California ARF Administrator Exam 2026:
Adult Residential Facility Regulations and
Procedures
• License number disclosure requirement -✓✓What must licensees reveal in each or all
advertisements, publications, or announcements made with the intent to attract
residents? 80011(A)(1)(a)
• Disaster drills frequency -✓✓Shall be conducted in ARF homes at least once every 6
months. 80023(d)
• New licensing application requirement -✓✓What must licensees do when they change
the conditions or limitations described on their license, such as location or capacity?
• Follow-up visit timeline -✓✓A follow-up visit shall be conducted to determine
compliance with the plan of correction specified in the notice of deficiency within 10
working days unless the licensee has demonstrated by some other means that the
deficiency was corrected as required. 80053(a)(1)
• Timeline for ARF to report a special incident -✓✓By the next working day during CCL's
normal business hours. 80061(b)
• Special Incident Report mailing timeline -✓✓The licensee has 7 days to mail a Special
Incident Report to Community Care Licensing. 80061(b)
• Change of CEO or mailing address reporting timeline -✓✓The licensee has 10 working
days to report a change of their CEO or Licensee's mailing address. 80061(c)(2)(3)
• Change in ARF's plan of operation reporting timeline -✓✓The licensee has 10 working
days to report a change in the ARF's plan of operation. 80061(c)(4)
• Medication label change authority -✓✓Nobody but the dispensing pharmacist can
change the label on a prescribed medication. 80071(n)(4)
• Centrally stored medication records maintenance duration -✓✓Must be maintained for
1 year. 80075(N)(7)
• Minimum age for ARF administrator -✓✓An ARF administrator shall be at least 21
years old. 85064(c), 85964.2(B)(3)(b)
• Education requirements for ARF administrator -✓✓High school diploma or GED
required for an administrator of an 8-bed ARF. 85064(d)
, • ARF certificate holder -✓✓A person who has completed the necessary education or
work experience to administer a home for 50 residents.
• Requirements for administrator employment -✓✓High school diploma or GED and
completion of 60 college units OR 4 years of work experience in residential care.
• Administrator work hours requirement -✓✓The number of hours necessary to manage
and administer the facility in compliance with applicable law and regulation.
• Coverage requirements when absent -✓✓Coverage by a designated substitute who is
capable of running the home and who meets the qualifications listed in section 80065.
• Steps to become a certified administrator -✓✓Complete the initial training class, pass
a written exam, submit an application form along with a processing fee of $100.
• Written exam timeframe -✓✓An administrator must pass a written exam administered
by ACS within 60 days of completing the initial certification program.
• Application submission timeframe -✓✓An administrator must submit an application
form to ACS within 30 days of being notified of having passed the ARF administrator
exam.
• ARF administrator certification processing fee -✓✓The amount of the ARF
administrator certification processing fee is $100.
• Certificate renewal frequency -✓✓ARF administrator certificates must be renewed
every 2 years.
• Renewal application submission -✓✓The certificate holder shall submit a written
application or letter to the CCL Administrator Certification Section (ACS) located in
Sacramento.
• CEU requirement for renewal -✓✓An administrator must earn 40 CEUs within a 2 year
period to renew their administrator certification.
• Renewal submission requirements -✓✓A written request to recertify post-marked on or
before the certificate expiration date, evidence of completion of 40 CEUs, and a
payment of $100 processing (renewal) fee.
• Delinquency fee for late renewal -✓✓If an administrator does not renew their
administrator's certificate within 2 years, the delinquency fee is $300.
Adult Residential Facility Regulations and
Procedures
• License number disclosure requirement -✓✓What must licensees reveal in each or all
advertisements, publications, or announcements made with the intent to attract
residents? 80011(A)(1)(a)
• Disaster drills frequency -✓✓Shall be conducted in ARF homes at least once every 6
months. 80023(d)
• New licensing application requirement -✓✓What must licensees do when they change
the conditions or limitations described on their license, such as location or capacity?
• Follow-up visit timeline -✓✓A follow-up visit shall be conducted to determine
compliance with the plan of correction specified in the notice of deficiency within 10
working days unless the licensee has demonstrated by some other means that the
deficiency was corrected as required. 80053(a)(1)
• Timeline for ARF to report a special incident -✓✓By the next working day during CCL's
normal business hours. 80061(b)
• Special Incident Report mailing timeline -✓✓The licensee has 7 days to mail a Special
Incident Report to Community Care Licensing. 80061(b)
• Change of CEO or mailing address reporting timeline -✓✓The licensee has 10 working
days to report a change of their CEO or Licensee's mailing address. 80061(c)(2)(3)
• Change in ARF's plan of operation reporting timeline -✓✓The licensee has 10 working
days to report a change in the ARF's plan of operation. 80061(c)(4)
• Medication label change authority -✓✓Nobody but the dispensing pharmacist can
change the label on a prescribed medication. 80071(n)(4)
• Centrally stored medication records maintenance duration -✓✓Must be maintained for
1 year. 80075(N)(7)
• Minimum age for ARF administrator -✓✓An ARF administrator shall be at least 21
years old. 85064(c), 85964.2(B)(3)(b)
• Education requirements for ARF administrator -✓✓High school diploma or GED
required for an administrator of an 8-bed ARF. 85064(d)
, • ARF certificate holder -✓✓A person who has completed the necessary education or
work experience to administer a home for 50 residents.
• Requirements for administrator employment -✓✓High school diploma or GED and
completion of 60 college units OR 4 years of work experience in residential care.
• Administrator work hours requirement -✓✓The number of hours necessary to manage
and administer the facility in compliance with applicable law and regulation.
• Coverage requirements when absent -✓✓Coverage by a designated substitute who is
capable of running the home and who meets the qualifications listed in section 80065.
• Steps to become a certified administrator -✓✓Complete the initial training class, pass
a written exam, submit an application form along with a processing fee of $100.
• Written exam timeframe -✓✓An administrator must pass a written exam administered
by ACS within 60 days of completing the initial certification program.
• Application submission timeframe -✓✓An administrator must submit an application
form to ACS within 30 days of being notified of having passed the ARF administrator
exam.
• ARF administrator certification processing fee -✓✓The amount of the ARF
administrator certification processing fee is $100.
• Certificate renewal frequency -✓✓ARF administrator certificates must be renewed
every 2 years.
• Renewal application submission -✓✓The certificate holder shall submit a written
application or letter to the CCL Administrator Certification Section (ACS) located in
Sacramento.
• CEU requirement for renewal -✓✓An administrator must earn 40 CEUs within a 2 year
period to renew their administrator certification.
• Renewal submission requirements -✓✓A written request to recertify post-marked on or
before the certificate expiration date, evidence of completion of 40 CEUs, and a
payment of $100 processing (renewal) fee.
• Delinquency fee for late renewal -✓✓If an administrator does not renew their
administrator's certificate within 2 years, the delinquency fee is $300.
