Nursing home administrator license requirements in Oregon.

Board

Long Term Care Administrators Board, Oregon Health Authority Health Licensing Office Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Education floor

A bachelor's degree Oregon's standard route (Licensure Pathway 1: AIT Program) requires a bachelor's degree. Alternate pathways exist for an administrator with at least one year of experience at a dual hospital/long-term-care campus (Pathway 2), a postgraduate management degree plus 10 years of health-care management experience which waives the AIT program (Pathway 3), and reciprocity from a state with at least equivalent requirements (Pathways 4 and 5). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Administrator-in-Training hours

0 to 960 hours depending on your degree or experience

• 960 hours: Standard Licensure Pathway 1: a bachelor's degree plus a 960-hour Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program under a registered preceptor (minimum four hours per month of in-person preceptor consultation), followed by passing scores on both the Oregon Laws and Rules Examination and the national NAB examination. AIT applicants who are current CNAs, RNs, LPNs, or Acting Administrators of a Residential Care Facility may qualify to waive a portion of the 960 hours.
• 0 hours: Licensure Pathway 3 (Advanced Education and Experience) waives the AIT program entirely for an applicant with a postgraduate degree in management and at least 10 years of experience in health-care management.

Board source · checked 2026-07-29

National NAB exams

Required (CORE of Knowledge + Nursing Home Administrator) Oregon requires the 150-question, three-hour NAB examination (resident care and quality of life, human resources, physical environment and atmosphere, leadership and management), minimum passing scaled score 113. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Separate state exam

Required Oregon also requires its own 100-question Oregon Laws and Rules Examination, minimum passing score 75 percent, no time limit, covering OAR chapter 411 (nursing facilities) and chapter 853 (nursing home administrators). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Initial license fee

$230 License application $100 plus original issuance $130 (one year), per OAR 853-040-0000 (Permanent Rules effective October 1, 2022, still current on the Health Licensing Office fee page). AIT registration is a separate $100 and the Oregon Laws and Rules Examination is a separate $125; the national NAB exam fee is paid to NAB. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Renewal fee

$130 Annual license renewal, $130 per year (OAR 853-040-0000). A delinquency fee of $50 applies for each year in inactive status, up to three years. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Continuing education

10 hours per annual cycle 10 continuing education hours every licensure year, plus 1 hour of cultural competency continuing education every other renewal (OAR 853-050-0000). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Reciprocity / endorsement

endorsement available Licensure Pathway 4 (Reciprocity): an affidavit of current, active out-of-state licensure with requirements at least equivalent to Oregon's and no pending discipline. Pathway 5 covers licenses originally issued before January 1, 1983 under the same equivalence standard. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Assisted living / RCAL administrator license

Licensed separately Oregon's Long Term Care Administrators Board separately licenses Residential Care Facility Administrators under the same board and statute (ORS 678.710). A residential care facility administrator follows its own application pathway, examination, and biennial certification, distinct from the nursing home administrator license. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Statutes and rules: ORS 678.710 to 678.820 and 678.990; Oregon Administrative Rules chapter 853, divisions 020 to 060. 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 Oregon's requirements for your exact degree.
2. Plan your hours. The AIT-hours tracker turns Oregon's hour target into a finish date.
3. Moving here from another state? The reciprocity checker reads Oregon's endorsement rule.
4. Also want assisted living? Read holding both a nursing home and an assisted living administrator license for how Oregon's two credentials relate.