Little Rock Senior AdvisorWhich laws govern assisted living in Little Rock?
State law, not city ordinances: the assisted living statute at Ark. Code Ann. 20-10-1701 and following and the Office of Long Term Care's rules for Level I and Level II facilities, with nursing homes under separate state rules plus federal CMS requirements.
Last verified: November 2026The City of Little Rock and Pulaski County handle zoning and building permits, and the Health Services Permit Commission decides whether new beds may be built at all. The OLTC license is the record that says a building may care for residents.
What makes Arkansas's licensing system different?
Arkansas splits assisted living at the nursing-home line: Level I may not serve anyone at nursing home level of care, while Level II must have a registered nurse and may serve those residents, including Medicaid Living Choices participants; new beds of either kind also need a state permit of approval.
Level II dominates: of the 2,442 licensed assisted living beds in the six counties, 2,166 (89%) are Level II, spread across 27 buildings, while 4 buildings hold the 276 Level I beds. Memory care is an Alzheimer's special care unit inside a licensed building, with its own disclosure and training rules.
Where do central Arkansas families take a complaint?
To the Office of Long Term Care at 1-800-582-4887 for care or licensing problems, to the Adult Maltreatment Hotline at 1-800-482-8049 for suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation, and to the long-term care ombudsman sponsored by CareLink for free advocacy.
Each guide below takes one rule at a time and shows what it changes on a tour or in a contract.
Arkansas Rules: every guide
How Arkansas licenses assisted living around Little Rock
Arkansas licenses assisted living facilities at Level I and Level II through DHS's Office of Long Term Care. What each level allows, who it can serve and how it shows up in central Arkansas.
Open guide →How Arkansas regulates memory care
Memory care in Arkansas means an Alzheimer's special care unit (ASCU) inside an assisted living or other long-term care facility: written disclosure before admission, separate staffing census and dementia training.
Open guide →Admission, retention and discharge in Arkansas assisted living
Arkansas assisted living may not serve anyone needing 24-hour nursing, bedridden residents, or people staff cannot evacuate. The 30-day discharge notice, 7-day OLTC appeal and 14-day rescission right.
Open guide →Staffing and training rules in Arkansas assisted living
Arkansas's Level I assisted living staffing minimums by resident census and shift, Level II nurse requirements, administrator certification and annual training hours.
Open guide →Residential care facilities in Arkansas
What an Arkansas residential care facility (RCF) is, how it differs from Level I and Level II assisted living, the 2005 bed moratorium, and the RCFs still licensed around Little Rock.
Open guide →Checking a Little Rock facility's record yourself
How to verify an Arkansas assisted living facility or nursing home: the Bed Need Book, OLTC surveys, CMS Care Compare, enforcement reports and what to ask for in person.
Open guide →Where Little Rock families take a complaint
How to report a problem at a central Arkansas assisted living facility or nursing home: the Office of Long Term Care, the Adult Maltreatment Hotline, and CareLink's long-term care ombudsmen.
Open guide →Side by side
| Arkansas's rules require | Arkansas's rules do not require | |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living | An OLTC license at Level I or Level II | A nurse in every building around the clock |
| Memory care | A written disclosure and dementia training in a special care unit | A stand-alone memory care license |
| Staffing | Minimum direct care staff by census and shift | Published assisted living staffing data |
| Money | 30 days' notice of rate changes and a 14-day rescission period | Medicaid payment for rent and meals |
