North Carolina CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
To verify a nurse aide in North Carolina, use the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry, linked on this page and run by the NC Division of Health Service Regulation. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check this registry before hiring any nurse aide, so this lookup is not optional for those employers. The registry confirms whether a person is listed as a certified nurse aide in good standing and whether any substantiated finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property is on file. No phone number is published on this page; use the registry's official site for contact details and any questions that a lookup doesn't answer.
Look up a North Carolina nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in North Carolina, and any finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on record. It is free and public.
How to verify a North Carolina CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the North Carolina 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
A lookup typically needs the aide's full legal name, and matching on a middle initial or date of birth helps if the name is common. The result shows whether the person is listed as a certified nurse aide and their certification status. 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 is not a full employment or criminal background check, and it should not be treated as one.
North Carolina registry at a glance
- Run by: NC Division of Health Service Regulation
- 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 North Carolina
Typical annual CNA pay in North Carolina · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in North Carolina by city →
Renewal, lapses, and moving to North Carolina
Under federal rules, a nurse aide certification runs on a 24-month cycle and lapses if the aide has not performed paid nurse aide work during that period. A lapsed certification usually means the aide must retest and be recertified before working again. Aides moving to North Carolina from another state go through the registry as well, typically through a reciprocity or endorsement process rather than starting training over. Exact renewal timing, documentation, and transfer requirements are set by the North Carolina registry, so confirm specifics directly with the registry rather than assuming they match another state's rules.
Keep your certification active
CNA work in North Carolina, by the numbers
North Carolina had about 64,010 nurse aides working in the state as of BLS May 2025 figures, earning a median of $38,460 a year, or $18.49 an hour. That's roughly $3,800 below the national median of $42,260. Pay has grown substantially over the past decade, up from a $22,550 median in 2015, an increase of about 70.6%. North Carolina's training requirement matches the federal floor: 75 hours of instruction, including at least 16 hours of supervised practical training, before a nurse aide can test for certification. Nationally, the occupation is projected to add about 196,200 openings a year through 2035, with modest overall growth of 2.6% over that decade, reflecting steady demand and high turnover in the field.
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 North Carolina registry
- How do I look up a CNA license in North Carolina?
- Go to the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry at ncnar.org, run by the NC Division of Health Service Regulation, and search by name. The result shows whether the person is currently listed as a certified nurse aide and their status. Employers such as nursing facilities and home health agencies are federally required to check this registry before hiring.
- I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
- You're added to the registry once your exam results and paperwork have been processed, and how long that takes can vary. If you've waited a reasonable amount of time and still don't see your name, don't assume something is wrong on your end; contact the registry directly through ncnar.org to check on your status.
- What if I search and can't find someone?
- A search with no result isn't proof the person isn't certified. Try variations first: a maiden or hyphenated last name, a different middle initial, or a nickname versus a legal first name. If you still can't find someone after trying these, confirm directly with the registry through ncnar.org rather than relying on the online search alone.
- How often does a North Carolina CNA certification need to be renewed?
- Under federal rules, certification runs on a 24-month cycle and lapses without qualifying paid nurse aide work during that time. North Carolina's registry sets the exact renewal steps and documentation, so check with the registry directly for how this applies to your specific situation.
- How many hours of training does a CNA need in North Carolina?
- North Carolina requires 75 hours of training, the federal floor for a Nurse Aide I credential, including at least 16 hours of supervised practical training. This is separate from the 100-hour geriatric aide credential, which some people confuse with the base CNA requirement.
- How do I update my name or address on the registry?
- Contact the registry that holds your certification, since updates go through them rather than a self-service portal. For North Carolina, that means reaching the NC Division of Health Service Regulation through ncnar.org. The registry sets the exact documentation needed, so confirm what they require before submitting anything.