Minnesota assisted living license lookup: how to verify a facility

Last updated 2026-07-25

How do I look up a Minnesota assisted living license?

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) runs the official lookup tool, and it's free to use. MDH's Health Regulation Division maintains an online facility finder where you can search licensed assisted living facilities by name, city, county, or license number ^[1]. The results show whether the license is active, the facility's licensed capacity, its assisted living type (standard or assisted living with dementia care), and any recent survey or complaint findings. If you're checking a facility before signing a lease as an operator, or vetting a competitor's standing, or just confirming a place your relative is considering is legitimately licensed, this database is the first stop. It pulls directly from MDH's licensing system, not a third-party aggregator, so it reflects the state's own records. A second, related tool worth knowing: MDH also posts assisted living facility report cards and survey results through its Office of Health Facility Complaints pages, which show inspection findings and correction orders tied to specific license numbers ^[2]. If a search turns up a facility with an unusually long list of correction orders, that's worth reading closely before you assume it's a red flag or a non-issue. Some correction orders are minor paperwork fixes; others involve resident health and safety. For operators building their own compliance file, keep a screenshot or PDF of your own license lookup result dated at intake and again before any acquisition or transfer of ownership. Surveyors and county contract staff sometimes ask for it.

What is assisted living?

Assisted living is a licensed residential setting where adults, mostly older adults, live in their own room or apartment and receive help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, medication management, and meals, without needing full hospital-level nursing care. It sits between independent senior housing and a nursing home on the care spectrum. Minnesota defines it in statute as a service, not a building type: Minnesota Statutes section 144G.08 defines "assisted living services" as services provided to a resident of a housing unit under an assisted living contract, and requires the provider to hold an assisted living facility license issued by the commissioner of health ^[3]. That's a meaningfully different legal structure than many other states, where the physical building itself is what gets licensed under a separate category name (residential care home, RCFE, personal care home, and so on). Medicare.gov's own consumer glossary describes assisted living as "a residence for people who need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom, but who don't need the level of care nursing homes provide" ^[4]. That's a fair plain-language summary and it lines up with how Minnesota's statute treats it operationally, even though the legal mechanism (licensing the service and the contract, more than the building) is state-specific.

What is a group home?

"Group home" is a broader, less legally precise term than "assisted living facility." It generally refers to a residential home, often licensed for a smaller number of residents (commonly under 10, though thresholds vary by state and by population served), where people with disabilities, mental illness, substance use recovery needs, or age-related care needs live together with staff support. In Minnesota, the closest formal category to what most people mean by "group home" for adults with disabilities is licensed under Department of Human Services (DHS) programs, separate from MDH's assisted living license. Adult foster care and community residential settings for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities are licensed by DHS under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 245D and related home and community-based services rules, not under the assisted living statute ^[5]. If you're planning to open a home serving adults with IDD or mental illness rather than older adults needing personal care, you're generally looking at a different license and a different agency than the assisted living lookup covers. This distinction trips up a lot of first-time operators. "Assisted living" and "group home" get used interchangeably in casual conversation, but in Minnesota they run through different statutes, different licensing divisions, and different inspection standards. Confirm with your state licensing agency which category actually applies to the population you intend to serve before you file anything.

What is an assisted living facility (and how is it licensed in Minnesota)?

An assisted living facility, under Minnesota law, is any establishment providing sleeping accommodations to one or more adult residents and offering or providing assisted living services, whether directly or by arrangement, under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G ^[3]. The 2021 overhaul (effective August 1, 2021) replaced the state's older "housing with services" registration model and created a single, unified assisted living license issued by MDH. There are two license types operators should know: standard assisted living licenses and assisted living facilities with dementia care licenses. The dementia care designation requires additional staff training hours and specific secure-unit and programming standards under the same chapter ^[3]. If you plan to serve residents with dementia in a locked or secured unit, you need the dementia care endorsement, more than the base license. Application basics (confirm current fee amounts and exact form numbers with MDH directly, since these change): applicants submit through MDH's Health Regulation Division, undergo a background study for controlling individuals and staff, submit facility plans, and complete a licensing survey before the license is issued. MDH publishes its assisted living licensing application instructions and checklist on its Health Regulation Division site ^[1]. Because fee schedules and required attachments get updated periodically, treat any number you see in a blog post (including this one) as a starting point to verify, not a final figure.

