Every state licensing board sets its own Administrator-in-Training (AIT) internship requirement for nursing home administrator licensure. The national NAB Core and NHA Line of Service exams are the same everywhere; the internship is not. Below is a verified starting point for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with the continuing education note and the board source for each. It is a planning aid, not a substitute for your board.
Requirements change, and your state board is the only authoritative source. Figures here were checked against NAB state pages and board materials (the nursing-home AIT block only, never the assisted-living / RCAL numbers). Where a state publishes no single AIT hour figure, it is shown as Varies, a real finding for credit- or experience-based states, not a missing value. Verify every number against the linked source before you plan your training.
Your board sets the rules, but it rarely finds you a preceptor. That happens through the people already working in long-term care, and the fastest way to reach them is your state trade associations. Each row below carries a "Find a program" line with the state long-term care associations: the state affiliate of the American Health Care Association (AHCA/NCAL), representing skilled nursing and post-acute providers, and, where one exists, the state LeadingAge partner, representing nonprofit aging-services providers. Both hold events, run education, and know the administrators who precept. They are membership organizations, not licensing boards, so use them to connect and network, and confirm your actual requirements with your board. Where a state has a single combined association or no separate LeadingAge partner, only what exists is shown. A handful of states go further and publish an approved-preceptor list or run a formal AIT program you apply to; where they do, a second linked line points straight to it. For the step-by-step, see How to Find an AIT Preceptor.
Each state below also links to a full licensing guide covering that state's AIT requirement, exams, continuing education, and where to find approved programs. Or browse the state-by-state index.
| State | AIT requirement | Continuing education | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama AIT hours are tiered by education (620-X-5-.02(1)(e)): 2,000 with an associate degree plus four years supervisory experience, 1,000 with any bachelor's degree, 500 (or an approved internship) with a bachelor's in health care administration, 200 (or an approved internship) with a master's in health or hospital administration, none after a NAB-approved academic program. Approved preceptor listAlabama Board (ALBOENHA) |
200 to 2,000 hrs | 24 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Alaska 1,000 AIT hours, finished within two years and approved by the Department before it starts (12 AAC 46.041). Alternatives: 12 months of management experience or the NAB HSE credential (12 AAC 46.010(b)). Licensed by the Department, not a board. No continuing education requirement. Find a programAlaska Hospital & Healthcare Association (AHHA) |
1,000 hrs | None required | NAB / board |
| Arizona 1,000 hours of full-time AIT, finished in 6 to 12 months, on the bachelor's and associate-nursing-degree-plus-RN routes only; none with a master's in a health-related field or business administration, or by reciprocity (R4-33-201, R4-33-202, R4-33-302). AzACHCA administers the AIT with the NCIA Board. Arizona state exam: 50 questions, 1 hour, 80 percent, in person in Phoenix. CE 50 hours every two years. |
1,000 hrs | 50 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Arkansas 640-hour AIT (72 classroom hours plus 568 facility hours over 16 weeks), run by the Arkansas Health Care Foundation. The rules conflict on who must complete it (20 CAR 402-205 and 402-302(e)), so confirm with the Office of Long-Term Care. Find a programArkansas Health Care Association State AIT programArkansas Health Care Foundation |
640 hrs | 20 hours annual | NAB / board |
| California Licensed by CDPH's Nursing Home Administrator Program (no board). At least 1,000 AIT hours on five of the seven routes; the master's route uses a 480-hour internship instead, and reciprocity needs none; partial waivers possible. CE 40 hours per two years, at least 10 in aging or patient care. State exam required: 75 percent to pass (HSC 1416.34). |
1,000 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Colorado Three routes (C.R.S. 12-265-108): the AIT route needs 1,000 hours within one year, and the Board can waive up to 500 hours for administrative experience (12-265-109; Rule 1.12); the two degree routes need no AIT. Colorado state exam plus NAB, both within one year of approval to test (Rule 1.5). No CE hours are set; yearly renewal by the last day of February. |
Up to 1,000 hrs | None set | NAB / board |
| Connecticut Licensed by the Department of Public Health (no board). Bachelor's route: a DPH-approved course plus a residency of at least 900 clock hours (Regs. 19a-519-2); a CAHME-accredited master's needs no separate residency, another master's a 500-hour field experience (19a-519-3). Connecticut jurisprudence exam, 18 of 25 to pass. CE 40 hours every two years. |
