Sober Living House Rules: What to Expect Before You Move In
If you are looking at recovery housing for yourself or for someone you love, the question underneath every other question is usually this one: what am I actually agreeing to?
Sober living house rules are the answer. They are the structure that separates a genuine recovery residence from a room for rent. They cover curfews, drug testing, meeting attendance, employment, guests, chores, medication and what happens if someone relapses. Good homes publish them. Weak homes stay vague.
This guide explains the rules you should expect in any credible sober living home in the United States, and then shows you exactly what the rules are at Coral Sober Living — a men's recovery residence in North Miami, FARR-certified under Program ID 7000 and operating since March 3, 1999.
The short version: expect complete abstinence, random drug and alcohol testing, a nightly curfew, mandatory recovery meetings, a sponsor, 40 hours a week of work or school, weekly chores, guest restrictions, and immediate discharge for substance use, violence or theft. Everything below is the detail behind that summary.
Why Sober Living Homes Have Rules at All
Rules in a recovery residence are not about control. They exist because early recovery is fragile and shared, and one person's choices affect everyone under the same roof.
There is real evidence behind that structure. Research on sober living houses following residents over 18 months found sustained improvement in substance use, employment and arrests, with 12-step involvement specifically linked to reduced alcohol and drug use (Polcin et al., Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment). A related study found homelessness among residents dropped from 16% to 4% while stable housing rose from 13% to 27% over the same period (National Library of Medicine).
Structure is also a certification requirement. The National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) publishes the national standard for recovery housing, and in Florida that standard is administered by the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR). Certified residences in Florida operate under § 397.487, Florida Statutes, which sets out certification, resident protections and discharge procedures.
If you are still deciding whether recovery housing is the right step at all, start with our guide to what sober living is and how recovery housing actually works.
The Core Sober Living House Rules (Almost Every Home)
Rules vary by state and by operator, but nearly every legitimate sober home in the country requires the following.
Total abstinence from drugs and alcohol — including marijuana in most homes, regardless of state law.
Random drug and alcohol testing — refusing a test is normally treated the same as failing one.
A curfew, usually earlier for new residents and later as you progress.
Recovery meeting attendance — a set number of 12-step or equivalent meetings each week.
Working with a sponsor and actively working the steps.
Productive activity — employment, school, volunteering or outpatient treatment.
Paying program fees on time.
Weekly chores and keeping your own space clean.
Guest restrictions — approval required, and usually no guests in bedrooms.
No violence, threats, theft or harassment — normally immediate removal.
Respect for neighbors — noise, parking, smoking and loitering all matter.
Anything less than this is not a recovery residence. If a home cannot tell you its testing schedule or its curfew, treat that as your answer.
The Rules at Coral Sober Living
Below are the actual rules from the Coral Sober Living Resident Handbook. You can download the full document from our rates and requirements page.
Zero-tolerance violations: immediate discharge
These result in removal from the residence with no refund of program fees:
Substance use or possession. Any use, possession, manufacture or distribution of alcohol, illegal drugs, mind- or mood-altering substances, or paraphernalia. Consistent with Florida law, this includes marijuana — including certified medical marijuana — as well as synthetic marijuana, marijuana vape juice, kava, kratom, ZaZa, Delta-8, poppers, steroids, CBD products, medications containing DXM, and any unapproved prescriptions.
Drug-seeking behavior. Any attempt to obtain drugs or alcohol.
A failed or refused test. A positive result, or refusal to test, ends residency.
Theft, including taking another resident's food without permission, or tampering with locks and keys.
Destruction of property or vandalism.
Violence or threats, including any physical contact or verbal threat toward staff or residents. Weapons are prohibited on the property and in residents' vehicles.
Sexual harassment or discrimination, including lewd or offensive language.
Refusing a search. Belongings and vehicles are subject to search at intake and to unannounced inspection.
Non-payment of program fees that goes unresolved.
Unauthorized overnight absence.
Tampering with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers or security cameras.