What is assisted living vs nursing home?

Licensing agency	MDH Health Regulation Division	MDH Health Regulation Division
Statute	Minn. Stat. 144G [3]	Minn. Stat. 144A [7]
Nursing staff	Not required 24/7 in base license	Licensed nurse required 24/7
Typical resident need	Help with ADLs, medication management	Skilled nursing, rehab, complex medical care
Medicare coverage	Not covered as room and board	Covers up to 100 days post-hospital under Part A, subject to conditions [8]
Medicaid coverage	May cover services via HCBS waiver, not room and board	Covers long-term nursing facility stays for eligible enrollees	If you're deciding which license to pursue as an operator, this distinction also drives your staffing budget and construction requirements. A nursing home build-out under Chapter 144A involves far more stringent life safety and clinical space requirements than a Chapter 144G assisted living facility.

The core difference is level of medical care and the legal license category. Assisted living provides help with daily living activities and some health monitoring, but is not licensed to provide the round-the-clock skilled nursing care a nursing home provides. Nursing homes (called "nursing facilities" in federal Medicaid/Medicare rules) are licensed separately and must meet federal Conditions of Participation for Medicare and Medicaid certification under 42 CFR Part 483 ^[6]. Medicare's consumer materials draw the line simply: assisted living residents need help with daily activities but not nursing-home-level care, while nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled nursing and rehabilitation services for people recovering from illness, injury, or surgery, or managing serious ongoing medical needs ^[4]. In Minnesota specifically, nursing homes are licensed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144A, a completely separate chapter from the Chapter 144G assisted living license ^[7]. Different statute, different survey process, different staffing rules. Here's a practical comparison for operators and families sorting out which setting fits: | Feature | Assisted Living (MN Ch. 144G) | Nursing Home (MN Ch. 144A) |

What does assisted living provide?

Assisted living services in Minnesota, as defined by statute, can include help with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, eating), medication management, health monitoring, housekeeping, meals, and social or recreational programming, all delivered under a written assisted living contract between the facility and the resident ^[3]. The exact package of services a resident receives depends on what's in their individual contract and their assessed needs, not a fixed statewide menu. MDH requires facilities to complete a resident assessment and develop a service plan before or shortly after move-in, and to update it as needs change ^[3]. This assessment-driven model means two residents in the same building can have very different service plans and, often, different monthly costs tied to their level of need. What assisted living does not typically provide: ongoing skilled nursing care, IV therapy, ventilator management, or the kind of complex medical oversight a nursing home delivers. If a resident's needs escalate beyond what the facility's license and staffing allow, Minnesota law requires the facility to either arrange for additional services or help transition the resident to a more appropriate setting, an obligation spelled out in the assisted living bill of rights and transfer/discharge provisions of Chapter 144G ^[3].

Does Medicare cover assisted living facilities?

No. Medicare does not pay for the room and board costs of assisted living, and it generally does not cover the personal care services (help with bathing, dressing, and similar daily activities) that make up most of what assisted living provides. CMS is direct about this: Medicare.gov states that "Medicare doesn't cover room and board for assisted living or long-term care in an assisted living facility" ^[4]. Medicare Part A and Part B can still cover medically necessary services a resident receives while living in an assisted living facility, things like doctor visits, physical therapy, or durable medical equipment, the same way it would for anyone at home. But the facility's monthly fee itself, covering rent, meals, and personal care staff, is the resident's or family's responsibility, or in some cases covered by long-term care insurance or Medicaid waiver programs for people who qualify. Medicaid is a different story, though still limited. Minnesota's Medicaid program (Medical Assistance) can cover assisted living services (not room and board) for eligible enrollees through home and community-based services waivers, and CMS's Medicaid.gov confirms that state Medicaid programs may cover home and community-based long-term services and supports, including personal care, under HCBS waiver authority . If you're advising families or building a business plan around Medicaid-funded residents, understand the room-and-board/services split carefully; it affects your revenue model and your resident admission agreements.

What is the difference between assisted living and nursing home (state-by-state note)?

