Which of the following is not a required step when becoming a certified administrator?

The process of becoming a certified administrator for a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) encompasses several mandatory steps designed to ensure that candidates are adequately prepared for the responsibilities they will undertake. Among these essential steps are submitting an application to the Department of Social Services (DSS), completing an initial certification training program, and passing the state exam. Each of these components is crucial for verifying a candidate's readiness to manage an RCFE effectively.

Paying a $150 processing fee, while part of the overall application process, is not a required step in the certification training or examination process itself. It may be a necessary administrative detail but does not directly relate to the certification and training aspects required to become a certified administrator. Thus, it is correctly identified as the option that does not qualify as a required step in becoming certified. This distinction highlights the difference between necessary training and administrative requirements in the pathway to certification.