Assisted living in Minnesota: how it is licensed.
Who licenses assisted living in Minnesota, and what to check before you choose.
What Minnesota calls it
In Minnesota, assisted living is licensed under the term “Assisted Living Facility (and Assisted Living Facility with Dementia Care)”. Other states use different names, so it helps to know the exact term when you search.
Who licenses and inspects
Minnesota Department of Health, Health Regulation Division (Assisted Living Licensure) is the agency that licenses these communities. It is the official place to check a community’s license and inspection history. The state also lists an official facility search tool.
Memory care
Minnesota issues a separate license category: assisted living facility with dementia care.
Paying for care
Medicare generally does not cover long term custodial care.
Minnesota's Elderly Waiver may pay for customized living services, which the state says typically are provided in assisted living settings, for enrollees with an assessed need. Eligibility rules apply.
Checking a community
The Minnesota Assisted Living Report Card gives quality information on assisted living facilities; the Department of Health says its resident health, safety and staffing ratings are updated quarterly using Department of Health survey results.
Help and complaints
Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care (Minnesota Board on Aging) supports residents of long term care and their families.
Also worth knowing in Minnesota
Minnesota licenses assisted living facilities in two categories, standard assisted living and assisted living with dementia care, and the Assisted Living Bill of Rights is in Minnesota Statutes section 144G.91.
Sources we checked (October 2026)
Licensing rules change. We checked the pages below. Confirm with the state agency.
Questions
Who regulates assisted living in Minnesota?
Minnesota Department of Health, Health Regulation Division (Assisted Living Licensure).