How to become a licensed nursing home administrator in Connecticut: who issues the license, the routes and the 900-hour residency (Connecticut’s name for the AIT), the NAB exams and the Connecticut jurisprudence exam, fees, continuing education and renewal, with section numbers.
| Who licenses | The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), directly; there is no licensing board (CGS 19a-514) |
|---|---|
| Who can apply | A bachelor’s degree plus a DPH-approved course and residency, a qualifying master’s degree, or a license from another state (CGS 19a-512, 19a-513) |
| AIT requirement | A residency of at least 900 clock hours on the bachelor’s route; 500 hours of field experience for a master’s that is not CAHME-accredited (Regs. 19a-519-2, 19a-519-3) |
| National exams | NAB Core of Knowledge (CORE) and NHA Line of Service, a scaled score of 113 on each |
| State exam | Required: the Connecticut jurisprudence examination on the Public Health Code and state laws, given by DPH online; 25 multiple-choice items, at least 18 correct to pass (DPH; CGS 19a-512(a)(3)) Details ↓ |
| Continuing education | 40 hours every two years, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care and infection prevention and control (CGS 19a-515) |
| Renewal | Every two years, by the last day of your birth month: $205 in the statute, $200 on DPH’s page (CGS 19a-515(a)) |
| Official sources | portal.ct.gov/dph (NHA licensing) (DPH) · CGS Chapter 368v (Justia mirror) · Regs. 19a-519 (Secretary of the State) · nabweb.org (national exams) |
Verified September 2026. CGS is the Connecticut General Statutes; “Regs.” are the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Statute text is quoted from Justia’s 2025 edition (a mirror); DPH’s statute PDF is an older version.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) issues the license itself: “The Commissioner of Public Health shall issue a license as a nursing home administrator” (CGS 19a-514). There is no licensing board. Connecticut once had a licensure board for administrators; the history note to CGS 19a-513 records P.A. 80-484 replacing it with the department. Licensing runs through DPH’s Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section, 410 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06134, and DPH also handles discipline (CGS 19a-517). Its pages are at portal.ct.gov/dph, and online services go through eLicense.
The law is CGS Chapter 368v, sections 19a-511 to 19a-520, and the rules are Regs. Conn. State Agencies 19a-519-1 et seq. (19a-519-5 was repealed in 1990). The nursing home rules that the state exam draws on are in the Public Health Code, Regs. 19-13-D8t.
Under CGS 19a-512, every applicant completes “a program of instruction and training, including residency training” approved by the Commissioner, passes the exam DPH prescribes, is “physically and emotionally capable of administering a nursing home”, and pays the $200 fee. Applicants since 1 November 2014 also need “training in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia symptoms and care” (19a-512(b)(3)). The routes:
| Route | What you need | Training | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | “A baccalaureate degree in any area” plus a DPH-approved course in long-term care administration of at least 3 semester credit hours | A residency of at least 900 clock hours (below) | CGS 19a-512(b)(2)(A); Regs. 19a-519-2 |
| Accredited master’s degree | A master’s in long-term care administration or a related health care field, accredited by the commission now called CAHME | No separate residency in the regulation; see the note below | CGS 19a-512(b)(1), (b)(2)(B); Regs. 19a-519-3 |
| Other master’s degree | At least 45 graduate semester hours, at least 15 of them in health care administration classroom instruction | A supervised field experience of “at least five hundred (500) clock hours” | Regs. 19a-519-3 |
| Licensed in another state | A current license in good standing, issued on at least a bachelor’s degree plus that state’s exam, and 12 months of practice in the last 24 | Training in long-term care including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, or within 120 days of licensure | CGS 19a-513 |
| Licensed elsewhere, in place of the residency | A license in another state plus either an AIT program approved by that state and equal to Connecticut’s, or one year licensed and working full time as the administrative head of a 24-hour skilled nursing facility | Either one replaces the residency | Regs. 19a-519-6 |
A note on the master’s routes. CGS 19a-512(b)(1) says the residency requirement “shall not apply” to a master’s in nursing home administration or a related health care field, and Regs. 19a-519-3 lists accreditation as a test on its own. DPH’s application form (NHA 07/2018), though, says both routes need “the requisite number of hours of residency training or field placement”. (The regulation uses CAHME’s old name, the Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration.) Ask DPH how your degree is treated before you plan around it.
