We support the owners, operators and staff of boarding homes and board-and-care residences across the United States with clear state-by-state regulatory guidance, practical best practices, and a community that speaks up for this vital part of the care continuum.
All 50 states + DC · Regulatory guide reviewed September 2026
Boarding homes house some of the most vulnerable people in every community — older adults, people living with disabilities or mental illness, and people on fixed incomes. Running one well means keeping up with rules that differ in every state. We make that easier.
Licensing agency, license types, key statutes and regulations, and complaint contacts for every state and DC.
Browse states →Plain-language operating guidance on admissions, medications, resident funds, fire safety, records and more.
Read the guide →Federal programs, training, financing, insurance and help for families choosing or monitoring a home.
See resources →A running tracker of new laws, rule changes and federal actions that affect board-and-care homes.
Latest updates →Every state regulates small residential care settings differently — different names, different agencies, different thresholds for when a license is required. Our guide translates each state’s system into the same simple format so operators, families and policymakers can compare like with like.
Each state guide lists the license categories, the agency in charge, the controlling statutes and regulations with links to official text, what triggers licensure, key operating requirements, and where to file a complaint.
Revised 651 CMR 12.00 took effect July 31, 2026. Under M.G.L. c. 19D, assisted living residences may now provide certain basic health services such as injections, simple dressings and oxygen management.
Official source →Following the April 2025 rewrite of COMAR 10.07.14, assisted living program managers in Maryland must hold a state license as of July 1, 2026. Maryland's definition of an assisted living program has no minimum resident count, so small group homes are covered.
Official source →HB 2520, signed April 6, 2026, raises the resident cap for home plus adult care homes to 16. Homes serving more than 12 residents must have written plans showing they can serve the larger group safely.
Official source →Founding membership is open to owners, operators, administrators, staff, vendors and advocates. Get regulatory alerts, best-practice tools and a voice in national policy.