Your State-by-State Guide to CNA Recertification and Renewal

Some states let a CNA renew with little more than proof of paid nursing hours. Others stack continuing education and in-service training on top. The reason is structural: CNA certification requirements are state-regulated, not federal, so renewal periods, fees, and work-hour thresholds shift at each state line.

A 50-state matrix sorts those differences. The questions that matter most are narrower: when does your registry listing expire, and how many paid CNA hours does your state require? Staying current matters beyond the registry because many employers bill Medicare or Medicaid, and an inactive aide cannot be staffed on those assignments. An expired certification can cost shifts, wages, and access to employer reimbursement.

What Is CNA Recertification? Federal vs. State Rules

CNA recertification is the periodic process of proving to your state that you are still qualified to work as a certified nursing assistant, so your name stays active on the state nurse aide registry, which you can verify with a CNA Registry Lookup. Most states ask you to renew every two years, though the details depend entirely on where you work.

What the Federal Rule Actually Covers

The federal piece comes from the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA-87). It requires nurse aides in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes to complete a state-approved CNA training curriculum and pass a competency evaluation. It also requires each state to keep a registry of those who pass.

That is an employment eligibility rule for nursing homes. It is not a national license, and no federal agency issues you a CNA credential or sends you a renewal notice. Passing your exam in one state does not give you a multistate CNA license that travels everywhere.

What Each State Controls

Every state runs its own registry and writes its own renewal rules. That includes:

• Renewal period: How often you must renew, usually every 24 months, with some variation.
• Work-hour rules: Whether you must show paid nursing-related work during your certification period, and how many hours count.
• Continuing education: Whether in-service or CE hours are required, and how many.
• Fees and forms: What you pay, which form you file, and whether you submit online or by mail.

Why a Lapse Matters

If you miss renewal, your status can change from active to expired on the registry. Nursing homes check that registry before hiring and while you are employed, so an expired listing can bar you from facility work even though you completed federally compliant training. Some states let you reinstate with extra paperwork. Others may require retraining or retesting.

Rules differ enough that checking your own state's renewal period, work hours, CE, forms, fees, and reinstatement requirements is the fastest way to keep your certification active.

The Standard CNA Renewal Process at a Glance

Most states follow a similar sequence when a CNA certification comes due. The exact forms, fees, and evidence of work hours vary, so treat this as a general checklist rather than a replacement for your state registry's instructions.

CNA Renewal Periods and Work-Hour Requirements by State

Most states run CNA certification on a 24-month cycle, but the number of paid nursing hours you must log to renew swings dramatically from one jurisdiction to the next. Knowing both figures for your state is the difference between a routine renewal and a surprise retest.

The Two-Year Standard, With Exceptions

A two-year renewal period is the common pattern. Arkansas, the District of Columbia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin all run 24-month cycles, with work verification tied to the preceding two years. Nebraska works differently: there is no ordinary expiration date. Instead, your active status depends on having worked as a paid nurse aide within 24 months of your last nursing job, and the facility submits a registry form when it hires you.

Treat any other renewal interval you read online with caution. Several non-official compilations claim certain states renew annually or use different cycles, but those sources are not state nursing boards or health departments. Confirm your own state's period directly with the agency that issues your certification before you rely on a date.

How Many Paid Hours You Need

The paid-work requirement is where states diverge most. Where an exact figure is published by the state, the minimums reviewed here cluster at the low end:

• Arkansas: At least one documented day, roughly 8 hours, of paid nursing or nursing-related work in the prior two years.
• District of Columbia: At least 8 paid hours during the certification period.
• North Carolina: At least 8 paid hours of Nurse Aide I duties performed under RN supervision during the 24-month window.
• Michigan: A higher bar of at least 40 paid hours in the last 24 months.

Wisconsin requires paid nursing or nursing-related services under RN or LPN supervision during the renewal period but does not publish a fixed hour minimum. Nebraska likewise ties active status to recent paid employment rather than a stated hour count. The practical lesson: even eight qualifying hours can keep you certified in some states, while others expect substantially more, so do not assume a single national standard applies to you.