Connecticut calls the Administrator-in-Training period a residency. On the bachelor’s route it is “at least nine hundred (900) clock hours of administrative training” in a facility “providing skilled nursing care twenty-four hours per day” (Regs. 19a-519-2). NAB’s Connecticut summary lists the same minimum, 900.
The course. At least 3 semester credit hours in managing long-term care facilities, across seven areas from general administration and financial management to patient care and gerontology.
Regs. 19a-519-2 lists ten areas the residency covers, with no hours set for each:
Supervision is joint: “a licensed nursing home administrator in such facility and the program director”. The regulation sets no minimum years of experience and no preceptor certification, and the statute adds that the supervising administrator “shall submit such reports as may be required by the department” (CGS 19a-512(b)(1)).
Other states: AIT Hours by State.
The free AIT Planner helps you plan your hours across facility departments. Connecticut’s rule lists ten areas of experience and sets no hours for each, so any split is our planning aid, not a Connecticut rule; agree on it with your supervisor and program director. No account needed.
Open the free AIT PlannerConnecticut applicants take the two NAB exams: the Core of Knowledge (CORE) and the NHA Line of Service. NAB is the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards, and you test at a Pearson VUE test center. The figures are from NAB’s Candidate Handbook (September 2026):
| Core of Knowledge | 125 questions (100 scored, 25 pretest), 150 minutes in all, 130 of them for answering questions |
|---|---|
| NHA Line of Service | 75 questions (60 scored, 15 pretest), 90 minutes in all, 70 of them for answering questions |
| Passing score | A scaled score of 113 on each |
| Fee | $480 for CORE and NHA applied for together, from 1 February 2026, paid to NAB. Taken alone, CORE is $320 and NHA is $190 |
| NAB attempts | Since 1 January 2026, up to 4 attempts at each exam per cycle (1 July to 30 June); each retake needs a new application and fee |
DPH’s older wording. DPH’s pages still name a single “National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) Nursing Home Administrator Examination”, and its application form (NHA 07/2018) names Professional Examination Service as the vendor. NAB now gives CORE and the NHA exam through Pearson VUE. More in NAB Exam Format and The Core Domains Explained.
Connecticut’s state exam is the Connecticut jurisprudence examination, on the state’s Public Health Code and state laws. DPH lists “Successful completion of the Connecticut jurisprudence examination” among the requirements on its bachelor’s route page, and the statute requires that the applicant “has passed an examination prescribed by the Department”, with “Passing scores ... established by the department” (CGS 19a-512(a)(3)). DPH’s application form (NHA 07/2018) calls it the “Connecticut Jurisprudence and Public Health Code Examination”.
| Who gives it | DPH, not NAB or Pearson VUE. Connecticut is not among the state exams listed in NAB’s handbook |
|---|---|
| Format | It “consists of twenty-five (25) multiple-choice items” (DPH) |
| Passing score | “At least eighteen (18) questions must be answered correctly” (DPH) |
| Content | “the Connecticut public health code, (Section 19-13-d8t) and Connecticut state laws” (NHA 07/2018) |
| How you take it | Online, through a link DPH emails once your application is processed. DPH does not publish the fee, time limit or retake rules |
| Who takes it | Every applicant. For endorsement, CGS 19a-513 is silent, but DPH’s form says “All applicants” must pass it (NHA 07/2018) |
DPH hosts a study document, the “Nursing Home Administrator Public Health Code” (revised 12/09). It is mainly the text of Regs. 19-13-D8t, the licensing rules for chronic and convalescent nursing homes and rest homes with nursing supervision. More in State NHA Exams Explained.
