Delaware CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Delaware nurse aide through the Delaware Nurse Aide Registry, which the Delaware Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ) oversees and Prometric operates; the official lookup link is on this page. The registry is the state's official record of who is certified to work as a nurse aide in Delaware. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check the registry before hiring an aide, so an employer search is not optional. CNAs can use the same lookup to confirm their own certification is active. If a search result is unclear or you need to confirm something in writing, call the registry at (302) 421-7403.
Official Delaware lookup
Run by Delaware DHSS DHCQ (registry via Prometric).
(302) 421-7403
Official link checked 2026-09-01
How to verify in three steps
- 1
Open the official lookup
Use the Delaware 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.
Delaware registry at a glance
| Run by | Delaware DHSS DHCQ (registry via Prometric) |
| Phone | (302) 421-7403 |
| Renewal cycle | Every 24 months (federal baseline) |
| Training required | 91 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)
A registry check is not a criminal background check.
5,530
CNAs working in Delaware
$42,030
Median pay per year ($20.21/hr)
$42,260
National median
91 hrs
Required training (16 clinical)
CNA median pay in Delaware, 2015 to 2025
$28,030 in 2015 to $42,030 in 2025 (BLS OES).
Wages and employment: BLS OES, May 2025.
What you need for a lookup
You need the aide's full legal name, and a certification number if you have one, to run a lookup. The result shows whether the person holds an active Delaware nurse aide certification and the certification details the registry publishes, such as status and expiration. The registry also records substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property; a person with such a finding cannot be employed as a nurse aide. It is not a full employment or criminal background check.
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Delaware
Federal rules set a 24-month certification cycle, and certification lapses if the aide has not performed at least some nursing or nursing-related services for pay during that period. Once a certification has lapsed, an aide usually has to retest rather than simply renew. If you are already certified in another state and moving to Delaware, you apply to the Delaware registry for reciprocity or endorsement rather than starting training over. Delaware's specific paperwork, work-verification requirements, and reciprocity steps are set by the registry, so call (302) 421-7403 before you assume anything about your own case.
CNA work in Delaware, by the numbers
Delaware employs about 5,530 nursing assistants. Median pay is $42,030 a year, or $20.21 an hour, according to BLS May 2025 figures, which puts Delaware about $230 below the national median of $42,260. Pay has moved a long way in ten years: the state median was $28,030 in 2015, a rise of roughly 49.9 percent. Training is heavier here than the federal minimum. Delaware requires 91 total hours, including 16 clinical hours, against the federal floor of 75 hours with 16 supervised practical hours. Nationally, BLS projects 196,200 nursing assistant openings a year and employment growth of 2.6 percent from 2025 to 2035, so openings come mostly from turnover rather than new positions.
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 Delaware?
Use the Delaware Nurse Aide Registry lookup, operated by Prometric for the Division of Health Care Quality; the link is on this page. Search by the aide's full legal name, or by certification number if you have it. The result tells you whether the person holds an active Delaware certification. If the result is unclear, call (302) 421-7403.
I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
You are added once your exam results and paperwork have been processed, not on test day. Timing varies, so there is no fixed number of days to count on. Check the registry lookup periodically, and if you still do not appear after a reasonable wait, call the registry at (302) 421-7403 to confirm your record is moving.
What if I search and can't find someone?
Try name variants before you conclude anything: maiden and married names, hyphenated spellings, middle initials, and common misspellings. A blank result is not proof that someone is uncertified, since records can be listed under a different name or entered differently. Confirm by phone with the registry at (302) 421-7403 before making a hiring decision.
How often does a Delaware CNA certification need to be renewed?
Every 24 months, under the federal standard, and the cycle depends on having performed paid nursing-related work during that period. Delaware's exact renewal paperwork and deadlines are handled by the registry, so confirm your own renewal date and requirements by calling (302) 421-7403 or checking your record in the lookup.
How many hours of training does a CNA need in Delaware?
91 hours: 75 hours of classroom and lab instruction plus 16 hours of clinical training. That is above the federal minimum of 75 total hours with 16 supervised practical hours. Delaware changed this requirement in recent years, so confirm current hours with the registry or your training program before you enroll.
How do I update my name or address on the registry?
Contact the registry directly at (302) 421-7403. Name and address changes are routine, but the registry that holds your certification sets the exact process, including what documentation it needs for a legal name change. Keep your address current so renewal notices and verification requests reach you.