Who Verifies Your Hours

States also differ on who signs off. Arkansas accepts a pay stub plus a notarized employer letter describing your CNA duties. The District of Columbia requires a signature from your facility administrator, director of nursing, or in-service coordinator. North Carolina shifts the task to your supervising RN, who confirms your last work date through an online verification form, while Wisconsin has a designated facility representative certify your services and total hours. Line up that documentation before your renewal window closes.

Continuing Education and In-Service Training by State

California's Published CE Standard

California sets one of the clearest published standards for CNA continuing education: 48 hours every two years, with at least 12 of those hours completed as in-service training in each year of the renewal period. Up to 24 hours may be taken online through a California Department of Public Health approved provider, such as those listed among CNA Online Continuing Education Providers, and required subjects include Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.¹ Published state guidance does not itemize the full subject list for CNAs, but the 2026 clarification makes dementia care training a named component. This means California CNAs should plan for both online flexibility and in-person or approved live training. The in-service requirement also means CNAs need hands-on or facility-based training, not just self-paced modules, unless those modules are approved for in-service credit.

Michigan's 2026 Renewal Requirements

Michigan's requirements take effect for CNAs whose expiration date is on or after March 23, 2026. The state requires 12 continuing education hours per year, totaling 24 hours over the two-year renewal cycle. Online or in-person courses count if accepted by the Michigan Board of Nursing, and at least one course or CE activity must cover abuse, neglect, and care planning. Because these requirements are new, CNAs should verify whether their current in-service records meet the board's definitions before renewal.

For CNAs employed in CMS-certified nursing homes, Michigan will accept the 12 annual in-service hours required under federal rule 42 CFR 483.95 to meet the state CE requirement. Those in-service hours must include dementia management, abuse prevention, neglect, exploitation or misappropriation of resident property, and address weaknesses identified in performance reviews plus residents' special needs. Even when federal in-service hours are accepted, Michigan still requires care plan training under state rule, so the care planning CE cannot be skipped.

Where Requirements Are Less Clear

Colorado does not publish separate CNA continuing education hour requirements in the available official results. Instead, certified nurse aides must work at least 8 paid service hours during each renewal cycle under the Nurse Practice Act.² Those work hours are a renewal qualification, not a replacement for employer or facility training.

District of Columbia guidance discusses general licensee continuing education, including 2 hours of LGBTQ cultural competency and 10 percent public health priorities during a transition period, but whether these apply specifically to CNAs is not established in the available material.

Because state-level CNA CE rules are not uniformly published, CNAs should confirm both the nursing board and the employer's in-service policy. In many states, annual training for nursing home assistants follows the federal in-service framework rather than a separate state CE table. Always keep documentation of completed hours, whether from state-approved providers or facility in-service programs. When in doubt, request a written verification of accepted CE sources from the state board or a qualified training coordinator.

State-Specific Renewal Forms and Submission Methods

Every state runs its own renewal paperwork, so the form you download matters more than any general checklist. Official 2026 guidance is clearest for California, Indiana, Maryland and Georgia, and those four show how much the process can differ.

Four States, Four Different Forms

• California: The form is CDPH 283C CNA/HHA Renewal Application, and you can submit online through the California Department of Public Health portal or by mail. Plan for 48 hours of continuing education across the two-year cycle, at least 12 of them each year. Skilled nursing facility in-service hours are documented on CDPH 283A, which your employer provides and an instructor signs.
• Indiana: Most renewals go through the Indiana Department of Health's Online Licensing System. The paper CNA Renewal Form applies mainly if your certification has been expired more than eight months, and in that case your verifying employer submits it to the Registry. The state's guidance also requires a minimum number of paid nursing-related work hours per cycle (eight, per the 2026 figures), and private care hours do not count.
• Maryland: The Board of Nursing publishes a CNA Renewal Applicant Checklist, last updated May 27, 2026. For renewals on or after April 1, 2026, you attest to implicit bias and structural racism training. An expired certificate adds a verification of employment (VOE) on company letterhead, signed by an RN or HR. Expired more than a year, you also need to meet CNA background check requirements and submit a fingerprint receipt with its tracking number.¹
• Georgia: Use the Application for Renewal as a Certified Nurse Aide, which includes a checklist. If you are working, your employer signs Section A, and you return the packet to the Georgia Medical Care Foundation. Proof of paid work, such as a pay stub, W-2, 1099 or employer letter, is required.

