Last updated 2026-07-25
TL;DR
Pennsylvania doesn't have one public searchable database like some states. You verify a facility's license and inspection history through the Department of Human Services' provider search tools and by requesting records directly from DHS's Office of Long-Term Living or your regional licensing office. Both assisted living residences and personal care homes are licensed under 55 Pa. Code Chapters 2800 and 2600.
How do I look up a Pennsylvania assisted living license?
Pennsylvania splits senior residential licensing into two categories, personal care homes and assisted living residences, and both are licensed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) [1]. There isn't a single slick search-by-name portal the way some states run one. Instead, you have two main paths: DHS's provider and inspection lookup tools, or a direct records request to the regional DHS licensing office that covers the county where the facility sits. Start with the DHS Office of Long-Term Living and the Division of Licensing. DHS publishes personal care home and assisted living residence inspection reports and can confirm current license status by facility name or license number [1]. If you can't find what you need online, call the regional field office. Pennsylvania divides licensing oversight into regional offices (Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, Northwest, Central), and each one holds the physical inspection files for facilities in its territory. When you call or email, ask for three things specifically: the current license status (active, provisional, revoked), the license expiration date, and the most recent inspection or survey report. Provisional licenses matter a lot. A provisional license under Pennsylvania's personal care home regulations means DHS found the facility out of compliance and is watching it closely, and that status is public information you should always ask about before referring a resident or buying a facility [2].
What is assisted living?
Assisted living is a residential care model for adults, usually seniors, who need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, medication management, or mobility but don't need the round-the-clock skilled nursing care a nursing home provides. In Pennsylvania, this is formally called an "assisted living residence," a license category created in 2010 and defined in 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800 [3]. The Pennsylvania code defines an assisted living residence as a facility that provides "a physical environment that is a shared living environment... that promotes resident self-direction and participation in decisions about care, lifestyle, and activities" while offering personal care, health-related services, and other supports [3]. That's a mouthful, but the core idea is simple: residents live in something closer to an apartment than a hospital room, staff help with daily needs, and residents keep as much independence as safety allows. Assisted living residences in Pennsylvania are required to have the physical capacity for aging in place, including private living units with lockable doors and private bathrooms in most cases, which is one of the features that separates this license category from the older personal care home model [3].
What is a group home?
A group home is a residential setting where a small number of unrelated people live together and receive support services, often organized around a shared need: intellectual or developmental disability (IDD), mental illness, substance use recovery, or aging-related care. The term isn't a single legal license category. It's an umbrella word people use across very different regulatory systems. In Pennsylvania, what most people picture as a "group home" for adults with IDD is typically licensed under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6400 (community homes for individuals with an intellectual disability) [1], not under the personal care home or assisted living residence chapters. Group homes for adults with mental health needs may fall under different licensure depending on the level of care and whether Medicaid funding through a home and community-based services waiver is involved. If you're building a business plan, the first decision point isn't paperwork, it's population. A senior with dementia who needs help with meals and medication reminders is a personal care home or assisted living resident. An adult with an intellectual disability who needs a licensed residential provider under a Medicaid waiver is a Chapter 6400 group home. Confirm with your state licensing agency which chapter applies before you sign a lease or start renovations, because the physical plant requirements differ (see what is assisted living for how the senior care side is structured).
What is an assisted living facility?
An assisted living facility (sometimes written "assisted living facility" or shortened to ALF in other states) is the general industry term for a licensed residence providing personal care and supportive services to adults who need help with daily living but not full nursing care. In Pennsylvania specifically, the correct license term is "assisted living residence," governed by 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800 [3], and it is a distinct license from the older "personal care home" category under Chapter 2600 [4]. The distinction matters for a license lookup because search results can return either license type depending on how the facility is registered. A building can hold a personal care home license, an assisted living residence license, or in some cases both, if it operates distinct units under each license type. Always confirm which specific license number and chapter applies to the unit or floor a resident will occupy, more than the building's marketing name. For readers comparing state licensing structures side by side as they plan expansion, see assisted living facility and assisted living facilities for how other states draw this line.
