Do You Need an Attorney for Your Assisted Living License?

assisted living application assisted living license assisted living licensing process care home license do i need an attorney for assisted living policies and procedures assisted living residential assisted living license Jul 09, 2025

One big question we hear a lot is:

👉 “Do I need an attorney to help me get licensed?”

Let’s break this down in a super simple way so you can feel confident and clear on your next step.

Check out this video, too:

Why This Matters

Getting your license is one of the first and most important steps in starting your assisted living home.

But here’s the deal: most people overcomplicate this part. You don’t need a law degree or a big budget to get it done. You just need the right info.

What Is a Facility License?

Before we talk attorneys, let’s get clear on what kind of license we’re even talking about. There are a few:

✅ Care Home – Basic level. Usually 4–6 residents.
✅ Residential Assisted Living (RAL) – Most homes we talk about at Assisted Living Investing. Usually 6–20 residents.
✅ Assisted Living Facility – Bigger, more commercial. 20+ residents.
✅ Other Types – Memory care, mental health, sober living, etc.

All of these fall under your state’s health department (or something similar). And all require a similar application and inspection process.

What’s in the Application?

Every state is different, but here’s what most applications include:

📝 Basic info (your name, location, contact details)
🏡 How many residents you’ll have
👥 What kind of people you’ll serve
📄 Your policies and procedures (more on that below)
🔥 Proof of inspections (fire marshal, zoning, maybe health department)

Most applications are 3–10 pages long and have a lot of crossover with funding applications. So the work you do here can help when applying for SBA loans too (or vice versa).

Don’t Forget the Policies & Procedures

This is the biggest part of your licensing packet.

You’ll need a detailed policy and procedure manual — usually 200–300 pages long — that shows how you’ll run your home.

Examples include:

How you’ll handle medications
What happens during an emergency
Even weird stuff like how you deal with cleaning up vomit (seriously!)

These policies must match state regulations and even cite the laws or statutes you're following. You can get this info from your health department or someone like me who’s done it before.

So... Do You Need an Attorney?

Here’s the honest truth: NO, you do not need an attorney to complete your assisted living license application.

You might want one to:

✔ Review your policies and procedures
✔ Answer a weird question on the form
✔ Double-check for peace of mind

But most of the info? It’s stuff you already know — your name, your home, your residents.

When Should You Use an Attorney?

There are two smart times to use a lawyer:

✅ Setting up your legal entity (LLC, S-corp, etc.)
✅ Creating lease or purchase agreements for your home

But for licensing? Save your money. You can do this on your own, or get help from a coach like me.

Take Action Now

🎯 Want to build your business plan with confidence?
Download the free Business Plan Checklis t to make sure you’re on track from day one.

🎯 Ready for full support?
Apply for the ALI Mastermind — we’ll walk you through licensing, policy creation, inspections, and more.

You don’t have to do this alone.

Download Your FREE Calculator

Send Me My Calculator

Stay connected with news and updates!

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.

We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.