A Wyoming license usually takes a bachelor’s degree, a 500-hour Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program under a Wyoming-licensed preceptor, and the two national NAB exams. There is no state exam, and every license renews by 31 December.
| Who licenses | The Wyoming State Board of Nursing Home Administrators, staffed by the Professional Licensing Boards office in the Department of Administration and Information (nha.wyo.gov) |
|---|---|
| Routes to a license | License by examination, provisional license, license by endorsement and temporary license (Rules 2-5 to 2-8). See the routes below |
| Education | A bachelor’s degree; the Board may waive it for an associate degree in a relevant field (Rule 2-2) |
| AIT | 500 hours under a Board-approved preceptor, 8 of them direct training (Rule 2-3(a)); the Board’s forms ask for 8 direct hours a month. The Board may waive the AIT for experienced administrators (Rule 2-3(b)) |
| National exams | NAB CORE and NHA Line of Service, both required (Rule 2-4(a); NAB); $480 for the two together, paid to NAB |
| State exam | None. Wyoming requires only the national exam (Rule 2-4; NAB’s Wyoming page). After three failures you wait a year and show more education before you apply again (Rule 2-4(b)) |
| Continuing education | 25 hours every year, waived in your first calendar year of Wyoming licensure; no required topics (Rule 2-11) |
| License renewal | Every year; all licenses expire 31 December (W.S. 33-22-104; Rule 2-10); $300, on a paper form |
| Official sources | nha.wyo.gov (the Board) · rules.wyo.gov (Board rules, Agency 079) · wyoleg.gov (statute) · 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 Wyoming State Board of Nursing Home Administrators. Created in 1969, it “is staffed through the Professional Licensing Boards Office, a division of A&I”, the Department of Administration and Information, and “operates solely based on fees collected from licensees”. It has five members appointed by the governor, each for 4 years: a physician, a registered nurse who does not work for a nursing home, a consumer and two operator-administrators (W.S. 33-22-102).
The law is W.S. 33-22-101 to 33-22-111. The newest section, 33-22-111 on temporary licenses, took effect on 1 July 2024. The Board’s rules page lists its “Complete Rules and Regulations filed December 19, 2019” as current; the official text is on rules.wyo.gov under Agency 079. Here, Rule 2-3 means Chapter 2, Section 3. Mirror copies also show an older Chapter 3, “Application Process”; the Board’s current forms cite Chapter 2, and so does this page.
| Website | nha.wyo.gov |
|---|---|
| Phone | 307-777-7387, per the Board’s site and forms |
| 2001 Capitol Ave, Room 127, Cheyenne, WY 82002 (Emerson Building). The office takes no walk-ins | |
| License lookup | Board License Lookup |
The Board’s Applications page sorts applicants into four license types. Find the row that matches you; the first row applies to the first two routes.
| Route | Who it fits | What you send | Board rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | The examination and provisional routes, which both ask for your transcripts | “A minimum of a college bachelor’s degree” from an accredited college. The Board may waive it if you have at least an associate degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public health, long-term care administration, gerontology, nursing or another healthcare or business discipline | 2-2(a), (c) |
| License by examination | You “have completed AIT and need to sit for the NAB exams” | The application, transcripts, two letters of recommendation from professional associates, AIT verification and your official passing scores. $389 | 2-7 |
| Provisional license | You “will be completing the AIT and NAB exams” | The application, transcripts, two letters and the Board’s AIT/Preceptor forms. $439. Valid 6 months, with one extension of up to 60 days; it becomes a full license once you pass the exams and finish the AIT | 2-8 |
| License by endorsement | You hold a “current, active NHA license” elsewhere “with at least 2 years experience” | Proof of a license in good standing, 2 of the last 5 years as an administrator or NAB’s Health Services Executive (HSE) qualifications, and two letters. $389 on the Board’s form | 2-6 |
| Temporary license | You are licensed in another state with 2 of the last 5 years as an administrator and “only need a temporary 90 day license” | The application, license and experience verification, two reference letters and $439, including the $50 temporary fee. It expires 90 days after it is issued | 2-5 |
If you are still doing your AIT or exams, the provisional license is the route built for you: a license for an applicant “otherwise qualified, but not yet passed the national exam and/or completed an AIT program” (Rule 1-4). It lasts “six (6) months from the date of issuance”, with one extension of “not more than sixty (60) days” if you ask at least 15 calendar days before it expires (Rule 2-8). Endorsement and temporary licenses: see the moving section.
You must have “completed 500 hours of administrator-in-training under the supervision of a Board-approved preceptor”, “8 hours of which must be direct training”, in person or by videoconference (Rule 2-3(a)). An AIT “from another state having equal or equivalent standards” also counts. The rule sets one figure, 500 hours, whatever your degree.
Other states: AIT Hours by State.
