Nursing home administrator license requirements in Alabama.

Board

Alabama Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Education floor

60+ college semester hours Alabama's floor is an associate degree in nursing (or LPN certification) plus four years of skilled-nursing-facility work experience (two years in a supervisory capacity; two years of experience equals one year of college), combined with a 2,000-hour AIT program (Rule 620-X-5-.02). A baccalaureate degree lowers the AIT requirement to 1,000 hours; a baccalaureate in health care administration to 500 hours; a master's in health care or hospital administration to 200 hours. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Administrator-in-Training hours

200 to 2,000 hours depending on your degree or experience

• 2,000 hours: Associate degree in nursing or LPN certification, plus 4 years of skilled-nursing-facility work experience (2 years supervisory; 2 years of experience equals 1 year of college credit), plus a 2,000-hour AIT program.
• 1,000 hours: Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, plus a 1,000-hour AIT program.
• 500 hours: Baccalaureate degree majored in health care administration, plus a university- or college-affiliated internship in nursing home administration or a 500-hour AIT program.
• 200 hours: Master's degree majored in health care or hospital administration, plus a university- or college-affiliated internship or a 200-hour AIT program.

Board source · checked 2026-07-29

National NAB exams

Required (CORE of Knowledge + Nursing Home Administrator) The Board uses the NAB Nursing Home Administrator national examination for all applicants not applying through reciprocity; the candidate must score at least 113 on both the NAB CORE of Knowledge exam and the NAB Nursing Home Administrator Line of Service exam. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Separate state exam

Not required Applicants who qualify through Alabama's standard education/AIT pathways sit only the national NAB examination. Applicants applying through reciprocity must instead pass a State written examination with a 75% pass mark (Rule 620-X-5-.06). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Initial license fee

$300 Application fee $150 plus Original License fee $150 (Board Fee Schedule, Rule 620-X-A-.22, revised 9/14/23). Rule 620-X-13-.01 caps each of these fees at $300. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Renewal fee

$125 Annual renewal fee per the Board's Fee Schedule (Rule 620-X-A-.22); Rule 620-X-13-.01 caps the renewal fee at $300. A late renewal penalty of $400 applies after the deadline. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Continuing education

24 hours per annual cycle 24 equivalent hours of academic work per year (Rule 620-X-6-.01); no more than 10 hours may be earned per day. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Reciprocity / endorsement

endorsement available The Board, in its discretion, may issue a license by reciprocity to an administrator licensed by another state or certified by a national organization with substantially equivalent qualification and examination standards, upon payment of the fee and passing the required written examination (Rule 620-X-12-.01). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Assisted living / RCAL administrator license

Licensed separately Alabama licenses assisted living and specialty care assisted living administrators separately through the Alabama Board of Examiners of Assisted Living Administrators, distinct from the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Statutes and rules: Code of Alabama 1975, Sections 34-20-1 to 34-20-16; Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 620-X (Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators). Figures change on the board's own schedule. Confirm against the board before you apply or pay.

1. Get your checklist. The requirements wizard resolves Alabama's requirements for your exact degree.
2. Plan your hours. The AIT-hours tracker turns Alabama's hour target into a finish date.
3. Moving here from another state? The reciprocity checker reads Alabama's endorsement rule.
4. Also want assisted living? Read holding both a nursing home and an assisted living administrator license for how Alabama's two credentials relate.