● Reference
Sober Living Requirements by State
What we could confirm, state by state: who to ask, and the source behind each row.
Updated . We check this table at least quarterly.
Local rules still apply in every state
This table covers state programs only. Local zoning, occupancy, building and fire rules apply in every state, and some cities and counties add their own licensing. A row saying a state has no program does not mean your address has no rules. Call your local zoning and building offices before you sign a lease.
This is not legal advice, and no lawyer has reviewed it. Laws change, so read the source and talk to the agency or a local attorney before you act.
How to read the table
23 rows state a requirement because we read the statute, rule or agency page on the date shown. The other 28 say “Confirm with your state”: we have not confirmed those, so we give you the agency and a starting link and state no rule.
- Mandatory license
- A state license is required to operate.
- Mandatory certification
- A home needs state or approved third-party certification to operate, unless an exception applies.
- Mandatory registration
- A home must register with the state. This is not a quality certification.
- Funding/referral-tied
- A credential matters for public money, referrals or similar, rather than the right to open a private-pay home.
- Voluntary only
- A credential is available but the state does not require one.
- None found
- We found no state program. That does not mean no rules apply. Local rules still apply.
Changes coming
- Ohio emergency rules (About December 9, 2026). The emergency recovery housing rules run out around this date unless they are replaced. Check with the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health. Source
- Rhode Island registration (January 1, 2027). All recovery housing must register with BHDDH and follow the NARR certification process. Source
- Minnesota recovery residence law (Reported for January 1, 2027). Parts of the new recovery residence sections are reported to start on this date. We have not confirmed the dates, so check with Minnesota DHS. Source
- Colorado license (July 1, 2027). SB26-113 makes it unlawful to maintain a recovery residence without a Behavioral Health Administration license (C.R.S. § 27-50-1001). Homes certified under the old law must notify the BHA before that date and need an approved license to operate on and after July 1, 2028. Oxford House chartered homes have their own path under the same section. Source
- California AB 1556 (Rechecking). Reported to set conditions on state homelessness funding for recovery housing. We have not read the chaptered text, so confirm it before relying on it. Source
- Federal Executive Order 14321 (Rechecking). A July 2025 order that steers HHS and HUD grant policy on housing first and harm reduction. It concerns federal grant money, so read the terms before you take any. Source
State table
Each row covers the state level only. Local rules still apply in every state.
| State | Requirement | What it covers | Agency | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyAlabama Department of Mental Health; Alabama Alliance for Recovery Residences | Starting point |
| Alaska | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyAlaska Division of Behavioral Health | Starting point |
| Arizona | RequirementMandatory licenseA.R.S. §§ 36-2061, 36-2062 | What it coversYou may not run a sober living home without an ADHS license, and each license covers one premises. The definition reaches a home that may verify abstinence and either offers supervised, monitored or peer-led drug-free housing or markets a recovery environment. Some homes are excluded, such as those with on-site licensed care. | AgencyArizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) | SourceSourceChecked |
| Arkansas | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyArkansas Department of Human Services | Starting point |
| California | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyCalifornia DHCS; California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) | Starting point |
| Colorado | RequirementMandatory certificationC.R.S. § 27-80-129; SB26-113 (2026 Colo. Sess. Laws ch. 302) | What it coversYou may not operate a recovery residence, and health providers may not refer to one, unless it is certified, chartered by Oxford House, or was a 30-year home as of May 23, 2019. The BHA can send a cease-and-desist letter. From July 1, 2027 this is replaced by a BHA license. | AgencyColorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) | SourceSourceChecked |
| Connecticut | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyConnecticut DMHAS | Starting point |
| Delaware | RequirementFunding/referral-tied16 Del. C. ch. 22A; 84 Del. Laws ch. 131 | What it coversCertification is voluntary. State agencies, state courts and state contractors may not refer to a recovery house unless it is certified, is an Oxford House, or has applied. With limited exceptions, an uncertified house may not accept state or local funds. Falsely claiming certification can bring a fine up to $20,000. | AgencyDelaware DSAMH; First State Alliance of Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| District of Columbia | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyDC Department of Behavioral Health | Starting point |
| Florida | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedFla. Stat. §§ 397.487, 397.4871, 397.4873 | What it coversThe certification program is voluntary, but licensed service providers generally may not refer to, or accept referrals from, a home without a certificate of compliance and a certified administrator. Exceptions exist. Advertising a "certified recovery residence" without a certificate is a first-degree misdemeanor. | AgencyFlorida Department of Children and Families; Florida Association of Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| Georgia | RequirementVoluntary onlyNo licensing statute found; Georgia Attorney General consumer guidance | What it coversThe state consumer office says recovery residences are not licensed in Georgia. A state reentry housing directory lists homes accredited by groups such as GARR. A 2026 licensing bill, SB 526, is not on the Governor's signed list. | AgencyGeorgia Attorney General Consumer Protection Division; Georgia Association of Recovery Residences (GARR) | SourceSourceChecked |