The AIT Planner spreads your hours across facility departments, with a self-assessment that shapes the split. Wyoming’s form logs hours by area but sets no hours for any of them, so the split is our planning aid, not a Wyoming rule; agree on it with your preceptor.
Open the free AIT PlannerRule 2-4(a) requires “a national Nursing Home Administrator licensing examination with a passing score”, and a passing score is “a scaled score as determined by the testing service for the national exam” (Rule 1-5(k)). The Board’s provisional application names the “CORE and NHA national exam parts”, and NAB’s Wyoming page says “NAB NHA & CORE National: Yes.” You schedule at a Pearson VUE test center after the Board approves your exam application electronically and you receive the “Authorization to Test” email. Afterward, “Contact NAB and request for your scores to be sent to the Wyoming Board office.”
| 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 (NAB) |
| Attempts | Up to 4 attempts at each of CORE and NHA per cycle (1 July to 30 June), from 1 January 2026 (NAB) |
| Fee | $480 for CORE and NHA together, from 1 February 2026. Taken alone, CORE is $320 and NHA is $190 (NAB) |
Wyoming’s own retake rule. Under Rule 2-4(b), “Candidates who fail the exam three (3) times are not eligible” until a year has passed; they must also show additional education in long-term care administration, then file a new application and pay all fees again. That limit is stricter than NAB’s, and it governs Wyoming candidates. More in NAB Exam Format and The Core Domains Explained.
No state exam. Wyoming has no state exam. Rule 2-4 names only the national exam, and NAB’s Wyoming page lists no state exam.
Once you run a Wyoming nursing home, you work under the Department of Health’s nursing care facility rules, Chapter 11 (Program Administration of Nursing Care Facilities, effective 1 July 2020) and Chapter 19 (licensure), and under 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, if the home is certified for Medicare or Medicaid; Subpart B binds only certified homes. Three differences that matter on the job, each with the Wyoming section:
| Topic | Federal rule (42 CFR 483) | Wyoming rule | Wyoming section |
|---|---|---|---|
| The administrator | The governing body appoints an administrator who is “Licensed by the State, where licensing is required” (483.70(d)(2)(i)). The section does not require the administrator to be full-time or on site | The governing body appoints “a full-time, on premise, administrator”, who must have “a current license as a Wyoming Licensed Nursing Home Administrator”. During the administrator’s absence, an employee must be “authorized in writing to act on the administrator’s behalf” | Ch. 11 §5(a)(i), (a)(i)(A), (a)(vii) |
| Nursing hours | Sufficient nursing staff, with licensed nurses on a 24-hour basis (483.35(a)). No hours-per-resident-day figure: 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) | At least “two and one quarter (2.25) hours for each skilled resident” in each 24 hours, and 1.50 hours for each non-skilled resident | Ch. 11 §9(a)(x)(A) |
| Charge nurse and RN coverage | A licensed nurse as charge nurse on each tour of duty (483.35(a)(2)); a registered nurse “at least 8 consecutive hours a day, 7 days a week” (483.35(b)(1)); and a full-time RN director of nursing (483.35(b)(2)), each except when waived under 483.35(e) or, for the two RN duties, (f) | Each nursing station has a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse on every tour of duty; the day-shift charge nurse, 7 days a week, may be “a Registered Nurse or qualified Licensed Practical Nurse”. The director of nursing is a full-time RN. Chapter 11 requires no other RN on duty; federal law adds an RN for 8 consecutive hours a day, 7 days a week, unless waived | Ch. 11 §9(a)(ix)(A); §9(a)(i) |
Two federal duties apply in every certified home, whatever the state. The facility reports alleged abuse, neglect, exploitation or mistreatment, including injuries of unknown source, “immediately, but not later than 2 hours” if it involves abuse or serious bodily injury, and within 24 hours otherwise, to the administrator and to officials including the State Survey Agency (483.12(c)(1)). Each covered individual also 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, otherwise within 24 hours (483.12(b)(5); section 1150B of the Social Security Act).
Wyoming: Department of Health, Healthcare Licensing and Surveys, Chapter 11 and Chapter 19. Federal: 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, in the eCFR. In a certified home you meet both.
From the Board’s fee rule, Rule 4-2 (mirror), unless the row names another source:
| Application | $350 |
|---|---|
| Provisional license | $400 (in place of the application fee) |
| Temporary license | $50, on top of the $350 application fee |
| Background check | $39 with every application (Board forms) |
| Annual renewal | $300 |
| Late renewal | $100 added: $400 in all |
| License verification / duplicate certificate | $30 / $30 |
| NAB exams, CORE and NHA together | $480, paid to NAB (NAB handbook, from 1 February 2026) |
What you pay with each application, per the Board’s forms (rev. 8/2026): $389 for examination or endorsement ($350 plus the $39 background check), and $439 for a provisional license ($400 plus $39) or a temporary license ($350, $50 and $39). No cash is accepted.
