FAQs

At Assisted Living Education, we know choosing the right training, certification, or care resources can come with a lot of questions. Whether you’re a caregiver, healthcare professional, facility Administrator, or family member, our goal is to make the process simple, approachable, and easy to navigate. Below are answers to some of the most common questions about our courses, products, certifications, ordering process, and support resources. If you still need help, our team is always here to assist you.

RCFE Administrator certification is a state-mandated 80-hour training program required for individuals who manage or operate a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly in California. The program prepares Administrators to meet state regulations, oversee daily operations, and ensure quality care and compliance within licensed RCFE communities.

The RCFE Administrator certification includes 80 total training hours. Most learners finish within two to three weeks.

Yes. RCFE Administrator certification courses offered by Assisted Living Education are approved by the California Department of Social Services.

To enroll in RCFE Administrator certification, applicants must be at least 21 years old and meet California Department of Social Services background clearance and licensing eligibility requirements, including Live Scan fingerprinting. They must complete a state-approved RCFE Administrator training program and pass the state certification exam. Ongoing compliance and continuing education are required to maintain certification.

RCFE Administrators must complete 40 continuing education unit hours (CEU) every two years to renew their certification in California.

Yes. RCFE continuing education units (CEUs) may be completed online; however, at least 20 of the required 40 hours must be completed through live instruction (live via Zoom). The remaining hours may be completed through approved self-paced online courses.

 

You should begin RCFE renewal training 60 to 90 days before your license expiration date.

 

Online training is self-paced. Live training follows scheduled Zoom sessions with an instructor. Both formats offer the same approved credit to meet California certification requirements.

 

Certificates for online training are available immediately after completion. Certificates for live training Zoom classes are issued within one to two business days after the session ends.

 

You receive 90 days of course access after enrollment. This timeframe allows most learners to complete training comfortably, even while balancing work and personal responsibilities.

 

The cost of RCFE Administrator certification is $659 and includes all required training hours, class materials, and completion documentation needed to meet state requirements.

Yes. Many employers cover training costs as part of professional development or onboarding. You may check with your employer about reimbursement or direct payment options.

 

Yes. You may continue working in other roles while completing the course. However, you cannot act as an RCFE Administrator until certified.

Training includes Title 22 regulations, resident care standards, medication management, dementia care, and facility operations. These topics prepare Administrators to manage compliance, safety, and daily operations.

Yes, Assisted Living Education is an approved California Department of Social Services (DSS) / Community Care Licensing vendor. Our DSS/CCL vendor approval numbers are:

RCFE Certification (2000183-740-1)
RCFE Continuing Education (2000183-740-2)
ARF Continuing Education (2000183-735-2)

Yes, Assisted Living Education is an approved vendor to offer CE’s for RN, LVN, NHA and LCSW. Our appoval numbers are:

Board of Registered Nursing – RN’s, LVN’s (BRN 15954)
Nursing Home Administrators (Skilled Nursing) (CEP 1751)
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (PCE 4915)

A Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) is a facility that provides care, supervision and assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing and grooming. They may also provide incidental medical services under special care plans. The facilities provide services to persons 60 years of age and over (75% or more of residents) and persons under 60 with compatible needs. RCFE’s may also be known as assisted living facilities, retirement homes and board and care homes. The facilities can range in size from one RCFE resident to over 100 beds. The residents in these facilities require varying levels of personal care and protective supervision. Click here to read more about our Initial RCFE Administrator Certification class.

 

An Adult Residential Facility (ARF) is a facility of any capacity that provides 24-hour non-medical care for adults ages 18 through 59 (age 60+ allowed under certain conditions) who are unable to provide for their own daily needs. Adults may be physically handicapped, developmentally disabled, and/or mentally disabled. We offer continuing education for ARF Administrators. We do not offer Initial ARF certification.

Yes, we would be pleased to conduct a renewal training class at your facility to enable your team to obtain or renew their Administrator certificate. We can also conduct valuable training classes for your caregiver staff. Research has found that caregiver job satisfaction increases and turnover decreases when caregivers feel they are provided with needed training. Depending upon the location and number of persons enrolled, we can provide you with a reduced class price that we think you will find very attractive. Call us today and let us know your needs.

