Before placing a loved one in any care facility, you have the right to review its license status, inspection history, and any documented survey findings. This free guide connects you directly to every state health department's official database — no account required.
These federal and independent databases cover all Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes nationwide. Use them alongside your state's database for the most complete picture.
The official federal tool for comparing nursing homes. Search by name, city, or ZIP. View health inspection ratings, staffing levels, and quality measures for every certified facility.
Search Medicare Care Compare ↗Search 90,000+ inspection reports and read the actual state survey documents. Filter by deficiency type, date, and severity to see the full inspection history.
Search Inspection Reports ↗Raw data behind Care Compare. Download facility-level health deficiencies, staffing, and penalty data for research or deeper analysis.
Access CMS Data Catalog ↗A nursing home license is a legal requirement — but the quality of care goes beyond a valid license. Look for facilities that treat compliance as a minimum standard, not a finish line. Facilities that invest in staff education signal a commitment to continuous improvement in resident care.
Click any state agency link to go directly to the official licensing or inspection database. States with 🟡 Partial access have license lookup online; supplement with the national CMS Care Compare tool linked above for full inspection history.
| State | Official Agency & Database | Online Access | What Families Can Verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Dept. of Public Health – Provider Standards | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, facility type, capacity, inspection history |
| Alaska | Alaska Dept. of Health – Health Care Facility Licensing | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License status; inspection reports via CMS Care Compare |
| Arizona | Arizona Dept. of Health Services – Licensing | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection reports, complaints |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Dept. of Health – Facility Licensure | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; full inspection data via CMS |
| California | California Dept. of Public Health – ALCS | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection citations, complaint history, RCFE detail |
| Colorado | Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment – Health Facilities | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, compliance history, inspection reports |
| Connecticut | CT Dept. of Public Health – Facility Licensing & Investigations | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; inspection details via CMS |
| Delaware | Delaware Dept. of Health & Social Services | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | Facility regulations and licensing; inspection data via CMS |
| Florida | Florida Agency for Health Care Administration – HealthFinder | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, complaint reports, inspection citations, cost data |
| Georgia | Georgia Dept. of Community Health – Find a Facility | 🟢 Full Online Access | License lookup, facility details, survey findings |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Dept. of Health – Office of Health Care Assurance | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, facility listings, inspection data |
| Idaho | Idaho Dept. of Health & Welfare – Facility Licensing | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; full inspection history via CMS |
| Illinois | Illinois Dept. of Public Health – Long-Term Care | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey results, deficiency reports |
| Indiana | Indiana State Dept. of Health – Long-Term Care | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License verification; survey reports via CMS |
| Iowa | Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection reports, complaint records |
| Kansas | Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment – Health Facilities | 🟢 Full Online Access | License lookup, survey findings, deficiency history |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection reports, complaint history |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Dept. of Health – Health Standards Section | 🟢 Full Online Access | License lookup, inspection history, deficiency reports |
| Maine | Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services – Facility Licensing | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License verification; detailed inspections via CMS |
| Maryland | Maryland Dept. of Health – Office of Health Care Quality | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey reports, complaint outcomes |
| Massachusetts | MA Dept. of Public Health – Nursing Home Survey Performance | 🟢 Full Online Access | Survey performance ratings, deficiency data, inspection trends |
| Michigan | Michigan Dept. of Health & Human Services – Long-Term Care | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection reports, complaint records |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Dept. of Health – Facility and Provider Compliance | 🟢 Full Online Access | License lookup, compliance data, survey findings |
| Mississippi | Mississippi State Dept. of Health – Health Facilities | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; full inspection data via CMS |
| Missouri | Missouri Dept. of Health & Senior Services | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey results, deficiency records |
| Montana | Montana Dept. of Public Health & Human Services | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; inspection details via CMS |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Dept. of Health & Human Services – Long-Term Care | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License verification; inspection data via CMS |
| Nevada | Nevada Dept. of Health & Human Services – Healthcare Quality | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey findings, complaint outcomes |
| New Hampshire | NH Dept. of Health & Human Services – Long-Term Care Licensing | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; detailed surveys via CMS |
| New Jersey | NJ Dept. of Health – Division of Long-Term Care Systems | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection reports, deficiency history |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Dept. of Health – Health Facility Licensing | 🟢 Full Online Access | License lookup, inspection records, complaint history |
| New York | NY State Dept. of Health – Nursing Home Profiles | 🟢 Full Online Access | Detailed profiles, inspection results, staffing ratios, complaint records |
| North Carolina | NC Dept. of Health & Human Services – Division of Health Service Regulation | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey results, complaint outcomes |
| North Dakota | ND Dept. of Health & Human Services – Facility Licensing | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; inspection details via CMS |
| Ohio | Ohio Dept. of Health – Long-Term Care Inspection Reports | 🟢 Full Online Access | Inspection reports, deficiency data, complaint records |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma State Dept. of Health – Health Facilities Systems | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection findings, compliance history |
| Oregon | Oregon Health Authority – Health Care Facility Licensing | 🟢 Full Online Access | License lookup, inspection reports, deficiency records |
| Pennsylvania | PA Dept. of Health – Health Facilities Licensing | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection reports, complaint history |
| Rhode Island | RI Dept. of Health – Center for Health Facilities Regulation | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; full inspection data via CMS |
| South Carolina | SC Dept. of Health & Environmental Control – Healthcare Facilities | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey findings, complaint records |
| South Dakota | SD Dept. of Health – Long-Term Care Licensure | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; inspection detail via CMS |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Dept. of Health – Health Care Facilities | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey results, compliance records |
| Texas | Texas Health & Human Services – Nursing Facilities | 🟢 Full Online Access | License lookup, inspection reports, deficiency citations |
| Utah | Utah Dept. of Health & Human Services – Health Facility Licensing | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection history, complaint records |
| Vermont | Vermont Dept. of Health – Health Care Administration | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; detailed inspection data via CMS |
| Virginia | Virginia Dept. of Health – Office of Licensure and Certification | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection reports, deficiency data |
| Washington | Washington State Dept. of Health – Assisted Living Facility Licensing | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, inspection findings, complaint outcomes |
| West Virginia | WV Dept. of Health – Health Facility Licensure & Certification | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; full inspection data via CMS |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services – Long-Term Care | 🟢 Full Online Access | License status, survey reports, deficiency records |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Dept. of Health – Licensing & Survey | 🟡 Partial – CMS Supplement | License lookup; detailed inspections via CMS |
Links verified February 2026. Government URLs may change; if a link is inactive, search "[State] health department nursing home licensing" for the current portal.
USACareFind lists licensed facilities across all 50 states with real cost ranges, specialty filters, and compliance data — so your family can compare options with confidence.
