Adult family home provider, applicant, resident manager — Minimum qualifications. (Effective until June 30, 2027.)
RCW 70.128.120
in effectEach adult family home provider, applicant, and each resident manager shall have the following minimum qualifications, except that only applicants are required to meet the provisions of subsections (10) and (11) of this section: (1) Twenty-one years of age or older; (2) For those applying after September 1, 2001, to be licensed as providers, and for resident managers whose employment begins after September 1, 2001, a United States high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate as provided in RCW 28B.50.536 or any English or translated government documentation of the following: (a) Successful completion of government-approved public or private school education in a foreign country that includes an annual average of one thousand hours of instruction over twelve years or no less than twelve thousand hours of instruction; (b) A foreign college, foreign university, or United States community college two-year diploma; (c) Admission to, or completion of coursework at, a foreign university or college for which credit was granted; (d) Admission to, or completion of coursework at, a United States college or university for which credits were awarded; (e) Admission to, or completion of postgraduate coursework at, a United States college or university for which credits were awarded; or (f) Successful passage of the United States board examination for registered nursing, or any professional medical occupation for which college or university education preparation was required; (3) Good moral and responsible character and reputation; (4) Literacy and the ability to communicate in the English language; (5) Management and administrative ability to carry out the requirements of this chapter; (6) Satisfactory completion of department-approved basic training and continuing education training as required by RCW 74.39A.074 , and in rules adopted by the department; (7) Satisfactory completion of department-approved, or equivalent, special care training before a provider may provide special care services to a resident; (8) Not be disqualified by a department background check; (9) For those applying to be licensed as providers, and for resident managers whose employment begins after August 24, 2011, at least one thousand hours in the previous sixty months of successful, direct caregiving experience obtained after age eighteen to vulnerable adults in a licensed or contracted setting prior to operating or managing an adult family home. The applicant or resident manager must have credible evidence of the successful, direct caregiving experience or, currently hold one of the following professional licenses: Physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW; osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW; physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW; registered nurse, *advanced registered nurse practitioner, or licensed practical nurse licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW; (10) For applicants, proof of financial solvency, as defined in rule; and (11) Applicants must successfully complete an adult family home administration and business planning class, prior to being granted a license. The class must be a minimum of forty-eight hours of classroom time and approved by the department. The department shall promote and prioritize bilingual capabilities within available resources and when materials are available for this purpose. Under exceptional circumstances, such as the sudden and unexpected death of a provider, the department may consider granting a license to an applicant who has not completed the class but who meets all other requirements. If the department decides to grant the license due to exceptional circumstances, the applicant must have enrolled in or completed the class within four months of licensure.
Each adult family home provider, applicant, and each resident manager shall have the following minimum qualifications, except that only applicants are required to meet the provisions of subsections (10) and (11) of this section:
(1) Twenty-one years of age or older;
(2) For those applying after September 1, 2001, to be licensed as providers, and for resident managers whose employment begins after September 1, 2001, a United States high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate as provided in RCW 28B.50.536 or any English or translated government documentation of the following:
(a) Successful completion of government-approved public or private school education in a foreign country that includes an annual average of one thousand hours of instruction over twelve years or no less than twelve thousand hours of instruction;
(b) A foreign college, foreign university, or United States community college two-year diploma;
(c) Admission to, or completion of coursework at, a foreign university or college for which credit was granted;
(d) Admission to, or completion of coursework at, a United States college or university for which credits were awarded;
(e) Admission to, or completion of postgraduate coursework at, a United States college or university for which credits were awarded; or
(f) Successful passage of the United States board examination for registered nursing, or any professional medical occupation for which college or university education preparation was required;
(3) Good moral and responsible character and reputation;
(4) Literacy and the ability to communicate in the English language;
(5) Management and administrative ability to carry out the requirements of this chapter;
(6) Satisfactory completion of department-approved basic training and continuing education training as required by RCW 74.39A.074 , and in rules adopted by the department;
(7) Satisfactory completion of department-approved, or equivalent, special care training before a provider may provide special care services to a resident;
(8) Not be disqualified by a department background check;
(9) For those applying to be licensed as providers, and for resident managers whose employment begins after August 24, 2011, at least one thousand hours in the previous sixty months of successful, direct caregiving experience obtained after age eighteen to vulnerable adults in a licensed or contracted setting prior to operating or managing an adult family home. The applicant or resident manager must have credible evidence of the successful, direct caregiving experience or, currently hold one of the following professional licenses: Physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW; osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW; physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW; registered nurse, *advanced registered nurse practitioner, or licensed practical nurse licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW;
(10) For applicants, proof of financial solvency, as defined in rule; and
(11) Applicants must successfully complete an adult family home administration and business planning class, prior to being granted a license. The class must be a minimum of forty-eight hours of classroom time and approved by the department. The department shall promote and prioritize bilingual capabilities within available resources and when materials are available for this purpose. Under exceptional circumstances, such as the sudden and unexpected death of a provider, the department may consider granting a license to an applicant who has not completed the class but who meets all other requirements. If the department decides to grant the license due to exceptional circumstances, the applicant must have enrolled in or completed the class within four months of licensure.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.128&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026