AFH Club · Licensing & Certification
AFH Licensing & Certification in Washington State
Every Adult Family Home in Washington State must be licensed by DSHS before admitting a single resident. The licensing process involves multiple agencies, several rounds of documentation, and a home inspection. This page walks through each step in plain language.
Caregiver Credential
Home Care Aide (HCA) Certification
Unless you qualify for an exemption, you must be a certified Home Care Aide before you can be licensed as an AFH provider. This means completing the 75-hour long-term care worker training (a two-hour caregiver orientation, three hours of safety, and 70 hours of basic training under WAC 388-112A), passing the HCA certification examination, and receiving certification from the Washington State Department of Health.
The certification exam and credential are handled by the Department of Health. Contact DOH or an approved training program for current exam scheduling.
HCA Exemptions
You do NOT need the 70-hour basic training or HCA certification if you are one of the following:
Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs)
Nursing Assistants Certified (NA-C/CNA), or persons in an approved CNA training program who finish it within 120 days of hire and receive the DOH credential
Home health aides employed by a Medicare-certified home health agency within the year before hire
Persons with special education training and an endorsement from the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Long-term care workers employed at some time between January 1, 2011 and January 6, 2012 who completed the training requirements then in effect (under DOH rules this exemption lapses after three consecutive years without long-term care work)
Sources: WAC 388-112A-0090 and WAC 246-980-025. If unsure whether you qualify, contact DSHS at rcspolicy@dshs.wa.gov.
Step by Step
The DSHS License Application Process
DSHS does not promise a timeline for becoming licensed. It posts its current processing queue, and review can take up to 60 days once an application is complete; most applicants need more than one inspection. Allow several months from application to first resident. The process involves both DSHS and your local building jurisdiction. Training, background checks and building work can run at the same time.
Complete all required training
75-hour Home Care Aide training and Department of Health certification (if not exempt), AFH Administrator Training, and current CPR and first-aid cards. Safe food handling is taught inside the basic training. You also need 1,000 hours of direct care experience with vulnerable adults within the past 60 months (nurses and physicians are exempt).
Pass your background check
Submit background checks through DSHS for yourself and anyone affiliated with the application, household members over age 11, and any staff. Disqualifying crimes are defined under WAC 388-113.
Prepare your home for inspection
Review the WABO AFH Building Inspection Checklist and complete any required building modifications. A floor plan of each level must accompany your application.
Gather your documentation
Assemble the Caregiver Experience Attestation form (DSHS 10-417) documenting your 1,000 hours, training certificates, background check forms, liability insurance proof, and the Disclosure of Services form (DSHS 10-508).
Submit the online application
Apply at the DSHS BAAU portal (baau.dshs.wa.gov). Avoid using the symbols &, =, +, or # in the application; DSHS asks applicants to spell them out. DSHS posts its current processing queue online: in late September 2026 it was working on applications received in May 2026, and it allows up to 60 days once an application is complete.
DSHS initial inspection
A DSHS licensor will conduct an initial inspection of your home. You will also need a passed local building inspection from your jurisdiction before the DSHS inspection is completed. DSHS reports that most applicants do not pass the first inspection and allows a maximum of three inspection visits.
TB testing
DSHS lists tuberculosis testing as due within three days of the home being licensed.
License issued
Once all requirements are met and the inspection is passed, DSHS issues the AFH license. After that, an annual license fee of $450 per licensed bed (in place since July 2025, per DSHS) is due each year in the month the home was first licensed; DSHS mails the bill 60 days before. The amount is set in the state budget every two years (RCW 70.128.060, WAC 388-76-10025).
Background Checks
Who Needs a Background Check?
Before licensure, the applicant and anyone affiliated with the applicant need a Washington State name and date-of-birth check and a national fingerprint check. Caregivers, entity representatives and resident managers need both checks. Household members over age 11, volunteers, students and noncaregiving staff who may have unsupervised access to residents need the Washington State check. The Washington State check is valid for two years and must be redone every two years; the fingerprint check does not expire (WAC 388-76-10161 and 10165).
Disqualifying crimes and negative actions are governed by WAC 388-113. Certain criminal convictions permanently disqualify an applicant. Others may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis depending on recency and nature.
Important: Background checks (WAC 388-76-10165) were the fifth most frequently cited AFH rule in DSHS's most recent published quarterly list (October to December 2024). Establish a tracking system for renewal dates from day one.
Buying an Existing AFH
Change of Ownership (CHOW)
Purchasing an existing licensed AFH is called a Change of Ownership (CHOW). Licenses are not transferable: the new owner must submit a complete new AFH license application and meet all current provider qualifications. DSHS Residential Care Services has stated in writing (September 2026) that a continuously licensed home that changes owners is held to the building rules in place when it was first licensed; a home whose license has lapsed must meet current rules. DSHS does not estimate how long a CHOW license takes, but a complete application avoids delays.
Before purchasing, always check the AFH Locator for any limits, enforcements, or exemptions issued in the previous three years. Ask the current owner about any ongoing limits or outstanding enforcement on the existing license.
Specialty contracts — such as Expanded Community Services (ECS) and Specialized Behavior Support (SBS) — are not transferable in a CHOW. The new owner needs approval from DSHS AFH program staff and new specialty contracts before providing or billing for those services.
Search the AFH Locator before you buy →Key DSHS Resources
Professional Disclosure
Real Property Planning is an educational and connection hub. It does not provide legal, tax, accounting, financial, brokerage, or appraisal services. Professionals referenced on this site are independently licensed and operate through their own separate businesses. Real estate brokerage services are provided by David Stein, a licensed Washington broker, through eXp Realty. Appraisal services are provided by David Stein through Stein Appraisal. Read the full disclaimer.
Your next questions
Where do I start?
The steps to opening an adult family home in Washington, in order.
What will it cost to open?
Licensing fees, training, inspection and start-up costs.
What training is required?
Required training for providers, resident managers and caregivers.
Will the house pass inspection?
The building and fire inspection an adult family home must pass.
How do people finance an adult family home?
Conventional, SBA and seller financing for the house and the business.
How do Medicaid payment levels work?
CARE classifications A–E, daily rates, and what changes when a home is sold.