| Hawaii | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyHawaii Department of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division | Starting point |
| Idaho | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyIdaho Department of Health and Welfare | Starting point |
| Illinois | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyIllinois Department of Human Services; Illinois Association of Extended Care | Starting point |
| Indiana | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyIndiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) | Starting point |
| Iowa | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyIowa Department of Health and Human Services | Starting point |
| Kansas | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyKansas Department for Aging and Disability Services | Starting point |
| Kentucky | RequirementMandatory certificationKRS 222.502; 908 KAR 1:410 | What it coversYou may not open, operate or advertise a recovery residence without certification from a recognized organization and proof of it to the Cabinet. A new home may be allowed up to six months while certification is underway. Narrow exceptions cover the Recovery Kentucky Program and some religiously affiliated homes. | AgencyKentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (DBHDID); Kentucky Recovery Housing Network | SourceSourceChecked |
| Louisiana | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyLouisiana Department of Health | Starting point |
| Maine | RequirementFunding/referral-tied5 M.R.S. §§ 20057, 20005(22) | What it coversSince July 1, 2022 a home must be certified to receive a department contract or, where federal law allows, housing assistance or vouchers from the department, the Maine State Housing Authority or a municipality. | AgencyMaine DHHS; Maine Association of Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| Maryland | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyMaryland Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration | Starting point |
| Massachusetts | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedM.G.L. c. 17, § 18A | What it coversThe program is voluntary. State agencies, statewide vendors and officers setting release terms may not refer to uncertified housing. The statute says an uncertified home may still operate and advertise as alcohol and drug free housing. | AgencyMassachusetts DPH, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services; Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing | SourceSourceChecked |
| Michigan | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyMichigan Association of Recovery Residences | Starting point |
| Minnesota | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyMinnesota Department of Human Services; Minnesota Association of Sober Homes | Starting point |
| Mississippi | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyMississippi Department of Mental Health | Starting point |
| Missouri | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyMissouri Department of Mental Health; Missouri Coalition of Recovery Support Providers | Starting point |
| Montana | RequirementMandatory registrationMCA § 53-24-311 | What it coversEvery recovery residence must register with DPHHS. Certification is optional. The statute also requires written policies and opioid-overdose drugs kept on site. | AgencyMontana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) | SourceSourceChecked |
| Nebraska | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyNebraska Department of Health and Human Services | Starting point |
| Nevada | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedNRS 458.025; NRS 449.0166; AB 403 (2023) | What it coversAB 403 removed the state facility license for recovery houses and kept Division certification as the condition for public money. Facilities that are not certified cannot receive state and federal money for these programs. | AgencyNevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health | SourceSourceChecked |
| New Hampshire | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedRSA 172-B:2, V-VII | What it coversRegistration and certification are voluntary programs. State agencies and vendors with state or federally funded contracts may not refer people to recovery housing that is not certified. | AgencyNew Hampshire DHHS; NH Coalition of Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| New Jersey | RequirementMandatory licenseN.J.S.A. 55:13B-1 et seq.; P.L. 2025, c. 60 | What it coversA cooperative sober living residence is a boarding house for people in recovery, and a boarding house needs a DCA license. Operating without one can bring a penalty up to $25,000 per building. Whether a resident-run home on a single lease counts is not settled here, so ask DCA. | AgencyNew Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) | SourceSourceChecked |
| New Mexico | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyNew Mexico Health Care Authority | Starting point |
| New York | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyNew York OASAS; New York State Association of Recovery Residences | Starting point |
| North Carolina | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyNorth Carolina Association of Recovery Residences | Starting point |
| North Dakota | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyNorth Dakota Health and Human Services | Starting point |
