Maine
A residential care facility provides housing and assisted living services in private or semi-private bedrooms with common living and dining areas; facilities with private apartments are 'assisted living facilities'. A license is required for three or more residents, while homes caring for no more than two are exempt unless they receive state funds such as MaineCare. A new Chapter 113 took effect in September 2025. It replaced the old ten-part rule (four levels of residential care facilities, four levels of Private Non-Medical Institutions, assisted living, and infection control) with Part A (assisted living) and Part B (residential care facilities).
License categories
Residential care facilityAssisted living facility(formerly Level I-IV residential care facilities and PNMIs)
Key laws
22 M.R.S. § 7801
Licensing of assisted housing programs and residential care facilities — official text
22 M.R.S. § 7852
Definitions (amended by P.L. 2023, c. 176) — official text
10-144 CMR Ch. 113, Parts A & B
Assisted Housing Programs Licensing Rule (Part B: Residential Care Facilities) — official text
Key requirements
- License required for residential care facilities serving 3+ residents; facilities with 1-2 residents are exempt unless paid with state funds including MaineCare
- Quarterly reporting of staffing and census data to DLC is required
- A licensed administrator may oversee no more than 160 residents in one facility, or no more than 3 facilities with a combined licensed capacity of 50
- Staffing ratios stayed at 1:12 (7am-3pm), 1:18 (3pm-11pm) and 1:30 (11pm-7am) in the final 2025 rule (per trade association summary)
Sources
- https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/dlc/licensing-certification/assisted-housing
- https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/about/rulemaking/10-144-cmr-ch-113-assisted-housing-licensing-rule-2024-10-23
- https://www.maine.gov/sos/rulemaking/agency-rules/assisted-housing-programs-regulations
- https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22sec7801.html
- https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22sec7852.html
- https://www.mehca.org/blog_home.asp?display=1978
- https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/dlc/safety-reporting/file-a-complaint