In Indiana, the license families see for assisted living is "Residential Care Facility (RCF)", issued by the Indiana Department of Health, Division of Long Term Care, Residential Care Facility Licensing and Certification Program. Before admission, each resident needs a health assessment that includes infectious disease history and a statement of no infectious TB, and the facility must start a needs evaluation, with a licensed nurse evaluating nursing needs. A residential care facility must give written notice at least 30 days before a transfer to another facility or a discharge, with exceptions such as danger to others or urgent medical needs.
Key facts
- The median monthly cost of assisted living in Indiana was $5,639 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $67,665 a year, $561 below the national median of $6,200 a month. (CareScout, 2026)
- Indiana's PathWays for Aging Medicaid waiver, for ages 60 and older, can pay for the Assisted Living service in state-approved licensed facilities, but it has a waiting list and does not cover room and board. (Indiana FSSA, 2026)
- New residents need a chest x-ray taken within six months before admission and a TB skin test done within three months before admission or on admission and read 48 to 72 hours later. (Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-12, 2025)
- Medications must be given by licensed nursing personnel or qualified medication aides, under the supervision of a licensed nurse on the premises or on call. (Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-4, 2025)
- A facility required to file an Alzheimer's and dementia special care unit disclosure form must give residents a copy and name a unit director with a health or social service degree or administrator license and one year of dementia experience. (Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-1.3, 2025)
In Indiana, what families call assisted living is licensed as a residential care facility (RCF) by the Indiana Department of Health under Indiana Code 16-28-2 and 410 IAC 16.2-5; an RCF provides residential nursing care or gives medications prescribed by a physician. "Assisted Living" is also the name of a Medicaid waiver service that the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) pays for in licensed facilities, and the facts below are for the RCF license. Comprehensive care facilities (nursing homes) are a separate license, and a building that offers only housing and basic help, with no medications or nursing, needs no license. A rule change for RCFs on resident rights, evictions and TB screening (LSA Document #26-149) was scheduled for final adoption on October 21, 2026 and takes effect 30 days after filing, so the facts below describe the rules in force on the date checked.
Rules change and communities can set stricter policies. Before you sign, confirm the details with the community and the Indiana Department of Health, Division of Long Term Care, Residential Care Facility Licensing and Certification Program. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The rules at a glance
| Medical assessment before move-in | Before admission, each resident needs a health assessment that includes infectious disease history and a statement of no infectious TB, and the facility must start a needs evaluation, with a licensed nurse evaluating nursing needs. The evaluation must be updated at least every six months and after a substantial change in condition. [5][6] More on this |
|---|---|
| TB test | New residents need a chest x-ray taken within six months before admission and a TB skin test done within three months before admission or on admission and read 48 to 72 hours later. Without a negative test in the past 12 months, a two-step skin test is advised, and people with a documented past positive test skip further skin tests. [5] More on this |
| Notice before a move-out | A residential care facility must give written notice at least 30 days before a transfer to another facility or a discharge, with exceptions such as danger to others or urgent medical needs. It may move a resident only for needs it cannot meet, improved health, danger to others' safety or health, nonpayment after reasonable notice, or closure. [7] More on this |
| Who may give medications | Medications must be given by licensed nursing personnel or qualified medication aides, under the supervision of a licensed nurse on the premises or on call. Injectable medications, including insulin, may be given only by licensed personnel, so unlicensed staff may not give insulin injections. [8] More on this |
| Memory care and dementia | A facility required to file an Alzheimer's and dementia special care unit disclosure form must give residents a copy and name a unit director with a health or social service degree or administrator license and one year of dementia experience. All staff with resident contact need 6 hours of dementia training within six months and 3 hours a year after. [9][10][7] |
| Long-term care ombudsman | Indiana's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program advocates for residents of nursing facilities and licensed assisted living facilities, and its information and complaint line is 800-622-4484 or 317-232-7134. [11][12] Official page More on this |
| Medicaid help | Indiana's PathWays for Aging Medicaid waiver, for ages 60 and older, can pay for the Assisted Living service in state-approved licensed facilities, but it has a waiting list and does not cover room and board. People newly eligible for Medicaid after living 30 days or more in a Medicaid-approved assisted living facility can get priority access through reserved slots. [13][14][15] Official page More on this |
What assisted living costs in Indiana
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Indiana was $5,639 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $67,665 a year, $561 below the national median of $6,200 a month. [18]
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 Indiana
The Department's residential care facility directory lets families search by county or city and open a consumer report for each facility, with its license dates, complaint survey counts and survey reports. Anyone can file a complaint about a licensed facility with the Department, which investigates all complaints. Search Indiana's records. [2][3][4]
The licensing agency: Indiana Department of Health, Division of Long Term Care, Residential Care Facility Licensing and Certification Program. [1] Our guide on how to read an inspection report explains what to look for.
