Texas CNA Registry: Verify a Certification
Verify a Texas CNA through the Nurse Aide Registry maintained by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, using the official lookup linked on this page. HHSC operates the registry, and it is the state's authoritative source for a nurse aide's certification status. Federal law requires nursing facilities and home health agencies to check the registry before hiring anyone into a nurse aide role. For questions about a specific result, or if you cannot complete a lookup online, call the registry directly at (512) 438-2050.
Look up a Texas nurse aide
The official lookup shows whether a person is listed as an active nurse aide in Texas, 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 Texas CNA
Open the official lookup
Use the Texas 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 lookup typically needs the aide's full name, and a date of birth or certification number makes the match easier to confirm. A successful search shows whether the person is currently listed as an active, certified nurse aide in Texas. The registry also records any substantiated finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property, and a person with such a finding cannot be employed as a nurse aide. It is not a full employment history or criminal background check.
Texas note: Employability Status Check moved into the TULIP portal Sep 2025
Texas registry at a glance
- Run by: Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- Phone: (512) 438-2050
- Training: 100 hours, 40 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 Texas
Typical annual CNA pay in Texas · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
BLS OES May 2025 · CNA salary in Texas by city →
Renewal, lapses, and moving to Texas
Nurse aide certification runs on a 24-month cycle under federal rules, and it lapses if the aide has not performed paid nurse aide work during that period. A lapsed certification usually means retesting through a state-approved competency evaluation program rather than a simple renewal. Aides moving to Texas from another state do not automatically carry their certification with them; the move goes through the registry as a reciprocity or endorsement process, with Texas confirming status against the prior state's registry. For exact renewal windows, documentation, or reciprocity steps, contact the Texas registry at (512) 438-2050.
Keep your certification active
CNA work in Texas, by the numbers
Texas employed about 88,680 nurse aides as of BLS's May 2025 figures, earning a median wage of $37,500 a year, or $18.03 an hour. That trails the national median of $42,260 by about $4,760 a year, though Texas pay has climbed sharply over the past decade, up roughly 60.6% from a $23,350 median in 2015. Texas also sets its training bar above the federal minimum: the state requires 100 hours of training, including 40 clinical hours, compared with the federal floor of 75 hours with at least 16 supervised practical hours. Nationally, BLS projects 196,200 annual nurse aide job openings through 2035, reflecting steady turnover and demand in long-term care and home health.
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 Texas registry
- How do I look up a CNA license in Texas?
- Use the official Texas Nurse Aide Registry lookup, linked on this page, and search by the aide's name. The registry is maintained by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and shows whether the person is currently listed as an active, certified nurse aide. If the online tool doesn't return a clear answer, call HHSC's registry line at (512) 438-2050.
- I passed my CNA exam. How long until I appear on the registry?
- You're added to the registry after your exam results and required paperwork have been processed by the state. How long that takes varies, so there's no fixed number of days to give you. If a reasonable amount of time has passed and you still don't appear, call the registry at (512) 438-2050 to check your record.
- What if I search and can't find someone?
- A non-result doesn't prove someone isn't certified. Try searching name variants first, such as a maiden name, hyphenated last name, or a middle initial, since data entry differences can affect results. If you still can't find the person, call the registry at (512) 438-2050 to confirm status directly rather than relying on the search alone.
- How often does a Texas CNA certification need to be renewed?
- Nurse aide certification follows a 24-month renewal cycle under federal rules, and it lapses without qualifying paid nurse aide work during that period. Texas administers the specific renewal process through the registry, so contact HHSC at (512) 438-2050 for exact requirements or to confirm your own renewal timing.
- How many hours of training does a CNA need in Texas?
- Texas requires 100 hours of training, including 40 clinical hours, to become a certified nurse aide. That's well above the federal floor of 75 hours, which includes at least 16 supervised practical hours. Texas programs also add 8 hours of state-specific infection control training before a student has contact with residents.
- How do I update my name or address on the registry?
- Contact the Texas Nurse Aide Registry at (512) 438-2050 to update your name or address. Updates like this are routine, but the registry sets the exact process and documentation needed, such as proof of a legal name change, so confirm current steps with them rather than assuming a general procedure applies.