How to Check That a Sober Living Home Is Legitimate in California

California doesn’t license or certify sober living homes. The state’s Department of Health Care Services licenses treatment programs, not sober housing. That means anyone can open a “sober living” home, and it’s up to you to check it. Here’s how.

1. Look for membership in a recovery housing network

Because there’s no state license, voluntary networks fill the gap. In Southern California the main one is the Sober Living Network. Member homes agree to a code of ethics, carry liability insurance, complete operator training, pass an inspection and attend regular coalition meetings. You can search member homes on the network’s website. CCAPP also certifies recovery residences in California.

Membership isn’t a guarantee, and some good homes aren’t members. But it’s the clearest public sign that a home meets written standards.

2. Make sure it’s housing, not unlicensed treatment

A sober living home can hold house meetings, require 12-step attendance and test for drugs. It can’t provide treatment services such as detox, counseling sessions or treatment planning without a state license. If a home advertises “treatment” or “therapy” on site, ask to see its DHCS license.

3. Visit before you commit

• Is the house clean, safe and not overcrowded?
• Are there working smoke detectors and a posted emergency plan?
• Do current residents seem engaged, or bored and unsupervised?
• Is a manager actually on site, or reachable 24/7?

4. Get the rules and costs in writing

A well-run home hands you a written resident agreement covering rent, deposits, drug testing, curfew, visitors and what happens after a relapse. If a home won’t put it in writing, keep looking.

5. Watch for these red flags

• Free rent, free travel or cash in exchange for enrolling in a specific treatment program. Paying for patient referrals is illegal under federal law (EKRA) and California law.
• Asking for your insurance card before talking about the house itself.
• No drug testing, or testing that’s never enforced.
• Pressure to move in today without a visit or written agreement.
• No clear owner or manager you can name and call back.
• Reviews that all sound the same, or a website with stock photos and no real address.

6. Ask for references

Ask the home if you can talk to a current resident or an alum, and ask your treatment provider or sponsor what they’ve heard. Local recovery communities know which houses are well run.

Where to complain

If you think a home is providing treatment without a license, you can file a complaint with DHCS’s Licensing and Certification Division. Complaints about a Sober Living Network member can go to the network.

Next steps

• Compare sober living homes in Los Angeles
• 10 questions to ask before you move in
• Sober living vs. treatment: what’s the difference?

This guide is run by Design for Recovery. See our listing policy.