Glossary
Licensed capacity
Licensed capacity is the maximum number of residents a care facility is permitted to house under its state license.
It is a ceiling, not an occupancy count. A community licensed for 120 may have 95 residents; a six-bed home may have four. Capacity is the cleanest way to compare community size, and it is on every California license record.
Related terms
RCFE
RCFE stands for Residential Care Facility for the Elderly, the California license category that covers assisted living, memory care and board and care homes for residents aged 60 and over.
Residential care home
A residential care home, or board and care home, is a small assisted living setting licensed for six or fewer residents, usually in a converted single-family house with live-in or shift caregivers.
Definitions reviewed September 5, 2026. Rules vary by state and change over time; confirm specifics with the community and the licensing agency.