Who Actually Submits the Application

Employers often sign or supply documents, but in California, Maryland and Georgia the filing itself is generally yours to handle. Indiana is the partial exception for long-expired certificates. Do not assume your facility will file anything for you, and ask HR early if you need a signature or letterhead.

How to Find Your Own State's Form

Official form names, portal addresses, and deadlines are not published for every state, so confirm yours directly rather than trusting a summary. The reliable route:

• Search for your state's nurse aide registry or health department, and stay on the official .gov site.
• Open the renewal page and download the current version of the form, not a saved copy.
• Check the revision date and the documentation list before you gather anything.
• Note whether the portal accepts online payment and uploads, or whether you must mail the packet.

Deadlines usually track your expiration date rather than a fixed calendar day, so renew well before the date printed on your certificate. Mailed or employer-signed packets take extra days to assemble.

CNA Renewal Fees and Processing Times by State

Renewal costs for nursing assistants are moving toward simple and cheap, and in some states the fee has disappeared entirely. Official information we could confirm for 2026 is limited to a handful of states, so treat the figures below as examples of the range, not a full 50-state price list.

What the Confirmed State Figures Show

The spread is wide even in this small sample:

• Alaska: Biennial renewal is $100 for certificates first issued on or before March 31, 2023. Newer certificates pay a prorated $50. Correct, complete applications typically take 4 to 6 weeks, and no late fee appears in the official materials.
• Arizona: The renewal fee is $0. A CNA who worked more than one year past the expiration date owes a $10 late fee for each year worked.¹ The Arizona State Board of Nursing page does not state a typical processing time.
• Michigan: Renewal costs $40 and must be done electronically through the state registry's online system. You can start no earlier than 45 days before your certificate expires. A late fee and processing time were not identified in the official result we found.
• Maryland: The state says fees apply and are identical online, by mail, or in person. The amount was not confirmed here, so check the Maryland fee schedule before you pay.

What to Expect in Other States

Nonofficial summaries suggest renewal fees commonly fall between $0 and $50, with processing often taking 2 to 6 weeks. Those are rough ranges, not guarantees, and they cannot replace what your own state registry publishes. Fees can change, and some states charge different amounts depending on when your certificate was first issued, as Alaska does.

How to Avoid Delays

Processing time often depends more on you than on the state. A few habits help:

• Start early. Michigan's 45-day window is a good model even if your state has no formal opening date.
• Check that your name, address, and work-hour documentation match what the registry has on file.
• Pay the fee exactly as the official form directs. Fees that are the same by every method, as in Maryland, still need to be submitted correctly.
• Build in at least six weeks, since Alaska's 4 to 6 week estimate is a reasonable planning number.
• Confirm any late fee before your certificate lapses. Arizona's per-year charge shows how a delay can add cost.

Before you submit, pull up the current fee and form from your state's nurse aide registry or board of nursing. Official pages are the only reliable place to confirm what you will actually owe in 2026.

Related Articles

Reinstatement After Expiration: State Rules and Pathways

A lapsed CNA certificate is rarely a dead end, but how hard the road back is depends heavily on your state. Official registry information we could confirm covers Louisiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Connecticut, and New Mexico, so treat the examples below as a sample, not a national rule. For any other state, check the nurse aide registry directly.

Where Paid Work Hours Save You From Retesting

In most of these states, proof of recent paid work is what separates a paperwork reinstatement from a full retest.

