Glossary
RCFE
Also called: Residential Care Facility for the Elderly
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.
RCFEs are licensed and inspected by the California Department of Social Services under Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. The license number is public, and every inspection, complaint and citation is published in the state’s facility search.
An RCFE provides non-medical care. It is not a skilled nursing facility, which is licensed separately by the Department of Public Health.
Related terms
Title 22
Title 22 is the section of the California Code of Regulations that sets the rules for licensed care facilities, including the staffing, care, records and physical-plant requirements RCFEs must meet.
CDSS
CDSS is the California Department of Social Services, whose Community Care Licensing Division licenses and inspects assisted living communities (RCFEs) and publishes their inspection and complaint records.
Type A citation
A Type A citation is the more serious class of citation the California Department of Social Services issues to a licensed care facility, for a deficiency that poses an immediate or substantial risk to residents’ health, safety or personal rights.
Licensed capacity
Licensed capacity is the maximum number of residents a care facility is permitted to house under its state license.
Definitions reviewed September 5, 2026. Rules vary by state and change over time; confirm specifics with the community and the licensing agency.