CNA certification: training, state exam, license check and renewal
CNA certification means passing a state-approved competency evaluation, usually after a state-approved training program, and being listed on your state’s nurse aide registry. Federal rules set the floor: at least 75 clock hours of training, a written or oral exam plus a skills demonstration, and at least three attempts. Everything else, from the test vendor to fees and renewal, is set by each state.
- Federal training minimum
- 75 clock hours, including at least 16 hours of supervised practical training42 CFR 483.152, checked 18 October 2026
- Exam parts
- Written or oral exam (your choice) plus a skills demonstration42 CFR 483.154, checked 18 October 2026
- Attempts
- At least three opportunities under federal rules; Virginia and Florida allow three42 CFR 483.154; Credentia Virginia handbook; Florida Statutes 464.203, checked 18 October 2026
- NNAAP written exam
- 70 multiple-choice items, 10 of them unscored pretest itemsNCSBN 2024 NNAAP content outline, checked 18 October 2026
- Example: Virginia (Credentia)
- Written exam 2 hours; 5 skills in 30 minutes; fees $45 written, $95 skillsCredentia Virginia handbook and fee page, checked 18 October 2026
- Example: Florida (Prometric)
- 60 questions in 90 minutes; 5 scored skills in 31 to 40 minutes; $155 for both partsPrometric Florida CNA bulletin, checked 18 October 2026
- Passing the skills test
- All five skills must be passed (Virginia and Florida)Credentia Virginia handbook; Prometric Florida CNA bulletin, checked 18 October 2026
- Written passing score
- Not published as a number by Credentia (Virginia) or Prometric (Florida) on the pages checkedChecked 18 October 2026
- Renewal
- Set by each state; Virginia: every 2 years; Florida: 2-year cycle with 24 hours of in-service trainingCredentia Virginia registry page; Florida Board of Nursing, checked 18 October 2026
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Why you can trust these CNA questions
What is certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification?
Federal rules for nursing facilities call the role nurse aide. A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a nurse aide who has completed the state’s competency requirements; some states and employers say certified nurse assistant (CNA) for the same credential. Federal law requires every state to keep a registry of nurse aides who have passed a state-approved competency evaluation, and nursing facilities must check that registry before an aide starts work.
So what is a CNA license? In most states, being certified means being listed on the state nurse aide registry. Some boards call the same credential a license; Florida’s Board of Nursing, for example, talks about CNA licensing and license renewal. The paper document matters less than the registry entry: a certificate of CNA status is only valid while the registry shows you as active.
Source: eCFR — 42 CFR 483.156, registry of nurse aides. Checked 18 October 2026.
How to get CNA certification
How do I get a CNA license? The federal path has three steps, and each state adds its own details:
- Complete a state-approved nurse aide training program: at least 75 clock hours, with at least 16 hours of supervised practical training (many states require more; Virginia requires 140 hours).
- Pass the state competency evaluation: a written or oral exam plus a skills demonstration, run by the state or a state-approved test vendor.
- Get listed on the state nurse aide registry; federal rules require the entry within 30 days of being found competent.
Source: eCFR — 42 CFR 483.152, nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs. Checked 18 October 2026.
The CNA state exam: written test and skills test
The CNA state exam has two parts. Federal rules let you choose between a written and an oral exam, and the skills demonstration uses randomly selected tasks from a pool that includes all personal care skills taught in training. Only the state or an entity the state approves may administer it, and nursing facilities themselves may not.
Virginia, for example, uses the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP), whose content outline NCSBN publishes. Its written CNA exam has 70 multiple-choice items, 10 of which are unscored pretest items. The oral version has 60 multiple-choice items plus 10 reading comprehension items. Other states use their own CNA state test through vendors such as Prometric, so format and timing depend on where you test.
Source: NCSBN — 2024 NNAAP Written (Oral) Examination Content Outline. Checked 18 October 2026.
