How to become a licensed nursing home administrator in West Virginia: who can apply, the Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program and its waivers, the NAB exams and the Board’s own state exam, fees, continuing education and renewal, with section numbers.
| Who licenses | The West Virginia Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Board, in Winfield (W. Va. Code §30-25-4) |
|---|---|
| Who can apply | A bachelor’s degree or higher, age 21, State Police and FBI background checks and a Board interview (§21-1-3.2.a, 3.4, 3.6) |
| AIT requirement | 1,000 hours, with a $600 permit before you start, unless the Board waives it (§21-1-3.3, 4.3) |
| National exams | NAB Core of Knowledge (CORE) and NHA Line of Service; $480 for the two applied for together, paid to NAB |
| State exam | Required: the WV State Examination, given by the Board by appointment in Winfield; first attempt included, $50 for each retake, up to 4 attempts within a year (§21-1-3.1) Details ↓ |
| Continuing education | 20 hours a year, 1 July to 30 June; 10 for emeritus administrators (§21-1-4.2.a) |
| Renewal | Every year, before 30 June; $400 (§21-1-5.2.d; W. Va. Code §30-25-11) |
| Official sources | state.wv.us/wvnha (the Board) · 21CSR1 (WV Secretary of State) · W. Va. Code §30-25 · nabweb.org (national exams) |
Verified September 2026. §21-1 numbers are sections of the Board’s rule, 21CSR1 (W. Va. Code of State Rules, Title 21, Series 1, effective 1 July 2024); §30-25 numbers are sections of the W. Va. Code; §71-15 numbers are the nursing home licensure rule, 71CSR15. Confirm with the Board before you apply.
The license comes from the West Virginia Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Board (W. Va. Code §30-25-4), an independent board under Chapter 30 of the Code (professions and occupations). Its seven voting members, five licensed administrators and two citizen members, are appointed by the Governor with the Senate’s consent; the Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health is a nonvoting member. Its website is state.wv.us/wvnha; its office is at PO Box 522, Winfield, WV 25213, phone (304) 586-4070. Payments go to a separate address, PO Box 40447, Charleston, WV 25364.
The Board’s rule is 21CSR1, in effect since 1 July 2024. Disciplinary procedures are in a separate Board rule, 21CSR2.
Every applicant meets the same basics (§21-1-3.2.a, 3.4 and 3.6):
Three waivers in §21-1-3.3.a, and a 2019 Board policy on college internships, can replace the standard 1,000-hour AIT:
| Route | What you need | AIT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university | Required: 1,000 hours | §21-1-3.2.a.6, 7; 4.3 |
| Coursework and management experience | A bachelor’s degree with at least 12 hours of health care management or administration coursework, plus “at least 1,000 hours of management experience in an inpatient health care facility”, which can come from an AIT or from work under an emergency permit | Can be waived | §21-1-3.3.a.1 |
| Long-term care leadership | A bachelor’s degree plus three years as an Assistant Administrator “or an equivalent position, such as a Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, or Social Services Director” | Can be waived | §21-1-3.3.a.2 |
| Degree with an internship | A bachelor’s or higher from a NAB-accredited college program with internship, or a Health Care Administration or Health Services Administration degree, or a similar one, that includes an internship | Can be waived | §21-1-3.3.a.3 |
| College internship | “A minimum of 160 hours of internship training in a nursing home licensed by the state”, under a licensed administrator and covering 7 content areas | Waived for an approved internship | Board College Internship Policy (2019) |
If you cannot show a waiver, you complete the AIT (§21-1-3.3.b). A note on Fairmont State. NAB’s West Virginia summary lists the AIT as “1000 (or 500 with Fairmont State University)”. 21CSR1 and the Board’s website do not set a 500-hour AIT, so ask the Board before you count on it.
The rule calls the Administrator-in-Training program “the 1,000 hour nursing home AIT program” (§21-1-4.3.a) and says it lasts “not more than 1000 hours” (4.3.c.8): a set length rather than a minimum, which the Board can waive (see the routes above).
The rule says the preceptor is “licensed and practicing for at least three years in West Virginia for at least the preceding year” (§21-1-4.3.b.1). We read that as at least three years licensed and practicing, including at least the most recent year in West Virginia; the wording is ambiguous, so confirm it with the Board. Also read the Board’s Preceptor Requirement Addendum of 3 June 2026 before you settle on a preceptor.
Other states: AIT Hours by State.
The free AIT Planner helps you spread your 1,000 hours across facility departments. That split is our own planning aid, not a West Virginia rule, so agree on the plan with your preceptor. No account needed.