900 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Delaware 6, 9 or 12 months, set by your degree (24 Del. C. 5209), plus a NAB-approved course of study unless your degree has a major in long term care administration. The Board approves your education and AIT plan before you start (5200-2.4.3). CE 48 hours every two years. |
6 to 12 months | 48 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| District of Columbia 6 or 12 continuous months as the Board sets, averaging at least 35 hours a week, under a Board-approved preceptor, with Board approval before you start (17 DCMR 6202). Other routes: a year of supervised work in a DC nursing home, or an accredited master's plus 6 months of experience. Licensed by the Board of Nursing since July 2024. District exam: a written test (75 percent) plus a Board interview. Approved preceptor listDC Health |
6 or 12 months | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Florida No AIT after a 650-hour college internship or a year of nursing home management; otherwise a 1,000-hour AIT (health administration degree) or 2,000 hours (other bachelor's), within 15 months (Rule 64B10-16). State exam required: the Florida Laws and Rules Examination. CE 40 hours every two years after the first renewal. Approved preceptor listFlorida Board of NHA |
1,000 to 2,000 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Georgia Licensed by the Georgia State Board of Long-Term Care Facility Administrators. AIT of 500, 1,000, 1,500 or 2,000 hours set by education and experience (Rule 393-3-.02); NAB exams only after the Board approves the finished AIT. No separate state exam. CE 40 hours every two years, at most 32 online. |
500 to 2,000 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Hawaii One year as an AIT under a licensed administrator (HAR 16-90-37), or one year of qualifying experience; some master's degrees can stand in (16-90-7.10). NAB's summary lists 2,080 hours. Licensed through DCCA's PVL program. The current application and NAB list only the NAB exams, though the 1988 rule still describes a Hawaii laws part. No CE for renewal. Find a programHealthcare Association of Hawaii (HAH) |
12 months | None for renewal | NAB / board |
| Idaho 1,000 AIT hours under a licensed preceptor, finished within 2 years (Idaho Code 54-1612(1)): at least 32 hours a week in an Idaho-licensed nursing home, 32 hours a month directly with the preceptor, and a report every 500 hours (IDAPA 24.41.01). Two master's degree routes need no AIT (54-1612(3)). Idaho dropped its state exam on 1 July 2025. Find a programIdaho Health Care Association (IHCA) Approved preceptor listIdaho DOPL |
1,000 hrs | 12 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Illinois Illinois requires no AIT (225 ILCS 70/8). You qualify with a bachelor’s degree, an approved course in nursing home administration, a three-year nursing diploma plus two years of qualifying experience, or an associate degree or 60 semester or 90 quarter hours plus qualifying experience (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1310.30). A state exam is required. CE is 36 hours every two years (225 ILCS 70/11). |
None | 36 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Indiana Indiana calls the license Health Facility Administrator (HFA). AIT of 680, 880 or 1,040 hours, set by education and long-term care experience, over 3 to 12 months at 20 or more hours a week, with Board approval first (IC 25-19-1-18, 20). The Indiana Jurisprudence Examination follows the NAB exams. CE 40 hours every two years. |
680 to 1,040 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Iowa Current rules (IAC 481-980) set no AIT hour minimum; the AIT is one of three routes, with a college practicum or 2,080 hours of nursing home experience. The old 720-hour practicum rule is gone. No separate state exam. CE 40 hours per two years. |
Varies | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Kansas 480-hour AIT in up to 3 settings, not in assisted living; up to 240 hours can be credited for experience (K.A.R. 26-38-2). Current providers include KHCA, KACE and Wichita State. Licensed by the Board of Adult Care Home Administrators, attached to KDADS; the Kansas state exam needs 75 percent (26-38-4). |
480 hrs | 50 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Kentucky No AIT requirement. A bachelor's degree plus one of three experience routes: a NAB-accredited degree awarded within 2 years, a 1,000-hour internship that is part of a degree, or 6 months of long-term care management experience (201 KAR 6:020). Renewal every two years. |
None | 30 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Louisiana 6 months full time and at least 1,040 hours, in seven set department rotations, in a Louisiana Medicare or Medicaid nursing home (LAC 46:XLIX.701); licensure within 24 months. A bachelor's or 10 years as a licensed administrator; waivers by degree (a bachelor's or master's in health care administration, or one with an eldercare studies concentration that includes a clinical internship) or by experience, which is considered only after passing both the state and NAB exams. Board review seminar before the NAB exams. Louisiana state standards exam at the Board office. |
