The rules for each sober home may differ from home to home however there are usually these universal rules to ensure that all residents living in the home maintain a steady and progressive path forward toward their ongoing recovery. While some of these rules may seem petty and punitive to otherwise normal adults one needs to keep in mind how easily relapses occur. Henceforth the structured lifestyle lends itself to the primary objective for each patient to remain clean and sober and progress themselves back toward a normalised lifestyle again.

• Respect, learn to give and earn
• principles of honesty, trust
• No drinking or any consumption of alcohol
• No taking drugs
• Any cigarette smoking limited to designated smoking areas
• No sexual contact with other patients
• Must pay your sober home fees on time
• Do not steal from the house or any patrons
• Keep the house and property in good condition, do not break or damage anything or any one
• Violence and verbal confrontations are not tolerated
• Be involved in recovery program activities
• Regular meetings are mandatory most sober living homes
• Curfews and being home by a certain time
• Cleaning of personal and communal areas is frequently up to the residents
• Patients on prescribed medications must inform the house manager
• Relapse Prevention meetings
• Residents are not permitted to have overnight guests

Sober homes operate like a “family unit“, frequently residents of the home will play an integral part in the interviewing and selection of candidates to join the house.