Montana CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Montana CNA through the Montana DPHHS Certification Bureau, which runs the state nurse aide registry; the official certificate lookup is linked on this page and is available 24/7. The Certification Bureau sits within the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, and it is the office that records who holds a current Montana nurse aide certificate. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check the registry before hiring a nurse aide, so for those employers this is a required step rather than a courtesy check. If a search result is unclear or you need something confirmed for a hiring file, call the Certification Bureau at (406) 444-4980.
Official Montana lookup
Run by Montana DPHHS Certification Bureau.
(406) 444-4980
Official link checked 2026-09-01
How to verify in three steps
- 1
Open the official lookup
Use the Montana 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.
Montana registry at a glance
| Run by | Montana DPHHS Certification Bureau |
| Phone | (406) 444-4980 |
| Renewal cycle | Every 24 months (federal baseline) |
| Training required | 75 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)
Montana note: Certificate search available 24/7
A registry check is not a criminal background check.
4,390
CNAs working in Montana
$40,900
Median pay per year ($19.67/hr)
$42,260
National median
75 hrs
Required training (16 clinical)
CNA median pay in Montana, 2015 to 2025
$24,360 in 2015 to $40,900 in 2025 (BLS OES).
Wages and employment: BLS OES, May 2025.
What you need for a lookup
You need the aide's name to run a search, plus the certificate number if you have it. The result shows certification status and the certificate details the state publishes, which is what tells you whether a person is currently certified to work as a nurse aide. The registry also records substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property, and 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 Montana
Federal rules set a 24-month renewal cycle for nurse aide certification. Staying current depends on work, not just time: an aide must perform nursing or nursing-related services for pay during the cycle, and certification lapses without that qualifying paid work. Once a certificate has lapsed, getting back on the registry usually means retesting rather than a simple renewal. If you are moving into Montana with an active certificate from another state, you go through the Montana registry for reciprocity or endorsement instead of transferring automatically. For the current Montana forms, proof, and any fees, contact the Certification Bureau at (406) 444-4980 or use the registry site.
CNA work in Montana, by the numbers
About 4,390 nursing assistants work in Montana. Per BLS May 2025 figures, the median wage is $40,900 a year, or $19.67 an hour, which runs $1,360 below the national median of $42,260. That gap is small by state standards, and the decade behind it is the bigger story: the Montana median was $24,360 in 2015, so pay has risen 67.9 percent since then. Looking ahead, BLS projects nurse aide employment to grow 2.6 percent nationally between 2025 and 2035, with roughly 196,200 openings a year across the country. On training, Montana follows the federal floor of 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, rather than setting a higher state total.
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 Montana?
Use the Montana certificate search linked on this page, which the Montana DPHHS Certification Bureau maintains. Montana certifies nurse aides rather than licensing them, so you are looking up a certificate. Search by the aide's name, and add the certificate number if you have it. The search is available 24/7. If the result is unclear, call the Certification Bureau at (406) 444-4980.
I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
You appear once the state has received and processed your exam results and paperwork, so check the certificate search after testing rather than expecting an instant listing. Timing varies and is not published as a fixed number of days. If you still do not show up after a reasonable wait, call the Certification Bureau at (406) 444-4980 and ask them to check your file.
What if I search and can't find someone?
Try name variants before concluding anything. Search a maiden name, each part of a hyphenated last name, shortened or full versions of the first name, and check spelling and middle initials. A blank result is not proof that someone is uncertified, since records may be filed under a different name. Confirm by phone with the Certification Bureau at (406) 444-4980.
How often does a Montana CNA certification need to be renewed?
Every 24 months, under the federal baseline. Certification stays active only if the aide performs nursing or nursing-related services for pay during that cycle. Montana's exact renewal steps and documentation are set by the Certification Bureau, so call (406) 444-4980 or check the registry site for current requirements.
How many hours of training does a CNA need in Montana?
75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training. That is the federal minimum, and Montana follows the federal floor rather than requiring a higher total. Some approved programs schedule more classroom or clinical time than the minimum, so ask your school for its actual hour count before enrolling.
How do I update my name or address on the registry?
Contact the registry that holds your certification. For Montana, that is the DPHHS Certification Bureau at (406) 444-4980. Name and address updates are routine, but the required form and the proof you must attach are set by the Bureau, so ask what they need before you send anything.