What is assisted living vs nursing home?
| Licensing agency | Dept. of Human Services [1] | Dept. of Health [5] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation | 55 Pa. Code Ch. 2800 / 2600 [3] [4] | 28 Pa. Code Ch. 211 [5] | |
| 24-hr skilled nursing | Not required | Required | |
| Typical resident need | ADL help, supervision | Skilled/medical nursing care | |
| Medicare coverage | Generally not covered | Short-term rehab stays may be covered [6] | This is why a license lookup matters before you place a family member or buy a facility. A building calling itself "assisted living" that is actually licensed as a personal care home has different staffing ratios and different resident agreement rules than one licensed as an assisted living residence under Chapter 2800. |
Assisted living and nursing homes sit at different points on the care intensity spectrum, and Pennsylvania licenses them under completely separate regulatory systems. Assisted living residences and personal care homes are licensed by DHS under 55 Pa. Code Chapters 2800 and 2600 [3] [4]. Nursing homes (also called skilled nursing facilities) are licensed by the Department of Health under 28 Pa. Code Chapter 211 and are subject to federal Medicare and Medicaid nursing home certification requirements as well [5]. Here's the practical difference. Assisted living and personal care homes provide help with activities of daily living, medication reminders, meals, and social supervision, but they are not required to have a registered nurse on site around the clock. Nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled nursing care and are the appropriate setting for residents who need IV therapy, wound care, ventilator support, or intensive rehabilitation after a hospital stay. | Feature | Assisted living / personal care (PA) | Nursing home (PA) |
What does assisted living provide?
Assisted living in Pennsylvania is required to provide, at minimum, personal care assistance, three meals a day plus snacks, medication administration or reminders, housekeeping, laundry, 24-hour staff availability, and a personal care plan updated for each resident's changing needs [3]. Beyond the floor set by regulation, most facilities add social activities, transportation to appointments, and some level of health monitoring. Assisted living residences licensed under Chapter 2800 also must support "aging in place" to a greater degree than older personal care homes, meaning residents can generally stay even as their care needs increase, up to and including a resident's death, as long as the facility can meet documented care needs and the resident doesn't require the level of care only a nursing home license permits [3]. What assisted living does not typically provide: continuous skilled nursing, ventilator care, complex wound care, or the kind of medical monitoring that requires an RN on every shift. If a lookup or tour reveals that a facility is advertising nursing-level services but only holds a personal care home license, that's a red flag worth raising directly with the DHS regional office.
How to start a group home
Starting a group home or assisted living business in Pennsylvania runs through a sequence of steps that don't change much regardless of which population you serve, though the specific chapter of regulation does. First, pick your population and license category: personal care home (Ch. 2600), assisted living residence (Ch. 2800), or a Chapter 6400 community home for individuals with an intellectual disability. This decision drives everything downstream, from staffing ratios to physical plant rules to fire safety code. Second, confirm zoning and physical plant fit with your local municipality and county before signing a lease. Group homes and assisted living residences have specific requirements for room size, private bathrooms, sprinkler systems, and emergency egress that older buildings often can't meet without renovation. Third, submit your license application to the appropriate DHS regional office along with your policy and procedure manuals, staffing plan, and proof of financial capacity. DHS requires fire safety approval, often coordinated with the state Department of Labor and Industry or local fire marshal, as part of the application package [1]. Fourth, pass your pre-licensure inspection. DHS will not issue a license until the physical site, staffing plan, and required policies (medication management, abuse reporting, resident rights, emergency preparedness) are all in place and verified on site. Fifth, budget for ongoing costs: annual licensing fees, staff training and background checks, liability insurance, and the cost of maintaining compliance documentation for the required unannounced inspections DHS conducts periodically. Confirm current fee amounts with your state licensing agency, since these are set administratively and change. If you're building the paperwork side of this from scratch, a state-specific packaged toolkit (like the $299 State Group Home Licensing Kit at /licensing-kit-builder) can save real hours by giving you a starting policy manual and staffing plan template built around your state's chapter, rather than writing every required policy from a blank page.
What is the difference between assisted living and nursing home?