1,040 hrs | 18 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Maine New licenses are Multi-Level Long Term Care Facility Administrator licenses (since 27 Aug 2024), which need the NAB CORE, NHA and RCAL exams. AIT of 1,000 hours completed in 6 to 12 months (02-371 CMR Ch. 22); a waiver is possible for an equivalent academic internship. No separate state exam. CE 24 hours a year. |
1,000 hrs | 24 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Maryland AIT set in months, not hours: 12 months full-time at 40 hours a week, or 18 months part-time at 30 hours a week (COMAR 10.33.02.04, .05); experience can earn up to 12 months of credit. NAB's 2,080 hours is the full-time route only. State standards exam (NHA-MD): 100 questions, 2 hours, 75 percent, via NAB and Pearson VUE. CE 40 hours every two years. |
12 to 18 months | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Massachusetts AIT set in months, not hours: 3 months with a master's in a named field, 6 months with a bachelor's (245 CMR 3.03), at a skilled nursing facility, with the plan approved by the Board first. No separate state exam. License renews every year by 30 June. CE is 20 contact hours per annual renewal period (245 CMR 4.02(1)); the Board's pages still say 40 hours over two years, so confirm with the Board. |
3 to 6 months | 20 hours annual (Board pages say 40 per two years) | NAB / board |
| Michigan No AIT requirement: the rules contain no internship, practicum or preceptor. Three routes (R 339.14017): a degree plus approved coursework and the NAB exams, hospital executive experience plus the NAB exams, or NAB's HSE designation. CE 36 hours every two years. |
None | 36 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Minnesota A 1,000-hour practicum by default, reduced to 750, 500, 200 or 0 hours for qualifying experience (Minn. R. 6400.6655). Bachelor's plus nine course areas. The Board's open-resource State NHA exam, online with a licensed proctor. CE 20 hours a year. |
0 to 1,000 hrs | 20 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Mississippi 1,040-hour AIT at 40 hours a week for at least 6 consecutive months, finished within 8 months (Rule 1.3.A), under a Board-certified preceptor; an academic AIT route also exists. Board approval required before starting. The state exam is given in person at the Board office in Jackson. Approved preceptor listMississippi State Board |
1,040 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Missouri An AIT is needed only if you do not qualify through experience or a qualifying degree (19 CSR 73-2.020). Internship minimums depend on education: 500 hours with a bachelor's or master's degree, 640 with an associate degree, 800 for an LPN, 2,000 with a high school diploma, finished within 18 months (19 CSR 73-2.031). Approved preceptor listMissouri Board of NHA (certified preceptors) |
500 to 2,000 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Montana Montana has no AIT requirement. It uses a points system: a minimum of 1,200 points from education, training, and health care management experience (ARM 24.162.501). AIT hours are optional and count 1 point per clock hour. Plus the NAB exam and the open-book Montana Jurisprudence Examination. Confirm with the Montana Board of Nursing Home Administrators. Find a programMontana Health Care Association (MHCA) |
None | 20 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Nebraska 640 hours of AIT or mentoring under a certified preceptor, over at least 4 months at 20 or more hours a week (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-2420). Most of the five routes include it; a health care degree plus 2 years of health care administration needs none. DHHS issues the license on the board's recommendation. CE 50 hours every two years. |
640 hrs | 50 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Nevada 1,000 AIT hours with a degree in nursing facility administration or health care, 1,200 with any other degree; at least 20 weeks in a facility of 40 or more beds, approved by BELTCA (NAC 654.100, as amended by R106-24A). No route without a degree. No state exam, but 8 hours of Board-approved training on Nevada long-term care law. CE 30 units every two years. Approved program listNevada BELTCA |
1,000 to 1,200 hrs | 30 units biennial | NAB / board |
| New Hampshire One year as an AIT in a nursing home of at least 50 beds (Nuh 301.03), under a preceptor with at least 5 years' experience (Nuh 102.06); the Board can accept equivalent experience (Nuh 306.01). A bachelor's plus 15 credits in nine areas. NAB's NHA-NH state exam, 75 percent. CE 40 hours every two years. |
1 year | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| New Jersey 1,750 internship hours by default; 450, 900, 875 or 1,250 on degree routes (N.J.A.C. 8:34-4.1, 4.4), in a nursing home of at least 60 beds, no more than 50 hours a week, with the Board approving the plan (form NH-8) first and quarterly preceptor reports. Bachelor's degree and a 100-hour course required. CE includes 4 hours of ethics. |
