Step by step
- Go to FloridaHealthFinder, AHCA's public facility search [1].
- Choose assisted living facility as the facility type and search by name, city, or county.
- Open the facility's profile.
- Check the license status and expiration date, the licensed bed count, and any specialty licenses.
- Open the inspection reports and read the most recent ones, not just the count.
What the license status means
When we checked all 1260 assisted living facilities in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade on October 30, 2026, 764 showed the status "Licensed," and 449 showed "In review" [2]. "In review" often means a renewal or change is being processed; it doesn't by itself mean something is wrong. Others showed "Provisional," "In litigation," or another status. On our city pages we list both "Licensed" and "In review" facilities, and label the latter "License renewal in review"; we leave out the other statuses. If a status isn't plainly "Licensed," ask the facility to explain it, and ask your advisor.
Specialty licenses
In Florida, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Besides the standard license, a facility can hold specialty licenses that allow more care [3]:
- Extended congregate care (ECC): more nursing and support services, so residents can stay as their needs grow.
- Limited nursing services (LNS): certain nursing tasks provided by licensed nurses.
- Limited mental health (LMH): for residents who live with a mental health condition.
Reading inspection reports
Inspectors cite facilities for deficiencies, which range from paperwork to serious care problems. When you read a report, look for patterns over several inspections, and for anything about medication errors, staffing, resident safety, or abuse and neglect. Then ask the facility what changed. A good administrator will answer directly.