- Florida has no recovery-home license category. Under Fla. Stat. § 429.02(5), a home providing housing, meals and one or more personal services for more than 24 hours to adults who aren't the owner's relatives is an assisted living facility (ALF).
- An ALF needs a license from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) (§ 429.07). Operating an unlicensed ALF is a third-degree felony, and each day is a separate offense (§ 429.08).
- Personal services "may not be construed to mean the provision of medical, nursing, dental, or mental health services" (§ 429.02(18)).
- HB 81 (2026), "Postsurgical Recovery Homes," died in the House Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee on March 13, 2026.
- AHCA phone: 888-419-3456.
Does Florida license recovery houses?
Not as their own category. The license that applies is the AHCA assisted living facility license, required when a home provides housing, meals and personal services, such as help with bathing, dressing or toileting, for more than 24 hours.
What does an ALF license mean, and what doesn't it mean?
An ALF license means the state licensed the home for housing, meals and personal services, and that AHCA can inspect and fine it. It doesn't mean a nurse is present. A standard license can include help with medication and some tasks by a licensed nurse. "Limited nursing services" and "extended congregate care" are separate license categories that allow more. The profile shows which one a home holds.
"Given my procedure and health, do I need a licensed nurse with me overnight, or is aide-level help enough?" A license check tells you about the home, not about the care you need.
How to check a recovery house license on FloridaHealthFinder (step by step)
The lookup is free and takes about five minutes. You need the house's legal name, street address or license number.
- Ask the house, in writing, for its legal business name, street address and AHCA license number.
- Open FloridaHealthFinder at quality.healthfinder.fl.gov and choose the facility/provider locator.
- Set "Facility/Provider Type" to Assisted Living Facility.
- Include closed licenses under "Open/Closed License Status," so lapsed or denied licenses show up too.
- Search one field at a time: license number first, then name, then street address or ZIP code. Brand names often differ from legal names. "Affiliated Individual/Entity" searches by owner.
- Open the profile and compare. The status should read Licensed, and the expiration date shouldn't have passed. The street address should match where you'll stay, since a license covers one premises. The owner and administrator should match what you were told, and the licensed bed capacity should be at least the number of guests the house takes.
- Read the inspection reports and sanctions. A past fine isn't automatically disqualifying. Ask what happened and what changed.
- Check the people too. Look up any nurse, CNA or massage therapist on the Florida Department of Health's MQA license portal.
If anything doesn't match, call AHCA at 888-419-3456 before you pay.
Is there a list of licensed recovery homes in Miami?
Not a recovery-home list. AHCA must publish a list of licensed ALFs by county (§ 429.08), but it covers every ALF, not only the ones that take surgery patients. Our Miami recovery house listings show a "License checked Oct 14, 2026" label, with the license number and a link to the state record, on every home whose license we matched. Every other listing still reads "Unverified — call to confirm."
On October 14, 2026, we checked 24 recovery-house listings against AHCA records, by name, address and phone number:
- License confirmed (4): matched an AHCA ALF license. Three carry the "License checked" label. The fourth shows an expired license with its renewal "in review," so it isn't labeled until AHCA shows a current license.
- Possible match (4): resembled an AHCA record we couldn't confirm, for example a name match with no listed address.
- No record found (16): no AHCA record under the name, address or phone we had.
"No record found" isn't an accusation. A business may use a different legal name, offer lodging without personal services, or not publish enough to match. It's a reason to ask and check. A label is a starting point, not a guarantee, and it says nothing about the quality of care. Before you book, compare Miami recovery house prices and what each package includes. We don't rank or recommend providers.
Red flags: is it really a licensed recovery house in Miami?
The clearest red flag is a "license" you can't match to the same name and address on FloridaHealthFinder. Others:
- No street address until you've paid, or "we'll share the location on check-in day."
- No AHCA license number, or a number belonging to another name or address.
- A license that is expired, closed or denied, or a change of ownership that was denied.
- Staff offering pain pills, injections or IVs your surgeon didn't prescribe.
- Being told you don't need to call your surgeon or 911.
- More patients than beds, or crowded shared rooms with unclear overnight staffing.
Full question list: recovery house, hotel or home. Before paying: how to avoid surgery scams.
What happened to HB 81, Florida's recovery home bill?
It died. HB 81, "Postsurgical Recovery Homes," was filed on October 3, 2025, and died in the House Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee on March 13, 2026. It would have required AHCA licensing, minimum standards, staffing, emergency transfer plans and penalties. The sponsor's statement cited an investigation finding at least 25 cosmetic-procedure-related deaths in Florida over three and a half years, many tied to unlicensed residences.
For patients, nothing has changed. The ALF license is still the main state check. Watch the Florida Legislature's site for 2027 bills.
"Which recovery arrangements do your patients use, and does your practice receive any referral payments?" A referral isn't a license check.
General information, not legal advice. License data reflects our October 14, 2026 check and can change. MiamiSurgeryGuide doesn't rank or recommend providers. Listings without a "License checked" label are unverified — call to confirm. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
Sources: Florida Statutes § 429.02 (definitions): flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/429.02; Florida Statutes § 429.07 (license required; license categories): flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/429.07; Florida Statutes § 429.08 (unlicensed facilities; penalties; county list): flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/429.08; Florida House of Representatives, HB 81 (2026) bill page and sponsor statement: flhouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=82607; The Florida Senate, HB 81 (2026) bill history: flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/81; AHCA FloridaHealthFinder facility locator: quality.healthfinder.fl.gov/Facility-Search/FacilityLocateSearch; Florida Department of Health MQA license verification: mqa-internet.doh.state.fl.us/MQASearchServices/HealthCareProviders; MiamiSurgeryGuide license check of 24 recovery-house listings against AHCA records, October 14, 2026 (internal dataset). General education, not medical advice.