How do I renew my CNA license?

Check your status on your state's nurse aide registry, make sure your paid CNA work is on record, and renew before your expiration date. Many states let you renew online. Some also ask for continuing education hours.

How often do you renew a CNA license?

In most states, every 2 years (43 of 51, counting DC). Virginia and Washington renew every year. Alabama, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska have no renewal form; you stay active while you keep working.

What happens if my CNA license expires?

Some states make you test again soon after your expiration date: Mississippi and New Mexico after 30 days, Utah after 6 months. And after 24 months in a row without paid nursing work, federal nursing home rules say you must pass the state competency test again, or retrain and test. Wisconsin asks only for the test; Ohio makes you retrain too. Check your state.

Do CNAs need continuing education to renew?

Federal rules do not make it a condition of renewal; they require nursing homes to give their aides at least 12 hours of in-service training a year. Some states set their own training rule for renewal and others say none is needed. The table on this page shows what each state says.

How many hours do I need to work to renew my CNA license?

In most states, about 8 hours of paid nurse aide work since your last renewal. Eight states ask for 40 to 400 hours, and a few accept a test or training instead of work. The table shows each state.

A nurse who is busy asks you to give a resident her morning pills. You are a CNA and do not hold a medication aide certificate. What should you do?

Politely tell the nurse that giving medicine is outside your duties

Give the pills, since a nurse asked you to

Ask the resident if she wants to take them herself

Leave the pills on her meal tray

Who writes the care plan that tells you what care each resident needs?

The nurse, working with the care team

The CNA who knows the resident best

What is the single most important way to stop germs from spreading in a nursing home?

Cleaning your hands before and after every resident contact

Wearing a mask for the whole shift

Asking the nurse to give antibiotics

A resident has diarrhea from C. diff. After giving care, how should you clean your hands?

Wipe them with a dry paper towel

CNA License Renewal by State 2026: How to Renew

How to renew a CNA license

Look yourself up on your state's nurse aide registry. It shows whether you are active and when you expire. Open your state in the table below for the registry link.
Make sure your paid CNA work is on record. Almost every state asks for paid nurse aide work since your last renewal. In many states your employer reports or signs for your hours.
Renew before your expiration date. Many states let you renew online. Open your state for its steps, form and fee.
If your state asks for continuing education, finish those hours first (see below).

CNA renewal rules in every state

Each row comes from that state's nurse aide registry or board. Open a state for its full renewal steps. A dash means no official page we checked settled it.