450 to 1,750 hrs | 60 hours triennial | NAB / board |
| New Mexico At least 1,000 hours of on-site, supervised AIT or internship, approved by the board, NAB or NMHCA, with monthly written preceptor evaluations (16.13.3.7.C and 3.8.D NMAC). Bachelor's in a board-approved course of study required. No state exam; CE 24 hours a year, license expires 31 March. Find a programNew Mexico Health Care Association (NMHCA) |
1,000 hrs | 24 hours annual | NAB / board |
| New York Since 24 June 2026, at least 39 weeks full time and 1,365 clock hours (10 NYCRR 96.8; formerly 12 months and 1,820), or two years of qualifying field experience instead. Preceptors need 1 year as administrator of record. Requires advance Board approval. |
1,365 hrs | 48 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| North Carolina Minimum 12-week initial full-time component (40 hours per week, weekday business hours) plus additional individualized weeks set by the Board based on your education and experience; the Board's nonbinding guideline runs up to 50 weeks. Board interview and approval required BEFORE starting; national and State exams within one year of completion. Find a programNorth Carolina Health Care Facilities Association (NCHCFA) · LeadingAge North Carolina Approved preceptor listNC Board (NCBENHA) |
480 hrs minimum | 30 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| North Dakota 1,000 hours within 24 months, reduced to 750, 500 or 250 hours with qualifying experience (Board Policy 11). The Board lists approved programs, not individual preceptors. The Board's own North Dakota laws and rules exam (Rule 55-02-01-10(2)). Find a programNorth Dakota Long Term Care Association State AIT programND Board of Examiners |
250 to 1,000 hrs | 20 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Ohio AIT by education (OAC 4751-1-05): 1,500 hours over 9 months with a bachelor's, 1,000 over 6 months with a master's, none after a NAB-accredited program, plus a 100-hour Core of Knowledge course. Ohio dropped its state exam on 1 February 2025. License renews every two years; CE 40 hours per renewal. |
1,000 to 1,500 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Oklahoma Licensed by the Oklahoma State Department of Health since November 2023 (no board). Tier 1 AIT of 750 hours, finished within 24 months, at most 40 hours a week, with a preceptor OSDH approves first (OAC 310:679-10-41). Oklahoma State Standards examination, 75 percent. CE 24 hours a year. State AIT programOSBELTCA Administrator University |
750 hrs | 24 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Oregon 960 AIT hours, completed in 6 months to 2 years, split across five areas in the Office's AIT packet, with one waiver of 80, 160 or 450 hours (OAR 853-030-0040). Oregon laws and rules exam on most routes, 75 percent to pass. CE 10 hours a year, with no carryover. |
960 hrs | 10 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Pennsylvania The AIT is optional: one of the Board's routes to the exams. On that route it is 1,000 hours with a bachelor's degree or 800 with an acceptable master's, within the 2 years before you apply (49 Pa. Code 39.5). CE 48 hours every two years, including 12 in emergency preparedness and infection control. State exam required: the State Based Licensing Exam (Pennsylvania NHA). |
800 to 1,000 hrs | 48 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Rhode Island At least 350 hours of AIT field experience in a licensed nursing facility, completed within a twelve-month period (216-RICR-40-05-32). Bachelor's in health care administration, or any bachelor's plus 15 credit hours across five required content areas. CE 40 hours every two years, at least 30 of them live contact hours. |
350 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| South Carolina Administrator in Residency (formerly the AIT): 6 months (720 hours) with a health care administration or related degree, 9 months (1,080 hours) with any other bachelor's, across eleven department areas; the permit lasts the length of the program and cannot be renewed (Board AIR overview, 2026). The Board rewrote its rules effective 22 May 2026. State exam (SCNHA) required, registered through NAB. |
6 to 9 months | 20 hours (2022 guidelines) | NAB / board |
| South Dakota 240 hours within six consecutive months, at most 40 credited a week, or a completed long-term healthcare administration practicum, within 4 years of applying (ARSD 20:49:01:01). Preceptors licensed in South Dakota for 4 years. Board-run online state exam on the nursing facility rules, $100, 75 percent. Find a programSouth Dakota Health Care Association · South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) Certified preceptor listSD Board |
240 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Tennessee Standard AIT of 6 months to 1 year, which the Board describes as 1,040 clock hours; 400 hours only on the Health Care Administration degree and hospital CEO or COO routes (Rule 1020-01-.06, .07). The associate degree route also needs 5 years of management experience. State jurisprudence exam, 90 percent to pass. CE 18 hours a year. |
