since Arizona requires a certified manager on assisted living licenses [2]. 6. Submit the license application to AZDHS with the required fee, floor plan, and supporting documents [3]. 7. Pass the pre-licensing survey/inspection before AZDHS issues the license. For state-specific requirements, confirm current fee amounts, application forms, and timelines with your state licensing agency, since these details change and vary by state. If you want a structured starting point rather than assembling every checklist from scratch, GroupHomePath's $299 State Group Home Licensing Kit lays out the state-specific document sequence, policy manual templates, and staffing plan structure so you're not guessing at what AZDHS (or another state's agency) actually wants to see. Find it at /licensing-kit-builder.
How do I use the Arizona license lookup to check inspection history?
Once you find a facility's record in the AZDHS search tool, look for links or references to survey reports, complaint investigations, and any enforcement action (deficiency citations, provisional status, license suspension). AZDHS licensing surveys check compliance with Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 10, and any substantiated complaint typically generates a report you can request or that may be posted [1][3]. A clean record doesn't guarantee good care, and a citation on record doesn't automatically mean a facility is unsafe today; deficiencies get corrected and licenses get renewed constantly. What you're really checking for is a pattern: repeat citations for the same issue (staffing ratios, medication errors, unqualified caregivers) or a license currently in provisional or suspended status. If you can't find survey documents through the online tool, Arizona's public records request process (a standard public records request to AZDHS) is the fallback, since health care licensing records are generally public unless a specific exemption applies.
How do I verify an assisted living manager's credential in Arizona?
Arizona requires assisted living facilities to have a certified assisted living manager overseeing operations, and that individual credential is checked separately from the facility license. AZDHS maintains manager certification records and offers a way to confirm an individual's certification status and expiration date [2]. Why this matters for a lookup: a facility can have an active facility license while its manager credential has lapsed, been placed on probation, or needs renewal. If you're buying an existing facility, hiring a manager, or just vetting a place for a family member, checking both records (facility license and manager certification) gives you the complete picture instead of half of it. Manager certification in Arizona typically requires completing an AZDHS-approved training curriculum and passing a competency exam, with periodic continuing education for renewal. Confirm current hour requirements and renewal cycles directly with AZDHS since training rule updates happen periodically.
What should I do if I can't find a facility in the lookup?
If a facility doesn't show up in the AZDHS search, treat that as a serious warning sign, not a technical glitch. It can mean the facility never obtained a license, is operating under a different legal name than what's posted publicly, or the license lapsed and wasn't renewed. Before assuming the worst, try a few troubleshooting steps: search by the physical address instead of the business name, search by owner or licensee name if you have it, and check for common misspellings or DBA ('doing business as') names. Assisted living facilities sometimes operate under a marketing name that differs from the legal license name. If none of that works, call AZDHS's Bureau of Long Term Care Licensing directly. Operating an unlicensed assisted living facility is a violation of Arizona Administrative Code Title 9 and AZDHS does pursue enforcement action against unlicensed operations, so if you suspect one, reporting it is a legitimate next step [3].
What records will a facility license lookup NOT tell you?
A license lookup confirms legal status, capacity, and care level, but it won't tell you about day-to-day quality of care, staff turnover, food quality, or how residents are actually treated. Those things require an in-person visit, unannounced if possible, plus talking to current residents' families. The lookup also won't reflect very recent events. If a complaint was filed last week, it may not appear in the public record yet since investigations and report publication take time. A license showing 'active' status today reflects the last renewal or survey cycle, not a live camera into the building. Treat the lookup as a screening tool, the first filter that rules out unlicensed or currently-suspended operations, not the last word on whether to trust a facility with someone you care about.
Frequently asked questions
What is assisted living?
Assisted living is a licensed residential setting where adults get help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication reminders, plus meals and supervision, without the round-the-clock skilled nursing care a nursing home provides. Arizona licenses these under AZDHS as assisted living homes or centers, split by basic, personal care, or directed care levels [3].
What is a group home?
A group home is a small residential setting housing people who need support because of age, disability, mental illness, or recovery needs, usually in a house within a neighborhood. Depending on the population served, it can be licensed as an assisted living home, an IDD group home, or a behavioral health residential facility, each under a different state agency.
What is an assisted living facility?
An assisted living facility is the licensed business and building together: a specific address, licensee, resident capacity, and authorized care level, all tied to one license issued by AZDHS in Arizona [3]. The license, not the building's appearance, is what makes it legally an assisted living facility.
What is assisted living facility care level, and does it matter?
Yes. Arizona classifies assisted living facilities as basic, personal care, or directed care, based on how much supervision and health-related service residents need [3]. A facility licensed only for basic care isn't legally allowed to accept residents needing directed care level supervision, so checking the care level on the license lookup matters before move-in.
What is the difference between assisted living and nursing home?
Assisted living provides help with daily activities and some supervision but no required 24-hour nursing staff. A nursing home is licensed for skilled nursing care, is federally certified for Medicare/Medicaid participation, and must meet federal minimum staffing standards including registered nurse coverage under a 2024 CMS rule [4].
Does Medicare cover assisted living facilities?
No. CMS states Medicare doesn't cover room and board for long-term care settings, including assisted living [5]. Medicare may still pay for specific medical services a resident receives, like doctor visits, but not the cost of living there. Medicaid, through state waiver programs, sometimes helps with personal care costs instead.
How do I start a group home?
Start by identifying which population you'll serve, since that determines your licensing agency. Then confirm zoning, secure a location that passes fire/life-safety inspection, write your policy manual, hire a qualified manager, and submit your license application with the required documents to your state agency before any resident moves in.
How do I look up an assisted living facility's license in Arizona?
Use the AZDHS online Health Care Institution Licensing search, searchable by facility name, address, city, or license number [1]. It shows license status, capacity, and care level for free, with no account required.
How do I know if an Arizona assisted living manager is properly certified?
Check AZDHS's assisted living manager certification records separately from the facility license lookup [2]. A facility can be actively licensed even if its manager's individual certification has lapsed, so both records need checking for a full picture.
What does an assisted living facility license lookup NOT show me?
It won't show day-to-day quality of care, staff turnover, or very recent unreported complaints. Investigations take time to post publicly, and a facility can look clean on paper while having real problems that only an in-person visit or conversation with current families will reveal.
What happens if a facility isn't listed in the AZDHS lookup at all?
That's a red flag. Try searching by physical address or owner name first in case of a name mismatch, then call AZDHS's Bureau of Long Term Care Licensing directly. Operating without a license violates Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, and AZDHS does pursue enforcement against unlicensed facilities [3].
Is Arizona's assisted living license lookup free to use?
Yes. The AZDHS Health Care Institution Licensing search is a free public tool with no login or fee required, funded as part of the agency's standard licensing and public transparency function [1].
Sources
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Health Care Institution Licensing search: AZDHS operates a public search tool for licensed assisted living facilities and other health care institutions
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Assisted Living Facility Manager Certification: Arizona requires certified assisted living managers and maintains a separate certification record from the facility license
- Arizona Secretary of State, Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 10: Arizona's assisted living facility licensing categories, care levels, and licensing requirements are set in AAC Title 9, Chapter 10
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities final rule: CMS finalized federal minimum staffing standards for nursing homes in 2024 including registered nurse staffing requirements
- Medicare.gov, Long-term care coverage: Medicare does not cover room and board for long-term care including assisted living
- Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona Long Term Care System: Arizona's Medicaid program operates ALTCS which can help cover personal care services for eligible members