By Grand Rapids Senior Advisor Care Team · Published October 30, 2026
What license statuses can a Michigan AFC home or home for the aged have?
The main statuses in LARA's file are regular, temporary and provisional. A regular license is the standard status; a temporary license goes to a home that has not been licensed before; a provisional license is issued when a licensee is temporarily unable to conform to the licensing rules.
The status appears on every home's LARA facility profile and in the statewide data file, alongside the license's effective and expiration dates. On our profiles it is the first thing listed under the license.
How many West Michigan homes hold temporary or provisional licenses?
Twenty-three of the 343 homes serving older adults in Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Montcalm and Ionia counties: 13 temporary and 10 first provisional, as of late October 2026.
| Status | Kent | Ottawa | Montcalm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary | 12 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| 1st provisional | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Regular | 180 | 66 | 21 | 267 |
All 40 Allegan County homes and all 13 Ionia County homes hold regular licenses, bringing the regular total to 320. Most of the temporary and provisional homes are small group homes of six or fewer residents, most in Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming -- the neighborhoods where new six-bed homes open most often.
Is a temporary license a red flag?
No. Every new home starts with one. A temporary license tells you the home is new, which means a short track record rather than a bad one.
Ask what the operator ran before, who the home manager is and how long they have worked in adult foster care, and whether the licensee runs other homes you can look up. A new home's original licensing study -- the inspection before its first license -- is posted on its LARA profile and shows how ready it was on day one.
Is a provisional license a red flag?
It is a reason for careful questions. A provisional license means LARA found the licensee temporarily unable to comply with the rules, and the home is operating under closer attention until it does.
Ask the licensee directly what led to the provisional license, what the corrective action plan requires, and when LARA is scheduled to return. Then read the reports on the home's profile -- the renewal study or special investigation that preceded the status change usually explains it.
What happens when a provisional license ends?
LARA decides at the end of the period whether the home has come into compliance; the outcome can be a regular license, further provisional status or other licensing action.
The license expiration date on the profile tells you when that decision is due. If a parent is considering a home whose provisional license expires in the next few weeks, it may be worth waiting to see the result.
How do you check a home's status before a tour?
Look up the home on LARA's adult foster care and homes for the aged search or on its profile page here, and confirm the status, the expiration date and the newest report.
Statuses change, and LARA updates its statewide file daily. Check again before signing a residency agreement. Our guide to checking a LARA license walks through the profile step by step.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a temporary AFC license last in Michigan?
Temporary licenses in LARA's current file for West Michigan run about six months from their effective dates; check each home's expiration date on its profile.
Can a home with a provisional license admit new residents?
A provisional license is still a license to operate; whether a home should admit new residents during that period is a question to ask the licensee and LARA.
Where do I see why a home's license is provisional?
Read the reports on the home's LARA facility profile -- the renewal study or special investigation that preceded the status usually explains the problem.
