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Utah Recovery Houses & Sober Living: Resources & Directory

Find recovery residence and sober living resources for Utah: the state license from the Division of Licensing and Background Checks (DLBC), the rules every licensed home follows, funding programs, and organizations that serve Utah. Browse the guide below or choose your county to find local information.

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Utah recovery house rules at a glance

Licensing agency
Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Licensing and Background Checks (DLBC), Office of Licensing
State license
Required for any home that meets two or more of the recovery residence tests in Utah Code 26B-2-101, including sober living
Voluntary certification
No Utah affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR); accredited licensees in good standing may apply for deemed status
Funding
Opioid settlement funds, split between the state and counties, may pay for recovery housing that allows medication for addiction treatment

Step by step

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in Utah

To open a recovery residence or sober living home in Utah, first confirm the home meets the state definition, then get the city business license, fire inspection, and local health department inspection the application asks for. Prepare the house to Utah Admin. Code R501-18 standards, qualify and train your director and staff, clear everyone through the Direct Access Clearance System (DACS), write your policies and resident paperwork, and apply online with the Division of Licensing and Background Checks (DLBC), one license per site.

The steps most new operators follow to open a recovery house in Utah, in order. Each one links to the official form or rule behind it.

  1. 1

    Confirm the home is a recovery residence

    State requirement

    A home that meets two or more of the five tests in Utah Code 26B-2-101 is a recovery residence and needs a DLBC license, and that includes sober living. A home where residents vote on the rules, admissions, and expulsions, share expenses equally, and the owner receives only fair market rent is not covered. If you plan to offer clinical treatment or detox, you need a different license.

  2. 2

    Get your city business license and local inspections

    Local requirement

    DLBC's application asks for a current city business license, fire inspection, and local health department inspection. Check zoning with your city or county planning office before you sign a lease. The federal and Utah Fair Housing Acts protect people in recovery from disability discrimination.

  3. 3

    Prepare the house

    State requirement

    R501-18 requires one toilet for every 10 residents and one tub or shower for every 8, bedroom exits that meet the rule if there is no local fire clearance, laundry access, locked individual medication storage, and an unexpired opioid overdose reversal kit on site. The application needs a floor plan with capacity measurements.

  4. 4

    Qualify your director, train staff, and run background checks

    State requirement

    The director needs a Utah substance use disorder counselor or clinical social work license (or equivalent), or two years of relevant experience. The director, manager, and direct care staff need 40 hours of documented training, including overdose reversal and current First Aid and CPR. Submit each person's background check in DACS within two weeks and supervise them directly until they are cleared.

  5. 5

    Write your policies and resident paperwork

    State requirement

    Submit policies on abuse, discrimination, and harassment, a non-discrimination policy, and proof of insurance. Each resident's record needs intake documentation, a signed recovery plan that says no clinical treatment happens on site, a lease if required, and a signed disclosure of fees, house rules, and other responsibilities. Post the client rights and other required notices.

  6. 6

    Apply online with DLBC

    State requirement

    Submit the human services application and documents through the provider portal. No sooner than four working days later, pay the fee ($1,424.50 for an initial recovery residence license from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) and log in to the portal. A licensor reviews your policies and inspects the site. You may not take fees or residents until the license is approved, and each site needs its own license.

  7. 7

    Consider accreditation and deemed status

    Voluntary certification

    Utah has no NARR affiliate. A licensee in good standing with current accreditation from a national organization the department approves may apply for deemed status, which lets deemed sites skip department renewal inspections.

  8. 8

    Stay licensed

    State requirement

    Renew every year: submit renewal items at least 30 days before the license expires and contact your licensor 60 to 90 days ahead to schedule the inspection. Document daily site visits and resident contact, report critical incidents within one business day, request changes through the portal, give 30 days' notice before closing, and keep client records for seven years.

Startup checklist

  • Check the home against the five recovery residence tests
  • Get a city business license, fire inspection, and health inspection
  • Ask your city or county planning office about zoning
  • Draw a floor plan with capacity measurements
  • Stock an unexpired overdose reversal kit and locked medication storage
  • Confirm your director's license or two years of experience
  • Schedule 40 hours of training, including First Aid and CPR
  • Submit staff background checks in DACS within two weeks
  • Write your policies and get liability and fire insurance
  • Prepare the recovery plan, lease, and fee disclosure forms
  • Apply online and pay the license fee for each site
  • Set up daily site visit and resident contact logs

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