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.
Look up a Tennessee nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the Tennessee 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 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.
Tennessee note: Automated line 1-800-778-4504
Tennessee registry at a glance
- Run by: Tennessee Health Facilities Commission (registry via Credentia CNA365 since June 2026)
- Phone: (615) 532-5171
- 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 Tennessee
Typical annual CNA pay in Tennessee · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in Tennessee by city →
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.
Keep your certification active
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 75 | (615) 532-5171 | Lookup |
| Alabama | 75 | Lookup | |
| Arkansas | 90 | (888) 401-0465 | Lookup |
| Georgia | 85 | Lookup | |
| Kentucky | 75 | (502) 429-3300 | Lookup |
| Mississippi | 75 | Lookup | |
| Missouri | 175 | (573) 526-5686 | Lookup |
| North Carolina | 75 | Lookup | |
| Virginia | 140 | Lookup |
State nurse aide registries and training rules, curated 2026-09-01
Questions about the Tennessee registry
- 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.