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Adult day care center license requirements by state
Daytime care, supervision and activities for adults. Whether each state requires a license, who issues it, what it costs, certificate of need and the Medicaid rate, with the official source for each.
- States compiled
- 51 of 51
- Require a state license
- 35
- No state license
- 16
- States with a CON program
- 37of states compiled
On this page
By state
Adult day care center requirements in every state
States still being compiled are marked; we only publish a state once its details are confirmed against the official source.
| State | License | Issuing agency | Fee | Renewal | CON program | Medicaid rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not required | Alabama Medicaid Agency, with the Alabama Department of Senior Services as operating agency for the Elderly and Disabled waiver | — | — | Yes | $4.06per 15 min |
| Alaska | Not required | Alaska Department of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services | — | — | Yes | $9.30per 15 min |
| Arizona | Adult day health care facility license. Social-model adult day care is not licensed and may serve only private-pay participants (HHS 2014). | Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Residential Facilities Licensing | $50 | Every year · Initial and renewal licenses were issued for 1 year (HHS 2014). | No | $6.88per 15 min |
| Arkansas | Adult day care (ADC) facility license or adult day health care (ADHC) facility license, issued under separate rules | Arkansas Department of Human Services, Office of Long Term Care | — | Every year · Annual renewal is required for all ADC and ADHC licenses (HHS 2014). The fee is entered on the application form; no amount is printed. | Yes | $1.68per 15 min |
| California | Adult Day Health Center (ADHC) license from CDPH. Medi-Cal payment additionally requires Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) certification from the California Department of Aging. Social-model adult day programs are licensed separately by CDSS as community care facilities (HHS 2014). | California Department of Public Health, Licensing and Certification (ADHC license); California Department of Aging, CBAS Bureau (CBAS certification) | — | — | No | $36.35per hour |
| Colorado | Not required | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (survey); Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (Medicaid enrollment) | — | — | No | $7.28per 15 min |
| Connecticut | Not required | Connecticut Department of Social Services (payer); certification by the Connecticut Association of Adult Day Centers or a DSS designee | — | — | Yes | $7.63per 15 min |
| Delaware | Adult day care facility license; applies to programs serving 4 or more functionally impaired adults (HHS 2014) | Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Health Care Quality | — | — | Yes | $39.35per hour |
| District of Columbia | Not required | DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) | — | — | Yes | $7.89per 15 min |
| Florida | Adult day care center license; a specialty license is needed to operate as a Specialized Alzheimer's Services adult day care center | Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), Assisted Living Unit | — | Every 2 years · Licenses are issued for two years (HHS 2014). Renewal is through AHCA Online Licensing. | Yes | $6.85per 15 min |
| Georgia | Adult day center license, covering adult day care and/or adult day health services for 3 or more people; mobile adult day centers need Department approval | Georgia Department of Community Health, Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (Personal Care Home Program) | — | — | Yes | $6.89per 15 min |
| Hawaii | Freestanding adult day health center license (OHCA also maintains a separate list of licensed adult day care centers) | Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance | — | — | Yes | $4.00per 15 min |
| Idaho | Not required | Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid; Idaho Commission on Aging (Older Americans Act programs) | — | — | No | $6.11per 15 min |
| Illinois | Not required | Illinois Department on Aging (Community Care Program) | — | — | Yes | $30.80per hour |
| Indiana | Not required | Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning | — | — | Yes | $8.59per 15 min |
| Iowa | Adult day services certification (equivalent to licensure); every adult day services provider must be certified | Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) | — | — | Yes | $10.50per 15 min |
| Kansas | Adult day care license (an adult care home classification) | Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) | KDADS lists adult day care among the adult care home type… | — | No | $4.98per 15 min |
| Kentucky | Adult day health care (ADHC) license from OIG for the medical model; social-model adult day care / Alzheimer's respite programs are certified by DAIL | Kentucky CHFS Office of Inspector General (ADHC license); Department for Aging and Independent Living (social adult day certification) | — | — | Yes | $9.00per 15 min |
| Louisiana | Adult day health care center license (medical model; 2 or more unrelated functionally impaired adults; open at least 5 continuous hours a day) | Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section | A non-refundable application fee is required where applic… | Renewal requires the ADHC renewal application and proof of continued financial viability, including the $50,000 line of credit. | Yes | $4.77per 15 min |
| Maine | Adult day services program license, required of every provider whether publicly funded or private pay (adult day health, social adult day, and dementia night programs) | Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Licensing and Certification | — | Every year · Licenses are renewed annually (HHS 2014). | Yes | $9.87per 15 min |
| Maryland | Adult medical day care center license | Maryland Department of Health, Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) | $0 | — | Yes | $9.72per 15 min |
| Massachusetts | Adult day health (ADH) program license from the Department of Public Health. Supportive (social) day and dementia day programs are not licensed (HHS 2014). | Massachusetts Department of Public Health (license); MassHealth (provider approval and prior authorization) | — | — | Yes | $56,676.00per month |
| Michigan | Not required | Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MI Choice waiver); Area Agencies on Aging | — | — | Yes | $27.00per hour |
| Minnesota | Adult day care center license or family adult day services license under the Human Services Licensing Act | Minnesota Department of Human Services, Licensing Division | — | — | No | $5.25per 15 min |
| Mississippi | Not required | Mississippi Division of Medicaid, Office of Long Term Care | — | — | Yes | $136.50per day |
