What Is a Sober Living Home

A sober living home is a structured, alcohol free and drug free residence where people in recovery live together after detox or residential treatment. Residents follow house rules, submit to random drug testing, and usually hold a job during the day. Unlike a licensed treatment center, a sober living home does not provide clinical treatment on site.

What Rules Do Sober Living Homes Typically Enforce?

Sober living homes typically enforce a nightly curfew, mandatory house meetings 1 to 3 times a week, and random drug and alcohol testing. Most homes require a signed agreement before move in that spells out consequences for a relapse, a pattern described in our breakdown of typical sober living house rules.

• Curfews that usually fall between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on weeknights
• Weekly chore rotations and shared kitchen duties
• Attendance at 12 step or SMART Recovery meetings, often 3 to 5 times a week
• A job search requirement within the first 30 days of residence
• Zero tolerance for substances anywhere on the property

How Is a Sober Living Home Different From a Halfway House?

A sober living home is typically private pay and voluntary, while a halfway house is often tied to a court order or a criminal justice program. Length of stay in a sober living home is usually open ended, ranging from 3 months to over a year depending on the resident's progress, while a halfway house stay is often capped by a program's fixed timeline. That distinction is one our members unpack further in sober living vs halfway house.

What Are the NARR Levels You Might Encounter?

The National Alliance for Recovery Residences defines 4 levels of recovery housing, ranging from peer run Level 1 homes to Level 4 residences with on site clinical staff.

• Level 1: peer run, no paid staff on site
• Level 2: peer run with added monitoring and structured programming
• Level 3: staffed, with a house manager and clinical oversight
• Level 4: clinically managed, with licensed treatment services on site

Knowing which level a house operates at can change what a resident should expect day to day. Our full explainer on NARR levels of recovery residences walks through what separates each tier.

Who Typically Lives in a Sober Living Home?

Most residents arrive within a week of finishing a 28 to 90 day treatment program, though some move in directly after medical detox. Houses are usually gender specific and hold between 6 and 15 residents at a time.

• People finishing inpatient or residential rehab
• People stepping down from outpatient programs who need a stable, substance free address
• People returning from incarceration who are required to show a verified address
• People rebuilding after a relapse who need more structure than living alone provides

What Should Family Members Watch For During This Transition?

Family members supporting someone moving into sober living should watch for early signs of returning substance use, since relapse risk is highest during the first 90 days. If prescription misuse is a concern in the household, our guide on how to tell if someone is using Xanax outlines specific behavioral and physical signs to watch for.

What Do People in Our LA Sober Living Forum Say?

Members of our Los Angeles sober living forum consistently describe house rules and price varying widely between operators, even within the same neighborhood. Reading firsthand accounts on our sober living forum board can help set realistic expectations before signing an agreement.

• Cost and what is included in monthly rent
• Staff supervision levels and certification status
• House rules, curfews, and drug testing frequency

Our sober living hub collects guides on each of these topics in one place.