The clinical distinction (help with daily living vs. skilled nursing care) holds nationally, but the licensing mechanics differ a lot by state, and that matters if you're comparing a Minnesota license lookup result to what you'd find in another state's database. Some states license the building; Minnesota licenses the service and requires an assisted living contract tied to that license ^[3]. Some states use terms like "residential care facility for the elderly" or "personal care home" for what Minnesota calls assisted living. If you operate across state lines, or you're researching Minnesota's model to compare against another state's group home or assisted living rules, our state-by-state licensing guides walk through how these categories map differently across jurisdictions. Don't assume a license lookup tool, a fee schedule, or a staffing ratio from one state transfers to another; verify each one independently with that state's licensing agency.

How to start a group home (or assisted living facility) in Minnesota

Starting any licensed residential care operation in Minnesota, whether it's an assisted living facility under MDH or a DHS-licensed group home for adults with disabilities, follows a similar general arc, even though the specific agency, statute, and forms differ. 1. Identify the correct license category and agency first. Confirm with your state licensing agency whether your target population (older adults needing personal care vs. adults with IDD, mental illness, or substance use disorders) falls under MDH's Chapter 144G assisted living license or a DHS license under Chapter 245D or related human services licensing chapters ^[5]. Getting this wrong wastes months. 2. Check zoning and local requirements before signing a lease or purchase agreement. Cities and counties in Minnesota can have their own conditional use permit or reasonable accommodation processes for group residential facilities; this is separate from state licensing and needs its own research. 3. Complete required background studies. Minnesota requires background studies for facility license holders, managers, and staff who have direct contact with residents, run through the state's background study system tied to Chapter 245C for human services licensees and equivalent provisions for assisted living ^[5]. 4. Build your policy manual, staffing plan, and emergency preparedness plan. These are core application attachments regardless of which license you're pursuing, and they get reviewed again at every renewal survey. 5. Submit your application, pay the required fee, and schedule your pre-licensure survey. Fee amounts and exact application forms change; verify the current numbers directly on MDH's or DHS's licensing pages rather than trusting a fixed dollar figure from any secondhand source. 6. Pass the initial survey and address any correction orders before your license is issued. Building the paperwork stack from scratch, state statute citations, policy manual templates, staffing plan worksheets, is the single biggest time sink for first-time operators. That's the gap our $299 one-time State Group Home Licensing Kit is built to close: it organizes the state-specific application requirements, sample policies, and staffing plan structure into one place so you're not starting from a blank page. It doesn't replace your own reading of the statute or a conversation with your licensor, but it saves real research time.

How do I start a group home? (step-by-step for non-Minnesota readers too)

If you're outside Minnesota, or working across multiple states, the process rhymes even though the agency names and statute numbers change. Every state requires: (1) identifying the correct license category for your population, (2) a criminal background check process for owners and staff, (3) a physical plant that meets fire/life-safety code for a residential care occupancy, (4) written policies covering admission, medication management, emergency preparedness, and resident rights, (5) a staffing plan that meets minimum ratios or qualifications set by that state, and (6) a pre-licensure inspection. What varies enormously: fee amounts, minimum square footage per resident, staff training hour requirements, and how long the review process takes. Some states publish a target review timeline; others don't commit to one publicly. Don't assume any number quoted for one state applies to another, and don't take a rough estimate as a guarantee, licensing timelines depend heavily on how complete your initial submission is. Our assisted living facility and assisted living facilities guides break down how these requirements differ by state category if you're scoping a multi-state expansion.

What should I do if a facility isn't showing up in the Minnesota lookup?

If a facility you're researching doesn't appear in MDH's assisted living search tool, that's a real red flag worth following up on directly with MDH, not something to assume is a database glitch. Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G makes operating as an assisted living facility without a license illegal; the license is what authorizes a provider to offer assisted living services under a resident contract in the first place ^[3]. Before concluding a place is unlicensed, double check your search terms. Facilities sometimes operate under a legal entity name different from their public-facing marketing name, and MDH's database searches by the licensed name. Try searching by city or county instead of facility name, and cross-check the address. If you still can't find it, contact MDH's Health Regulation Division directly. Placing a family member, or opening your own facility next door to an unlicensed operation, carries real risk, both regulatory and reputational.

Frequently asked questions

What is assisted living in simple terms?

Assisted living is a licensed residential setting where adults, usually older adults, live in their own room or apartment and get help with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, and medication management, without needing the round-the-clock skilled nursing care a nursing home provides. Minnesota licenses it under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G, through the Department of Health.

