In Arizona, the license families see for assisted living is "Assisted Living Facility (assisted living home or assisted living center)", issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Public Health Licensing. Before or at move-in, a new resident must submit documentation dated within 90 calendar days before admission and signed by a physician, registered nurse practitioner, registered nurse or physician assistant, stating whether they need continuous medical services, continuous or intermittent nursing services, or restraints. The facility must give 30 calendar days' written notice to end a residency, or 14 days for nonpayment or when the resident needs care the facility cannot provide.
Key facts
- The median monthly cost of assisted living in Arizona was $6,250 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $75,000 a year, $50 above the national median of $6,200 a month. (CareScout, 2026)
- Arizona's Medicaid long-term care program, ALTCS (run by AHCCCS), can pay for care in assisted living facilities for members who need a nursing facility level of care, but room and board is not covered. (AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual, 2023)
- A new resident must show proof of freedom from infectious tuberculosis before move-in or within 7 calendar days after the date of occupancy. (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-807, 2019)
- A facility that gives residents their medication must have it given by an individual a medical practitioner has authorized and directs. (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-817, 2025)
- Memory care services in Arizona are offered by assisted living facilities licensed for directed care, and a medical practitioner must evaluate each memory care resident within 30 calendar days before admission and at least every six months. (Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-816, 2025)
Arizona calls assisted living an assisted living facility, and the Arizona Department of Health Services licenses it under A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 4 and A.A.C. Title 9, Chapter 10, Article 8. A facility with 10 or fewer residents is an assisted living home, one with 11 or more is an assisted living center, and each license covers one or more service levels: supervisory care, personal care or directed care. The facts below cover this assisted living facility license for both homes and centers, and memory care services are offered only by facilities authorized for directed care.
Rules change and communities can set stricter policies. Before you sign, confirm the details with the community and the Arizona Department of Health Services, Public Health Licensing. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The rules at a glance
| Medical assessment before move-in | Before or at move-in, a new resident must submit documentation dated within 90 calendar days before admission and signed by a physician, registered nurse practitioner, registered nurse or physician assistant, stating whether they need continuous medical services, continuous or intermittent nursing services, or restraints. The facility must complete a written service plan within 14 calendar days after admission. [4][6] More on this |
|---|---|
| TB test | A new resident must show proof of freedom from infectious tuberculosis before move-in or within 7 calendar days after the date of occupancy. Proof is a negative Mantoux skin test or other CDC-recommended TB test given within 12 months before admission, or after a positive test, a medical practitioner's signed, dated statement of freedom from infectious TB. [4][5] More on this |
| Notice before a move-out | The facility must give 30 calendar days' written notice to end a residency, or 14 days for nonpayment or when the resident needs care the facility cannot provide. No notice is needed if the resident is an immediate threat to health or safety, and the notice must give the reason and the state ombudsman's contact information. [4] More on this |
| Who may give medications | A facility that gives residents their medication must have it given by an individual a medical practitioner has authorized and directs. Other staff may help residents take their own medicines, such as with reminders, opening containers and watching the resident take them, and the rule does not mention insulin injections. [7] More on this |
| Memory care and dementia | Memory care services in Arizona are offered by assisted living facilities licensed for directed care, and a medical practitioner must evaluate each memory care resident within 30 calendar days before admission and at least every six months. Staff must complete 8 hours of memory care training within 30 days of hire, plus 4 hours of continuing education each year. [8][9] |
| Long-term care ombudsman | Arizona's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, run by the Department of Economic Security, handles complaints from residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult foster care homes, and the state office can be reached at (602) 542-6454, extension 9. [2] Official page More on this |
| Medicaid help | Arizona's Medicaid long-term care program, ALTCS (run by AHCCCS), can pay for care in assisted living facilities for members who need a nursing facility level of care, but room and board is not covered. The member is responsible for room and board, in an amount set by the ALTCS health plan, and someone else may pay it for them. [10][11] Official page More on this |
What assisted living costs in Arizona
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Arizona was $6,250 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $75,000 a year, $50 above the national median of $6,200 a month. [13]
A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less. Rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs, so ask each community for its full fee list in writing. More: assisted living costs in every state, a monthly budget and the costs that aren't in the base rate.
