Assisted living in Utah: licenses, costs and how to choose

Assisted living sits between living at home and a nursing home. In Utah, every assisted living community is licensed by the state, and the kind of license it holds tells you a lot about who it can care for. Here is how it all fits together.

What assisted living is

Assisted living is a home-like residence with help available around the clock. Residents usually have a private or shared apartment, meals, housekeeping and activities, plus hands-on help with things like bathing, dressing, medications and getting around. It is not skilled nursing. Utah’s rule says assisted living facilities may not provide skilled nursing care, though residents can receive visits from home health or hospice.

If you are still weighing whether your loved one needs this level of help at all, our guide on independent living vs. assisted living walks through the difference.

How Utah licenses assisted living

Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services licenses assisted living through its Division of Licensing and Background Checks (DLBC). The rules are in Utah Administrative Code R432-270. That rule creates two license types and three size categories.

Type I and Type II

• Type I is for residents who can get themselves out of the building in an emergency without another person’s help, and who do not need total help with more than three activities of daily living.
• Type II can serve residents who need much more hands-on care, including total help with more than three daily activities, as long as they can leave the building with the limited help of one person. A Type II facility must have a certified nurse aide on duty 24 hours a day and a registered nurse who provides or supervises nursing services.

We explain the difference in more depth in Type 1 vs. Type 2 assisted living in Utah.

Small, large and limited capacity

Neither size is better. A large community may suit a social person who wants a busy calendar. A small home can suit someone who does better with fewer faces and less noise.

Other rules worth knowing

• Each resident must be assessed before admission and at least every six months after that.
• A facility may discharge a resident only under the terms of the signed admission agreement, and generally must give 30 days’ written notice, with exceptions for safety or urgent medical needs. A copy of that notice must go to the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
• Residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia who need a locked environment are cared for in approved secure units. See memory care in Utah.

What assisted living costs in Utah

According to CareScout’s 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the median cost of a private one-bedroom in a Utah assisted living community was $5,475 a month in its 2025 data tables (about $65,700 a year; its press release rounds lower, to $62,790). Real prices vary widely by city, apartment size and how much care a person needs.

Most Utah communities price in two parts: a base monthly rate for the apartment, meals and basic services, and a care fee that rises as needs grow. When you compare communities, compare the total for your loved one’s actual needs, not the advertised starting rate.

How Utah families pay

• Private funds. Savings, retirement income, Social Security, or proceeds from a home sale cover most stays.
• Long-term care insurance, if your loved one has a policy.
• VA benefits such as Aid and Attendance, for eligible veterans and surviving spouses.
• Utah Medicaid’s New Choices Waiver. This program helps people who meet nursing facility level of care and already live in a qualifying setting, such as a nursing facility or a licensed assisted living facility, receive services in a community setting. It has a minimum length-of-stay requirement, so ask early. The program’s intake line is 801-538-6155, option 6, or 800-662-9651, option 6, outside the Salt Lake area.

Medicare does not pay assisted living rent. Our guide on how families pay for assisted living covers each option in more detail.

How to check quality

Unlike nursing homes, assisted living does not have Medicare star ratings. Your best tools in Utah are:

• The DLBC licensing search. The state’s Find a Facility page links to licensing records, including recent compliance history. Look up the exact facility name and confirm its license type and size.
• The Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Utah’s ombudsman program advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living. Call 801-538-3910 to reach the state office, or find your county’s local ombudsman.
• Your own visits. Visit at different times of day, eat a meal, and talk with residents and families.

Our step-by-step guide to checking a Utah care facility’s license and inspections shows exactly where to look.

How to choose: a short checklist

• Does the license type (I or II) match your loved one’s needs today, and in a year?
• What specific situations would require a move out, according to the admission agreement?
• How are care levels assessed, and what has the care fee done over the last two years?
• Who is the registered nurse, and how often are they in the building?
• Is the location easy for the family members who will visit most?

Bring our list of questions to ask on a facility tour, and browse communities on the care map.

Common questions

What is the average cost of assisted living in Utah?

The 2025 CareScout survey put the Utah median at about $5,475 a month ($65,700 a year) for a private one-bedroom. Care fees for higher needs can push the total well above that.

Is there assisted living in Utah that accepts Medicaid?

Some communities accept Utah Medicaid waiver payments for care services. Waiver programs have their own eligibility rules and may have limits on enrollment, and Medicaid generally does not cover room and board. Ask each community directly whether it is a waiver provider and how many waiver residents it serves.

What are Utah’s assisted living regulations?

Utah Administrative Code R432-270 sets the rules: license types, admission limits, staffing, training, resident assessments, and discharge notice. It was last substantively amended in 2020.

Can a Utah assisted living facility make my parent move out?

Yes, but only under the terms of the admission agreement, and usually with 30 days’ written notice. The resident or their representative can ask for a conference to contest the discharge, and the ombudsman can help.