Tennessee CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Tennessee certified nursing assistant through the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission's nurse aide registry, run through Credentia's CNA365 system; the official lookup tool is linked on this page. The Commission maintains the state's official record of who currently holds active CNA certification in Tennessee. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check this registry before hiring anyone into a nurse aide role, so employers in those settings cannot skip this step. If you need to speak with someone directly, call the Commission at (615) 532-5171, or use the automated line at 1-800-778-4504 for routine status checks.
Official Tennessee lookup
Run by Tennessee Health Facilities Commission (registry via Credentia CNA365 since June 2026).
(615) 532-5171
Official link checked 2026-09-01
How to verify in three steps
- 1
Open the official lookup
Use the Tennessee 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.
Tennessee registry at a glance
| Run by | Tennessee Health Facilities Commission (registry via Credentia CNA365 since June 2026) |
| Phone | (615) 532-5171 |
| Renewal cycle | Every 24 months (federal baseline) |
| Training required | 75 hours |
| 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)
Tennessee note: Automated line 1-800-778-4504
A registry check is not a criminal background check.
27,040
CNAs working in Tennessee
$37,990
Median pay per year ($18.27/hr)
$42,260
National median
75 hrs
Required training
CNA median pay in Tennessee, 2015 to 2025
$22,390 in 2015 to $37,990 in 2025 (BLS OES).
Wages and employment: BLS OES, May 2025.
What you need for a lookup
A registry search typically needs the aide's full legal name, and a certification number speeds up an exact match. A successful search shows whether the person holds active CNA certification in Tennessee and basic certification details. The registry also records substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property; anyone with such a finding on file cannot be employed as a nurse aide. This lookup is not a full employment or criminal background check, and employers still need to run their own separately.
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Tennessee
Tennessee CNA certification follows the federal baseline: renewal every 24 months. Under federal rules, certification lapses if an aide goes that long without qualifying paid nurse aide work, and once lapsed, the aide usually has to retest rather than simply renew. Tennessee has not published exceptions to this baseline that we can confirm here, so treat 24 months as the floor and confirm your exact renewal window with the registry. Aides moving into Tennessee from another state go through the registry's reciprocity or endorsement process instead of repeating training; call (615) 532-5171 to find out what your out-of-state certification needs before you can work here.
CNA work in Tennessee, by the numbers
About 27,040 CNAs work in Tennessee, earning a median $37,990 a year, or $18.27 an hour, according to BLS May 2025 figures. That is about $4,270 below the national CNA median of $42,260 a year. Pay has grown substantially over the past decade: Tennessee's median CNA salary rose from $22,390 in 2015, a 69.7 percent increase. Tennessee sets its CNA training requirement at the federal floor of 75 hours total, including the federally required 16 supervised practical hours, so training here runs no shorter than federal law allows anywhere. Demand for aides remains steady nationally, with about 196,200 annual openings projected for nursing assistants across the country through 2035, reflecting the ongoing need for this workforce in nursing homes and home health agencies.
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 Tennessee?
Use the official Tennessee nurse aide registry lookup linked on this page, run through Credentia's CNA365 system on behalf of the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission. Search by the aide's full name; adding a certification number narrows results to an exact match. The result shows whether the person currently holds active CNA certification. For help with a search, call (615) 532-5171.
I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
You are added to the registry after your exam results and the required paperwork are processed, not on the day you test. How long that takes varies, and this page cannot promise a specific timeline. If a reasonable amount of time has passed and you still do not appear, call the registry directly at (615) 532-5171 to check on your status.
What if I search and can't find someone?
A missing result is not proof that someone lacks certification. Try searching name variants first, including a maiden name, a hyphenated last name, or a different middle initial, since registry searches are name-sensitive. If you still cannot find the person after trying variants, call the registry at (615) 532-5171 to confirm their status directly rather than assuming they are uncertified.
How often does a Tennessee CNA certification need to be renewed?
Every 24 months, at minimum, under the federal renewal cycle that applies to nurse aide certification nationwide. Tennessee has not published state-specific exceptions to this baseline that we can confirm here. For your exact renewal date or the documentation it requires, contact the registry at (615) 532-5171.
How many hours of training does a CNA need in Tennessee?
Tennessee requires 75 hours of CNA training, which matches the federal minimum, including the federally required 16 hours of supervised practical training. Tennessee's rule adopts the federal OBRA-87 training standard by reference rather than setting a higher state-specific hour requirement.
How do I update my name or address on the registry?
Contact the registry that holds your Tennessee certification directly at (615) 532-5171 to update your name or address. Updates like these are routine, but the registry sets the exact process and documentation required, such as proof of a legal name change, so confirm what they need before you call or write.