OpenExamsFREE PRACTICE — ANY EXAM

North Carolina Assisted Living Administrator — Requirements & Free Practice

US-NC · License preparation

170 free questions · Answer explanations · No signup required

Choose what to practice

Start with an exam below. Your examination requirements depend on your application pathway. View licensing requirements

Loading selected examination banks…

Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Assisted Living Administrator Certification

Certification permits administration of adult care homes and family care homes, subject to the statutory exemptions.

Licensing authority: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation, Adult Care Licensure Section · Application information

Certification by examination
Administrator Exam
Application
Submit the administrator application, proof of age, resume, education evidence and any required employer reference or license verification.
Criminal History
Satisfactory SBI fingerprint-based report; an FBI report is also required for applicants resident in North Carolina less than five years. Criminal-history decisions are subject to G.S. 93B-8.1.
Education Or Experience
High school diploma or equivalent and two years of accredited college coursework; alternatively, at least 60 months of qualifying supervisory experience within the seven years preceding application, or a Department-approved combination of education and experience. Qualifying supervision is full-time direct management, including hiring and firing responsibility, over the equivalent of two full-time direct-care employees in a licensed adult care home or nursing home.
Exemptions
G.S. 90-288.12(b) exempts combination homes and hospitals with adult care beds, family care homes (which have their own approval requirements), and qualifying continuing care facilities with adult care beds in the same facility as nursing home beds.
Minimum Age
At least 21 years old.
Registry
No substantiated finding of neglect, abuse, property misappropriation, drug diversion or fraud on the Health Care Personnel Registry.
Score Window
ACLS requires examination completion no more than one year before the application.
Training
Complete a Department-approved AIT program of at least 120 hours; ACLS requires at least 20 hours of coursework or study and at least 100 hours of on-the-job training after enrollment, with the approved preceptor. Submit the certificate, evaluation and training-hour documentation.
Certification by reciprocity
Administrator Exam
Application
Submit the current administrator application and the Administrator Licensure Verification Form; satisfy ACLS criminal-history and registry review.
Existing Credential
Hold a valid assisted living community administrator certificate from another jurisdiction.
Implementation
The current ACLS application and requirements call for successful completion of the DHSR Administrator Exam; the statute permits certification by reciprocity and does not itself settle a Department waiver.
Score Window
ACLS requires examination completion no more than one year before the application.
Substantial Equivalence
The Department determines whether competency standards are substantially equivalent to North Carolina standards. Reciprocity is discretionary under G.S. 90-288.16.
Military training proficiency alternative under G.S. 93B 15.1(a2)
Administrator Exam
Fees
No initial application fee; third-party service costs may apply.
Implementation
The current administrator application and ACLS military guidance require documentation of successful completion of the DHSR Administrator Exam.
Military Documentation
Present official notarized military occupational specialty certification and experience documentation, such as DD-214.
Proficiency Slot
G.S. 93B-15.1(a2) requires a Board-offered proficiency examination in lieu of the subsection (a) conditions. The law does not separately name a different administrator proficiency examination. ACLS military implementation names the DHSR Administrator Exam; any separately required unnamed proficiency slot remains an applicant condition. Failure may require satisfaction of subsection (a) conditions.
Military spouse endorsement under G.S. 93B 15.1(b)
Administrator Exam
Competency
Demonstrate competency by Department-determined methods, such as continuing education or at least two years of recent experience in the preceding five years. ACLS military guidance and the current application require the DHSR Administrator Exam.
Documentation
Submit administrator application, existing-credential verification, proof of age, applicable military documentation and criminal-history forms.
Existing Credential
Military spouse with a current substantially equivalent or higher-standard administrator credential from another jurisdiction.
Fees
No initial application fee under G.S. 93B-15.1(k); third-party costs may apply.
Standing
No disqualifying conduct, discipline or pending complaints; be in good standing.
Military training endorsement under G.S. 93B 15.1(a)
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Conduct
No disqualifying act in any jurisdiction and no pending complaints.
Documentation
Provide official notarized military specialty and experience documentation, such as DD-214, plus the application and supporting occupational evidence.
Fees
No initial application fee under G.S. 93B-15.1(k); actual third-party service costs may apply.
Lower Rank Exam Demand
{"quote":"Within 15 days from the date ACLS receives the military-trained or military spouse’s application;\na notice will be sent to confirm whether the documentation provided meets the requirements for\nAdministrator Certification. If the requirements are met, ACLS will send the applicant a notice\nrequesting additional items to complete the application packet and move forward with\ncertification approval:\n\n • Applicant Information Form and Electronic Fingerprint Submission Release of Information Form ( to\n completed Live Scan digital fingerprinting for criminal history report)\n Note: an applicant must request a national FBI criminal history report in addition to NC SBI criminal\n history report if the applicant has been a resident of NC for less than 5 years)\n • Documentation of successful completion of DHSR Administrator Exam","reading":"ACLS asks for the DHSR Administrator Exam after determining military eligibility. G.S. 93B-15.1(a) requires issuance notwithstanding other law once its enumerated military-equivalence, practice and conduct conditions are met; that statutory endorsement route has no new examination leaf. The separate proficiency route under (a2) is retained.","sourceName":"Military Training Equivalency Requirements for Administrator Certification"}
Lower Rank Practice Demand
ACLS military guidance specifies two years of administrator practice in North Carolina during the preceding five years; the statute requires practice of the occupation and does not restrict its location to North Carolina.
