Maine CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Maine certified nursing assistant through the CNA & DCW Registry, maintained by the Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification; the official lookup tool is linked on this page. The registry is the state's record of who holds active nurse aide certification and whether that certification is in good standing. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check this registry before hiring anyone into an aide role. Employers in other settings, aides checking their own status, and anyone hiring privately can use the same lookup. For help running a search or confirming a result, call the Division of Licensing and Certification at (207) 624-7300.
Official Maine lookup
Run by Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification.
(207) 624-7300
Official link checked 2026-09-01
How to verify in three steps
- 1
Open the official lookup
Use the Maine 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.
Maine registry at a glance
| Run by | Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification |
| Phone | (207) 624-7300 |
| Renewal cycle | Every 24 months (federal baseline) |
| Training required | 130 hours (40 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)
Maine note: CNA & DCW Registry Lookup issues a session redirect; works in browsers.
A registry check is not a criminal background check.
8,540
CNAs working in Maine
$47,070
Median pay per year ($22.63/hr)
$42,260
National median
130 hrs
Required training (40 clinical)
CNA median pay in Maine, 2015 to 2025
$24,460 in 2015 to $47,070 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 to search the registry; adding a middle initial or date of birth narrows results when names are common. A successful search shows certification status, such as whether it is active, expired, or lapsed. The registry also records substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property; a person with such a finding on file cannot be employed as a nurse aide. This lookup is not a full employment or criminal background check, so it should not replace one.
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Maine
Certification does not last indefinitely; under the federal baseline, a nurse aide certification runs on a 24-month cycle and must be renewed to stay active. It generally lapses if an aide goes 24 months without qualifying paid nurse aide work, and a lapsed certification usually means retesting rather than a simple renewal. Aides moving to Maine from another state do not automatically carry their certification with them; the move is handled through the registry as a reciprocity or endorsement request. Because exact renewal windows and reciprocity steps are set by the state, contact the Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification at (207) 624-7300 for your specific situation.
CNA work in Maine, by the numbers
Maine employed about 8,540 certified nursing assistants as of BLS May 2025 figures, earning a median $47,070 a year, or $22.63 an hour. That is roughly $4,810 above the national median CNA salary of $42,260. Maine's median CNA pay has grown sharply over the past decade, up about 92.4% from a median of $24,460 in 2015. Maine also trains its aides beyond the federal minimum: the state requires 130 hours of training, including 40 clinical hours, compared with the federal floor of 75 hours with at least 16 supervised practical hours. Nationally, the CNA field is projected to add about 196,200 annual openings through 2035, so demand for certified aides, and for a reliable way to verify them, is not going away.
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 Maine?
Use the CNA & DCW Registry Lookup linked on this page, run by the Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification. Search by the aide's full legal name; adding a middle initial helps if the name is common. The tool opens through a session redirect, which works fine in a standard browser. If you have trouble, call the registry at (207) 624-7300.
I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
You are added to the registry after your exam results and any required paperwork have been processed by the state, not on the day you test. Exactly how long that takes can vary. If a reasonable amount of time has passed and you still do not appear in a search, call the Division of Licensing and Certification at (207) 624-7300 to check on your record.
What if I search and can't find someone?
A missing search result does not prove someone is uncertified. Try variants of the name first, such as a maiden name, a hyphenated last name, or a different middle initial, since registry records are matched on exact name text. If you still find nothing after trying reasonable variants, call the Division of Licensing and Certification at (207) 624-7300 to confirm status directly.
How often does a Maine CNA certification need to be renewed?
Under the federal baseline, certification runs on a 24-month cycle and must be renewed to remain active, or it lapses. Maine administers the specifics of that cycle, including what counts as qualifying work and what happens after a lapse. For the exact renewal requirements that apply to your certification, call the Division of Licensing and Certification at (207) 624-7300.
How many hours of training does a CNA need in Maine?
Maine requires 130 hours of CNA training, including 40 clinical hours, which is well above the federal floor of 75 hours with at least 16 supervised practical hours. Programs are typically split between classroom instruction, skills lab, and hands-on clinical work. Check with your specific training program for its current schedule and clinical placement details.
How do I update my name or address on the registry?
Contact the Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification directly at (207) 624-7300 to update your name or address on the registry. Updating this information is routine, but the registry sets its own process and documentation requirements, such as proof of a legal name change, so confirm what they need before you call or write.