Frequently Asked Questions

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Qualifications 

To become a certified administrator for the Adult Residential Facility (ARF), the applicant must meet the following qualifications: 

• Must be 21 years of age or older
• Have a high school diploma or pass a general educational development test (GED).
• The administrator of a facility for seven to 15 clients shall have one year of work experience in residential care.

The administrator of a facility for 16 to 49 clients shall have graduated from high school, or possess a GED, and shall have one of the following prior to employment: 

• Completion, with a passing grade, of 15 college or continuing education semester or equivalent quarter units, three of which shall be in nutrition, human behavior, administration, or staff relations.
• One year of work experience in residential care.

The administrator of a facility for 50 or more clients shall have graduated from high school, or possess a GED, and shall have one of the following prior to employment.

• Completion, with a passing grade, of 60 college or continuing education semester or equivalent quarter units, six of which shall be in administration or staff relations.
• Three years’ work experience in residential care, one year of which shall have been providing direct care to clients or assisting in facility administration.

Certification Training 

Complete the Training 

• Complete the applicable Initial Certification Training Program (ICTP) provided by an Administrator Certification Section (ACS) approved ICTP vendor (See the approved vendor list). 

Register for an Exam 

• Within 60 days of completing the ICTP, an applicant for an Administrator Certificate must take and pass the Administrator Certification exam within three (3) attempts or be required to retake an ICTP course before registering for further exam attempts. 
• Exam Registration instructions are posted on the ACS website.

Pay the Exam Fee 

• Upon registering for the exam, a non-refundable exam fee of $100 will be assessed. Payment is accepted by check or money order made payable to Department of Social Services, which includes three (3) exam attempts. Applicants must mail the exam fee, along with a Notice of Payment Information form to: 

                                       CDSS – ACS 744 P Street, MS 9-15-807 

                                       Sacramento, CA 95814

Submit the Application 

Within thirty (30) days of receiving an exam results letter, submit a complete initial administrator application packet to the ACS (see address below). It is recommended to mail this packet via certified US mail. The application packet must include: 

• A copy of your extension approval letter, if applicable 
• A completed and signed LIC 9214 – Application for Administrator Certification form. 
•  A check or money order for the applicable processing fee (for the non-refundable application processing fee), made payable to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). 
• Include your certificate number on the check or money order. 
• A copy of your Certificate of Completion of the ICTP 
• A copy of your completed LIC 9163 – Request for Live Scan form for a statewide (Department of Justice) and national (Federal Bureau of Investigations) criminal background check. See background check info for further details 

NOTE: Do not wait for your Live Scan results to submit your application. Your clearance information will be sent to CDSS. 

Application Status 

• Upon receipt of an application, ACS immediately processes the application payment. This does not mean that your application is being processed. This means that the ACS has received your application. 
• The ACS typically begins processing of applications within 30 days of receipt. 
• See the ACS website for application processing dates and to view information on how and when to check the status of your application.

Use the following checklist to ensure your renewal application is complete. Keep a copy of your application packet for your records.

Checklist 

• Complete the required Continuing Education Training Program (CETP) hours for the facility type according to your certificate, from an ACP approved vendor.
• CETP hours may be completed anytime during the certification’s valid period (between effective and expiration date).
• ARF: 40 hours; at least four (4) hours of instruction in laws, regulations, policies, and procedural standards for the certificate facility type.
• RCFE: 40 hours; at least four (4) hours of instruction in laws, regulations, policies, and procedural standards for the certificate facility type; and at least eight (8) hours in subjects related to serving residents with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.

Submit an application packet no more than 90 days from the certification expiration date. The application packet must include the following:

•  A completed Application for Administrator Certification (form LIC 9214) b. Proof of completion of CETP hours in the form of certificate of completion c. A check or money order made payable to “CDSS” for the application processing fee
• Administrator certification application processing fees will incrementally increase by ten (10%) percent each year, over a four (4) year period:
  Year 1, effective July 1, 2021, Renewal Application: $110
  Year 2, effective July 1, 2022, Renewal Application: $120
  Year 3, effective July 1, 2023, Renewal Application: $130
  Year 4, effective July 1, 2024, Renewal Application: $140

If applicable, a $300 delinquency fee if the application packet is postmarked after the certificate expiration date or if the application is incomplete after the certificate expiration date.

Send the application packet to:

                         Community Care Licensing Division
                        Administrator Certification Section (ACS)
                       744 P Street, MS 9-15-807
                        Sacramento, CA. 95814

If renewing more than two (2) years but less than four (4) years after certificate expired, submit:

• Proof of completion of an additional forty (40) hours of continuing education (or 20 for RCFE-NHA certificate holders), including an additional four (4) hours in “laws, regulations, etc.” and eight (8) hours in dementia subjects as detailed above

Note that certificates cannot be renewed if they have been expired for more than four (4) years.

 The Administrator Certification Bureau is currently encountering delays in the processing of both initial and renewal applications. As a result, ACB has created a list under  application processing dates  along with their respective statuses (see "Pending Status"). However, it's important to note that this list is not updated on a daily basis. Therefore, if you have recently submitted your initial or renewal application, it may not yet be reflected on the list.