Military Qualification
Military occupational specialty; completed military training, testing or equivalent training and experience, and occupational performance substantially equivalent to or exceeding North Carolina qualification requirements.
Practice
Active occupational practice for at least two of the five years before application; relevant full-time, part-time, paid or volunteer experience is credited under G.S. 93B-15.1(c).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Certification by neighboring jurisdiction licensure recognition
Administrator Exam
Competency
Demonstrate competency through methods determined by the Department. The administrator application identifies completion of the DHSR Administrator Exam.
Existing Credential
Currently licensed, certified or registered for at least one year in an eligible neighboring jurisdiction at the same or substantially equivalent practice level.
Fees
Pay applicable application, issuance, verification and background-check fees.
Implementation Education
High school diploma or equivalent and two years of accredited college coursework; alternatively, at least 60 months of qualifying supervisory experience within the seven years preceding application, or a Department-approved combination of education and experience. Qualifying supervision is full-time direct management, including hiring and firing responsibility, over the equivalent of two full-time direct-care employees in a licensed adult care home or nursing home.
Implementation Scope
ACLS applies neighboring-state recognition to administrator certification under G.S. 93B-15.3; administrators are treated as administrators, rather than the healthcare practitioners excluded by subsection (a)(1).
Prior Examination
Provide any required examination passed for the existing credential. Another jurisdiction's own examination is an applicant condition, not a North Carolina exam leaf.
Residency
Establish residence in North Carolina.
Standing
Be in good standing, without an unprofessional-conduct surrender or revocation, active or pending disciplinary action, or disqualifying criminal history; verify resolution and corrective action for any prior discipline.
Approval of a licensed nursing home administrator
Administrator Exam
Equivalence
Approval under G.S. 90-288.14A deems the individual to meet G.S. 90-288.14 and permits renewal under G.S. 90-288.15.
Exam Deadline
Successfully complete the assisted living Administrator Exam within 90 calendar days after commencing employment as an adult care home administrator.
Existing Credential
Hold a North Carolina nursing home administrator license under Chapter 90, Article 20. Its profession's examinations are not leaves of this administrator route.
Reapplication after criminal history denial
Administrator Exam
Application
Submit the administrator application, proof of age, resume, education evidence and any required employer reference or license verification.
Conflicting Implementation
{"quote":"Appeal Rights: In accordance with North Carolina G.S. § 150B, if ACLS denies an applicant’s administrator\n certification or approval, the applicant may appeal ACLS’ decision by initiating a petition with the Office of Administrative\n Hearings within thirty (30) calendar days of date of the original ACLS’ decision if the applicant was seeking to become a\n certified administrator, and sixty (60) calendar days if the applicant was seeking to become an approved administrator. The\n applicant is eligible to reapply eighteen (18) months after the date of the most recent application. The reapplication process\n includes a review of the applicant’s criminal background information and, if applicable, the investigation summary.","sourceName":"Assisted Living Administrator Application"}
Criminal History
Satisfactory SBI fingerprint-based report; an FBI report is also required for applicants resident in North Carolina less than five years. Criminal-history decisions are subject to G.S. 93B-8.1.
Education Or Experience
High school diploma or equivalent and two years of accredited college coursework; alternatively, at least 60 months of qualifying supervisory experience within the seven years preceding application, or a Department-approved combination of education and experience. Qualifying supervision is full-time direct management, including hiring and firing responsibility, over the equivalent of two full-time direct-care employees in a licensed adult care home or nursing home.
Exemptions
G.S. 90-288.12(b) exempts combination homes and hospitals with adult care beds, family care homes (which have their own approval requirements), and qualifying continuing care facilities with adult care beds in the same facility as nursing home beds.
Minimum Age
At least 21 years old.
Reapplication
After criminal-history denial, ACLS guidelines state eligibility to reapply 24 months after the application; the October 2025 application states 18 months. Both implementing statements are retained; G.S. 93B-8.1(b5) prohibits restricting reapplication for more than two years from the most recent application. Criminal history and any investigation are reviewed again.
Registry
No substantiated finding of neglect, abuse, property misappropriation, drug diversion or fraud on the Health Care Personnel Registry.
Score Window
ACLS requires examination completion no more than one year before the application.
Training
Complete a Department-approved AIT program of at least 120 hours; ACLS requires at least 20 hours of coursework or study and at least 100 hours of on-the-job training after enrollment, with the approved preceptor. Submit the certificate, evaluation and training-hour documentation.
Initial and subsequent biennial certification renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application And Fee
Submit the electronically signed renewal application, continuing education certificates and $30 renewal fee through the DHSR Enterprise system.
Continuing Education
Initial renewal coursework is prorated from 30 hours biennially; thereafter submit 30 hours of qualifying coursework completed within the two-year certification period.
Deadline
The current implementing rule and ACLS guidelines specify initial renewal at the end of the year following certification, then biennially by December 31. G.S. 90-288.15(b) states expiration on December 31 of the second year following issuance.
Late Submission
ACLS states that late renewal submissions are denied and certification expires; practice while expired is prohibited.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Replacement of a lost, destroyed or mutilated certificate
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Existing Certificate
An existing certificate is lost, destroyed or mutilated.
Procedure
Replacement is subject to Department rules under G.S. 90-288.15(c). It does not constitute a new examination-based qualification.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Family Care Home Administrator Approval