What is a group home in Minnesota?

In everyday use, a group home is a residential setting where several unrelated adults with disabilities, mental illness, or age-related needs live together with staff support. In Minnesota, homes serving adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities are typically licensed by the Department of Human Services under Chapter 245D, a different license than the MDH assisted living license.

What is an assisted living facility under Minnesota law?

Under Minnesota Statutes section 144G.08, it's any establishment providing sleeping accommodations to one or more adult residents that also offers or provides assisted living services under a signed assisted living contract, and it must hold a license issued by the Minnesota Department of Health to operate legally.

What is the difference between assisted living and a nursing home?

Assisted living helps residents with daily living activities and some health monitoring but doesn't provide 24-hour skilled nursing care. Nursing homes provide round-the-clock licensed nursing care and are licensed under a separate statute (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144A) with stricter clinical staffing and Medicare/Medicaid Conditions of Participation under 42 CFR Part 483.

Does Medicare cover assisted living facility costs?

No. Medicare.gov states plainly that Medicare doesn't cover room and board for assisted living or long-term custodial care. It can still cover medically necessary services like doctor visits or physical therapy delivered to a resident living in assisted living, but not the facility's monthly rent or personal care fees.

How do I look up an assisted living license in Minnesota?

Use the Minnesota Department of Health's Health Regulation Division online facility search tool. Search by facility name, city, county, or license number to see the license status, capacity, license type (standard or dementia care), and recent inspection or complaint history, all free of charge.

How do I start a group home?

First confirm which license category fits your target population (older adults needing personal care vs. adults with disabilities or mental illness) with your state licensing agency, since the agency and statute differ. Then handle zoning review, background studies for staff and owners, a written policy manual and staffing plan, your license application and fee, and a pre-licensure inspection.

What does assisted living provide that home care doesn't?

Assisted living combines housing with services under one contract and one license, including meals, housekeeping, medication management, and staff on-site, based on an individualized assessment and service plan. Home care typically means visiting caregivers coming to a person's own residence for set hours, without the residential license or on-site staffing structure.

Is assisted living the same as a nursing home?

No. They're licensed under different statutes and serve different care levels. Assisted living (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G) serves people who need help with daily activities; nursing homes (Chapter 144A) provide 24-hour skilled nursing care for people with more complex medical or rehabilitation needs.

Can Medicaid pay for assisted living in Minnesota?

Medicaid generally doesn't pay for assisted living room and board, but Minnesota's Medical Assistance program can cover assisted living services (the care component, not rent) for eligible enrollees through home and community-based services waivers, per CMS's Medicaid.gov guidance on HCBS long-term services and supports.

What's the difference between assisted living with dementia care and standard assisted living in Minnesota?

Both are licensed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G, but the dementia care designation requires additional staff dementia-specific training hours and specific programming and secure-unit standards for residents with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, on top of the base assisted living license requirements.

Why can't I find a facility in the Minnesota assisted living lookup?

Try searching by the facility's city or county instead of its marketing name, since some facilities operate under a different legal entity name than their public branding. If it still doesn't appear, contact MDH's Health Regulation Division directly; operating without a license is illegal under Chapter 144G.

Sources

1. Minnesota Department of Health, Assisted Living Facility Search and Licensing: MDH maintains a public assisted living facility license search tool and licensing application instructions
2. Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 144G (Assisted Living): Defines assisted living services, assisted living facility, licensing requirement, contracts, dementia care license, and resident rights/transfer provisions
3. Medicare.gov, Assisted Living Facilities: Medicare does not cover room and board for assisted living or long-term custodial care
4. Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 245D (Home and Community-Based Services Standards): DHS licenses community residential settings and services for adults with disabilities separately from MDH's assisted living license
5. Code of Federal Regulations, 42 CFR Part 483: Federal Conditions of Participation for nursing facilities under Medicare and Medicaid
6. Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 144A (Nursing Homes): Nursing homes in Minnesota are licensed under a separate statutory chapter from assisted living
7. Medicare.gov, Skilled Nursing Facility Care Coverage: Medicare Part A covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care under specific conditions following a qualifying hospital stay
8. Medicaid.gov, Home & Community Based Services: State Medicaid programs may cover home and community-based long-term services and supports, including personal care, through HCBS waiver authority