The core difference is medical intensity and licensing agency, more than building type. Assisted living and personal care homes in Pennsylvania are licensed by DHS and focus on help with daily living activities plus supervision [1] [3] [4]. Nursing homes are licensed by the Department of Health, staffed for 24-hour skilled nursing, and regulated under a completely different chapter of state code with federal Medicare/Medicaid certification layered on top [5]. Another practical difference is cost structure and payer mix. Nursing home stays, when medically necessary and following a qualifying hospital stay, can be partially covered by Medicare Part A for a limited number of days [6]. Assisted living and personal care home costs are almost always paid out of pocket, through long-term care insurance, or in some cases through Medicaid waiver programs for those who qualify, since Medicare does not cover room and board in assisted living [6] . A resident's care plan should reflect the right setting. Someone who needs help remembering to take medication and getting dressed belongs in assisted living. Someone recovering from a stroke who needs daily physical therapy and wound care belongs in a nursing home, at least temporarily. Facilities that blur this line by keeping residents whose needs have exceeded their license category create real safety and liability exposure, which is exactly the kind of thing a license and inspection lookup can help you catch before you sign anything.
Does Medicare cover assisted living facilities?
No. Medicare does not cover the cost of room and board in assisted living, personal care homes, or most group home settings, because Medicare Part A and Part B are built around medical and skilled nursing care, not custodial or supportive housing [6]. CMS's own guidance is direct on this: Medicare covers a limited stay in a skilled nursing facility only after a qualifying hospital stay, and only for skilled care, not long-term custodial assistance with daily living [6]. What Medicare will pay for, even for someone living in assisted living, is Medicare-covered medical services delivered there, like a doctor's visit, physical therapy ordered by a physician, or durable medical equipment, the same as it would in a private home. It just won't pay the facility's monthly rate for room, board, and personal care assistance. Medicaid is different and more complicated. Some states, including Pennsylvania through home and community-based services waivers, can help cover a portion of personal care costs in certain licensed settings for people who financially and medically qualify, but this funds services, not the room and board charge itself, and eligibility rules are state-specific and change . Anyone planning around Medicaid funding for a facility should confirm current waiver rules directly with the Department of Human Services or a local Area Agency on Aging rather than relying on a general guide.
How do I start a group home?
This is really the same question as "how to start a group home" above, but worth answering directly since people search it both ways. The honest short answer: pick your population, confirm the correct license chapter with your state agency, secure a compliant building, write your policy and staffing documents, apply, pass inspection, and budget for ongoing compliance costs that don't stop once you're licensed. The part people underestimate is the paperwork volume. A full application package typically includes a policy and procedure manual covering medication administration, resident rights, abuse and incident reporting, emergency and disaster planning, staffing and training plans, a sample resident agreement, and financial documentation showing you can operate solvently. DHS reviews all of this before scheduling a pre-licensure inspection [1]. The part people underestimate on the other side is timeline. Between zoning approval, lease or purchase, renovation to meet physical plant code, application review, and inspection scheduling, most new operators are looking at a process that runs several months at minimum, longer if renovations are involved. Build that lead time into your financial planning before you commit to a lease payment date.
What should I do if a license lookup shows problems?
If your Pennsylvania license lookup turns up a provisional license, a recent revocation, or a pattern of repeat citations, treat that as a serious signal, not a formality. A provisional license specifically means DHS has identified compliance failures and is requiring the facility to correct them within a defined period, and the facility risks losing its license entirely if it doesn't [2]. Ask the regional DHS office for the specific violation categories tied to any provisional status or recent citation. Common categories include staffing ratio failures, medication management errors, inadequate resident care plans, and physical plant or fire safety deficiencies. The details matter enormously: a paperwork documentation gap is very different from a substantiated resident safety incident. If you're evaluating a facility to buy or to refer a family member to, don't rely solely on a phone confirmation of "active license." Request the written inspection report. Pennsylvania facilities are subject to periodic and complaint-driven inspections, and those reports are the real record of how the facility performs day to day, more than whether its license is technically current [1].
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a Pennsylvania assisted living facility is licensed?
