Colorado CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Colorado certified nursing assistant through the Colorado Board of Nursing's registry, using the official lookup linked on this page and searching under the Nursing license type. The Board of Nursing, part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), operates the registry and records certification status along with any substantiated findings against an aide. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check the registry before hiring anyone as a nurse aide, so this lookup is a required step, not an optional background check. If the online lookup doesn't answer your question, call the Board of Nursing directly at (303) 894-2430.
Official Colorado lookup
Run by Colorado Board of Nursing (DORA).
(303) 894-2430
Official link checked 2026-09-01
How to verify in three steps
- 1
Open the official lookup
Use the Colorado lookup linked above. It is free and public.
- 2
Search by name
Enter the aide’s full legal name. If you have it, a certification number narrows the result fastest; some states also ask for city or date of birth.
- 3
Read the status
An active status means the certification is current. Also check for any substantiated finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation, which bars employment as an aide.
Colorado registry at a glance
| Run by | Colorado Board of Nursing (DORA) |
| Phone | (303) 894-2430 |
| Renewal cycle | Every 24 months (federal baseline) |
| Training required | 75 hours (16 clinical) |
| Federal minimum | 75 hours (16 clinical) |
What the lookup shows
- ✓Certification status (active, expired, or inactive)
- ✓Certification details on file with the registry
- ✓Any substantiated finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation (bars employment as an aide)
Colorado note: Search under the Nursing license type
A registry check is not a criminal background check.
22,240
CNAs working in Colorado
$47,380
Median pay per year ($22.78/hr)
$42,260
National median
75 hrs
Required training (16 clinical)
CNA median pay in Colorado, 2015 to 2025
$28,710 in 2015 to $47,380 in 2025 (BLS OES).
Wages and employment: BLS OES, May 2025.
What you need for a lookup
A search generally needs the aide's full legal name, and having a license or certificate number on hand narrows the results faster. The result shows whether the person holds active CNA certification in Colorado and basic status details. The registry also records substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property; anyone with such a finding cannot be employed as a nurse aide. It is not a full employment or criminal background check, and it won't substitute for one.
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Colorado
CNA certification does not stay active indefinitely without work; under the federal baseline, certification runs on a 24-month cycle and lapses if the aide has not performed paid nurse aide work during that period. A lapsed certification usually means requalifying through testing rather than filing a simple renewal form. Aides moving to Colorado from another state also go through the registry, typically through reciprocity or endorsement rather than repeating a full training program, though requirements depend on the aide's original state. For exact renewal timing, lapse rules, or transfer steps, contact the Colorado Board of Nursing at (303) 894-2430.
CNA work in Colorado, by the numbers
Colorado employed about 22,240 certified nursing assistants as of BLS May 2025 figures. The median CNA in Colorado earned $47,380 a year, or $22.78 an hour, about $5,120 above the national median of $42,260. Colorado pay has climbed sharply over the past decade, up roughly 65% from a 2015 median of $28,710. Colorado's training rule sets floors of 16 classroom hours and 16 clinical hours within a 75-hour program, which lines up with the federal minimum of 75 total training hours, including at least 16 supervised clinical hours. Nationally, the CNA field is projected to add about 196,200 annual openings through 2035, with modest overall growth of 2.6% over that period, so demand for aides stays steady even where the workforce itself grows slowly.
Verifying an aide certified in a different state? Every state runs its own registry: find the right one in the state directory.
Common questions
How do I look up a CNA license in Colorado?
Use the official lookup tool linked on this page, which searches the Colorado Board of Nursing's license records; select the Nursing license type and search by the aide's name. The result shows current certification status. If you need help interpreting a result or the search returns nothing useful, call the Board of Nursing at (303) 894-2430.
I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
You're added to the registry after your exam results and required paperwork have been processed by the Colorado Board of Nursing. How long that takes varies and isn't published as a fixed number of days. If a reasonable amount of time has passed and you still don't appear, call the Board of Nursing directly at (303) 894-2430 to check on your status.
What if I search and can't find someone?
Try searching name variants first, such as a maiden name, a hyphenated last name, or a different middle initial, since the registry matches on exactly what's on file. Not finding a result doesn't prove someone lacks certification; it may just mean the name was entered differently. Confirm any uncertain result by calling the Colorado Board of Nursing at (303) 894-2430.
How often does a Colorado CNA certification need to be renewed?
Under the federal baseline that applies to nurse aide certification, renewal runs on a 24-month cycle. Colorado administers the specifics of that cycle, so for exact renewal requirements, deadlines, or documentation, contact the Colorado Board of Nursing at (303) 894-2430.
How many hours of training does a CNA need in Colorado?
Colorado requires 75 hours of training, including at least 16 hours of supervised clinical practice, matching the federal minimum for nurse aide programs. State rule also sets a floor of 16 classroom hours within that total, with the remaining hours allocated by the training program. This meets, but does not exceed, the federal 75-hour standard.
How do I update my name or address on the registry?
Contact the Colorado Board of Nursing directly at (303) 894-2430 to update your name or address on the registry. Updates are a routine request, but the exact process, such as required documentation, is set by the Board rather than handled through the public lookup tool.