Massachusetts CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Massachusetts certified nurse aide through the Massachusetts DPH Nurse Aide Registry Program, using the official lookup linked on this page, selecting Board: Nurse Aide Registry and Type: Certified Nurse Aide. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health runs the registry and it shows whether a person holds active certification in the state. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check the registry before hiring anyone as a nurse aide, and many other employers use it as well before extending an offer. If the lookup does not return a result or you need help reading one, call the registry at (617) 753-8144.
Look up a Massachusetts nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in Massachusetts, and any finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on record. It is free and public.
Official link checked 2026-09-01
How to verify a Massachusetts CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the Massachusetts 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
To search the registry, you need the aide's full legal name (first and last name are usually enough, though a date of birth or certification number narrows the results). A result shows certification status, such as active or expired, and the certification date. 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. This lookup is not a full employment or criminal background check.
Massachusetts note: Select Board = Nurse Aide Registry, Type = Certified Nurse Aide mylicense portal blocks bots; confirmed current.
Massachusetts registry at a glance
- Run by: Massachusetts DPH Nurse Aide Registry Program
- Phone: (617) 753-8144
- 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 Massachusetts
Typical annual CNA pay in Massachusetts · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in Massachusetts by city →
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Massachusetts
Massachusetts CNA certification follows the federal baseline: it must be renewed every 24 months. Certification lapses if an aide has not performed paid nurse aide work during that period, and once lapsed, the aide typically has to retest to regain certification rather than simply file a renewal. Aides moving into Massachusetts from another state generally transfer their certification through the registry's reciprocity, or endorsement, process rather than repeating the full training and exam. Because exact renewal steps, deadlines, and reciprocity requirements are set by the state, confirm your specific situation with the Massachusetts DPH Nurse Aide Registry Program at (617) 753-8144.
Keep your certification active
CNA work in Massachusetts, by the numbers
About 38,130 CNAs work in Massachusetts, earning a median wage of $46,680 a year, or $22.44 an hour, according to BLS May 2025 figures. That is $4,420 above the national median of $42,260. Pay has climbed sharply over the past decade: the state median was $29,120 in 2015, a jump of about 60.3 percent by 2025. Massachusetts requires 75 hours of training to become a CNA, including 16 hours of supervised clinical practice, matching the federal minimum rather than exceeding it. Nationally, CNA employment is projected to grow about 2.6 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 196,200 annual openings expected across the country each year, so demand for trained, registry-verified aides in Massachusetts is likely to stay steady.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 75 | (617) 753-8144 | Lookup |
| Connecticut | 100 | Lookup | |
| New Hampshire | 100 | (603) 271-2152 | Lookup |
| New York | 100 | (800) 918-8818 | Lookup |
| Rhode Island | 120 | Lookup | |
| Vermont | 75 | Lookup |
State nurse aide registries and training rules, curated 2026-09-01
Questions about the Massachusetts registry
- How do I look up a CNA license in Massachusetts?
- Use the official lookup linked on this page, operated by the Massachusetts DPH Nurse Aide Registry Program. Select Board: Nurse Aide Registry and Type: Certified Nurse Aide, then search by the aide's name. The tool returns certification status and related details. If you have trouble accessing the online system or reading a result, call the registry directly at (617) 753-8144.
- I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
- You are added to the registry once your exam results and paperwork have been processed, not the moment you finish testing. Processing time varies and this page cannot give you an exact number of days. If a reasonable amount of time has passed and you still do not appear, call the Massachusetts DPH Nurse Aide Registry Program at (617) 753-8144 to check on your status.
- What if I search and can't find someone?
- Try searching name variants first, such as a maiden name, hyphenated last name, or different middle initial, since the registry matches on exact name entries. A search that returns nothing is not proof that a person is not certified; it may just mean the name was entered differently. To confirm either way, call the registry at (617) 753-8144.
- How often does a Massachusetts CNA certification need to be renewed?
- Certification must be renewed every 24 months under the federal baseline that applies to nurse aide registries nationwide. Massachusetts follows this same cycle. For exact renewal steps and deadlines specific to your certification, contact the Massachusetts DPH Nurse Aide Registry Program at (617) 753-8144.
- How many hours of training does a CNA need in Massachusetts?
- Massachusetts requires 75 hours of CNA training, including at least 16 hours of supervised clinical practice. That matches the federal minimum of 75 hours with 16 supervised practical hours exactly, rather than exceeding it. Training must be completed through a state-approved program before you can sit for the certification exam.
- How do I update my name or address on the registry?
- Contact the Massachusetts DPH Nurse Aide Registry Program directly at (617) 753-8144 to update your name or address. Updates like this are routine, but the registry sets the exact forms and proof required, such as documentation of a legal name change, so confirm the current process with them before submitting anything.