Put Indiana'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 Indiana?
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Indiana was $5,639 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $67,665 a year, $561 below 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 Indiana require before moving into assisted living?
Before admission, each resident needs a health assessment that includes infectious disease history and a statement of no infectious TB, and the facility must start a needs evaluation, with a licensed nurse evaluating nursing needs. The evaluation must be updated at least every six months and after a substantial change in condition.
Does Indiana require a TB test for assisted living?
New residents need a chest x-ray taken within six months before admission and a TB skin test done within three months before admission or on admission and read 48 to 72 hours later. Without a negative test in the past 12 months, a two-step skin test is advised, and people with a documented past positive test skip further skin tests.
How much notice must an assisted living community in Indiana give before a move-out?
A residential care facility must give written notice at least 30 days before a transfer to another facility or a discharge, with exceptions such as danger to others or urgent medical needs. It may move a resident only for needs it cannot meet, improved health, danger to others' safety or health, nonpayment after reasonable notice, or closure.
Who can give medications in assisted living in Indiana?
Medications must be given by licensed nursing personnel or qualified medication aides, under the supervision of a licensed nurse on the premises or on call. Injectable medications, including insulin, may be given only by licensed personnel, so unlicensed staff may not give insulin injections.
Who can help with a complaint about assisted living in Indiana?
Indiana's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program advocates for residents of nursing facilities and licensed assisted living facilities, and its information and complaint line is 800-622-4484 or 317-232-7134.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in Indiana?
Indiana's PathWays for Aging Medicaid waiver, for ages 60 and older, can pay for the Assisted Living service in state-approved licensed facilities, but it has a waiting list and does not cover room and board. People newly eligible for Medicaid after living 30 days or more in a Medicaid-approved assisted living facility can get priority access through reserved slots.
Sources
- Indiana Department of Health: Long-Term Care, Residential Care (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana Department of Health: Residential Care Facility Directory (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana Department of Health: Facility consumer report for a residential care facility, sample page posted October 8, 2026 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana Department of Health: Long Term Care Consumer Information (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-12, Infection control (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-2, Evaluation (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-1.2, Residents' rights (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-4, Health services (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-1.3, Administration and management (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-1.4, Personnel (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman: Overview of Long-Term Care Ombudsman (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman: Contact information (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana FSSA, Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning: Home- and Community-Based Services Waiver, Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver, IHCP provider reference module (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana FSSA, Division of Disability, Aging, and Rehabilitative Services: HCBS Medicaid Waiver Waiting List Information (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana FSSA, Division of Disability, Aging, and Rehabilitative Services: Reserve Waiver Capacity, Assisted Living procedure (effective July 1, 2025) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Ind. Admin. Code 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5, Scope of residential care facilities (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Indiana Department of Health: Rules page, LSA Document #26-149 on residential care facilities, final rule and Executive Board memo (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- CareScout: Cost of Care Survey 2025, Ranked Median Costs by State (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)