Warning-level rules
These bring a written warning, an earlier curfew, extra chores or loss of privileges. Two written warnings result in discharge.
Secure a 12-step sponsor within your first week.
Join a home group within your first 30 days.
Meet your curfew.
Attend at least five meetings a week with housemates — in every phase.
Seek employment daily until hired, and be off the property during job-search hours. Working at a bar, nightclub or strip club is not permitted.
No guests without approval, and never in bedrooms — living areas only.
Dress code: no offensive designs, and a shirt and pants or shorts in all common areas, including outside.
Smoke only in designated areas at the back of the property, with butts in a fireproof receptacle.
Complete your assigned chores daily. Sunday deep-cleaning is done as a team.
Eat only at a table or bar in the kitchen and dining areas — never in bedrooms or living areas.
Make your bed each morning, keep clothes hung or in dressers, and store bikes and large items in designated areas.
Overnight and extended passes are available in Phase 2 only, requested at least 24 hours in advance.
How consequences escalate
Incident | Consequence |
First | Verbal warning |
Second | Written warning given to the resident |
Third | Written warning plus a corrective action plan agreed with the CRRA |
Fourth | Written warning and possible dismissal from the residence |
Relapse, violence or the threat of it, theft, and tampering with cameras bypass this ladder entirely and result in immediate removal.
Drug and Alcohol Testing Rules
Testing is what makes a drug-free house actually drug-free, so the procedure is specific:
Testing uses an instant 12-panel cup, at least once per week and at random whenever staff consider it necessary.
Residents are breathalyzed nightly.
You have 60 minutes from notification to provide a specimen. Failure to provide within that window is treated as a positive result.
If you dispute a positive, you may take a second test, completed within 90 minutes of the first. A second positive is final.
Refusing a urine test or breathalyzer is treated as a positive.
Routine testing is included in your weekly fee. A test on return from an approved pass is billed separately at $20.
All results are logged by the resident manager.
Medication and MAT Rules
Recovery residences have to handle medication carefully, and this is an area where you should always ask questions before you move in.
At Coral, all medication — prescription and over-the-counter — must be stored in original labeled bottles with your personal belongings, never in common areas and never shared. Any new prescription must be reported and approved before you take it. Staff may count and inspect medication at any time without notice, and a refused count or an unexplained discrepancy is treated as a relapse.
Stimulants, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, opiates, medical marijuana, DXM-containing products and diet pills are prohibited.
On medication-assisted treatment: in accordance with § 397.487(13), Florida Statutes, effective January 1, 2025, Coral Sober Living does not deny housing to anyone solely because they have been prescribed a federally approved medication for substance use disorder — buprenorphine, methadone or naltrexone — by a licensed prescriber. MAT medication is kept by the resident in a personal safe or lockbox, with a daily staff count. MAT residents hold the same privileges as everyone else, may be housed with non-MAT residents, and are never required to disclose their MAT status to peers.
Narcan is stocked throughout each residence, and every resident is trained during orientation to recognize an overdose and administer it.
Guests, Visitors and Passes
No guests on the property without prior approval.
Guests are never permitted in bedrooms — living areas only.
Overnight and extended-stay passes are a Phase 2 privilege, requested at least 24 hours in advance and approved by the CRRA or owner.
A urine test is required on return from any approved pass.
Families often ask how visits work in the first month. Our page for families explains what involvement looks like and what to expect during Phase 1.
Chores, Cleanliness and the Good Neighbor Policy
Weekly chores are assigned and completed daily, and Sunday deep-cleaning of common areas is done as a team.
The Good Neighbor Policy matters just as much. Residents smoke only at the rear or side of the property, avoid noise during evening and early-morning hours, do not loiter at the front, park only in designated spaces without blocking driveways, keep the exterior looking like any other family home, and direct any neighbor concern to the CRRA rather than handling it themselves.
What Happens After a Relapse
A relapse at Coral is treated as a safety and clinical matter, not just a broken rule.
