Whether you're an operator building a rules framework or a resident or family member trying to understand what to expect, this page walks through the rules sober living homes typically require, why each one exists, and how homes usually handle violations. One thing up front: there is no single national rulebook — rules vary from home to home and from state to state, so treat this as a framework to think with, not a set of universal requirements or legal advice.
Why we wrote this. Sober Living Companion is a program of Empower Next Project, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit (EIN 39-3580172). The resident app is free, and home memberships help fund rent assistance and free counseling for people in early recovery — that's our mission. Clear, fair house rules are part of how a home keeps people safe, so helping operators write good ones and helping residents understand them both serve that mission. There's no upsell buried in this guide.
A sober living home is a shared home for people protecting something fragile — early recovery. Rules exist to hold three things steady at once: safety, so the environment stays substance-free and no one's sobriety is put at risk by someone else's behavior; accountability, so structure and honest expectations support the work of staying sober; and fairness, so everyone is held to the same standard rather than to whoever is loudest or most liked.
Written rules protect both sides of the arrangement. A resident who has read and agreed to clear rules knows exactly what's expected and what happens if a line is crossed — no surprises invented in the middle of a hard moment. An operator with consistent written rules can act fairly and point to what was agreed, instead of making it up case by case.
Everything below describes what homes typically require. No two homes are identical, and a good home tailors its rules to its residents and its state. If you're a resident or family member, read the specific home's rules; if you're an operator, treat this as a starting framework to adapt, not a template to copy blindly.
Each rule below comes with the same three questions: what it usually looks like, why it exists, and how homes typically handle violations.
The non-negotiable at the center of every sober living home: residents stay free of drugs and alcohol. To back that up, most homes conduct random urine (UA) tests and often breathalyzer checks, on a schedule no one can predict. A positive or refused test typically triggers a response defined by the home's relapse policy — anywhere from a required return to treatment to being asked to leave. Testing isn't about distrust; it's what keeps the environment genuinely safe for everyone who's counting on it.
One area that varies is medication-assisted treatment (MAT) — prescribed medications like buprenorphine or naltrexone. Some homes fully welcome residents on MAT; others have historically restricted it. If you rely on a prescribed medication, a home's MAT policy is a real and important consideration — ask about it directly before you move in. Operators: because there are legal considerations around how homes treat people in recovery, have an attorney review your policy for your jurisdiction.
Most homes set a curfew — a time residents are expected to be home — often looser on weekends or eased as someone earns more trust over time. Check-ins confirm who's actually home. The point isn't control for its own sake; structure and predictable routines are protective in early recovery, and a missed curfew is often the first visible sign something's off. Violations are usually handled with a conversation first, then documented warnings, with repeated or serious breaches carrying more weight.
Many homes require residents to attend a set number of recovery meetings per week — 12-step groups like AA or NA, or other recognized support — sometimes with proof of attendance. The reason is straightforward: connection to a recovery community outside the house is one of the strongest supports for staying sober. Homes typically track attendance and follow up when someone falls behind, treating it as a support requirement rather than a formality.
Residents are usually assigned chores and expected to keep shared spaces clean. Beyond simple upkeep, this builds the everyday responsibility and routine that recovery leans on, and it keeps one person from carrying the house. Missed chores are commonly handled through the house's accountability system — reminders, house-meeting discussion, or added responsibilities.
Homes set rules for visitors and for overnight or multi-day passes when a resident wants to stay elsewhere. Guests are often limited to certain hours and common areas, and passes usually require advance approval. This protects the home from outside substances or disruptions and keeps everyone accountable for where they are. Passes taken without approval, or guests who break house rules, are typically treated as serious violations.
Many homes expect residents to be working, in school, in treatment, volunteering, or actively looking — some form of productive daily activity. Purpose and structure protect recovery, and idle time is a well-known risk. Homes usually build in a reasonable window for a new resident to find work and check in on progress rather than treating a job search as an instant failure.
Homes hold clear standards for how residents treat one another: no violence, no threats, no theft, no harassment, and expectations around resolving conflict respectfully. This is what makes a shared home safe enough to recover in. Violence and threats are the one area where most homes apply genuine zero tolerance — often grounds for immediate removal — because the safety of everyone else depends on it.
Residents are expected to pay their rent or program fees on time, and homes usually spell out the amount, the due date, and what happens if a payment is late or missed. Beyond keeping the home open, meeting financial commitments is part of rebuilding a stable life. Homes differ in how they handle unpaid rent — some offer short grace periods or payment arrangements, others move more quickly — but the process should be written down in advance rather than improvised.
