Michigan CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Michigan certified nurse aide through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), which operates the state's nurse aide registry through its MI-NATES system; the official lookup is linked on this page. LARA maintains the official record of who is certified to work as a nurse aide in Michigan, including any substantiated findings against a certificate holder. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check this registry before hiring anyone into a nurse aide position, so employers in those settings cannot skip this step. If you need to speak with the registry directly, call (517) 284-8961.
Look up a Michigan nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in Michigan, and any finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on record. It is free and public.
How to verify a Michigan CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the Michigan 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 typically need the aide's full legal name, and having a date of birth or certification number on hand helps narrow results when names are common. A search shows whether a person holds active Michigan CNA certification, along with certification and expiration 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. This lookup is not a full employment or criminal background check.
Michigan note: Verification via the MI-NATES portal linked from the landing page
Michigan registry at a glance
- Run by: Michigan LARA (MI-NATES system)
- Phone: (517) 284-8961
- 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 Michigan
Typical annual CNA pay in Michigan · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in Michigan by city →
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Michigan
Michigan CNA certification follows the federal renewal cycle: certification runs for 24 months and must be renewed within that window. Under federal rules, certification 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 Michigan from another state go through the registry to transfer their certification, typically through reciprocity or endorsement rather than repeating the full training program. Because exact renewal steps, deadlines, and transfer paperwork are set by the state registry, contact LARA directly at (517) 284-8961 or through the registry site linked above for your specific situation.
Keep your certification active
CNA work in Michigan, by the numbers
Michigan employs about 43,290 nurse aides, according to BLS May 2025 figures. The median pay is $39,570 a year, or $19.03 an hour, which runs about $2,690 below the national median of $42,260. That gap is worth noting, but pay has grown substantially over time: Michigan's median nurse aide salary was $27,820 in 2015, a 42.2% increase over the decade. On training, Michigan requires 75 hours to become a certified nurse aide, including at least 16 hours of supervised clinical practice in a long-term care setting, matching the federal training floor of 75 hours with 16 supervised practical hours. Nationally, the nurse aide field is projected to add about 196,200 annual openings through 2035, a sign of steady demand even where local wage growth lags the national figure.
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.
Questions about the Michigan registry
- How do I look up a CNA license in Michigan?
- Use the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) nurse aide registry, accessed through the MI-NATES system linked on this page, to look up a CNA. Search by the aide's full legal name; adding a date of birth or certification number helps when a name is common. If you cannot complete the search online, call the registry directly at (517) 284-8961.
- I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
- You are added to the registry after your exam results and required paperwork have been processed by LARA. How long that takes can vary, so there is no fixed date to expect. If you do not see your name on the registry after a reasonable amount of time has passed, contact the registry directly at (517) 284-8961 to check on your status.
- What if I search and can't find someone?
- A missing result is not proof that someone lacks certification, so don't assume the worst right away. Try variations of the name, including maiden names, hyphenated or married names, and different middle initials, since small spelling differences can affect results. If you still can't find a match, confirm the person's status by calling the registry at (517) 284-8961.
- How often does a Michigan CNA certification need to be renewed?
- Michigan CNA certification follows the federal 24-month renewal cycle, so certification must be renewed every two years. Certification can lapse if an aide goes 24 months without qualifying paid nurse aide work. For exact renewal requirements and deadlines, contact the Michigan registry at (517) 284-8961 or use the site linked on this page.
- How many hours of training does a CNA need in Michigan?
- Michigan requires 75 hours of training to become a certified nurse aide, the same as the federal training floor. That includes 16 hours of clinical practice in a long-term care setting, 16 hours of classroom instruction, and 43 additional flexible instruction hours to reach the 75-hour total, meeting the federal minimum of 16 supervised practical hours.
- How do I update my name or address on the registry?
- Contact the Michigan registry directly to update your name or address, since it holds your certification record and sets the process for changes. Call LARA at (517) 284-8961 or use the registry site linked on this page for instructions. Updates like this are routine, but the exact steps and required documentation are set by the registry.