| Ohio | RequirementMandatory certificationR.C. 5119.39 to 5119.392; Executive Order 2026-03D; OAC ch. 5122-31 (emergency filing) | What it coversA recovery housing residence must be certified by DBH or accredited by an organization the department accepts. A new home gets up to 18 months while actively seeking it. An August 2026 executive order and emergency rules are moving this to state-run certification, so check the current process with DBH before you apply. | AgencyOhio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) | SourceSourceChecked |
| Oklahoma | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyOklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services | Starting point |
| Oregon | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyOregon Health Authority; Mental Health and Addiction Certification Board of Oregon | Starting point |
| Pennsylvania | RequirementFunding/referral-tied28 Pa. Code ch. 717; 71 P.S. §§ 613.11-613.18 | What it coversDDAP says recovery houses that receive funding or referrals from public sources must hold its license. If you expect any public money or state-linked referrals, ask DDAP first. | AgencyPennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) | SourceSourceChecked |
| Rhode Island | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedR.I. Gen. Laws § 40.1-1-13(18) | What it coversToday only certified houses can get state funding, and state referrals go to certified houses on a schedule the department sets. From January 1, 2027 all recovery housing must register with the department and follow the NARR certification process. | AgencyRhode Island BHDDH | SourceSourceChecked |
| South Carolina | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedS.C. Code §§ 44-49-340 to 44-49-370 | What it coversCertification is voluntary and uncertified homes may still operate. Since November 20, 2025 state agencies and contracted vendors may not refer to uncertified housing, and living there cannot be made a condition of a sentence, probation or parole. Falsely claiming certification costs $100 to $500 per occurrence. | AgencySouth Carolina Office of Substance Use Services; SC Alliance for Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| South Dakota | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencySouth Dakota Division of Behavioral Health | Starting point |
| Tennessee | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyTennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) | Starting point |
| Texas | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedTex. Health & Safety Code ch. 469; 26 TAC ch. 571 | What it coversAccreditation is voluntary. Since September 1, 2025 an unaccredited recovery house may not receive state money. Only NARR or Oxford House may be approved to accredit, and a house may not advertise accreditation it does not have. | AgencyTexas Health and Human Services Commission; Texas Recovery Oriented Housing Network | SourceSourceChecked |
| Utah | RequirementMandatory licenseUtah Code §§ 26B-2-101, 26B-2-105, 26B-2-117; Utah Admin. Code R501-18 | What it coversA home needs a state license if it meets at least two of five tests: supervised living; most residents in recovery; arranges recovery services; held out as sober living; or gets public funds or runs as a business. Homes where residents govern by majority vote, share costs, and the landlord takes only market rent are excluded. | AgencyUtah Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Licensing and Background Checks | SourceSourceChecked |
| Vermont | RequirementVoluntary only18 V.S.A. § 4802; 9 V.S.A. § 4452; 2026 Act 103 | What it coversAct 103 tells the Department of Health to create a voluntary state certification program, with a proposed rule due by September 1, 2027 and a final rule by December 1, 2028. Certification by an approved organization also matters under the landlord-tenant exclusions in 9 V.S.A. § 4452. | AgencyVermont Department of Health; Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| Virginia | RequirementMandatory certificationVa. Code § 37.2-431.1 | What it coversNo one may operate a recovery residence without DBHDS certification, and a violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Conditional certification can last up to nine months in total. Renewal comes every two years. State agencies and courts may refer only to certified homes. | AgencyVirginia DBHDS; Virginia Association of Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| Washington | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedRCW 41.05.760, 71.24.660; WAC ch. 182-135 | What it coversThe registry is voluntary. Since January 1, 2023 licensed or certified service providers may not refer appropriate clients to a recovery residence that is not on it. | AgencyWashington State Health Care Authority; Washington Alliance for Quality Recovery Residences | SourceSourceChecked |
| West Virginia | RequirementMandatory registrationW. Va. Code § 16-59-4 | What it coversA recovery residence must register with OHFLAC before doing business. Registration lasts one year and the fee starts at $250. Running an unregistered home can bring a penalty up to $20,000 a day. | AgencyWest Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC) | SourceSourceChecked |
| Wisconsin | RequirementFunding/referral-tiedWis. Stat. § 46.234 | What it coversA home must register only if it seeks department referrals or state or federal funds passing through the state treasury. Only registered homes may say "registered" or "state approved". A home that excludes someone solely for medication-assisted treatment cannot be listed. | AgencyWisconsin Department of Health Services | SourceSourceChecked |
| Wyoming | RequirementConfirm with your state | What it coversWe have not confirmed this state’s rule. Ask the agency what applies to your home. | AgencyWyoming Department of Health | Starting point |
Some starting points link to the Vanderburgh Recovery Housing Legal Tracker (2026 edition, CC BY 4.0), a resource published by a sober living operator.