What laws govern senior care facilities in Salt Lake City?
Utah state law, not city or county ordinance, governs licensed senior care: the Health Care Facility Licensing and Inspection Act in Utah Code Title 26B, and DLBC rules such as R432-270 for assisted living and R432-150 for nursing care facilities, with federal CMS rules layered on certified nursing homes.
Last verified: October 2026Every one of those licenses is issued and inspected by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Licensing and Background Checks. Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and Tooele County do not license care settings, though zoning and fire codes apply to the buildings.
How is Utah's approach different from other states?
Utah draws its assisted living line by evacuation ability: Type I residents must be able to get out of the building alone, Type II residents may need one person's limited help, and memory care exists only as an approved secure unit inside a Type II license rather than as a separate license.
On DLBC's record for Salt Lake and Tooele counties that works out to 55 Type II licenses and 14 Type I licenses, 40 of the Type II licenses with secure beds. Utah also publishes each facility's last 36 months of inspection findings, with noncompliance levels and penalties, which many states do not.
Where do Salt Lake families report problems?
Suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation goes to Utah Adult Protective Services at 1-800-371-7897; resident advocacy comes from the Salt Lake County Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 385-468-3255; and licensing violations go to DLBC through its Submit a concern page.
The guides below explain each step, with the rule or agency page behind it.
Utah Rules guides
How Utah licenses assisted living: Type I and Type II
Utah's DLBC licenses assisted living as Type I or Type II under R432-270, in large, small and limited-capacity size classes. What each license allows in Salt Lake County.
Read →What Utah requires of memory care (secure units)
Utah memory care is a secure unit within a Type II assisted living license (R432-270-16). Admission agreements, wander-risk agreements, staffing and training rules, with Salt Lake County bed counts.
Read →How to check a license and read a DLBC inspection record
Use Utah DLBC's Find a Facility search to check an assisted living or nursing facility license, read inspection findings, noncompliance levels, repeat citations and penalties.
Read →Admission agreements, rate notices and discharge in Utah assisted living
Utah R432-270 requires a signed admission agreement listing charges, a 30-day notice before rate changes, discharge and refund policies, and allows in-room monitoring devices.
Read →Medications and nursing services in Utah assisted living
How Utah R432-270 handles medication administration, nurse delegation, six-month medication reviews and RN oversight in Type I and Type II assisted living around Salt Lake City.
Read →Hospice in Utah assisted living: what the rule allows
Utah R432-270 allows hospice residents in Type I and Type II assisted living with physician orders, a service plan and evacuation safeguards. What Salt Lake families should know.
Read →How Utah assisted living staff must be trained
Utah R432-270 requires orientation, core competency training, 16 hours of one-on-one job training, annual dementia in-services and administrator continuing education in assisted living.
Read →How to report abuse, neglect or a care problem in Utah
Report elder abuse to Utah Adult Protective Services (1-800-371-7897), get help from the Salt Lake County ombudsman (385-468-3255) or file a licensing concern with DLBC.
Read →At a glance
| Utah's rules do | Utah's rules do not | |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living | Require a DLBC Type I or Type II license | Set a numeric staff-to-resident ratio |
| Memory care | Allow locked units only as Type II secure units | Offer a separate memory care license |
| Inspections | Publish 36 months of findings and penalties | Publish star ratings for assisted living |
| Payment | Let the New Choices Waiver pay for services in assisted living | Pay assisted living room and board |