Approval permits administration of family care homes with two to six beds.

Licensing authority: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation, Adult Care Licensure Section · Application information

Family care home administrator approval by examination
Administrator Exam
Application
Submit the administrator application, proof of age, resume, education evidence and any required employer reference or license verification.
Criminal History
Satisfactory SBI fingerprint-based report; an FBI report is also required for applicants resident in North Carolina less than five years. Criminal-history decisions are subject to G.S. 93B-8.1.
Education
High school graduation or GED certification.
Minimum Age
At least 21 years old.
Scope
Approval applies only to family care homes with two to six beds.
Score And Timing
Complete the Department written examination with 75 percent accuracy within 12 months of completing AIT. ACLS additionally requires examination completion within one year before the application.
Training
Complete an approved AIT program with at least 20 hours of instruction in North Carolina assisted living laws and statutes, human resources and business management, and at least 100 hours of on-the-job training in an assisted living facility.
Military proficiency alternative for family care home administrator approval
Administrator Exam
Fees
No initial application fee; third-party service costs may apply.
Implementation
The approval rule names the routinely offered Department written examination. Any additional unnamed proficiency slot under G.S. 93B-15.1(a2) is an applicant condition.
Military Documentation
Present official notarized military occupational specialty certification and experience documentation, such as DD-214.
Proficiency Slot
G.S. 93B-15.1(a2) requires a Board-offered proficiency examination in lieu of the subsection (a) conditions. The law does not separately name a different administrator proficiency examination. ACLS military implementation names the DHSR Administrator Exam; any separately required unnamed proficiency slot remains an applicant condition. Failure may require satisfaction of subsection (a) conditions.
Military spouse endorsement of family care home administrator approval
Administrator Exam
Competency
G.S. 93B-15.1(b)(2) leaves competency methods to the Department; its family care home approval rule identifies the Department written examination.
Documentation
Submit administrator application, existing-credential verification, proof of age, applicable military documentation and criminal-history forms.
Existing Credential
Military spouse with a current substantially equivalent or higher-standard administrator credential from another jurisdiction.
Fees
No initial application fee under G.S. 93B-15.1(k); third-party costs may apply.
Standing
No disqualifying conduct, discipline or pending complaints; be in good standing.
Military training endorsement of family care home administrator approval
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Conduct
No disqualifying act in any jurisdiction and no pending complaints.
Documentation
Provide official notarized military specialty and experience documentation, such as DD-214, plus the application and supporting occupational evidence.
Fees
No initial application fee under G.S. 93B-15.1(k); actual third-party service costs may apply.
Lower Rank Exam Demand
{"quote":"(4) complete with 75 percent accuracy a written examination administered by the Department within 12\n months of completing the administrator-in-training program; and","reading":"The general approval rule requires the written examination. The closed military-training endorsement qualifications in G.S. 93B-15.1(a) govern notwithstanding other law; the ordinary approval examination demand is recorded for applicants to review.","sourceName":"10A NCAC 13G"}
Lower Rank Practice Demand
ACLS military guidance specifies two years of administrator practice in North Carolina during the preceding five years; the statute requires practice of the occupation and does not restrict its location to North Carolina.
Military Qualification
Military occupational specialty; completed military training, testing or equivalent training and experience, and occupational performance substantially equivalent to or exceeding North Carolina qualification requirements.
Practice
Active occupational practice for at least two of the five years before application; relevant full-time, part-time, paid or volunteer experience is credited under G.S. 93B-15.1(c).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Neighboring jurisdiction recognition of family care home administrator approval