State	How often	Paid work you need
Alabama	No renewal form; stays active while you work	Work at least 8 paid hours every 24 months in a nursing home, hospital, home health agency, hospice, or mental health facility. Volunteer work, private sitting, assisted living and doctor's office work do not count.
Alaska	Every 2 years (certificates expire March 31 of even-numbered years)	At least 160 paid hours doing CNA work during the 2-year certification period.
Arizona	Every 2 years	At least 8 paid hours working as a nursing assistant in the last 2 years.
Arkansas	Every 24 months	Work for pay as a nurse aide for at least 8 hours in a row during the past 24 months. You record the hours in your TMU account and your employer verifies them.
California	Every 2 years	Paid nursing or nursing-related work in a health care facility, under a licensed health professional, during your most recent certification period.
Colorado	Every 2 years (all CNA certificates expire January 31 of odd-numbered years)	At least 8 hours of paid nursing care work in the 24 months before you renew.
Connecticut	Every 2 years from your last verified day of paid work	At least one 8-hour shift of paid work as a nurse aide (or in a job giving nursing-related services) before the certificate expires. Your employer sends in the Employment Verification Form.
Delaware	Every 24 months (2 years)	At least 64 hours of nursing related services for pay under the supervision of a nurse or physician during each 24 month certification period. You report the hours on the online z64 form in RELIAS.
District of Columbia	Every 2 years (certifications expire October 31 of each odd-numbered year)	At least 8 hours of paid nurse aide work in the past 24 months.
Florida	Every 2 years (licenses expire May 31 in two renewal groups)	You must have done nursing-related work for pay within the last 24 consecutive months.
Georgia	Every 24 months (from your last passed exam or last renewal, whichever is more recent)	At least 8 hours of paid nursing-related work every 24 consecutive months under the supervision of a nurse, documented on the online Georgia Nurse Aide Registry renewal form before the listing expires.
Hawaii	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours of paid nurse aide work, under the supervision of a licensed or registered nurse, during the last 24-month certification period. Your employer fills out section 2 of the recertification form, and you mail it to Prometric no more than 30 days before your certificate expires.
Idaho	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours (one documented day) of paid CNA or nursing-related work in the previous 24 consecutive months. Your employer signs the renewal form to verify your work dates, or you send a W-2 or pay stubs.
Illinois	No renewal form; stays active while you work	If you go 24 consecutive months without paid nursing or nursing-related work, your CNA status lapses. To get it back, file the online recertification form with SIUC and pass the written competency test again (3 tries within 1 year).
Indiana	Every 2 years	Work at least 8 hours in nursing-related duties every two years. Renewal is free through MyLicenseOne.
Iowa	No renewal form; stays active while you work	At least 8 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work in a two-year period, reported by your Iowa employer. A CNA cannot report their own hours.
Kansas	Every 2 years	Work at least 8 hours in a two-year period doing activities of daily living, and have your employer submit the work. Hours in a doctor's office or clinic do not count. If inactive, you can renew by an RN skills checklist or a 10-hour CNA refresher course.
Kentucky	Every 2 years	Proof of at least 8 hours of paid work as an SRNA doing nursing or nursing-related tasks in each 24-month period, such as a pay stub, W-2 or employer letter. Renew through the Kentucky Board of Nursing Nurse Portal.
Louisiana	Every 2 years	Work at least 8 hours for pay doing nursing or nursing-related services in an approved setting in every 24-month period. Private sitting does not count. Staffing agency work counts only if it was done in a nursing home. If your certification lapses, you may retest once within two years of the expiration date; otherwise you must retrain.
Maine	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours of qualified work in a health care setting, under a registered nurse's supervision, every 24 months. Your employer must fill out the current CNA Employment Verification Form, and you send it with your renewal.
Maryland	Every 2 years	Under federal rules, certification becomes invalid after 24 months in a row without paid nursing-related work.
Massachusetts	Every 24 months	You must have worked for pay as a nurse aide doing nursing or nursing-related work for at least 8 hours in a row during the past 24 months. Renew online in the Department of Public Health Health Profession Licensing System.
Michigan	Every 24 months	At least 40 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work as a certified nurse aide in the last 24 months. Renew online in MI-NATES. The renewal fee is $40.
Minnesota	Every 24 months	Work at least 8 hours as a paid nursing assistant every 24 months and send a recent pay stub. If you do not work in a nursing home or assisted living, also send a job description. A 24-month gap in work makes your registry status expire.
Mississippi	Every 24 months	You must have worked for pay as a nurse aide doing nursing or nursing-related work for at least 8 hours in a row in the past 24 months. Renew online in TMU and list your employer, who verifies your work by email. You have 30 days after your certification expires to renew; after that you must test again.