400 to 1,040 hrs | 18 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Texas Licensed by HHSC (no board); the license is Nursing Facility Administrator (NFA). Internship 1,000 hours on the standard route (bachelor's plus 12 semester hours in long-term care administration), 500 on three degree-plus-experience routes, none with NAB's HSE (26 TAC 555.12). CE 40 hours per two years, including 6 in ethics. State exam required (26 TAC 555.18). Find a programLeadingAge Texas |
1,000 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Utah An approved AIT preceptorship of at least 1,000 hours, or the NAB HSE credential (R156-15-302a); separately, a bachelor's degree or 8,000 hours of experience, 4,000 of them supervisory. Preceptors: 3 years licensed, at most two AITs (R156-15-307). Find a programUtah Health Care Association (UHCA) |
1,000 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Vermont Licensed by the Director of the Office of Professional Regulation (no board). 1,000-hour AIT within two years under a Vermont-licensed administrator with at least five years' experience, across 11 areas in OPR's checklist (Rule 2.3); the Director may waive or reduce hours. Vermont jurisprudence exam, run by OPR. CE 40 hours every two years. Find a programVermont Health Care Association |
1,000 hrs | 40 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Virginia AIT of 2,000 hours within 24 months, cut to 1,500, 1,000 or 320 by your degree or by up to 1,000 hours for experience (18VAC95-20-310); 60 semester hours to enter, no degree needed. Three other routes: a degree or certificate with an internship, or NAB HSE (18VAC95-20-220). No state exam. CE 20 hours a year. Preceptor directoryVirginia DHP |
320 to 2,000 hrs | 20 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Washington AIT (DOH calls it the Administrator Residency): 1,500 hours as standard, 1,000 or 500 with qualifying experience or education, or none with an exemption (WAC 246-843-091, -093). No state exam, but a 6-hour Washington nursing home law course is required within 180 days after licensure (WAC 246-843-130(7)). License renews every year; CE 36 hours every two years. |
1,500 hrs | 36 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| West Virginia 1,000-hour AIT (21CSR1 4.3) with a $600 permit before you start, a Board-approved preceptor and training home, and quarterly reports; the Board can waive the AIT on three routes in 3.3.a. Bachelor's degree and age 21 required. The Board gives its own state exam at its Winfield office. CE 20 hours a year. Find a programWest Virginia Health Care Association (WVHCA) |
1,000 hrs | 20 hours annual | NAB / board |
| Wisconsin No AIT and no hour figure. The program of study and specialized course routes need one year of experience supervised by a licensed administrator; the practicum degree and NAB HSE routes need none (NHA 4.01(1)(d)). Wisconsin State Law Examination (NHA-WI) through NAB. CE 24 hours each biennium. |
No AIT | 24 hours biennial | NAB / board |
| Wyoming 500 AIT hours under a Board-approved preceptor (Rule 2-3); the rule counts 8 hours of direct training, and the Board's forms ask for 8 direct hours a month and credit at most 40 hours a week. A 6-month provisional license, with one extension of up to 60 days, is available while you finish the AIT (Rule 2-8). The AIT may be waived for 2 of the last 5 years as an administrator or NAB HSE qualifications. Bachelor's degree usually required. Licenses expire 31 December. Find a programWyoming Long Term Care Association (WLTCA) |
500 hrs | 25 hours annual | NAB / board |
Our interactive AIT Planner pulls your state's requirement into a live hours-allocation plan across all eleven rotations, with a five-phase checklist and a confidence self-assessment. No signup required; save to a free account to sync across devices.
Open the free AIT PlannerNo. NAB administers the national Core and NHA Line of Service exams, but the Administrator-in-Training internship is set by each state licensing board. Required hours range from a few hundred to over 2,000, and several states express the requirement as a term of months or as an experience-and-education equivalence rather than a single hour figure. Always confirm the current rule with your own board.
Use the table on this page for a verified starting point per state, then confirm with the linked board source. States shown as Varies publish no single AIT hour figure because the requirement is credit- or experience-based; those entries are genuine findings, not gaps.
An Administrator-in-Training program is a supervised internship under a licensed preceptor that most states require before you can sit for licensure as a nursing home administrator. It runs alongside exam preparation, and its length and structure are set by your state board.
No. Requirements change, and your state board is the only authoritative source. This page is a study and planning aid; verify every figure against the linked board page before making decisions about your training.