Administrator Exam
Competency
Demonstrate competency through methods determined by the Department. The administrator application identifies completion of the DHSR Administrator Exam.
Existing Credential
Currently licensed, certified or registered for at least one year in an eligible neighboring jurisdiction at the same or substantially equivalent practice level.
Fees
Pay applicable application, issuance, verification and background-check fees.
Implementation Education
The family care home approval rule requires a high school diploma or GED.
Implementation Scope
G.S. 93B-15.3 applies to State agency licensing boards and occupational certificates; the Department family care home approval rule identifies the written examination as its competency assessment.
Prior Examination
Provide any required examination passed for the existing credential. Another jurisdiction's own examination is an applicant condition, not a North Carolina exam leaf.
Residency
Establish residence in North Carolina.
Standing
Be in good standing, without an unprofessional-conduct surrender or revocation, active or pending disciplinary action, or disqualifying criminal history; verify resolution and corrective action for any prior discipline.
Reapplication after criminal history denial
Administrator Exam
Application
Submit the administrator application, proof of age, resume, education evidence and any required employer reference or license verification.
Conflicting Implementation
{"quote":"Appeal Rights: In accordance with North Carolina G.S. § 150B, if ACLS denies an applicant’s administrator\n certification or approval, the applicant may appeal ACLS’ decision by initiating a petition with the Office of Administrative\n Hearings within thirty (30) calendar days of date of the original ACLS’ decision if the applicant was seeking to become a\n certified administrator, and sixty (60) calendar days if the applicant was seeking to become an approved administrator. The\n applicant is eligible to reapply eighteen (18) months after the date of the most recent application. The reapplication process\n includes a review of the applicant’s criminal background information and, if applicable, the investigation summary.","sourceName":"Assisted Living Administrator Application"}
Criminal History
Satisfactory SBI fingerprint-based report; an FBI report is also required for applicants resident in North Carolina less than five years. Criminal-history decisions are subject to G.S. 93B-8.1.
Education
High school graduation or GED certification.
Minimum Age
At least 21 years old.
Reapplication
After criminal-history denial, ACLS guidelines state eligibility to reapply 24 months after the application; the October 2025 application states 18 months. Both implementing statements are retained; G.S. 93B-8.1(b5) prohibits restricting reapplication for more than two years from the most recent application. Criminal history and any investigation are reviewed again.
Scope
Approval applies only to family care homes with two to six beds.
Score And Timing
Complete the Department written examination with 75 percent accuracy within 12 months of completing AIT. ACLS additionally requires examination completion within one year before the application.
Training
Complete an approved AIT program with at least 20 hours of instruction in North Carolina assisted living laws and statutes, human resources and business management, and at least 100 hours of on-the-job training in an assisted living facility.
Initial and subsequent biennial family care home administrator approval renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit the electronically signed renewal application and continuing education certificates through the DHSR Enterprise system.
Continuing Education
Initial coursework hours are prorated from 30 hours biennially; subsequent renewals require 30 hours of qualifying coursework completed within the two-year approval period.
Deadline
Initial renewal is due June 30 of the year following approval; subsequent renewal is biennial by June 30.
Fee
No approval renewal fee is charged under the ACLS guidelines.
Late Submission
ACLS states late renewal submissions are denied and approval expires; practice while expired is prohibited.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Temporary Practice Permit for a Military-Trained Assisted Living Administrator or Military Spouse