Missouri	Every 24 months	Show at least 8 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work in each 24-month period. Upload a pay stub, W-2, or letter on company letterhead in TMU and pay the $20 renewal fee. Your employer verifies by email. A 2-year gap in work makes your certificate inactive; a 5-year gap makes it expired.
Montana	Renew online in the BOUNDS portal, starting 90 days before your certificate expires.	Under the federal rule posted by DPHHS, you cannot stay on the registry if you do no paid nursing or nursing-related work for 24 months in a row.
Nebraska	No renewal form; stays active while you work	Work as a nurse aide in a paid position, in an approved employer setting, within 24 months of your last nurse aide job. If your status lapses, you must retake the written/oral and skills exams.
Nevada	Every 2 years	At least 40 hours of work as a CNA under a licensed nurse each renewal cycle.
New Hampshire	-	At least 200 hours of nursing-related work under a licensed nurse in the 2 years before renewal, or pass the written and clinical competency test in that time. Renew online by your birthday. The renewal fee is $66, which includes a $28 Professional Health Program fee.
New Jersey	Every 24 months	At least 7 hours of paid nursing services in the 24 months before your certificate expires. Your employer signs the renewal form. You bring the form, two IDs and the $36 fee to a PSI site, and the Department updates your background check.
New Mexico	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours of paid nurse aide work in a health care setting during the past 24 months, verified by your employer in TMU. Renewal fee is $25 (none if your employer is a state-funded facility). You have 30 days after expiration to renew; after that you must retest.
New York	Every 24 months	At least 7 hours of paid nurse aide work in a New York State nursing home or approved nurse aide employer within the past 24 months. Your employer must submit the renewal and pay the $40 fee.
North Carolina	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours of paid nurse aide work supervised by a registered nurse during each 24-month listing period. An RN must sign the renewal form. There is no fee.
North Dakota	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work within the 24-month period. Otherwise you must retrain and retest or pass a competency evaluation. There is no fee to renew as a CNA.
Ohio	Every 24 months	To stay eligible to work, you must do at least 7.5 hours in a row, or 8 hours within 48 hours, of paid nursing or nursing-related work in each 24-month period. If you miss this, you must retrain and retest.
Oklahoma	Every 2 years	At least 8 hours of paid nursing or health related work in the 24 months before renewal. If you go 24 months in a row with no paid work, you must take a new training and competency evaluation, or a new competency evaluation (your choice).
Oregon	Every 2 years	-
Pennsylvania	Every 24 months	Work for pay as a nurse aide for at least 8 hours during the previous 24 months in an approved setting, such as a nursing home, personal care home, hospital, or home health setting. Credentia, which runs renewals, asks for one documented day of 8 hours in a row. Private duty, self-employment and doctor's office work do not count.
Rhode Island	Every 2 years (expires June 30 of every other year)	At least 8 hours of work as a nursing assistant in the prior 24 months, or finishing training and passing the exam within the past 24 months. You attest to this on the online renewal form and may be audited.
South Carolina	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work in the 24 months before your certificate expires. Renew online through Credentia. The renewal fee is $35.
South Dakota	Every 2 years	At least 12 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work during the 2 years before renewal. You may renew online up to 90 days before you expire.
Tennessee	Every 24 months	At least 8 hours of work as a nurse aide in a licensed or certified health care facility in the past 24 months. Private duty, sitter, companion and private physician office work do not count.
Texas	Every 2 years	Documented work doing nursing or nursing-related duties in each two-year period since your certificate was issued or last renewed.
Utah	Every 2 years	At least 200 paid hours of nursing or nursing-related work under the direction of a licensed nurse in the previous 24 months, verified on a renewal form signed by a licensed nurse. A $40 late fee applies 1 day to 6 months late; after 6 months you must retest.
Vermont	Every 2 years	At least 50 days (400 hours) of work as a nursing assistant, or in a role that reinforces LNA skills, in the last two years.
Virginia	Every year (your first certificate is good for 2 years)	You must attest that you did nursing-related work for pay in the 2 years before your certificate expires. If not, you must retake and pass the state exam.
Washington	Every year, by your birthday	To stay active on the federal registry for nursing home work, you cannot go more than 24 months without paid caregiving work.
West Virginia	Every 2 years	At least 8 hours of paid nurse aide work, under RN supervision in a direct care setting, in the previous two years. Independent private duty work does not count.
Wisconsin	Every 24 months	You must work at least 8 hours for pay as a nurse aide, supervised by an RN or LPN, in each 24-month period. Your employer confirms the work in TMU. If you miss this, you must pass both parts of the exam again, but you do not have to retrain.
Wyoming	Every 2 years (all certificates expire December 31 of each even-numbered year)	In the past 2 years, show one of these: 400 hours of work as a CNA, 40 hours of continuing education, or a passing score on the state exam.

