Arkansas is an easy state to open a sober living home because there are very few regulations in place that curtail sober living development. Arkansas has no licensing requirements for operators and it doesn’t appear that the state will institute any soon. There is no NARR affiliate in Arkansas, but an intrepid operator could easily contact the organization and begin the process of founding an affiliate organization in the state.
Moreover, there is a high demand for sober living in Arkansas. The state is almost dead last in a study about the accessibility of healthcare in the United States. In that study, Arkansas earned 49th place, second only to Mississippi.
You Do Not Need a License to Open a Sober Living Home or Recovery Residence in Arkansas
Although you do need to seek licensure if you are interested in opening an addiction treatment facility in Arkansas, sober living homes do not need special licensing to operate in the state. Like any business, sober living homes will need to obtain a business license in Arkansas. You’ll also likely need to complete health and safety inspections to ensure that your physical plant is up to state code. Still, you will not need to maintain an annual state license specific to recovery residences in order to operate.
Sober Living Homes that Cater to Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Will Need to be Licensed in Arkansas
Arkansas has a licensing program for reentry and transitional housing for formerly incarcerated individuals but it does not have a licensing program specific to sober living homes or recovery residences where incarceration may or may not play into the resident profile. Most reentry homes in Arkansas are, in effect, sober living homes because they do not allow drugs and alcohol on the premises and they often encourage residents to participate in community-based recovery programs. Thes homes will need to be licensed, but not because they are sober living homes. They’ll need to be licensed because they are reentry homes.
There is no National Association of Recovery Residences Affiliate in Arkansas
There is no NARR affiliate in Arkansas and the NARR website records no emerging affiliate in the state at this time. Most states have either an active NARR chapter or are working on launching one, but Arkansas is one of a handful of states that has, so far, shown no interest in the national assciation. In states that do have a NARR affiliate, the organization will often oversee licensing or certification efforts for sober living at the state level. Often, states start forming a NARR affiliate when they know that regulations are coming for the sober living community in that state. This is because NARR affiliates give sober living home operators an organized voice in state politics and can influence common sense regulations as they are written.
If You Do Need to License Your Sober Living Home (Transitional Facility) in Arkansas, the State Fees are Reasonable
Arkansas’ fees for sober living home licensing are quite low. It only costs $250 to open an initial application in Arkansas and only $100 to renew your license once it’s been granted. In other states, you’ll see fees that are 10 or 20 times this amount. There is also no “per bed” fee in Arkansas for transitional housing beds. This, too, is a perk - many states charge an initial fee, a renewal fee and bed fees on top of those fees!
A Few Links for Those Interested in Opening a Sober Living Home in Arkansas
Opening an Addiction Treatment Center in Arkansas? Here’s How to Get Started and Get Licensed
Understanding National Regulations on Sober Living Homes in the United States - Part 1
Understanding National Regulations on Sober Living Homes in the United States - Part 2
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