What the CNA exam questions cover
On the NNAAP, the 60 scored CNA exam questions follow the 2024 content outline, in effect since April 2024. Basic nursing skills alone account for 35%, and physical care overall for 64%. Typical CNA test questions are short care scenarios: what to do first, what to report, how to protect the resident’s rights and safety.
- Physical care skills: activities of daily living 22%, basic nursing skills 35%, self care and independence 7%
- Psychosocial care skills: emotional and mental health needs 8%, spiritual and cultural needs 2%
- Role of the nurse aide: communication 7%, client rights 8%, legal and ethical behavior 5%, member of the health care team 6%
Source: NCSBN — 2024 NNAAP Written (Oral) Examination Content Outline. Checked 18 October 2026.
The CNA skills exam
The skills test for CNA candidates is a hands-on demonstration observed by an evaluator. In Virginia, Credentia asks you to perform five randomly selected nurse aide skills in 30 minutes, and you must complete all five successfully to pass.
Florida’s Prometric CNA skills exam also scores five skills, with handwashing and indirect care observed throughout, and allows 31 to 40 minutes depending on the skills assigned. Again, you must pass all five. Learning each step of the official skill checklists is the most reliable preparation.
Source: Credentia — Virginia Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook (January 2024). Checked 18 October 2026.
The Prometric CNA exam (Florida example)
Where Prometric delivers the CNA exam, the format differs from the NNAAP. In Florida, the written test has 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, available in English or Spanish or as an audio version that must be chosen on the application. The clinical skills test is in English.
Florida also allows a challenger route: under Florida law you may take the exam without completing training if you have a high school diploma or equivalent or are at least 18. After three failed attempts, though, Florida requires a state-approved training program before you test again.
Source: Prometric — Florida Certified Nursing Assistant Candidate Information Bulletin (Rev. 11012025). Checked 18 October 2026.
How much does the CNA exam cost?
There is no national fee. Two state examples: in Virginia, Credentia charges $45 for the written or oral exam and $95 for the skills evaluation, and fees are not refundable. In Florida, Prometric charges $155 for the skills and written exams together, $120 for skills only and $35 for written only.
Federal rules also limit who pays. If you already work for a nursing facility, or have a job offer from one, when you start a program, you may not be charged for any part of the training or competency evaluation.
Source: Credentia Virginia — Exam Fees. Checked 18 October 2026.
Retakes: how many times can you take the CNA test?
Federal rules give you at least three opportunities to take the CNA test, and a state may not cap attempts below three. If you fail, you must be told which areas you did not pass. Virginia allows three attempts at each exam; you only repeat the part you failed. Florida requires a training program after three failed attempts.
Source: eCFR — 42 CFR 483.154, nurse aide competency evaluation. Checked 18 October 2026.
CNA license search and certification check
Federal law requires each registry to be promptly accessible to the public and to employers, and in Virginia and Florida the CNA license search is online. Virginia’s Department of Health Professions License Lookup includes nurse aides; Florida’s bulletin points to the state registry for public verification of certification. A CNA license check by an employer and a CNA certification check by you use the same registry.
Wondering how to find my CNA license number? Search your own record in the state lookup. Virginia’s lookup lets you search by license number, by name, or by last name plus the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you still cannot find it, the board is the place to ask: how do I get my CNA license number if the lookup shows nothing? Contact the Virginia Board of Nursing at (804) 367-4515, or the registry in your own state.
Source: Virginia Department of Health Professions — License Lookup. Checked 18 October 2026.
CNA certification renewal
CNA certification renewal is a state process, but one federal rule applies everywhere: if you go 24 consecutive months without paid nursing or nursing-related work, you must complete a new training and competency evaluation program or a new competency evaluation. Facilities must also give nurse aides at least 12 hours of in-service training per year.
How to renew my CNA license in Virginia: certification is valid for two years, and you attest that you worked for pay in nursing-related services during that time; otherwise you must retake the NNAAP exam. How do I renew my CNA license in Florida: renew every two years online, complete at least 24 hours of in-service training each biennium, have paid nursing-related work within the last 24 consecutive months, and pay $55 before expiration. To renew a CNA license elsewhere, check your board’s rules; renewing is your responsibility even if no reminder arrives, and in Virginia you must report a name or address change within 30 days to keep your record current.
