Pennsylvania CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Pennsylvania nurse aide through the Pennsylvania Department of Health's registry, operated via Credentia CNA365; the official lookup is linked on this page. The Department of Health maintains the registry of certified nurse aides for the state, tracking certification status and any substantiated findings against an aide's record. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check this registry before hiring anyone as a nurse aide, so employers in those settings cannot skip this step. If the online lookup does not answer your question, call the registry directly at (888) 204-6249.
Look up a Pennsylvania nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the Pennsylvania 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 first and last name, and results are narrowed further with a middle initial or date of birth if there are multiple matches. A successful search shows certification status and basic credential details. The registry also records substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of resident property; anyone with such a finding cannot be employed as a nurse aide. It is not a full employment or criminal background check.
Pennsylvania registry at a glance
- Run by: Pennsylvania Department of Health (registry via Credentia CNA365)
- Phone: (888) 204-6249
- Training: 75 hours
- 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 Pennsylvania
Typical annual CNA pay in Pennsylvania · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in Pennsylvania by city →
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Pennsylvania
Nurse aide certification follows a 24-month renewal cycle under federal rules, the baseline that applies nationwide. 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 into Pennsylvania from another state go through the registry to have their out-of-state certification recognized, a process handled as reciprocity or endorsement rather than starting training over. Because exact renewal steps, documentation, and reciprocity requirements can vary and change, confirm your specific situation with the registry directly at (888) 204-6249 or through the site linked on this page.
Keep your certification active
CNA work in Pennsylvania, by the numbers
Pennsylvania employed about 67,740 certified nursing assistants in 2025, according to BLS May 2025 figures. The median pay was $44,590 a year, or $21.44 an hour, running about $2,330 above the national median of $42,260. That's part of a longer trend: median pay in the state has climbed roughly 59.2 percent over the past decade. Pennsylvania's minimum training requirement is 75 hours, matching the federal floor, though many programs run closer to 80 hours in practice. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 196,200 annual openings for nursing assistants through 2035, with employment expected to grow 2.6 percent over that decade as demand for direct care continues.
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.
| State | Training hours | Phone | Official lookup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 75 | (888) 204-6249 | Lookup |
| Delaware | 91 | (302) 421-7403 | Lookup |
| Maryland | 100 | (410) 767-6500 | Lookup |
| New Jersey | 90 | Lookup | |
| New York | 100 | (800) 918-8818 | Lookup |
| Ohio | 75 | (800) 582-5908 | Lookup |
| West Virginia | 120 | Lookup |
State nurse aide registries and training rules, curated 2026-09-01
Questions about the Pennsylvania registry
- How do I look up a CNA license in Pennsylvania?
- Use the official CNA365 registry lookup linked on this page, which is operated for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Search by the aide's name, adding a middle initial if there are multiple results. The search returns certification status. If you need help interpreting a result or the online tool isn't working, call the registry at (888) 204-6249.
- I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
- You're added to the registry once your exam results and required paperwork are processed, not the instant you finish testing. Processing time varies, so there's no fixed number of days to expect. If a reasonable amount of time passes and you still don't appear, call the registry directly at (888) 204-6249 to check 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 a middle initial, since small differences can cause a miss. Not finding a match online is not proof that someone is uncertified. Confirm directly with the registry by calling (888) 204-6249 before drawing any conclusions.
- How often does a Pennsylvania CNA certification need to be renewed?
- Nurse aide certification follows a 24-month renewal cycle, the federal baseline used nationwide. Working a qualifying number of paid hours as a nurse aide within that window keeps the certification active. For Pennsylvania-specific renewal steps or documentation questions, contact the registry at (888) 204-6249 or check the site linked on this page.
- How many hours of training does a CNA need in Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania requires a minimum of 75 hours of nurse aide training, which matches the federal floor of 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training. Many approved programs schedule more than the minimum, often running closer to 80 hours in practice.
- How do I update my name or address on the registry?
- Contact the registry that holds your certification directly at (888) 204-6249 to update your name or address. Updates like these are routine, but the exact steps and any required documentation are set by the registry, not something to guess at on your own.