A New York license takes a bachelor’s degree with set coursework, an Administrator-in-Training (AIT) internship of at least 39 weeks and 1,365 hours (or two years of qualifying experience) and the two national NAB exams. There is no state exam, and no reciprocity.
| Who licenses | The Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators (BENHA), within the New York State Department of Health, in Albany |
|---|---|
| Education | A bachelor’s degree or higher with 15 credit hours in five subject areas; minimum age 21. See the six qualifications |
| AIT | At least 39 weeks full-time and 1,365 clock hours since 24 June 2026 (10 NYCRR 96.8), or two years of qualifying field experience instead. See the AIT rules |
| National exams | NAB CORE and NHA Line of Service, both required and scheduled together at Pearson VUE; $480 for the two together, paid to NAB |
| State exam | None. New York uses only NAB CORE and NHA Line of Service, each passed with a scaled score of 113 (the Department’s Licensure Process page) |
| Continuing education | 48 clock hours every two years from pre-approved programs, academic course work, teaching, published articles or precepting; no carryover (10 NYCRR 96.11; renewal page) |
| Registration | Every two years; $40 (PHL 2896-g) |
| Reciprocity | None. Licensed administrators from other states apply under 10 NYCRR 96.12. See the out-of-state route |
| Official sources | health.ny.gov (the Board) · 10 NYCRR 96.8 (the AIT) · Licensure Process page (exams) · nabweb.org (national exams) |
Verified against the sources above, September 2026. The current statute and rules govern, so check anything you rely on with the Board before you apply.
Your license comes from the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators (BENHA). PHL 2896-a places the Board “within the department”, the New York State Department of Health, and, per the Department, its Bureau of Professional Credentialing “serves as staff to the Board”. The Commissioner of Health appoints its 13 members, six of them nursing home administrators, and the Board must meet “at least once every six months”.
The law. The statute is Public Health Law Article 28-D, sections 2895 to 2898 in four titles, and the rules are 10 NYCRR Part 96, sections 96.1 to 96.13. The Part 96 page shows an effective date of 24 June 2026, the day the AIT amendment took effect.
| Website | Nursing home administrator licensure program |
|---|---|
| Phone | 1-877-877-1827 |
| profcred@health.ny.gov | |
| NYSDOH, BENHA, Bureau of Professional Credentialing, 875 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206 |
The Department’s Qualifications page (revised December 2024) lists six qualifications:
The statute, PHL 2896-c, requires approved study “or an equivalent combination of instruction, training or experience”; the degree requirement comes from the rules (10 NYCRR 96.8). As an alternative under Qualifications 3, 4 and 5, the Qualifications page accepts 2 or more years as full-time administrator of record of an out-of-state nursing home within the last 5 years; see the out-of-state route.
Under 10 NYCRR 96.8(a), as amended effective 24 June 2026, the Board-approved AIT is “at least 39 weeks full-time experience”, “based upon the standard definition of full-time utilized in the facility but not less than 1365 clock hours duration.” Before the amendment it was 12 months and 1,820 clock hours.
The Department’s pages still show the earlier length. The AIT Program Guidelines and the Qualifications page, both revised December 2024, still describe the earlier 12-month internship and a six-month option. The regulation governs; ask the Board if a page or form tells you otherwise.
Credits under the earlier rule. The Qualifications page gave 6 months of internship credit for three or more years as a full-time Director of Nursing Services at a qualifying nursing home within the last ten years, or for a master’s degree plus the five Qualification 3 courses. Neither 96.8 nor the 2026 rulemaking mentions these credits, so ask the Board how they apply before you plan a shorter internship.
Qualification 4 can also be met with 2 years of full-time experience within the last 5 years in an administrative position above department-head level, with daily participation in management decisions affecting two or more major departments (10 NYCRR 96.1(o), (p)). Full-time means a “minimum of 35 hours per week”. The 2026 amendment added five practice areas to 96.1(o): therapeutic recreation or activities, quality assurance, patient relations or risk management, human resources, and environmental services. You document the experience on Addendum B with proof of salary and title, a signed organization chart and a signed job description.
| Length | At least 39 weeks full-time and no fewer than 1,365 clock hours (96.8(a)) |
|---|---|
| Recency | Completed within the 10 years before you become eligible for the exam (96.8) |
| Part-time | “Part-time internships may be considered.” All hours must be completed within two years (Qualifications page) |
| Approval first | Your preceptor submits Addendum A “at least eight weeks prior to the desired start date”, and the plan needs the Board’s written approval in advance (AIT Guidelines; Initial Application page) |
| Before you start | An active application on file, Qualifications 1 and 2 met, and the Nursing Home Administration, Health Care Financial Management and Legal Issues in Health Care courses completed |
| Modules | The Guidelines name 11: Administration, Human Resources, Nursing, Business Office/Financial Management, Diet, Rehabilitation, Medical Records, Activities, Social Services/Admissions, Housekeeping/Laundry and Environmental Management/Maintenance, plus other modules “if appropriate” |
| Administration | “Minimum 4 weeks: First three weeks and the final week of the internship”. It is the only module with a set minimum |
| Reports | A Module Training Summary after each module; at the end, the completed Addendum A goes to the Board with all the summaries |
| Changes | Revisions to the approved plan go to the Board in writing and “may not be implemented until approved” |
| Ending early | By mutual consent, with notice and a final report to the Board within 10 working days; unilaterally only with its written approval. A preceptor who ends it unilaterally in the absence of Board approval forfeits the CE credit; if the intern ends it unilaterally, the internship is disqualified |
| Pay | “The internship may be paid or unpaid.” (the Board’s FAQ) |
Under 10 NYCRR 96.8, as amended, your preceptor must:
The AIT Guidelines (December 2024) still ask for three years as administrator of record in the last five, or a current ACHCA Fellow certification, and, like 96.8(b)(2), say the intern is “directly supervised by a preceptor who is the Administrator-of-Record of the facility.” The regulation governs the years; check the Fellow option with the Board before you rely on it. Preceptors earn CE credit: “one clock hour for each full-time equivalent week served as a preceptor.”