Residents are expected to disclose promptly and honestly. Staff assess immediate safety, including overdose risk, and use Narcan if needed. A resident who tests positive cannot remain in housing until they complete a form of treatment and receive medical clearance from a doctor. Staff help arrange a higher level of care — detox, PHP, IOP, outpatient, another residence or a return home — and the designated emergency contact is notified.
Readmission is possible but discretionary. It depends on whether the resident was genuinely working a program, whether there is a pattern of relapse, whether they have accepted responsibility, and whether other residents support their return. Anyone readmitted should expect increased testing, an earlier curfew, more chores, 90 meetings in 90 days and closer monitoring.
If you are in crisis right now, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 in an emergency.
Discharge Rules You Should Understand Before Signing
This is the section people skim, and it is the one that matters most.
As a certified recovery residence with a department-approved discharge policy, Coral Sober Living operates under § 397.487, Florida Statutes, outside the landlord–tenant provisions of Chapter 83. That means a resident is not a tenant, and discharge does not follow an eviction timeline.
If you are discharged, notice may be delivered by text, in person or in writing, and you must vacate within one hour, accompanied by a staff member. Emergency contacts are notified. Under § 397.487(12), a discharged person who willfully refuses to leave after being warned commits trespass in a recovery residence, a second-degree misdemeanor. Belongings must be collected within ten days.
Program fees are non-refundable. Residents who complete the program, give a week's notice and leave their room in good condition are welcomed into the alumni community and have any refundable deposit returned.
Ask every home you consider how their discharge process works. A home that will not explain it clearly is telling you something.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sober Living House Rules
Are sober living house rules the same everywhere? No. The core expectations — abstinence, testing, curfew, meetings and productive activity — are close to universal in certified homes, but specifics such as curfew times, meeting counts and guest policies vary by operator and by state.
Can you have a job while living in a sober house? Yes, and at Coral it is expected. Every resident maintains 40 hours a week of employment, school, treatment or volunteering, as long as the schedule works around curfew and meeting requirements.
What is the curfew in a sober living home? At Coral, Phase 1 residents have a 10:30 PM curfew every night. Phase 2 residents keep 10:30 PM Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 PM on Friday and Saturday. Missing required meetings moves the curfew to 9:00 PM.
How often are residents drug tested? At least once a week using an instant 12-panel cup, plus random testing at any time, with a nightly breathalyzer. Routine testing is included in the weekly fee.
Is marijuana allowed in a sober living house? Not at Coral, and not in Florida certified recovery residences generally. This includes certified medical marijuana, along with Delta-8, synthetic cannabinoids, kratom, kava and CBD products.
What happens if you break the rules? Minor violations follow a progressive path: verbal warning, written warning, corrective action plan, then possible dismissal. Substance use, violence, threats, theft and camera tampering result in immediate discharge.
Can you be on medication-assisted treatment in a sober living home? Yes. Under § 397.487(13), Florida Statutes, Coral Sober Living does not deny housing to anyone prescribed buprenorphine, methadone or naltrexone by a licensed provider. Medication is stored in a personal lockbox with a daily count.
How long do you have to stay? There is no forced exit date. Most residents stay from several months to a year, and length of stay is determined by the resident, not the residence, as long as they remain in good standing.
Ready to Talk Through the Rules in Person?
The men who do well in sober living are usually the ones who read the rules before they arrive and decide, honestly, that they want that structure. If that sounds like you or someone in your family, we will walk you through every requirement before you commit to anything.
Coral Sober Living has been operating in North Miami since 1999. Weekly rates run $195 to $225, all-inclusive, and financial support may be available through The Fresh Start Fund.
Call 305-709-1582 to ask about current bed availability, or get in touch here.
📍 13600 NE 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33161 · FARR Program ID 7000 ✉️ admissions@coralsoberliving.com
Coming straight from treatment? See our guide to sober living after rehab. Clinicians and discharge planners can review our referral partner information. ¿Prefiere español? Visite nuestra página del programa en español.
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