Nursing home administrator license requirements in Tennessee.

Board

Tennessee Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators (Tennessee Department of Health) Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Education floor

60+ college semester hours Tennessee's floor is an associate degree combined with 5 years of acceptable management experience in a licensed long-term care facility, plus a 6-month AIT program (Rule 1020-01-.07(6)). A baccalaureate, master's, or doctorate in Health Care Administration needs only a 400-hour internship; a baccalaureate/master's/doctorate in any other field needs a 6-month AIT program. Combining requirements from different categories is not permitted. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Administrator-in-Training hours

400 to 1,040 hours depending on your degree or experience

• 400 hours: Baccalaureate, master's, or doctorate degree in Health Care Administration from an accredited college, including a 400-hour internship taken for credit and served in a licensed long-term care nursing facility (no separate AIT program required).
• 1,040 hours: Baccalaureate, master's, or doctorate degree in any field, combined with a Board-approved AIT program of at least 6 months full-time (shown here as a transparently-labeled full-time-equivalent estimate of 1,040 hours (40 hours/week x 26 weeks), since Tennessee's rule states the AIT program in months, not hours; the AIT and preceptor spend a minimum of 4 hours/week together in person).
• 1,040 hours: Associate degree plus 5 years of acceptable management experience in a licensed long-term care facility, combined with a Board-approved AIT program of at least 6 months full-time.

Board source · checked 2026-07-29

National NAB exams

Required (CORE of Knowledge + Nursing Home Administrator) The Board adopts the NAB examination as Tennessee's licensure examination for all applicants except those applying by reciprocity (Rule 1020-01-.10(1)). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Separate state exam

Required All applicants, including reciprocity applicants, must separately pass the Board's Jurisprudence Examination (scope limited to Tennessee statutes and rules governing practice and facilities, 90% pass mark), in addition to the national NAB exam (Rule 1020-01-.10(2)). Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Initial license fee

$460 Application fee $300, plus State Regulatory Fee $10, plus Jurisprudence Examination Fee $150 (Rule 1020-01-.02). The national NAB exam fee is paid directly to NAB and is separate. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Renewal fee

$160 Biennial License Renewal Fee $150 plus biennial State Regulatory Fee $10 (Rule 1020-01-.02); a $200 Late Renewal Fee applies to reinstate an expired license. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Continuing education

36 hours per biennial cycle Although the license itself renews biennially, continuing education is assessed annually: 18 clock hours must be completed every calendar year (Rule 1020-01-.12), which totals 36 hours across a full 2-year renewal cycle. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Reciprocity / endorsement

endorsement available An applicant with an active license as a nursing home administrator in another state may qualify by demonstrating substantially equivalent requirements to Tennessee's standard pathways, ACHCA certification, NAB's Health Service Executive (HSE) qualification, or 5 of the last 7 years as a licensed nursing home administrator in another state in lieu of a degree or AIT program (Rule 1020-01-.07(7)). The Jurisprudence Exam is still required. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Assisted living / RCAL administrator license

Licensed separately Tennessee separately qualifies Residential Home for the Aged (RHA) / Assisted Care Living Facility (ACLF) administrators under the Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-08-25), a distinct track from the Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators. Board source · checked 2026-07-29

Statutes and rules: Tenn. Code Ann. Sections 63-16-101 to 63-16-119 (Nursing Home Administrators); Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 1020-01 (General Rules Governing 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 Tennessee's requirements for your exact degree.
2. Plan your hours. The AIT-hours tracker turns Tennessee's hour target into a finish date.
3. Moving here from another state? The reciprocity checker reads Tennessee's endorsement rule.
4. Also want assisted living? Read holding both a nursing home and an assisted living administrator license for how Tennessee's two credentials relate.