Six places where Connecticut sets a different number, or adds a requirement, compared with 42 CFR Part 483. All six come from the Public Health Code (Regs. 19-13-D8t), Connecticut statutes and DPH’s staffing policy:
| Topic | Federal rule (42 CFR 483) | Connecticut rule | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct-care staffing | Sufficient nursing staff, including licensed nurses, on a 24-hour basis (483.35(a)), with no hours-per-resident-day minimum. CMS repealed the 2024 minimum staffing standards, which were never enforced, by an interim final rule published 3 December 2025 (90 FR 55687, effective 2 February 2026) | At least “three hours of direct care per resident per day”. DPH applies it through its staffing policies, which set 0.84 of those hours as licensed-nurse time: 0.57 hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 0.27 hours from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. | CGS 19a-563h(b)(1); DPH Blast Fax 2024-3A |
| Registered nurse on duty | A registered nurse “for at least 8 consecutive hours a day, 7 days a week”, and a registered nurse as full-time director of nursing, unless waived (483.35(b)(1), (2)) | “At least one registered nurse on duty 24 hours per day, seven days per week” | Regs. 19-13-D8t(m)(4) |
| The administrator | The administrator must be “Licensed by the State, where licensing is required” (483.70(d)(2)(i)); Part 483 sets no full-time rule | In a chronic and convalescent nursing home of 45 or more licensed beds, the administrator “shall serve full time on the premises” and is on 24-hour call (60 or more for a rest home with nursing supervision). Except in homes of 29 beds or fewer, the administrator may not also be director of nurses | Regs. 19-13-D8t(f) |
| Reporting abuse | Alleged violations reported “immediately, but not later than 2 hours” if they involve abuse or serious bodily injury, otherwise within 24 hours (483.12(c)(1)) | A complaint of abuse is a Class B event: “immediate notice by telephone to the Department”, then a written report within 72 hours. Separately, nursing home administrators are mandated reporters to the Department of Social Services, “not later than twenty-four hours” after the suspicion arises; a first failure to report means retaking the mandatory training, and a repeat failure brings a fine of up to $500. These duties sit alongside the federal clock; they do not replace it | Regs. 19-13-D8t(g); CGS 17b-451(a) |
| Infection prevention | The infection preventionist must “Work at least part-time at the facility” (483.80(b)) | A home with more than 60 residents “shall employ a full-time infection prevention and control specialist”; 60 or fewer, a part-time one | CGS 19a-563 |
| Social work staffing | “Any facility with more than 120 beds must employ a qualified social worker on a full-time basis” (483.70(o)) | The state staffing standard is “based on one full-time social worker per sixty residents” | CGS 19a-563h(b)(2)(A) |
The federal nursing home rules (42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B) apply only to facilities certified for Medicare or Medicaid, so a certified Connecticut home must meet both sets of rules. Federal text as of September 2026. The staffing split is from DPH Blast Fax 2024-3A.
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Start with an approved course. On the bachelor’s route the residency runs through the program director of your DPH-approved course, who approves it before it starts and supervises it with the administrator at the facility (Regs. 19a-519-2). DPH does not publish a list of approved courses on its NHA pages, so ask the NHA licensure office which courses are approved now; NAB’s Connecticut summary gives (860) 509-7603.
The associations. Ways to meet administrators who might supervise a residency: the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities / Connecticut Center for Assisted Living (CAHCF/CCAL), which runs “a comprehensive, continuing education program”; LeadingAge Connecticut & Rhode Island, “a two-state association” with a Leadership Academy; and the Connecticut Chapter of ACHCA, which co-hosts an annual educational conference with CAHCF. All three are named CE sources in CGS 19a-515.
For supervisors. ACHCA’s national AIT and preceptor resources include the NAB/ACHCA AIT Program Manual and four preceptor training modules with NAB CE credit. Connecticut does not require preceptor certification, so these are optional.
For the full step-by-step on approaching facilities and preceptors, see How to Find an AIT Preceptor and an Approved Program.
DPH fees are paid by “check or money order payable to, ‘Treasurer, State of Connecticut’” (DPH’s bachelor’s route page).