Temporary practice permit for a military-trained applicant or military spouse credentialed in another jurisdiction with substantially equivalent standards, while satisfying licensure requirements.

Licensing authority: Department of Health and Human Services · Application information

Temporary practice pending military training or military spouse endorsement
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Eligibility
Military-trained applicant or military spouse already licensed, certified or registered in another jurisdiction with substantially equivalent standards, while satisfying G.S. 93B-15.1(a) or (b).
Fees
No initial application fee under G.S. 93B-15.1(k); actual third-party service costs may apply.
Issuance
Issue no later than 15 days after receipt of the application, using the same information supplied with the licensure application.
Pending Complaint
A permit may be denied or revoked for a pending complaint after statutory notice.
Practice Scope
Limited to the occupation and practice level for which the existing administrator credential demonstrates substantially equivalent standards; a family care home approval does not establish adult care home certification equivalence by itself.
Term
The statute states the permit remains valid for the later of one year or the required renewal date for the occupation, or until the board grants the license, certificate or registration.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

  • G.S. 93B-15.1

    G.S. 93B-15.1(f): temporary practice permit

  • G.S. 93B-1

    G.S. 93B-1(3): state agency licensing board definition

Administrator Exam

Provider
NCDHHS Division of Health Service Regulation, Health Care Personnel Education and Credentialing Section - Testing Unit
Format
Written examination; current rulebook permitted
Passing score
75 percent accuracy for family care home administrator approval (10A NCAC 13G .1501(b)(4))
Exam fee
$50.00
Practice scope

Inferred from the examination name; the authority has not published an examination outline.

  • 10A NCAC 13F - Licensing of Adult Care Homes of Seven or More Beds
  • 10A NCAC 13G - Licensing of Family Care Homes
  • Assisted Living Administrator Act, G.S. Chapter 90, Article 20A
Examination sources