California Foster Care Age Requirements and RFA Renewal Requirements

Two of the most practical questions resource families in California ask are the ones about entry and maintenance: how old do you need to be, and how do you keep your approval once you have it? Both have clear answers—and a few details that catch people off guard.

Age Requirements for Resource Family Approval

The minimum age to apply for Resource Family Approval in California is 18 years old. This is set in California Health & Safety Code §1522 and applies to all applicants: foster care, adoption, and legal guardianship.

There is no maximum age under California law. The eligibility criteria don't impose any upper age limit, and age alone cannot be used as a basis for denying an application. The assessment focuses on your ability to meet a child's physical, emotional, and developmental needs—which is evaluated through health documentation and the family evaluation interviews, not a birthday cutoff.

Health documentation: Applicants complete Form RFA-07 (Health Questionnaire), a self-disclosure form covering any physical or mental health conditions that could affect caregiving. If your county identifies any health concerns based on the questionnaire, they may request a physician's screening. TB screening is no longer a mandatory pre-approval requirement under the current Written Directives, but counties retain discretion to require it if specific concerns are noted.

Older applicants: Grandparents in their 60s and 70s are a significant part of the kinship foster care population in California. Many older applicants successfully complete RFA, particularly for relative placements. The county's concern is capacity and stability, not age per se. Being clear and honest on the health questionnaire—and having a documented backup plan for caregiving if your health changes—addresses most concerns a county might raise.

How RFA Renewal Works

California's RFA approval doesn't have a fixed expiration date the way a driver's license does. Instead, it requires an annual update to remain in good standing.

The RFA-06 Update Form: Each year, you complete Form RFA-06 (Resource Family Annual Report Update), which captures any changes to your household since the original approval:

• New adults who have moved into the home (who then need to complete RFA-01B and LiveScan)
• Any adults who have moved out
• Changes to your employment, finances, or health that affect your caregiving capacity
• Any incidents in the home (accidents, complaints, concerns raised by social workers)

The RFA-06 is reviewed by your county worker or FFA case manager. In most cases, if there are no significant changes and you've completed your training hours, renewal is administrative rather than a full re-evaluation.

Annual training: 8 hours required. Every approval year, you must complete 8 hours of approved continuing education. This requirement is not flexible. County-sponsored support groups, FFA-hosted workshops, Foster Parent College online courses, and CFPA regional meetings can all contribute hours—but you need to document completion and keep your certificates.

Missing your training hours is the most common reason for an RFA renewal to be flagged. If you're behind on hours at the time of your annual update, work with your social worker or FFA case manager to complete remaining training before your file lapses.

When a New Home Assessment Is Required

You don't repeat the full RFA process every year. But certain life changes do trigger a new home assessment:

Moving to a new home: If you move to a new address, you must submit a Portability Application (RFA-10). This transfers your approval to the new location without requiring you to restart the entire process—but the new home must pass a full RFA-03 safety inspection before any child can be placed there. Submit the portability application before you move if possible, or immediately upon moving if a child is in your care.

New adults in the household: Any adult (18+) who moves into the home must complete RFA-01B (Criminal Record Statement), undergo LiveScan fingerprinting, and clear all background checks before they can be present in the home during a child's placement. This includes adult children returning from college, a new partner, an in-law moving in. There's no grace period—the new adult's background check must clear before co-habitating with a placed child.

Significant structural changes to the home: A major renovation that affects sleeping areas, pool access, or other safety-relevant features may prompt a new inspection.

What Happens if Your Approval Lapses

If you fail to complete your annual update or training hours within the required window, your RFA status becomes inactive. An inactive approval means you cannot receive new placements. If you currently have a child in your home, the county is notified and must determine whether continued placement is appropriate.

Reinstatement of a lapsed RFA is not automatic. In most counties, it requires submitting the outstanding RFA-06, completing missing training hours, and having a county worker verify that your home still meets RFA-03 standards. In some cases, a partial re-evaluation is required. The process is faster than initial approval but still takes time—which is time during which you cannot be matched with a child.

The simplest approach: track your training hours through the year and submit your RFA-06 update before you're contacted about it. Don't wait for the county to send a reminder—in overburdened counties, reminders are inconsistent.

The California Foster Care Licensing Guide includes an annual renewal checklist, a training log template, and guidance on the portability process for resource families who move within or between California counties.

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