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Application, by exam | $200 | CGS 19a-512(a); DPH licensing page |
| Application, by endorsement | $200 | CGS 19a-513 |
| Renewal, every two years | $205 in the statute; DPH’s page shows $200 | CGS 19a-515(a); DPH licensing page |
| Reinstatement of a void license | $200 | DPH licensing page |
| Connecticut jurisprudence exam | DPH does not publish a fee | DPH bachelor’s route page |
| NAB exams, paid to NAB | $480 for CORE and NHA together; $320 or $190 alone | NAB Candidate Handbook |
On renewal, CGS 19a-515(a) sets “the sum of two hundred five dollars” (P.A. 15-244), while DPH’s licensing page says “$200 (Biennial)”. NAB’s summary lists a $100 renewal fee, which DPH’s pages do not show.
You need “a minimum of forty hours of continuing education every two years”, “in areas related to the licensee’s practice”, and it must include “(1) Alzheimer’s disease and dementia symptoms and care, and (2) infection prevention and control” (CGS 19a-515(b)). P.A. 22-58 added the infection control topic.
Renewal. Your license “expires biennially on the last day of the licensee’s month of birth” (DPH). DPH sends a notice about 60 days before expiration and a final notice 30 days after. There is “a grace period of 90 days following expiration”, and “On the 91st day, the license becomes void.” DPH offers no inactive status (DPH renewal information).
Reinstatement. A void license is reinstated under Regs. 19a-14-1 to 19a-14-5 (Regs. 19a-519-7). Those rules weigh factors such as the “time elapsed since leaving active practice” and set no fixed tiers, but DPH’s form requires the jurisprudence exam after a year or more out of practice. The fee is $200.
Endorsement (CGS 19a-513). You hold a current license in good standing, issued on “at a minimum, a baccalaureate degree” plus that state’s exam; you practiced “not less than twelve months within the twenty-four-month period” before applying; you have training in long-term care including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, or finish it “not later than one hundred twenty days after license issuance”; you have no pending discipline or unresolved complaint; and you pay $200.
Universal licensure (CGS 19a-14d). Its list of chapters includes 368v, the administrator chapter, though DPH’s NHA pages do not mention it. It asks for practice in another state “for not less than four years”, good standing, background checks and fees, and DPH may require all or part of the exam. It also covers “an active duty member of the armed forces” or a spouse, and subsection (e) provides fee-free processing for military-connected applicants.
Temporary license. NAB’s Connecticut summary says “Offer Temporary/Provisional License: Yes”. CGS 19a-511 to 19a-520, the regulations and DPH’s NHA pages contain no temporary license provision.
The laws, rules and other sources cited on this page.
Citations verified September 2026. The Justia links are labeled mirrors; the other links are DPH, the Secretary of the State, eRegulations, eCFR and NAB. For reference, not legal advice; the current official text governs.
Connecticut calls the AIT a residency. On the bachelor’s route it is at least 900 clock hours in a facility with 24-hour skilled nursing care, at least 20 hours a week, with at least 450 hours in a facility with no business or family tie to you (Regs. 19a-519-2). A master’s degree that is not CAHME-accredited needs a supervised field experience of at least 500 clock hours instead (Regs. 19a-519-3).
The NAB Core of Knowledge and NHA Line of Service exams, with a scaled score of 113 on each, and the Connecticut jurisprudence examination, 25 multiple-choice items with at least 18 correct to pass (DPH; CGS 19a-512(a)(3)).
The Connecticut jurisprudence examination, given by DPH, not NAB or Pearson VUE. It covers the Connecticut Public Health Code and state laws, and DPH hosts a study document with mainly the text of Regs. 19-13-D8t. It is taken online; DPH does not publish its fee, time limit or retake rules.
40 hours every two years, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia symptoms and care, and infection prevention and control (CGS 19a-515). Your first renewal is exempt.
Start with a DPH-approved course in long-term care administration: its program director approves your residency and supervises it jointly with a licensed administrator at the facility. DPH’s NHA licensure office can tell you which courses are approved.
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