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Services / Starting an Assisted Living Facility

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Starting an Assisted Living Facility

Policies and procedures to open a licensed assisted living program in Maryland.

Before operating an assisted living program in Maryland, you must first obtain an Assisted Living Program license from the Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ). The first step is the licensure application, which must be typed and submitted online with all required attachments.

Who it is for

  • Prospective owners and operators of assisted living homes
  • Nurses and administrators planning a new residential care program
  • Families or investors who need to understand licensing before buying or leasing a property

What you will learn

  • The licensing application, Uniform Disclosure Statement, and required attachments
  • Owner and applicant requirements: age 21 or older, ownership disclosures (25 percent or more), and history of any license denial or revocation
  • Background checks for owners, the assisted living manager, the alternate manager, other staff, and household members
  • Proof the facility is owned, leased, or controlled by the applicant, plus zoning approval and local health, fire, and area agency on aging approvals where required
  • Choosing the level of care and naming your assisted living manager (ALM)
  • Business plan, 1 year operating budget, and the policies and procedures you will implement
  • Other items your jurisdiction may require, such as workers' compensation, facility plan review, food service permit, and rental license
  • Delegating nurse and manager reporting duties, and reporting building or fire code violations to OHCQ within 7 days

Class format

  • Step by step walk through of the OHCQ application
  • Review of COMAR 10.07.14 in plain language
  • Checklist for the property and approvals you need before applying

After the class

  • Submit the application and attachments through OHCQ's online license application link
  • An owner or manager whose license was suspended or revoked generally cannot own or run another assisted living program for 10 years
  • OHCQ can deny licensure based on violations history or certain criminal convictions, weighing factors such as how long ago and how serious
  • COMAR 10.07.14 was revised effective April 2025 and further changes are proposed, so confirm current rules with OHCQ

Sources

Information is summarized from the sources above. Requirements can change, so we confirm current details at registration.