• Kentucky: Show at least 8 paid nursing-related hours for each 2-year period. Without proof, you retake classes and the competency test.¹
• Tennessee: Certification runs 24 months. After expiration, you document 8 hours worked in each year, starting the year before expiration. Without continuous employment in a certified facility, expect retraining and retesting.²
• Virginia: A lapse of more than 90 days requires a reinstatement application. To skip the exam, you need nursing-related paid duties within the 2 years before expiration and within 2 years of the Board receiving your application.³
• Connecticut: If you did no nurse aide or direct care work for more than 24 months after your most recent certification, you must retake and pass the written and practical exam.⁴

Where the Exam Comes Back Sooner

Some states leave a much narrower window.

• New Mexico: You can renew from 30 days before to 30 days after expiration. Past that, you retake the state competency exam.⁵
• Louisiana: Without proof of 8 paid hours in the 24-month cycle, you may retest within 2 years of expiration, with one attempt. Failing it, or letting the lapse run beyond 2 years, means retraining.
• Michigan: Only an active registration lets you work. An expired one means following the steps to become a CNA again: retaking state-approved training and the exam, then applying as a new initial candidate.

Do Not Assume a Grace Period Lets You Work

The sources we reviewed do not consistently describe a grace period, and a reinstatement window does not grant permission to work. Virginia's 90 days and New Mexico's 30 days describe when you can apply. They do not say you may care for patients meanwhile. Michigan states plainly that expired registrations cannot work. Until your state confirms otherwise in writing, stay off the schedule.

Your Next Step

The moment you notice a lapse, pull your pay records and look up your registry status. Employers can often supply verification of paid hours, and these records are what most reinstatement forms ask for. Acting early keeps you inside the shorter windows and may spare you retraining. Rules and forms change, so confirm current requirements with your state registry before you submit anything.

Reciprocity and Renewal for CNAs Moving Between States

CNA certification does not transfer automatically when you move. Each state keeps its own nurse aide registry, so a CNA moving across state lines generally must apply for listing on the destination state's registry through a reciprocity or endorsement application. The most important factor is whether your previous certification is active and in good standing.

Getting Listed in a New State

Start with the destination state's nurse aide registry or nursing board. Most reciprocity applications ask for your current registry number, the state where you are listed, and your personal information. If your certification is active, the new state may add you to its registry without requiring you to repeat a full training program. Some states may still ask for a short orientation to state-specific rules. Because each state has its own form, submit early. Processing times vary by state.

Meeting the Destination State's Renewal Standards

Reciprocity does not exempt you from the destination state's renewal rules. Many states expect reciprocity applicants to meet the same continuing education and work-hour requirements as their own CNAs. If you have not worked as a nurse aide for pay recently, the new state may require a refresher course or additional in-service hours before listing you. Check the destination registry early so you can complete any missing requirements before you move.

Verification and Documentation

The destination state typically verifies your prior listing directly with your previous state's registry. You may also need to provide employer history and possibly your original training transcript. Common verification steps include:

• Previous registry verification: The prior state confirms your active status and any findings.
• Employer history: Pay stubs or employer statements may show recent CNA work.
• Training transcript review: Some states check that your program met the required classroom and clinical hours.

No National CNA Compact

CNAs do not have a national compact like the Nurse Licensure Compact for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. Each state sets its own forms, fees, and processing steps, so the transfer process is state by state.

Expired Certification and Retraining

An expired certification often disqualifies you from reciprocity. If your prior CNA listing lapsed beyond the state's grace period, the destination state may require you to retrain and retake the competency exam. Renewing before you move is usually the safest way to keep your options open.

CNA Salary by State: Where Staying Certified Pays Off

State-level wage data for nursing assistants shows a meaningful spread in earning power for certified professionals. The five highest-paying states in the table below are Oregon, Washington, New York, New Hampshire, and the District of Columbia, all above the national median for nursing assistants referenced earlier. Across the states shown, median annual pay ranges from $42,030 in Delaware to $49,830 in Oregon.

Salary Insight: Top-Paying State for CNAs