Open the free AIT PlannerWest Virginia requires both NAB exams: the Core of Knowledge (CORE) and the NHA Line of Service. NAB is the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards. Once the Board approves you, you “may apply to test online for the NAB National Examination” (§21-1-3.1.a); the Board’s exam page sends you to NAB’s registration portal, nab.useclarus.com, 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 |
| Attempts | Since 1 January 2026, up to 4 attempts at each exam per cycle (1 July to 30 June) |
More in NAB Exam Format and The Core Domains Explained.
West Virginia adds its own exam, the WV State Examination. “Every applicant shall successfully pass a written national and state examination” (§21-1-3.5.d; also 3.1.b and W. Va. Code §30-25-8(a)(4)). The Board gives this exam itself, not NAB or Pearson VUE, and NAB’s Candidate Handbook does not list West Virginia among the states whose exams NAB delivers. The details are on the Board’s exam page:
| Where | By appointment at the Board office, 13049 Winfield Road, Winfield, WV 25213. For an accessible site, the Board names Area 34, 971 WV-34, Hurricane, WV |
|---|---|
| How often | The rule says “administered once a month” (3.1.b); the Board’s exam page says by appointment |
| Fee | There is “no fee charged for the first time”, since the first attempt comes with your initial application (3.1.b); “$50 is charged for each additional testing” |
| Attempts | “Up to four (4) times within one year” of Board approval. After that, you show added education or extenuating circumstances before you test again (3.1.c, 3.1.d) |
| Format and passing score | The Board does not publish the format, number of questions, time limit or passing score, and 21CSR1 does not set them. Ask the Board when you book |
The Board’s exam page points candidates to the nursing home licensure rule, listed there as “Title 64, Legislative Rules, Series 13” (64CSR13), with a link to the former DHHR OHFLAC website. That rule has since been replaced. On 28 May 2025 the nursing home licensure rule moved to 71CSR15, under the Office of Inspector General, and the current version of 71CSR15 took effect on 1 May 2026. Study the current 71CSR15, and ask the Board which version the exam follows. More on preparing in State NHA Exams Explained.
Four places where West Virginia sets a different number, or adds a requirement, compared with 42 CFR Part 483. Two come from the current facility rule, 71CSR15, and two from the administrator licensing law and the Board’s rule:
| Topic | Federal rule (42 CFR 483) | West Virginia rule | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents’ personal funds | Funds over $100 go in an interest-bearing account; for residents whose care is funded by Medicaid, funds over $50 (483.10(f)(10)(ii)) | Deposit “any resident’s personal funds in excess of $50 in an interest-bearing account”, whatever the resident’s payer | §71-15-4.10.3.a |
| Bond for residents’ funds | A surety bond “to assure the security of all personal funds” (483.10(f)(10)(vi)), with no multiplier | If the home handles more than $35 per resident a month in the aggregate, a bond or commercial insurance of at least “1.25 times the average amount of residents’ funds deposited” in the previous fiscal year, per Table 71-15.B | §71-15-4.10.7, 4.10.7.a |
| Administrator license | The administrator must be “Licensed by the State, where licensing is required” (483.70(d)(2)(i)); Part 483 leaves the license standards to the state | A Board license: a bachelor’s degree, age 21, the AIT unless waived, and passes on the NAB exams and the WV State Examination | W. Va. Code §30-25-8(a); §21-1-3.2.a |
| Homes per administrator | Part 483 sets no limit on how many homes one administrator may run | No more than 2 nursing homes, within “30 minutes driving time” of each other and 120 beds in total, with an average of at least 20 hours a week at each | §21-1-5.4.a.1, 2 |
The federal nursing home rules (42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B) apply only to facilities certified for Medicare or Medicaid, so a certified West Virginia home must meet both sets of rules. Federal: eCFR, September 2026.
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First, check whether you need one: see the waivers in the routes table above. The Board’s College Internship Policy sets out the internship route.
The Board. Its applications page has the AIT Application, the Preceptor/Trainee Agreement, the Preceptor Hours Verification form and the College Internship Policy; the quarterly report forms are on its Preceptor Quarterly Reports page. The Board’s Licensee Roster lists current licensees. It does not flag preceptors, but it can help you find administrators licensed long enough to precept.
The West Virginia Health Care Association (WVHCA). The WVHCA describes itself as “a state affiliate of the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL)” with “more than 130 member facilities”, and the Board links to it from its home page. Its members are a place to ask about AIT openings and preceptors.
National groups. LeadingAge’s state-partner directory lists no West Virginia partner, and ACHCA’s chapter list has no West Virginia chapter. ACHCA certification still helps later: under §21-1-7.1.a, reciprocity applications from ACHCA-certified administrators are “acted upon immediately”.
