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.
Look up a Colorado nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in Colorado, and any finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on record. It is free and public. You can also search the state's published records on this page.
Official link checked 2026-09-01
Search Colorado nurse aide records
Colorado publishes its credential records as open data. Search them here by name or certification number; each result links to the official record to confirm before hiring.
Colorado records
How to verify a Colorado CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the Colorado lookup above. It is free and public.
Search by full legal name
A certification number narrows the result fastest. Try former or hyphenated last names if nothing comes up.
Read the status and findings
Active means the listing is current. A substantiated finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation bars work as a nurse aide.
What the lookup shows
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.
Colorado note: Search under the Nursing license type
Colorado registry at a glance
- Run by: Colorado Board of Nursing (DORA)
- Phone: (303) 894-2430
- Training: 75 hours, 16 of them clinical
- Federal floor: 75 hours, 16 supervised practical
- Lapse rule: a listing lapses after 24 consecutive months without paid nursing work
- Not included: a registry check is not a criminal background check
What CNAs earn in Colorado
Typical annual CNA pay in Colorado · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in Colorado by city →
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.
Keep your certification active
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.
Registries in nearby states
Each state runs its own registry. An aide who worked in another state may be listed there too, and employers must check every state where they believe the aide has worked.
| State | Training hours | Phone | Official lookup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 75 | (303) 894-2430 | Lookup |
| Arizona | 120 | (602) 771-7800 | Lookup |
| Kansas | 90 | (785) 296-6877 | Lookup |
| Nebraska | 75 | Lookup | |
| New Mexico | 75 | Lookup | |
| Oklahoma | 75 | (405) 426-8150 | Lookup |
| Utah | 100 | (801) 547-9947 | Lookup |
| Wyoming | 75 | (307) 777-7601 | Lookup |
State nurse aide registries and training rules, curated 2026-09-01
Questions about the Colorado registry
- 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.