Home/All Types/Type A ALF

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Type A Assisted Living Facility

Up to 16 ambulatory seniors with a state license

State Licensed — Most Common

Time to open

4–6 months

Gov't fees (total)

$762

State license

Required

Max residents

Who this serves

Elderly and disabled adults who can self-evacuate and do not need nighttime nursing assistance

Best fit: Someone ready to build a real licensed care business with 4–16 residents

Actual Costs

Government fees are exact. Variable costs are estimates — tips show how to minimize them.

EXACT

Government Fees — You Will Pay These

HHSC Type A License (8-bed facility)

$300 base + $15 × 8 beds (26 TAC §553.47)

$420

per 3 years

HHSC Type A License (16-bed facility)

$300 base + $15 × 16 beds (max $2,250 for any size)

$540

per 3 years

Texas LLC Formation (SOS filing)

$300

one time

DPS Background Check

Required for owner and all direct care staff ($11.50 IdentoGO + $15.00 DPS + $13.25 FBI = $39.75)

$39.75

per person

HHSC Life Safety Code Inspection

1st & 2nd inspection: $0. 3rd+ inspection for same application: $25/bed, $1,000 minimum.

one time

HHSC Health Survey Inspection

1st & 2nd inspection: $0. Build-to-pass on the first try.

one time

Local building permit (for renovations)

Only required if making structural changes — no permit needed for cosmetic work

$75–500

one time

Local business registration

Varies by city — typically under $100

$0–100

annual

Guaranteed minimum (gov't fees)

$762

VARIABLE

Costs That Depend on Your Property & Choices

Sprinkler system (NFPA 13D residential)

$8,000–$18,000/one time

💡 1-story homes can use NFPA 13D (residential grade) — significantly cheaper than commercial NFPA 13

Fire alarm system

$2,000–$5,000/one time

💡 Get licensed fire alarm contractor quotes — required by Life Safety Code

General liability + E&O insurance

$3,000–$7,200/annual

💡 Markel, Philadelphia Insurance, and GuideOne specialize in ALF — get 3 quotes

Bedroom & common area furnishings

$8,000–$20,000/one time

💡 Per resident bedroom + dining room + living area

Policies & procedures manual

$0–$800/one time

💡 HHSC has free templates. Paid consultants offer pre-built packages — not required but saves time

Emergency exits, signs, lighting

$500–$2,000/one time

💡 Required — exit signs, emergency lighting, fire extinguishers

Physical & Building Requirements

Stories allowed

Any with proper egress — 1-story is the simplest path

Sq ft / resident (single room)

80 sq ft min

Sq ft / resident (shared room)

60 sq ft min

Bedroom min width

8 ft

Bathroom ratio

1 toilet + 1 sink per 6 residents; 1 tub or shower per 10 residents

Sprinklers

Required — NFPA 13D (residential standard) acceptable for ≤16 residents on 1-story

•Single bedroom: 80 sq ft minimum
•Shared bedrooms: 60 sq ft per resident, max 4 per room, no more than 50% of residents in shared rooms
•Minimum bedroom width: 8 feet
•Basements cannot be used for resident bedrooms or living space (NFPA 101)
•Common area: 120 sq ft minimum (floor), then 15 sq ft per resident (26 TAC §553.232)
•Dining area: 120 sq ft minimum (floor), then 15 sq ft per resident
•1-story small Type A: exempt from evacuation floor plan posting requirement
•Deep-fat frying is not permitted in the kitchen

Can I Use My Home?

✅

1-Story Home

✅

2-Story Home

2,500

sq ft minimum

bedrooms

→1-story (4–6 residents): best path — NFPA 13D sprinklers (residential grade, cheapest option), no evacuation plan posting
→2-story: requires full fire alarm system + posted evacuation plans per floor — add $3k–$8k
→Calculate space needed: (residents × 80 sq ft) + 240 sq ft dining/common minimum
→Basements cannot be used for any resident living space

Why operators choose this

+Most common ALF license in Texas — abundant resources, training, and vendor knowledge
+Can be operated from a converted home
+Real business: 16 residents × $2,500–$5,500 = $40k–$88k/month potential
+Night staff can sleep on-site (not required to be awake) — lower labor cost than Type B
+NFPA 13D sprinklers acceptable on 1-story — lowest-cost fire safety path

Know before you start

–HHSC licensing takes 4–6 months — plan ahead
–Sprinkler installation is the largest variable cost ($8k–$18k)
–RN must be available 24/7 even if contracted
–Cannot serve memory care or dementia residents (requires Type B)
–Unannounced HHSC inspections after opening

⚠️ Key Restrictions — Know These Before You Start

!Residents MUST be able to self-evacuate without staff help
!Cannot serve bedfast residents
!Cannot advertise dementia or Alzheimer's specialization (that requires Type B)
!A registered nurse must be on call 24/7 (can be contracted — not your employee)
!Night staff must be "immediately available" — can be sleeping in the facility, not required to be awake
!No deep-fat frying in the kitchen

Apply Directly

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