Missed the deadline? Whether you can renew CNA license status after expiry depends on the state: in Virginia, a certification lapsed for more than 90 days needs a reinstatement application and fees. Once you have filed, look yourself up in the state registry to confirm your CNA license renewed and shows as current.
Source: Florida Board of Nursing — Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Renewal. Checked 18 October 2026.
Free CNA practice test with answers and the Prometric CNA practice test
The best free CNA practice exam questions come from the test vendors themselves. Prometric’s Florida bulletin contains a 50-question sample test with an answer key, a free CNA practice test with answers provided as a courtesy, and Credentia’s Virginia handbook site shows sample questions with a correct-answer table. Neither vendor says that a score on these samples predicts your result.
The Prometric practice exams are paid: three 50-question written versions at $15 each or all 150 questions for $35, plus clinical skills readiness tests, according to Prometric’s practice exam page. Florida’s bulletin lists a different price, so check before you buy. A CNA Prometric practice test gives immediate feedback on the areas you need to review.
Source: Prometric — Nurse Aide Practice Exams. Checked 18 October 2026.
CNA practice questions
Certsqill’s CNA practice test questions are expert-developed and mapped to the NNAAP content areas: physical care skills, psychosocial care skills and the role of the nurse aide. Use them as a CNA prep test before you book the state exam.
Every question comes with an explanation for each answer option, and your results build a readiness score per content area, so you see whether basic nursing skills, client rights or communication need more work. A 7-day money-back guarantee applies.
CNA questions people ask
What is a CNA license?
In most states it is your listing on the state nurse aide registry after passing the competency evaluation; some states, such as Florida, call it a license. Source: 42 CFR 483.156 and Florida Board of Nursing, checked 18 October 2026.
How do I get a CNA license?
Complete a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, pass the written or oral exam and the skills demonstration, and get listed on your state registry. Source: 42 CFR 483.152 and 483.154, checked 18 October 2026.
Is there online certification for CNA?
Not fully. Federal rules require at least 16 hours of supervised practical training and a skills demonstration in a facility or laboratory setting. In Virginia, the written or oral exam can be taken online with a live proctor. A CNA online certificate from a course alone does not put you on a state registry. Source: 42 CFR 483.152 and 483.154, Credentia Virginia, checked 18 October 2026.
How many questions are on the CNA exam?
It depends on the state. The NNAAP written exam has 70 multiple-choice items, 10 unscored; Florida’s Prometric written test has 60 questions. Source: NCSBN and Prometric, checked 18 October 2026.
Is the CNA state exam the same in every state?
No. Federal rules set the minimum: a written or oral part and a skills part. States choose the vendor, format, fees and time limits.
How many times can I take the CNA test?
Federal rules give you at least three attempts. Virginia allows three per exam; Florida requires training after three failures. Source: 42 CFR 483.154, Credentia, Florida Statutes 464.203, checked 18 October 2026.
How to find my CNA license number?
Search your record in your state’s online registry lookup. Virginia’s lookup accepts your last name plus the last four digits of your SSN. Otherwise contact your state board or registry.
How do I renew my CNA license?
Follow your state’s rules. Virginia renews every two years with proof of paid nursing-related work; Florida every two years with 24 hours of in-service training and a $55 fee before expiration. Checked 18 October 2026.
Where can I find a free CNA practice exam?
In the official candidate materials: Prometric’s Florida bulletin has a 50-question sample test with answers, and Credentia’s Virginia site has sample questions with answers. Checked 18 October 2026.
Does a CNA certificate expire if I stop working?
Under federal rules, after 24 consecutive months without paid nursing-related work you need new training and evaluation or a new competency evaluation. Source: 42 CFR 483.35, checked 18 October 2026.