| Missouri | Adult day care program license (programs serving 5 or more functionally impaired adults) | Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Regulation and Licensure — Section for Long-Term Care Regulation | License fee by licensed capacity: 8 or fewer $25; 9–16 $5… | The same application form and fee schedule are used for renewals. | Yes | $9.75per 15 min |
| Montana | Adult day care center license, required whether the center serves only private-pay clients or Medicaid | Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General — Licensure Bureau | — | — | Yes | $9.23per 15 min |
| Nebraska | Adult day service license, required for programs serving 4 or more people (a separate license is needed when a licensed health facility serves 4+ non-residents) | Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure Unit | Initial and renewal license fees: capacity 4–16 $200; 17–… | DHHS mails an expiration notice and renewal application; return it with the renewal fee. | Yes | $28.00per hour |
| Nevada | License as a facility for the care of adults during the day (adult day care / adult day health care) | Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance | $0 | — | Yes | $6.25per 15 min |
| New Hampshire | Adult day program license (programs serving 3 or more people, public or private pay; HHS 2014) | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Health Facilities Administration | $200 | — | No | $8.00per 15 min |
| New Jersey | Adult day health services facility license, required regardless of payer. Social adult day care centers are not licensed by DOH (HHS 2014). | New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Certificate of Need and Licensing | — | — | Yes | $26.68per hour |
| New Mexico | Adult day care center license (commercial building, 3 or more adults) or adult day care home license (private residence, 3 to 5 adults) | New Mexico Health Care Authority | Every license application needs the fee set by the licens… | — | No | $7.46per 15 min |
| New York | Adult day health care (ADHC) program approval under the sponsoring nursing home's operating certificate, through Certificate of Need. Social adult day services are not licensed or certified. | New York State Department of Health | — | — | Yes | $35.36per hour |
| North Carolina | Adult day care program certification (10A NCAC 06R) and/or adult day health program certification (10A NCAC 06S); certification is required of programs defined in G.S. 131D-6 | North Carolina DHHS, Division of Aging and Adult Services, with county departments of social services | — | — | Yes | $107.42per month |
| North Dakota | Not required | North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Adults and Aging Services | — | — | No | $9.59per 15 min |
| Ohio | Not required | Ohio Department of Aging | — | — | Yes | $8.26per Fifteen minutes |
| Oklahoma | Adult day care center license, one per site; required regardless of other licenses held | Oklahoma State Department of Health, Health Facility Systems | $75 | Every year · Licenses expire July 31 each year (an initial license expires 180 days after issuance). Apply to renew at least 45 days before expiration with a $75 fee, prorated if the license expires before July 31. | Yes | $5.50per 15 min |
| Oregon | Not required | Oregon Department of Human Services, Aging and People with Disabilities | — | Every 2 years · Certification generally lasts up to two years; to recertify, the program submits a new certification self-assessment. | Yes | $42.24per hour |
| Pennsylvania | Older adult daily living center license, required when 4 or more unrelated clients are served at the same time for part of a day | Pennsylvania Department of Aging, licensing division | — | Every year · Interim and provisional licenses last no more than 6 months; a regular license lasts no more than 12 months. | No | $4.87per 15 min |
| Rhode Island | Adult day care program license | Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) | $0 | Every 2 years · Licenses expire on March 31 of each odd-numbered year and may be renewed. | Yes | $41.25per day |
| South Carolina | License for a day care facility for adults, required for all adult day care whether publicly or privately funded (HHS 2014) | South Carolina Department of Public Health, Healthcare Facility Licensing | License fee of $3 per participant for an initial license … | — | Yes | $6.25per 15 min |
| South Dakota | Not required | South Dakota Department of Human Services, Division of Long Term Services and Supports | — | — | No | $10.81per 15 min |
| Tennessee | Adult day services center license, required for centers serving 5 or more people (lowered from 10 in 2017) | Tennessee Department of Human Services | — | — | Yes | $6.59per 15 min |
| Texas | Day Activity and Health Services (DAHS) facility license (formerly adult day care); a licensed nurse must oversee services | Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Long-Term Care Regulation | — | — | No | $4.57per 15 min |
| Utah | Adult day care license under the human services program licensing rules. HHS (2014) reported that nursing facilities and certain assisted living facilities offering adult day care need no separate license. | Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Licensing and Background Checks (Office of Licensing) | — | — | No | $21.21per 15 min |
| Vermont | Adult day provider certification from DAIL's Adult Services Division under the Standards for Adult Day Services in Vermont. HHS (2014) noted it is technically needed only for DAIL-funded programs, but all known providers are certified. | Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, Adult Services Division | — | — | Yes | $12.98per 15 min |
| Virginia | Adult day center license (renamed from adult day care center in 2024), for centers serving 4 or more aged, infirm or disabled adults who live elsewhere | Virginia Department of Social Services, Division of Licensing Programs | — | — | Yes | $17.97per hour |
| Washington | Not required | Washington DSHS, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (contracts through Area Agencies on Aging) | — | — | Yes | $8.18per OF |
| West Virginia | Medical adult day care center license. Mainly social or recreational programs are not licensed (HHS 2014). | West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC) | $100 | — | Yes | $6.75per 15 min |
| Wisconsin | Not required | Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Quality Assurance | Certification fee is $127 for two years; DQA sends fee no… | Every 2 years · $127 every two years. | Yes | $5.25per 15-min. |
| Wyoming | Adult day care facility license | Wyoming Department of Health, Aging Division — Healthcare Licensing and Surveys | The licensure fee is set in Chapter 1, Rules and Regulati… | — | No | $8.25per 15 min |
Medicaid rate: the companion care fee-for-service rate, linked to the state's fee schedule. Fees as printed by the licensing agency; where it gives a range or formula, the page for that state has the wording.