NBHA®National Boarding Home Association
Regulations / GeorgiaReviewed September 2026

Georgia

A personal care home is any dwelling that provides or arranges housing, food service and one or more personal services for two or more adults not related to the owner or administrator; it must be licensed (permitted) by DCH/HFRD. By statute, DCH may use a registration process instead of full licensure for homes with two or three beds, and homes with 25 or more beds may be licensed as assisted living communities (Rules 111-8-63). Georgia strengthened PCH rules in 2020-2021 (HB 987): memory care centers now need certification, and PCHs with 25+ beds have had minimum staffing ratios in statute since July 1, 2024.

License categories

Personal care homeAssisted living community (25+ beds)Community living arrangement

Key laws

O.C.G.A. § 31-7-12
Personal care homes; licensure and registration; staffing, training, and financial stability requirements; certified medication aides — official text
Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-62
Personal Care Homes — official text
O.C.G.A. § 31-7-12.1
Unlicensed personal care home; civil penalties; criminal sanctions — official text

Key requirements

  1. License required to serve 2+ unrelated adults with housing, food and at least one personal service
  2. PCHs with 25+ beds: average monthly on-site ratio of 1 direct care staff per 15 residents during waking hours and 1 per 20 during non-waking hours (effective July 1, 2024)
  3. Direct care staff must receive initial and annual training in caring for elderly and disabled adults
  4. Homes may use certified medication aides to give certain medications under physician direction with pharmacist review
  5. Operating an unlicensed PCH carries civil penalties and criminal sanctions (O.C.G.A. § 31-7-12.1)

Sources

  1. https://dch.georgia.gov/divisionsoffices/hfrd/facilities-provider-information/personal-care-homes
  2. https://dch.georgia.gov/divisionsoffices/hfrd/hfrd-laws-regulations
  3. https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/111-8-62
  4. https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-31/chapter-7/article-1/section-31-7-12/
  5. https://dch.georgia.gov/hfrd-file-complaint
  6. https://www.agg.com/news-insights/publications/georgia-proposes-rules-updating-requirements-for-personal-care-homes-and-assisted-living-communities/
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