RCFE inspection readiness check
Answer 18 questions drawn from the Title 22 requirements California licensing analysts sample most often. You get a weighted readiness score and a prioritized gap list. Everything scores in your browser — nothing is submitted, stored or emailed, and no account is required.
Resident records
The first binder an analyst opens. Missing admission paperwork and stale appraisals are among the most commonly cited items at RCFE visits.
Does every current resident have a completed Identification and Emergency Information record (LIC 601) on file?
Emergency contacts and physician information must be immediately available for each resident.
Title 22 §87506
Is there a current physician's report (LIC 602A) for every resident, updated when their condition changed?
The physician's report supports that each resident is appropriate for RCFE-level care.
Title 22 §87458
Has each resident's pre-admission appraisal and needs/services plan (LIC 603 / 603A) been reviewed at least annually or after a change of condition?
Care plans that no longer match the resident's actual needs are a frequent deficiency.
Title 22 §87463
Is a signed admission agreement, including rate and refund terms, in every resident file?
Analysts verify the signed agreement and that posted rates match it.
Title 22 §87507
Medications
Centrally stored medications are checked against the record. Reconciliation gaps and unlocked storage draw immediate attention.
Is a current centrally stored medication record maintained for each resident, matching the labels on the containers?
Mismatches between the record and the actual container are treated as a medication-handling deficiency.
Title 22 §87465
Are all centrally stored medications locked, and are controlled substances separately secured and counted?
Storage and access control are physically verified during the visit.
Title 22 §87465
Do you document destruction or disposal of discontinued and expired medications?
Undocumented disposal of resident medications cannot be reconstructed after the fact.
Title 22 §87465
Staff files and training
Personnel files are sampled. Clearances and hours are the two things that are either documented or not.
Does every employee with resident contact have a completed criminal record clearance or exemption on file before their first shift?
Working before clearance is a serious, citable violation.
Title 22 §87355 / Health & Safety Code §1569.17
Are health screenings and TB clearances current for all staff?
Expired TB documentation is a routine finding in sampled personnel files.
Title 22 §87411
Can you produce documentation of required annual continuing education hours for each direct-care staff member and the administrator?
Hours that were completed but not documented count as not completed.
Title 22 §87411 / §87405
Is there documented awake or on-call night coverage consistent with your residents' assessed needs?
Staffing patterns are compared against the needs described in resident appraisals.
Title 22 §87411
Incidents and reporting
Reportable events have short clocks. Late or missing LIC 624 reports are visible in the record long after the event.
Has every reportable incident in the last 12 months been documented on an Unusual Incident/Injury Report (LIC 624) and reported within required timeframes?
Reporting timeliness is reviewed retrospectively across the whole period.
Title 22 §87211
Do your incident records show who was notified — licensing, responsible party, physician — and when?
Notification records are the evidence that the required parties were informed.
Title 22 §87211
Is follow-up documented for each incident, including corrective action taken?
An incident without follow-up looks unresolved during a visit.
Title 22 §87211
Facility, safety and postings
The walkthrough portion. These items are verified by looking, not by reading files.
Is your current fire clearance on file and consistent with your residents' ambulatory status?
A clearance that no longer matches your resident population is a capacity and safety issue.
Title 22 §87212
Do you have a written emergency and disaster plan, with drills documented at the required frequency?
Drill logs are the proof that the plan is practiced, not just written.
Title 22 §87212
Are the license, complaint procedures and required notices posted where residents and visitors can see them?
Postings are checked visually within the first minutes of a visit.
Title 22 §87204
Do you maintain a one-week supply of non-perishable food and water, and menus for the required retention period?
Supplies and menus are physically inspected and easy to fall behind on.
Title 22 §87555
This is the self-reported version. RCFE OS checks the actual records.
The full Facility Scan evaluates your real resident, staff, medication and incident data against the same Title 22 knowledge base — every day, with an explanation of why each finding was raised and what closes it. Start free for 14 days, no card required.
Questions about RCFE inspections
- Is this self-audit an official CDSS inspection tool?
- No. It is an operational self-check built from commonly cited Title 22 requirements for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly. Title 22 and your regional licensing office remain the binding authority.
- What do California licensing analysts look at during an RCFE visit?
- Typically resident records including LIC 601, 602A and the needs and services plan; centrally stored medications and their records; personnel files with clearances, TB clearances and training hours; incident reporting on LIC 624; and a physical walkthrough covering fire clearance, disaster drills, postings and food supplies.
- How often are RCFEs inspected in California?
- RCFEs receive unannounced visits, including at minimum an annual or periodic compliance visit depending on the facility's history, plus visits triggered by complaints or reported incidents. Because visits are unannounced, readiness has to be continuous rather than prepared for.
- Does my score get sent anywhere?
- No. This checklist scores entirely in your browser. Nothing is submitted, stored or transmitted, and no account is required.
Related resources
Operational guidance, not legal advice. Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations and your regional licensing office are the binding authority for your facility.