How to check a community in Arizona
The Department of Health Services offers a License History Search for assisted living facilities and an online complaint form, and the state's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program points families to AZ Care Check for assisted living survey information and ratings. Search Arizona's records. [1][2]
The licensing agency: Arizona Department of Health Services, Public Health Licensing. [1][3][12] Our guide on how to read an inspection report explains what to look for.
Put Arizona's paperwork on a date
Parent Move Plan counts every task back from the move-in day, including the medical assessment and TB screening the community will ask for, so nothing lands in the last week.
Get your first 3 days freeFrequently asked questions
How much does assisted living cost in Arizona?
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Arizona was $6,250 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $75,000 a year, $50 above the national median of $6,200 a month. A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less, and rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs.
What medical assessment does Arizona require before moving into assisted living?
Before or at move-in, a new resident must submit documentation dated within 90 calendar days before admission and signed by a physician, registered nurse practitioner, registered nurse or physician assistant, stating whether they need continuous medical services, continuous or intermittent nursing services, or restraints. The facility must complete a written service plan within 14 calendar days after admission.
Does Arizona require a TB test for assisted living?
A new resident must show proof of freedom from infectious tuberculosis before move-in or within 7 calendar days after the date of occupancy. Proof is a negative Mantoux skin test or other CDC-recommended TB test given within 12 months before admission, or after a positive test, a medical practitioner's signed, dated statement of freedom from infectious TB.
How much notice must an assisted living community in Arizona give before a move-out?
The facility must give 30 calendar days' written notice to end a residency, or 14 days for nonpayment or when the resident needs care the facility cannot provide. No notice is needed if the resident is an immediate threat to health or safety, and the notice must give the reason and the state ombudsman's contact information.
Who can give medications in assisted living in Arizona?
A facility that gives residents their medication must have it given by an individual a medical practitioner has authorized and directs. Other staff may help residents take their own medicines, such as with reminders, opening containers and watching the resident take them, and the rule does not mention insulin injections.
Who can help with a complaint about assisted living in Arizona?
Arizona's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, run by the Department of Economic Security, handles complaints from residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult foster care homes, and the state office can be reached at (602) 542-6454, extension 9.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in Arizona?
Arizona's Medicaid long-term care program, ALTCS (run by AHCCCS), can pay for care in assisted living facilities for members who need a nursing facility level of care, but room and board is not covered. The member is responsible for room and board, in an amount set by the ALTCS health plan, and someone else may pay it for them.
Sources
- Arizona Department of Health Services: Assisted Living Licensing (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Arizona Department of Economic Security: Long-Term Care Ombudsman (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Arizona Revised Statutes 36-401, Definitions (Arizona Legislature, current text read 2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-807, Residency and Residency Agreements (via Cornell LII), 2019 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-113, Tuberculosis Screening (via Cornell LII), 2022 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-808, Service Plans (text in effect from June 30, 2025; Arizona Department of Health Services Notice of Final Rulemaking), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-817, Medication Services (renumbered from R9-10-816, in effect from June 30, 2025; Arizona Department of Health Services Notice of Final Rulemaking), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-816, Memory Care Services (new, in effect from June 30, 2025; Arizona Department of Health Services Notice of Final Rulemaking), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Arizona Revised Statutes 36-405.03, Memory care services standards; staff training requirements (added by Laws 2024, Ch. 100; Arizona Legislature) (checked October 22, 2026)
- AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual, Policy 1230-A, Assisted Living Facilities (effective March 1, 2023) (checked October 22, 2026)
- AHCCCS: ALTCS, Coverage for Individuals with Long-Term Care Needs (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R9-10-802, Supplemental Application Requirements; Exemption (via Cornell LII), 2022 (checked October 22, 2026)
- CareScout: Cost of Care Survey 2025, Ranked Median Costs by State (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)