From each state's nurse aide registry or board, checked 2026-10-20. Rules change; check your registry before your renewal date.

If your CNA license expired

Some states give you little time after your expiration date. Mississippi and New Mexico give you 30 days to renew; after that you must test again. Utah charges a late fee for up to 6 months; after that you must retest. Renew before the date on the registry.

Federal nursing home rules add a second limit. If you go 24 months in a row without paid nursing or nursing-related work, you must pass the state competency test again, or take a new training program and the test (42 CFR 483.35(d)(6)).

States differ on what you redo. Wisconsin asks you to pass both parts of the test again but not to retrain. Ohio makes you retrain and retest. North Dakota lets you retrain and retest, or just pass a competency evaluation. Louisiana lets you retest once within two years of expiring; after that you retrain. Open your state for what it asks.

If you have to test again, practice first. Take the free CNA practice questions on this page: three questions, each with the answer explained, and five sample questions with answers. For the hands-on part, study the CNA skills list.

Continuing education for CNAs

Federal rules do not make continuing education a condition of renewal. They require nursing homes to give their aides at least 12 hours of in-service training a year (42 CFR 483.95(g)). Here is what each state says about training hours, including states that say none are needed to renew:

State	Continuing education
Alabama	CEUs do not keep you active. Nursing homes must give CNAs 12 hours of training each year.
Alaska	24 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. At your first renewal it is 12 hours if you were certified at least 1 year, or none if less than 1 year.
Arkansas	Nursing homes must give each nursing assistant 1 hour of in-service training each month.
California	48 hours of in-service training or CEUs every 2 years, with at least 12 hours each year. Up to 24 hours can come from a CDPH-approved online program.
Delaware	24 hours of approved continuing education each period, including 6 hours of dementia training and 2 hours of abuse, neglect and mistreatment prevention. Renewal fee is $25, paid online through RELIAS. A late renewal within 30 days after expiration adds a $25 late fee.
District of Columbia	24 hours of in-service training or continuing education in the 2 years before expiration (12 hours per year). 2 of those hours must be cultural competency or LGBTQ clinical training, and 10 percent must be on DC public health priorities. A criminal background check clearance is also required. Credentia says no payment is needed to submit the renewal application.
Florida	24 hours of in-service training each 2-year cycle, finished before you renew. Topics include infection control, domestic violence, resident rights, CPR and medical error prevention. Renewal fee is $55 before expiration, $105 after expiration, and $160 if 120-day notified delinquent.
Hawaii	If your work was not in a Medicaid or Medicare approved nursing facility, you also need a 24-hour competency course or 24 hours of continuing education.
Iowa	Long-term care facilities must give, and CNAs must complete, at least 12 hours of in-service training per year.
Kentucky	Nursing facilities must give each nurse aide at least 12 hours of staff development training each year.
Michigan	Starting March 23, 2026, you must attest to at least 12 hours of continuing education each year (the registry FAQ says 24 hours per renewal). It must cover abuse, neglect, and care plans.
Nevada	24 hours of CNA-related continuing training each renewal period.
New Hampshire	24 contact hours of continuing education in the 2 years before renewal, or pass the written and clinical competency test in that time.
New Mexico	The Health Care Authority says to complete 12 hours of in-service or continuing education each year (24 hours per renewal cycle). The renewal steps in the Headmaster handbook ask only for proof of work hours.
Oklahoma	Facilities must give each nurse aide 2 hours of in-service training each month.
Oregon	Every 48 months (every other renewal), attest to 2 hours of cultural competency continuing education. Renewal fee is $60 plus an $8 workforce data surcharge.
Pennsylvania	No training hours are required to renew. Nursing homes must give nurse aides at least 12 hours of in-service education each year.
Rhode Island	12 hours of in-service training per year at the facility where you work.
South Dakota	At least 12 hours of in-service education each year during the 2 years before renewal. It must cover dementia management and how to report resident abuse, neglect, exploitation, and misappropriation of property. Nursing school courses do not count.
Texas	At least 24 hours of in-service education every two years, including geriatrics and care of residents with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Washington	WABON does not require continuing education for NAC credentials; your employer may.
Wyoming	40 hours of continuing education in the past 2 years can be used instead of 400 work hours.

From each state's nurse aide registry or board, checked 2026-10-20. States not listed say nothing about training hours on the pages we checked.

CNA renewal fees

Renewal fees vary by state. Some states charge nothing; others charge about $20 to $100, and a few add a late fee. Open your state for its fee, and check your registry before you pay.

Moving or looking for work

Moving to another state? The CNA reciprocity page shows how each state takes a CNA from another state. Every state's training and test rules are on the CNA requirements by state page.

Paid work keeps your certificate active. Look at the CNA openings near you.

5 sample questions with answers

A nurse who is busy asks you to give a resident her morning pills. You are a CNA and do not hold a medication aide certificate. What should you do?
Answer: Politely tell the nurse that giving medicine is outside your duties. Giving medicine is outside a CNA's duties unless you hold a separate medication aide certificate. Tell the nurse politely and offer to help with a task you are trained to do.
Who writes the care plan that tells you what care each resident needs?
Answer: The nurse, working with the care team. The licensed nurse builds the care plan with the rest of the care team. You follow it and report changes that might mean it needs an update.
What is the single most important way to stop germs from spreading in a nursing home?
Answer: Cleaning your hands before and after every resident contact. Hands carry most germs from one person to the next. Hand hygiene before and after every contact is the first rule of infection control.
A resident has diarrhea from C. diff. After giving care, how should you clean your hands?
Answer: Wash with soap and water. Alcohol rub does not kill C. diff spores well. Washing with soap and water and rubbing your hands together removes them.
You are wearing a gown, a mask, goggles and gloves. Which do you take off first when you leave the room?
Answer: Gloves. Gloves are the most soiled item, so they come off first. The mask comes off last, after you are away from the resident.

The other 115 questions are in the full prep.

All 120 questions with the reason for each answer, timed mock exams of 70 questions scored by topic, and drills on what you miss.

Open the full CNA written test prep, $5.99 for 30 days

CNA License Renewal by State (2026): How to Renew, the Work Hours You Need, and What to Do If It Expired