For the full step-by-step on approaching facilities and preceptors, see How to Find an AIT Preceptor and an Approved Program.
Fees are set in 21CSR1, effective 1 July 2024 (§21-1-3.1, 4.3, 5, 7 and 8), and the Board’s home page lists the July 2024 increases.
| AIT permit | $600, by certified check or money order, before you start (§21-1-4.3.a) |
|---|---|
| License by exam | $600 (5.2.a) |
| WV State Examination | First attempt included; $50 for each retake (3.1.b; Board exam page) |
| NAB CORE and NHA exams | $480 for the two applied for together, paid to NAB; $320 for CORE or $190 for NHA taken alone (NAB Candidate Handbook, September 2026) |
| Annual renewal | $400; emeritus status, half that, so $200 (5.2.d, 5.2.b) |
| Inactive status | $100 (5.2.g) |
| Emergency or temporary permit | $400 each, non-refundable (5.6.c, 5.7.b) |
| Reciprocity license | $600 (7.1) |
| Reinstatement | $100, $200 or $300 within a year of expiry, by quarter; $500 after more than a year (§21-1-8) |
Added up, the standard route comes to $600 (AIT permit) + $480 (NAB) + $600 (license) = $1,680, with your first state exam attempt included, then $400 a year.
“Every licensed administrator shall obtain, annually, at least 20 clock hours” of continuing education (§21-1-4.2.a). The Board’s CE page puts it as “at least twenty (20) NAB approved continuing education hours between July 1 and June 30 each year”.
Renewal. Every license is “valid for a period ending on June 30 each year” (§21-1-5.2.d), and the statute says to renew “annually before June 30” (§30-25-11). The fee is $400.
Inactive status. Give the Board written notice and pay $100. To come back, you file a renewal application, pay the fee and show CE for every licensure year on inactive status (§21-1-5.2.g).
If your license lapses. Within a year of expiry, the Board may reinstate you with an application, your CE and a late fee: $100 by 30 September, $200 by 31 December or $300 by 31 March (§21-1-8). After more than a year, the Board “may reinstate” for $500 if you have 20 CE hours from the prior 12 months, and it “may grant a waiver for re-examination”. Separately, §21-1-5.2.h says a licensee who never filed for inactive status is “treated as a new applicant” after one year. Ask the Board which applies to you.
Reciprocity (§21-1-7.1; W. Va. Code §30-25-9). The fee is $600. Your other state’s standards must be “substantially equivalent”, your license current and never revoked or suspended, and a National Practitioner Data Bank query clear (7.1, 7.1.b). The statute adds no pending charges and no earlier failure of “an examination for licensure in this state”. ACHCA-certified applicants “shall have their applications acted upon immediately” (7.1.a). Ask the Board whether you also take the WV State Examination, and, if you hold NAB’s Health Services Executive (HSE) credential, how its FY2026 HSE Policy applies to you.
Temporary permit (§21-1-5.7). It lasts 90 days, is renewable at the Board’s discretion and costs $400. The rule and the statute both limit it to reciprocity applicants who have accepted employment in West Virginia (§30-25-10(a)).
Military. The Board considers military education and training when it evaluates a license-by-exam application (Board Military Policy).
The laws, rules and other sources cited on this page.
Citations verified September 2026. The official rule files are on the Secretary of State’s site; the Cornell LII and Justia links are labeled mirrors of the rule text. For reference, not legal advice; the current official text governs.
1,000 hours in a Board-approved AIT, with a $600 AIT permit before you start and a Board-approved preceptor with at least three years of practice (§21-1-4.3). The Board can waive it on three routes in §21-1-3.3.a, or for an approved college internship of at least 160 hours (2019 Board policy).
The NAB Core of Knowledge and NHA Line of Service exams, with a scaled score of 113 on each, and the WV State Examination, which the Board gives itself (W. Va. Code §30-25-8(a)(4); §21-1-3.1). NAB charges $480 for its two exams applied for together.
The Board does not publish its format, number of questions or passing score. Its exam page still points to the old nursing home licensure rule, 64CSR13, which 71CSR15 has replaced; study the current 71CSR15 and ask the Board which version the exam follows. You test by appointment at the Board office in Winfield; the first attempt is included, each retake costs $50, and you have up to 4 attempts within a year.
20 hours of continuing education a year, from 1 July to 30 June, NAB approved according to the Board’s CE page (§21-1-4.2.a); emeritus administrators need 10. Licenses expire on 30 June each year and renew for $400.
The Board approves each preceptor and training home, and its Licensee Roster lists current licensees. The West Virginia Health Care Association’s member facilities are a place to meet administrators who could precept.
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