Contact the Department of Human Services regional licensing office covering the facility's county, or use DHS's online provider and inspection lookup tools. Ask specifically for license status, expiration date, and the most recent inspection report, more than a yes/no on whether a license exists [1].
What's the difference between a personal care home and an assisted living residence in Pennsylvania?
Personal care homes are licensed under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2600 and assisted living residences under Chapter 2800 [3][5]. Assisted living residences generally have stronger physical plant requirements (private bathrooms, aging-in-place support) and were created as a newer license category in 2010.
What is assisted living?
Assisted living is residential care for adults who need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication but don't need full-time skilled nursing. In Pennsylvania it's licensed as an assisted living residence under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800, distinct from nursing homes and personal care homes [3].
What is a group home?
A group home is a residential setting where a small number of unrelated people with a shared need (IDD, mental illness, recovery, or aging care) live together with support staff. It's not one license type; in Pennsylvania, IDD group homes typically fall under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6400, separate from senior assisted living licensure [4].
Does Medicare cover assisted living facilities?
No. Medicare does not pay for room, board, or personal care services in assisted living. It only covers Medicare-eligible medical services (like doctor visits or ordered therapy) that happen to be delivered while someone lives there, and it covers limited skilled nursing facility stays after a qualifying hospitalization [7].
What is the difference between assisted living and a nursing home?
Assisted living provides help with daily living and supervision but no round-the-clock skilled nursing. Nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled medical nursing care and are licensed separately, in Pennsylvania by the Department of Health under 28 Pa. Code Chapter 211, versus DHS for assisted living [6][3].
How do I start a group home in Pennsylvania?
Choose your population and the matching license chapter (2600, 2800, or 6400), confirm zoning, secure a compliant building, write required policy and staffing manuals, submit your application to the correct DHS regional office, and pass a pre-licensure inspection before opening [1][4].
How long does it take to get an assisted living license in Pennsylvania?
There's no single published timeline because it depends on renovation needs, application completeness, and inspection scheduling. Most new operators should plan for a process of several months minimum from application submission through pre-licensure inspection; confirm current processing timelines with your DHS regional office.
What does assisted living provide that a personal care home doesn't?
Assisted living residences under Chapter 2800 generally support a higher degree of aging in place and require more private living arrangements than older personal care homes under Chapter 2600, though both provide help with daily activities, meals, medication support, and 24-hour staff availability [3][5].
Can I look up a facility's inspection history, more than its license status?
Yes. DHS maintains inspection and survey records for licensed personal care homes and assisted living residences. Request the most recent report from the regional DHS licensing office if it isn't posted online; this shows actual compliance history, more than current license status [1].
What does a provisional license mean in Pennsylvania?
A provisional license means DHS found the facility out of compliance with licensing requirements and is requiring corrections within a set timeframe. It's a serious status that can lead to license revocation if problems aren't fixed, and it's public information you should ask about directly [2].
Is Medicaid the same as Medicare for covering assisted living costs?
No, they're different programs. Medicare almost never covers assisted living room and board. Medicaid, through state-specific home and community-based services waivers, can sometimes help cover personal care services (not room and board) for people who qualify financially and medically; rules vary by state and change over time [8].
Sources
- Pa. Code, 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2600 (Personal Care Homes): Provisional license status indicates compliance failure and required correction under Pennsylvania personal care home regulation
- Pa. Code, 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800 (Assisted Living Residences): Definition, requirements, and aging-in-place standards for assisted living residences in Pennsylvania
- Pa. Code, 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6400 (Community Homes for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability): IDD group homes in Pennsylvania are licensed under Chapter 6400, distinct from senior assisted living licensure
- Pa. Code, 28 Pa. Code Chapter 211 (Nursing Facilities): Nursing homes in Pennsylvania are licensed by the Department of Health under a separate chapter from assisted living
- Medicare.gov / CMS, Nursing Home Care coverage: Medicare covers only limited skilled nursing facility stays after a qualifying hospital stay and does not cover assisted living room and board
- Medicaid.gov, Home & Community Based Services: Medicaid HCBS waivers may help cover personal care services in certain settings, subject to state-specific eligibility rules