Other states: AIT Hours by State.
The AIT Planner spreads your hours across 11 department rotations, the same number as the modules in New York’s AIT Guidelines. The split is our planning aid, not a New York rule: only Administration has a set minimum, the first three weeks and the final week, and your Board-approved plan governs. No account needed.
Open the free AIT PlannerNew York has no state exam. You pass both exams of the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB). The Department’s Licensure Process page says the “CORE and NHA LOS examinations must be scheduled concurrently” and that “A scale score of 113 is the passing grade accepted by the Board for both”. You test in person at a Pearson VUE test center.
| CORE | 125 questions (100 scored, 25 pretest); 130 minutes to answer, within 150 minutes in all, per NAB’s Candidate Handbook (September 2026) |
|---|---|
| NHA Line of Service | 75 questions (60 scored, 15 pretest); 70 minutes to answer, within 90 minutes in all, per the same handbook |
| Passing score | A scaled score of 113 on each, on NAB’s scale of 50 to 150 |
| Fee | $480 for CORE and NHA together, from 1 February 2026. Taken alone, CORE is $320 and NHA is $190 (NAB) |
The Licensure Process page still describes a 110-item CORE and a 55-item NHA exam. Those counts are out of date; NAB’s Exam Info page and Candidate Handbook give 125 and 75.
Three sources set different limits. The Licensure Process page allows three exams in five years: “a maximum of three examinations” within five years of your application’s approval. 10 NYCRR 96.5(c) allows “no more than four times during the twelve-month period of eligibility”, after which you must “reapply and requalify”. NAB allows up to 4 attempts at each exam per cycle (1 July to 30 June), from 1 January 2026. Ask the Board which limit applies to you. More in NAB Exam Format and The Core Domains Explained.
Once you run a New York nursing home, you work under the state’s Public Health Law and 10 NYCRR Part 415, and under 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, which applies only if the home is certified for Medicare or Medicaid. On staffing, the federal side has no hours-per-resident-day minimum: CMS’s 2024 minimum staffing standards, which were never enforced, were repealed by an interim final rule published 3 December 2025 and effective 2 February 2026 (90 FR 55687). Four differences that matter on the job, each with the New York section:
| Topic | Federal rule (42 CFR 483) | New York rule | New York section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing staff hours | Sufficient nursing staff (483.35(a)) and a registered nurse “for at least 8 consecutive hours a day, 7 days a week”, unless waived (483.35(b), (e), (f)). No hours-per-resident-day minimum | At least 3.5 hours of care per resident per day by a certified nurse aide or a licensed nurse, with at least 2.2 of those hours from certified aides and at least 1.1 from licensed nurses. Compliance is “determined quarterly” | PHL 2895-b(2)(a), (3) |
| Spending on care | No minimum share of revenue for care | Since 1 January 2022, “a minimum of seventy percent of revenue on direct resident care”, and “forty percent of revenue shall be spent on resident-facing staffing”. Shortfalls and excess revenue are remitted to the state | PHL 2828 |
| The administrator | The governing body appoints the administrator, who must be “Licensed by the State, where licensing is required” (483.70(d)(2)(i)); 483.70 sets no full-time or weekly hours rule | A home with 41 or more beds “shall employ a full-time administrator”; one with 40 or fewer needs at least 12 hours a week during business hours. An alternate administrator, designated in writing, covers every hour the administrator of record is absent | 10 NYCRR 415.26(a)(2) |
| Reporting abuse | Alleged abuse, neglect, exploitation or mistreatment goes to the administrator and the State Survey Agency “immediately, but not later than 2 hours” if it involves abuse or serious bodily injury, otherwise within 24 hours (483.12(c)(1)); investigation results within 5 working days (483.12(c)(4)) | Covered people report abuse, mistreatment, neglect or misappropriation “immediately by telephone and in writing within forty-eight hours to the department”. Failing to report is unprofessional conduct for licensed people, and retaliation is prohibited. Both clocks apply | PHL 2803-d |
One more federal duty applies in every home that received at least $10,000 in federal funds in the preceding year. Each covered individual reports a reasonable suspicion of a crime against a resident to the State Agency and one or more law enforcement entities, within 2 hours if there is serious bodily injury and otherwise within 24 hours (483.12(b)(5); section 1150B of the Social Security Act). In New York it runs alongside the PHL 2803-d report.