Yes. You can call us at (714) 747-0725 to enroll in a class or order a product.

Just so you know, our web site is a 128 bit data encrypted secured site when you begin the checkout process.

When you press the checkout button, you are in a secured environment and the information you enter is protected. You can click on the “lock” icon located in your browser window to view and verify our security certificate. You can also tell when you are in a secure web site environment by the change in the internet address bar. The address bar will change from http (non-secured) to https (secured).

An RCFE Administrator in California on average makes $55-$71k per year. This can vary significantly depending on the size of the facility managed, and several other factors.

The Administrator Certification Program is a legislatively mandated certification process that is designed and intended to upgrade the knowledge and educational levels of persons wishing to become or are currently employed as Administrators of an RCFE or ARF. Administrators are individuals designated by licensees to act on behalf of the licensee in the overall management of their facilities. Licensees and Administrators may be one and the same person.

Persons wishing to become an RCFE Administrator must:

  • Complete an initial 80 hour certification program from an approved vendor;
  • Persons holding a current Nursing Home Administrators Certificate need only 12 hours education;
  • Pass a standardized 100 question  administered by the Department of Social Services;
  • Submit a completed request for Administrator Certificate form;
  • Obtain a Criminal Record Clearance from the DOJ and;
  • Submit a non-refundable $100 processing fee to the state.

Once certified, persons wishing to renew and maintain their certification must complete 40 hours of Continuing Education Units (CEU) every 2 years.

If you wish to become an RCFE Administrator or a licensed owner/Administrator, you must complete an Initial Certification class from an approved California Department of Social Services (DSS) vendor. You must complete 60 Live class hours and the remaining 20 hours can be taken online.

Our Initial RCFE certification class is the right training class for you if you wish to become a certified Administrator in a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly. Our Initial RCFE Administrator class is designed and developed based on the Core of Knowledge principles defined by the state. You can find more information by clicking here.

If you are already a Certified Administrator licensed in California and you wish to renew your certification, then you should attend one of our RCFE or ARF Renewal classes. These are more fully explained below.

Once certified, you are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education from an approved vendor every 2 years. Only 20 of the 40 hours can be online classes. The class content must relate to the Core of Knowledge principles to be valid for renewal purposes. Also, 8 of the 40 hours must include dementia training. Click here for live class continuing education. Click here for online renewal classes.

The Administrator certificate is valid for two (2) years. The applicant has the option of choosing their birth date as their renewal date. If the applicant chooses their birth date as their renewal date during the initial application process, then the certificate may be valid for less than 2 years.

You have options to cancel or get credit for a future class if you give us advance notice. Click here to read our complete Purchase terms & Conditions Policy.

 

To open and operate your own RCFE, you must:

  1. Be at least 21 years of age;
  2.  Have graduated from high school or have a GED;
  3.  For a RCFE with 16 or more capacity, some college education, experience or a combination of these is required.
  4. Complete a live 80 hour RCFE Initial Administrator Certification class;
  5. Pass the State exam (100 questions). Our students pass overwhelmingly;
  6. Pass a background check (about an $82 fee);
  7. Pay the State $100 for the Certification application fee;
  8. Complete an RCFE orientation. Only the State provides the orientation.
  9. Submit a RCFE License Application. This is very complex, but we can do this for you. Click here for License Application.


We are here to help you with every step above. And after you open your RCFE, we are ready to assist you in your success.

Yes. In addition to classes, we offer consulting, due diligence for acquisitions, conference speakers and much more.

Need help to complete your license application? We can do that as we have licensed more than 100 facilities. Our good relationships with DSS and what they need to see will save you time and money.

Need a pre-licensing review to boost your chances of obtaining license approval the first time? We can perform a pre-licensing visit to do this.

How about a quality assurance audit to review compliance with DSS regulations and avoid a fine? Ask us and we can help.

Please click on the “Services” tab above to view our complete list of services and the professionals that provide these services.

Have more questions?

You may also contact us during business hours.