This is the most important rule in the house and the most variable between homes. A relapse policy defines what happens after a positive test or a disclosed relapse. The range is wide: some homes have a strict policy where a confirmed relapse means the resident has to leave, largely to protect the sobriety of everyone else; others use a defined path back — a return to treatment, a stricter accountability plan, or a short probationary period. There is no single right answer, and this guide won't prescribe one. What matters is that the policy is clear, written down, and understood before a crisis — so residents should ask exactly what happens after a relapse before they move in, and operators should decide their approach deliberately and put it in writing.
Rules that live only in someone's head, a group text, or a first-day conversation are the ones that cause disputes later. The single most useful thing a home can do is put its rules into a written house agreement that every resident reads and signs at move-in, covering the expectations, the fees, and what happens when a rule is broken.
Signing matters because it turns "I didn't know that was a rule" into a shared, agreed record. A written, signed agreement protects the resident, who knows exactly what they committed to, and the operator, who can act consistently and point to what was agreed rather than relitigating it. When agreements are signed electronically, both the home and the resident automatically keep their own copy — no lost binder page, no "which version did I sign?"
An honest limit: we're not offering a downloadable "template" here, and we won't tell you a house agreement is automatically legally enforceable — that depends on your state and local law. Use the categories above as a framework and a checklist for what to cover, then have a local attorney review your actual agreement before you rely on it.
People in recovery from addiction are generally protected under the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. In practice, that means house rules must be applied consistently to everyone and cannot be used to discriminate against protected groups. A rule enforced against one resident but waived for another isn't just unfair to residents — it can create real legal exposure for an operator.
The specifics of how Fair Housing, tenant protections, and removal processes work vary by state and locality, and none of it can be answered as a universal rule on a web page. Consult an attorney familiar with your jurisdiction to confirm that your rules, and the way you apply and enforce them, comply with the law where you operate. This section describes general principles, not legal advice for your situation.
Once you've written good rules, the work is enforcing them consistently and keeping the record. That's exactly what our software does.
Consistent rules only protect a home if they're actually applied and recorded the same way every time. Sober Living Companion keeps testing, curfews, meeting attendance, chores, passes, and payments in one place — and gives residents e-signed house agreements so the rules everyone agreed to are signed, dated, and available to both sides.
One flat $60 per month, per home, unlimited residents — no per-bed math that punishes you for housing one more person. Because we're a program of a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit, your membership is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and helps fund rent assistance and free counseling for people in early recovery. See where the money goes →
Not open yet? No rush — bookmark this and come back when you've got beds to fill. See also how to start a sober living home and the cost to start a sober living home.
Most sober living homes share a common core: stay sober and submit to drug and alcohol testing, keep curfew and check in, attend recovery meetings or other required support, do assigned chores, follow guest and overnight-pass rules, work or pursue a productive activity, treat everyone with respect with zero tolerance for violence, and pay rent or fees on time. The exact details vary from home to home, so a resident should always read the specific rules of the home they are considering rather than assuming they match another home's.
It depends entirely on the home's relapse policy, which is the single most variable rule in recovery housing. Some homes have a strict policy where a confirmed relapse means the resident has to leave, partly to protect the sobriety of everyone else in the house. Others use a defined path back that may include a return to treatment, a stricter accountability plan, or a short probationary period before a resident can stay. Neither approach is universal, so anyone entering a home should ask exactly what happens after a positive test or a disclosed relapse before they move in.
Policies on medication-assisted treatment differ from home to home. Some homes fully welcome residents on prescribed medications such as buprenorphine or naltrexone, while others have historically restricted them. For a resident who relies on a prescribed medication, a home's MAT policy is a real and important consideration, and it is worth asking about directly before moving in. There are also legal considerations around how homes treat people in recovery, so operators should have their policies reviewed by an attorney familiar with their jurisdiction rather than relying on assumptions.
Most well-run homes ask every resident to read and sign a written house agreement at move-in that lays out the rules, the fees, and what happens if the rules are broken. Signing matters because it means the expectations were shared clearly and agreed to up front, rather than being invented later during a disagreement. A written, signed agreement protects the resident, who knows exactly what they committed to, and the operator, who has a clear record. When agreements are signed electronically, both the home and the resident keep their own copy.
Whether and how house rules can be enforced, and what process is required before asking a resident to leave, depends on your state and local law, and it is not something a web page can answer for your situation. Housing law, tenant protections, and Fair Housing requirements vary by jurisdiction. The responsible approach for an operator is to have a local attorney review the actual house agreement and removal process before relying on them. This page offers a framework for thinking about rules, not legal advice.
Homes generally set their own rules, so there is no single national rulebook that every sober living home follows. Most reputable homes land on a similar core of expectations around sobriety, testing, curfew, meetings, chores, guests, work, respect, and rent, but the specifics differ widely. Rules also have to be applied consistently and cannot be used to discriminate against protected groups, which is why operators should have an attorney confirm their rules and how they are applied comply with Fair Housing and other laws where they operate.
House rules are one piece. Here's the rest — for operators building a home, and for residents and families choosing one.