CNA Certification: Requirements, Exam, Renewal, and Verification

States set entry requirements. Programs commonly ask for a minimum age of 16 to 18, a criminal background check, current immunizations, and a negative TB test; some also require a high school diploma. Training must be state-approved and meet the federal floor of 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training. Missouri sets the highest requirement at 175 hours, 100 of them clinical.

Hours vary from there. 22 states stay at the federal floor of 75 hours, 15 require more than 100, and 12 require 120 or more; the typical state requirement is 90 hours. Wyoming's 75 hours run about 4 weeks full time, while Missouri's 175 hours take closer to 9 weeks. The table below lists all 51 registries with each state's required hours and a link to its lookup.

The competency exam has two parts, and you have to pass both. The knowledge test is written or oral and commonly runs 60 to 70 multiple-choice questions. The skills demonstration asks you to perform about five randomly selected skills for an evaluator; hand hygiene is always one of them. Both parts happen in person.

Testing vendors vary by state. Prometric, Pearson VUE, Credentia, and Headmaster/D&S Diversified are the common ones, and fees, formats, and attempt limits differ among them. Check which vendor your state uses before you register. Most candidates prepare with a practice test and a written skills checklist, spoken aloud step by step.

Every state keeps a nurse aide registry with an online lookup. A search shows current status, the expiration date, and any findings of abuse or neglect on record. OBRA-87 requires employers to check that listing before hire, and they see the same entry you do. There is no federal registry, so each search runs state by state.

If your name does not appear, or the record shows the wrong status or spelling, contact the registry directly with your training completion date and exam results. Results reach the registry through the testing vendor, so a missing entry is usually a timing or paperwork problem. All 51 registries, one for each state and the District of Columbia, are linked in the table above.

Federal rules require at least one paid nursing-related work day in any 24-month period to keep a listing active. Miss it and the listing lapses, which generally means retesting, or retraining after a longer gap. States set the rest: renewal cycles, commonly every two years, fees, and in-service requirements. Under the same federal rules, nursing facilities must provide at least 12 hours of in-service education a year.

Note your expiration date somewhere you will see it, and start the renewal a month or two ahead. Keep pay stubs, a work verification letter, or an employer signature as proof of qualifying work, since some states ask for it and employers change hands. Fees and forms differ by state, so confirm the current cycle and cost with your state registry before you file.

Most states will list a CNA certified elsewhere by endorsement, provided the certification is active and in good standing with no findings of abuse or neglect. States call it reciprocity, endorsement, or transfer, and the paperwork differs accordingly. Some also require the original certification to be active in the issuing state when you apply.

Start with the new state's registry, not an employer. Apply through its endorsement or transfer process, provide proof of your current listing and training, and keep the old certification active until the new one posts. Processing times and documents differ, so ask the receiving registry what it needs before you move or accept a job offer.

A fully online CNA certification does not exist. Where a state allows it, the classroom portion can run online or hybrid, which helps if you are already working. The clinical hours and both parts of the competency exam are always in person, since an evaluator has to watch you work with a real person. Check that any program you consider appears on your state's approved list.

CNAs earn a typical $20.32 an hour, or $42,260 a year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Entry-level work starts near $16.32 an hour, or $33,940 a year; the top of the range reaches $24.99 an hour, or $51,980. About 1,448,910 people work as CNAs nationwide.

Employment is projected to grow 2.6 percent between 2025 and 2035, and roughly 196,200 openings are projected each year. Those numbers cover the whole country, not a particular employer or town. Pay tracks setting: nursing care facilities pay about 2 percent above the national figure, while home health sits about 10 percent below.

Three steps get you certified: a state-approved training program, the two-part competency exam, and a listing on your state registry. After that, at least one paid nursing-related work day every 24 months keeps the listing active, and states add their own renewal cycle and fees. Start with your state's required hours in the table and its registry lookup, so you know what a program has to cover before you pay for one.