New Hampshire CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a New Hampshire nursing assistant through the license lookup run by the NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) and the Board of Nursing, linked at the top of this page. New Hampshire licenses nursing assistants as LNAs (Licensed Nursing Assistants) rather than maintaining a separate 'CNA registry,' but the lookup serves the same purpose: confirming someone is currently certified to work as an aide. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check this before hiring anyone into an aide role. For anything the online lookup doesn't answer, call OPLC directly at (603) 271-2152.
Look up a New Hampshire nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in New Hampshire, 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 New Hampshire CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the New Hampshire 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 search typically needs the aide's full legal name, and a date of birth or license number narrows results when names are common. A match shows license status (active, expired, or lapsed) and certification type. The record also flags any substantiated finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property; a person with such a finding cannot be employed as a nurse aide anywhere in the country. This lookup is not a full employment or criminal background check, and employers still need to run those separately.
New Hampshire note: NH licenses nursing assistants (LNA)
New Hampshire registry at a glance
- Run by: NH OPLC / Board of Nursing (LNA licensure, not a registry)
- Phone: (603) 271-2152
- Training: 100 hours, 60 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 New Hampshire
Typical annual CNA pay in New Hampshire · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in New Hampshire by city →
Renewal, lapses, and moving to New Hampshire
Nursing assistant certification runs on a 24-month cycle under federal rules, the same baseline used nationwide. Certification lapses if an aide goes without qualifying paid nursing assistant work for 24 consecutive months, and once lapsed, the aide usually has to retest rather than simply renew. Aides moving into New Hampshire from another state transfer their certification through the registry process, sometimes called reciprocity or endorsement, rather than starting training over. Because exact renewal steps, documentation, and timing are set by OPLC, aides who need specifics should contact the registry directly at (603) 271-2152 or through the OPLC website.
Keep your certification active
CNA work in New Hampshire, by the numbers
About 7,810 nursing assistants work in New Hampshire, according to BLS May 2025 figures, earning a median wage of $47,870 a year, or $23.02 an hour. That's $5,610 above the national median of $42,260. Pay in the state has climbed from a $29,030 median a decade earlier, a 64.9 percent increase over ten years. New Hampshire also trains its aides beyond the federal minimum: state rules call for 100 hours of instruction, including 60 clinical hours, compared with the federal floor of 75 hours with at least 16 supervised practical hours. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 196,200 annual openings for nursing assistants through 2035, with employment expected to grow 2.6 percent over that decade.
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 New Hampshire registry
- How do I look up a CNA license in New Hampshire?
- Use the license lookup on the OPLC website, linked at the top of this page. New Hampshire licenses nursing assistants as LNAs through its Board of Nursing, and the search returns license status and certification type once you enter the aide's name. If the online tool doesn't resolve a search, call OPLC at (603) 271-2152 for help.
- I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
- You're added once your exam results and paperwork are fully processed by OPLC. Exact timing varies and depends on when the testing vendor reports scores and when your application is complete. If a reasonable amount of time has passed and you still don't appear, call the registry directly at (603) 271-2152 to check on your status.
- What if I search and can't find someone?
- Try the search again with name variants first, such as a maiden name, hyphenated last name, or middle initial, since a mismatch is the most common reason a real license doesn't turn up. A non-result on the lookup is not proof that someone isn't certified. Confirm directly with OPLC at (603) 271-2152 before assuming an aide lacks certification.
- How often does a New Hampshire CNA certification need to be renewed?
- Certification is on a 24-month renewal cycle under the federal baseline that applies nationwide, including in New Hampshire. It lapses without qualifying paid nursing assistant work during that period. For the state's specific renewal steps and documentation, contact OPLC at (603) 271-2152 or check the Board of Nursing site.
- How many hours of training does a CNA need in New Hampshire?
- New Hampshire requires 100 hours of training to become an LNA, including 60 clinical hours, which is above the federal minimum of 75 hours with at least 16 supervised practical hours. Programs are approved by the Board of Nursing under state rule.
- How do I update my name or address on the registry?
- Contact OPLC directly at (603) 271-2152, since it holds your certification record and handles updates. Name and address changes are routine, but the exact process, such as required documentation, is set by the registry rather than posted as a single universal procedure.