Industry5 min read

NARR Levels of Support Explained: Which Level is Your Sober Living Home?

NARR defines 4 levels of recovery housing. Learn what each level means, what's required, and how to determine which level fits your sober living home.

Alec Rodriguez·Founder, RecoveryOS·April 2026

Illustration of ascending staircase with flag at top representing NARR levels of support

NARR — the National Alliance for Recovery Residences — is the national standards body for recovery housing in the United States. They define four levels of support that describe different types of recovery residences, from peer-run sober homes to clinically managed facilities.

Understanding these levels matters. State associations use them for certification. Treatment centers use them for referral decisions. And if you want to position your home correctly, you need to know where you fit.

Level 1: Peer-Run

This is the most common type of sober living home.

●Structure: Democratic, peer-managed. Residents share responsibility for the house.

●Staffing: No paid staff required. Often managed by a senior resident or volunteer house manager.

●Services: No formal services. Residents are expected to seek their own support (meetings, sponsors, therapists).

●Examples: Oxford Houses, many independent sober living homes.

●Requirements: House rules, drug-free environment, resident participation in house governance.

Most independent sober living homes start at Level 1. If you're running a house where residents manage themselves with basic house rules and a drug-free commitment, you're Level 1.

Level 2: Monitored

Level 2 adds a layer of oversight.

●Structure: House manager or designated staff provides accountability and support.

●Staffing: At least one paid or volunteer house manager who lives on-site or is regularly present.

●Services: Drug testing, house meetings, some life skills support. May connect residents with outside services.

●Examples: Many established sober living homes with active management.

●Requirements: Everything from Level 1, plus structured oversight, documented house rules, and regular drug testing.

This is where most well-run sober living homes land. If you have a house manager who checks in regularly, runs house meetings, and enforces drug testing, you're Level 2.

Sober living management software is especially useful at Level 2 — it handles the tracking, testing schedules, and documentation that monitoring requires.

Level 3: Supervised

Level 3 adds clinical or certified staff.

●Structure: Professional management with structured programming.

●Staffing: Certified or credentialed staff on-site. May include case managers, peer support specialists, or counselors.

●Services: Life skills training, employment assistance, clinical groups, case management. Often partnered with treatment providers.

●Examples: Transitional living programs, some faith-based recovery homes, sober living homes affiliated with treatment centers.

●Requirements: Everything from Levels 1-2, plus credentialed staff, formal programming, and clinical partnerships.

Level 3 homes typically serve residents stepping down from residential treatment who need more structure than a peer-run home provides.

Level 4: Service Provider

Level 4 is essentially a clinical residential facility.

●Structure: Licensed facility with professional clinical services.

●Staffing: Licensed clinical staff (therapists, counselors, medical professionals).

●Services: On-site treatment, therapy, medical services, comprehensive case management.

●Examples: Residential treatment centers with a recovery housing component, medically assisted recovery programs.

●Requirements: State licensing, clinical accreditation, licensed staff.

Most independent sober living operators are not at Level 4. This is treatment center territory.

Why Certification Matters

NARR doesn't certify homes directly — that's done by state affiliate organizations (like FARR in Florida, CARRH in California). But they all use the NARR framework.

Benefits of certification:

●Referrals — Treatment centers prefer to refer to certified homes. It reduces their liability.

●Credibility — Certification signals quality to residents, families, and the community.

●Insurance — Some insurers offer better rates to certified homes.

●Legal protection — Certified homes that follow standards have better legal standing.

●Directories — Certified homes appear in state and national recovery housing directories.

The cost of certification varies by state ($200-$1,000 typically) and requires meeting specific standards including documented house rules, drug testing policies, and financial practices.

How to Determine Your Level

Ask yourself:

1Do you have paid or designated staff? If no → Level 1. If yes → continue.

2Is your staff credentialed or certified? If no → Level 2. If yes → continue.

3Do you provide on-site clinical services? If no → Level 3. If yes → Level 4.

Most sober living operators reading this are Level 1 or Level 2. That's perfectly fine — these levels serve the majority of people in recovery housing.

RecoveryOS is built for Level 1 and Level 2 homes — the operators who need automated rent collection, applicant screening, and house operations tools without the complexity of clinical software.

Built by operators, for operators.

RecoveryOS handles the busy work so you can focus on what matters — your residents.

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