Learn · Licensing
Assisted Living Manager Certification in Maryland: Certificate vs. License
Maryland doesn't issue an 'assisted living manager certification.' You earn a certificate from an approved 80-hour course, then a license from the state Board. What each one is and how to get both.
By Aaron Payne · October 1, 2026
People call it a lot of things: assisted living manager certification, ALM certification, manager classes, the 80-hour certificate. If you’re trying to become an assisted living manager in Maryland, the name matters less than knowing there are two separate documents, issued by two different bodies, and you need both.
The short version: you earn a certificate of completion by finishing the 80-hour Assisted Living Manager course from a state-approved vendor. You then use that certificate to apply for a license from the State Board of Long-Term Care Administrators. The certificate is the training. The license is the permission to practice.
The two documents, side by side
| Course certificate | Manager license | |
|---|---|---|
| What people call it | ”ALM certification,” “the 80-hour certificate" | "ALM license” |
| Who issues it | Your training vendor, approved by the Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) | State Board of Long-Term Care Administrators |
| What it proves | You completed the 80-hour course and passed its exam | You’re authorized to practice as an assisted living manager |
| How you get it | Finish the course | Fingerprints, online application, and fees |
| Cost | Tuition, set by the vendor | $100 application fee + $200 license fee, both non-refundable |
| Does it renew? | No | Every two years, with 20 hours of continuing education |
The certificate: what “certification” usually means
When someone says “I need my assisted living manager certification,” they almost always mean the 80-hour course. Maryland’s regulations (COMAR 10.07.14.16 and .17) require a manager training course that:
- runs 80 hours,
- covers 13 required content areas, from clinical management and medication oversight to emergency planning and the survey process,
- ends with an examination, and
- is taught by a vendor approved by the Department. OHCQ publishes the approved-vendor list.
When you pass, the vendor issues your certificate of completion. Keep it. Your Board application relies on it.
One caution on “national” certifications: Maryland’s rule asks for a course approved by the Maryland Department of Health. A national assisted living credential may be worth having, but it isn’t a substitute unless that vendor appears on the OHCQ list for the 80-hour course.
The license: new since July 1, 2026
Until recently the certificate was the finish line. That changed. Since July 1, 2026, practicing as an assisted living manager in Maryland requires a license from the State Board of Long-Term Care Administrators (COMAR 10.33.03.01A).
After the course, the path looks like this:
- Fingerprints. A state and national criminal history records check under the Board’s own authorization number. A background check from another Maryland health license doesn’t transfer.
- Apply online. As Applicant I if you practiced as an assisted living manager in a licensed Maryland program before July 1, 2026, or Applicant II if you didn’t.
- Pay the fees and get approved. Finish within a year, or the application is void.
- Post your license at your place of employment.
I walk through every step, with the fees and the one that trips people up, in our guide to becoming a licensed Assisted Living Manager in Maryland.
Which one do you need?
- You want to manage an assisted living program: both. Course first, then the license.
- You already hold the license: neither. You need 20 hours of approved continuing education every two-year renewal cycle.
- You’re an alternate manager: the Board has told us in writing that the alternate doesn’t need a license to hold the designation. But if the manager leaves suddenly and you step in, the clock starts on a provisional license. Having the course done ahead of time is cheap insurance.
- You own the facility but someone else manages it: your manager needs both. It’s worth considering the course yourself, because the building still needs a licensed manager the day yours quits.
How long does it take?
The course is 80 hours of coursework however you take it. Classroom and live-virtual cohorts spread that across about two months on fixed dates. A self-paced online course moves as fast as your schedule allows. After that, the Board’s processing clock starts only once your fee is paid and every document is in.
Where we fit
The Care Insider is on OHCQ’s approved-vendor list for both the 80-hour course and the 20-hour continuing education. Our Maryland 80-hour Assisted Living Manager course is 100% online and self-paced at $997, with no cohorts and no access clock, and your certificate is generated the moment you pass the final exam.
I teach it with Mavis Payne, who has operated Maryland assisted living programs for more than 25 years. I hold the license you’re working toward and run a licensed facility today.
Related questions:
- Is the course exam hard?
- What does the course cost, and is there a free one?
- Is the 25-hour online limit still in effect? (No.)
This article is practical guidance, not legal advice. Board fees and requirements were verified in September 2026. Confirm current figures on the Board’s site before you apply.