You need “twenty five (25) hours of continuing education every year” (Rule 2-11(a)).
A license “shall expire on the thirty-first day of December following issuance” (W.S. 33-22-104), and Rule 2-10(a) says “All licenses issued by the Board expire on December 31 each year.” The Board mails a notice at least 30 days ahead. Renewal is by paper form only (“no online system is available at present”), with your CE and the $300 fee, and it must be postmarked by the expiration date to avoid the late fee (Rule 2-10(a)(ii)).
Endorsement. You need a current license in good standing from a jurisdiction with “at least equivalent” standards; 2 of the preceding 5 years as an administrator, or NAB’s HSE qualifications; two letters of recommendation (Rule 2-6). The Board’s endorsement application (rev. 8/2026) adds fingerprints, lawful-presence documents and $389.
Temporary licenses under the rule. An out-of-state licensee in good standing with 2 of the last 5 years as an administrator may apply for one. “Temporary licenses expire ninety (90) days from the date of issuance” (Rule 2-5).
Temporary licenses under the statute. Since 1 July 2024, W.S. 33-22-111 lets the Board issue three kinds: (i) while your criminal background check is pending, ending when the Board issues or denies your license; (ii) “pending completion of the experience and examination requirements”, for up to 6 months, and “No applicant shall receive more than two (2) separate temporary licenses”; and (iii) to a person qualified “by training or experience in the field of institutional administration” to run a home “that does not have a licensed nursing home administrator”, for up to 6 months. A holder may serve as an administrator.
When an administrator leaves suddenly. The Department of Health’s facility rule says the Board may grant a temporary license “To fill a position of Nursing Home Administrator that unexpectedly becomes vacant”, for “a period not to exceed six (6) months”, to an applicant of good character who meets the educational requirements (Ch. 11 §5(a)(ii)). It “may be renewed for good cause for one (1) time” if requested 30 days before the first temporary license ends (§5(a)(iii)). The statute caps that kind of license at 6 months and says nothing of renewal, so ask the Board.
Military. W.S. 33-1-117, which the application forms cite, gives a service member or spouse licensed in good standing elsewhere for “not less than five (5) consecutive years” a license “within thirty (30) days of receiving a completed application”. After “not less than three (3) consecutive years”, a temporary license allows practice “for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days”.
In Wyoming the Board approves you and your preceptor together: you file the AIT/Preceptor Plan and Agreement, with your preceptor’s NAB module certificates, and the preceptor must be a Wyoming-licensed administrator (Rule 1-4).
The Board. The License Lookup lets you check that a possible preceptor holds a Wyoming license, and the Board’s Public page links NAB, LeadingAge and ACHCA.
The state association. The Wyoming Long Term Care Association (WLTCA) says “LeadingAge Wyoming and Wyoming Health Care Association have merged into one state association.” It is the AHCA and LeadingAge affiliate for Wyoming, and its spring and annual meetings are a place to meet administrators.
NAB and ACHCA. NAB offers the preceptor modules and the National AIT Program Manual, which ACHCA also hosts on its AIT and preceptor resources page.
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 Wyoming, and the facility rules cited above. Wyoming has no state exam, but these are the rules you train and work under.
Citations verified against official sources and the labeled mirrors, September 2026. Provided for reference, not legal advice; the current official text governs.
500 hours under a Board-approved preceptor, 8 of them direct training (Rule 2-3(a)). The Board’s AIT forms ask for 8 hours of direct training each month. Your preceptor is a Wyoming-licensed administrator who has completed NAB’s preceptor course (Rule 1-4). The Board may waive the AIT if you have 2 of the last 5 years as an administrator or meet NAB’s Health Services Executive (HSE) qualifications (Rule 2-3(b)).
No. Rule 2-4 requires the national exam only, and NAB’s Wyoming page lists no state exam. You take the NAB CORE and NHA Line of Service exams. After three failures you wait a year and show more long-term care administration education before you apply again (Rule 2-4(b)).
25 hours every year, waived in your first calendar year of Wyoming licensure (Rule 2-11). The rule sets no required topics, but courses must relate directly to nursing home administration. All licenses expire 31 December.
Yes, by endorsement, if your license is current and in good standing in a jurisdiction with at least equivalent standards and you have 2 of the last 5 years as an administrator or NAB’s HSE qualifications (Rule 2-6). The Board also offers a 90-day temporary license to out-of-state licensees with that experience (Rule 2-5).
Your preceptor must be a Wyoming-licensed administrator who has completed NAB’s preceptor course, and the Board approves the pairing through the AIT/Preceptor Plan and Agreement (Rule 1-4). The Board’s License Lookup confirms a license, and the Wyoming Long Term Care Association, the merged state association, is a way to meet administrators.
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