New York: PHL 2895-b, PHL 2828, PHL 2803-d and 10 NYCRR 415.26. Federal: 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, in the eCFR. In a certified home you meet both.
From the Department’s fee schedule and the statute unless noted. The schedule, dated January 2018, still labels its fees by 2018 and 2019; the amounts match the statute.
| Initial licensure application | $40 (PHL 2896-c) |
|---|---|
| Initial registration | No fee |
| Registration renewal, every two years | $40, or $20 if you register in the second year of the period (PHL 2896-g) |
| Late renewal | $5 for each month or part of a month, up to $120 (PHL 2896-g) |
| Reactivation | $40, or $20 in the second year, as for renewal |
| Replacement license or registration certificate | $10 each |
| Temporary license application | $40 (PHL 2896-f) |
| NAB exams, CORE and NHA together | $480, paid to NAB, from 1 February 2026. Taken alone, CORE is $320 and NHA is $190 (NAB handbook) |
| NAB score transfer | $70 for each additional jurisdiction (NAB handbook) |
You need “48 clock hours of continuation or continuing education credit” in each two-year registration period (10 NYCRR 96.11(a)). Hours for a first renewal or a reactivation are “prorated based on the month” you were licensed or reactivated.
Your license is registered every two years (PHL 2896-g; 10 NYCRR 96.4(b)). Renewal notices go out about 90 days before expiration; you file form DOH-642 through the registration renewal page, and the Board approves it before the registration expires. Renewal is $40.
No reciprocity. The Board’s FAQ is direct: “No. There is no reciprocity for licensed nursing home administrators in New York State.”
The out-of-state route. A licensed administrator from another state applies under 10 NYCRR 96.12 with a full application and fees. You need to be 21 or older, of good moral character and hold a bachelor’s degree; to have passed the national exam “within four (4) attempts in any twelve (12) month period” (96.12); license verifications on official letterhead with a state seal; and “full-time (at least 35 hours per week) experience of at least two (2) years in the preceding five (5) years” as administrator of record, filed with Addendum B (Initial Application page). PHL 2896-d(5) lets the Board accept another state’s license, if based on a satisfactory exam, in place of the exam.
Temporary license. PHL 2896-f allows a temporary license for someone designated to run a home when the administrator position “has been unexpectedly vacated”, for “a single period not to exceed six months”, with a $40 fee. Ask the Board whether it issues this license.
Acting administrator. An unlicensed person may act as administrator only for “a maximum of three months”, plus, if the Department approves, “one additional three month extension”. The governing body must “immediately notify the commissioner” (the Department’s form DOH-5191), and a licensed administrator gives “a minimum of four hours of on-site supervision weekly” (10 NYCRR 415.26(a)(3)).
The Board keeps no list. Its FAQ says “there is no ‘approved’ listing of training sites or preceptors available to applicants.” You find a qualifying facility and preceptor yourself, then the preceptor files Addendum A at least 8 weeks before your start date and the Board approves the plan.
Associations. NYSHFA | NYSCAL, the New York State Health Facilities Association and Center for Assisted Living, offers CE webinars. LeadingAge New York, for not-for-profit providers, runs education through Leading U and a Career Center. Neither lists AIT placements.
For approaching facilities and preceptors step by step, see How to Find an AIT Preceptor and an Approved Program.
The legal sources for nursing home administrator licensure in New York, and the facility rules cited above.
Citations verified September 2026 against nysenate.gov, regs.health.ny.gov, the NYS Register at dos.ny.gov, the Department of Health’s pages, NAB and the eCFR. Provided for reference, not legal advice; the current official text governs.
Since 24 June 2026, at least 39 weeks of full-time training and no fewer than 1,365 clock hours (10 NYCRR 96.8), down from 12 months and 1,820 hours. Two years of qualifying field experience can take the place of the AIT.
No. New York requires only the NAB CORE and NHA Line of Service exams, scheduled together at Pearson VUE, with a scaled score of 113 on each (the Department’s Licensure Process page).
48 clock hours every two years from pre-approved programs (NAB/NCERS, another state board, or in limited cases the Board), academic course work, teaching, published articles or precepting, related to the Domains of Practice. There is no cap on distance learning, and extra hours do not carry over (10 NYCRR 96.11; renewal page).
No. The Board’s FAQ says “There is no reciprocity.” Licensed administrators from other states apply under 10 NYCRR 96.12, which asks for a bachelor’s degree, the national exam and at least 2 years as full-time administrator of record in the last 5.
The Board keeps no “approved” list of training sites or preceptors. You find a qualifying facility and preceptor yourself, and the preceptor files Addendum A at least 8 weeks before your start date for the Board’s approval.
A guided daily path of 100 NAB-style questions across all 4 domains, automatic weak-spot training, and a weekly timed Checkpoint Exam. Try 5 free questions first, no account needed.
Try 5 free questionsSee pricing