Each state has its own rules and procedures when it comes to getting licensed, but it doesn’t need to be confusing. Some are free, some have fees attached, and some can be easily done online! The process of getting your license transferred is called “Reciprocity” or “Endorsement”.
Find the state you are interested in below and click on the state name to find the official state documents.
The facility will need to handle getting your name placed on the Alabama Nurse Aide Registry.
From the website:
Does Alabama have a Reciprocity form?
No. The reciprocity process for the state of Alabama requires your employer to contact the State agency to have your name placed on the Alabama Nurse Aide Registry.
$330 – Mail
Can work for 120 Days if the application is in process. For applicants currently certified in another state – must meet Alaska’s minimum training standards and possess unencumbered certification.
$50 – Online Portal
Create an account, apply for a license, and choose the CNA by Endorsement route.
*A note on Arizona: CNA vs LNA
The “NEW” CNA: Although there were CNAs before July 1, 2016, the current CNA, also known as “Registry CNA”, is a new type of credential, effective July 1, 2016. Registry CNAs have fewer requirements for certification and less oversight by the Board. Registry CNA applicants need only meet the minimum federal requirements for CNA certification, and will be issued a certificate after completing an approved CNA program and passing the CNA tests. Registry CNAs are required to practice 8 hours every two years to renew their license/certificate. A criminal background check is NOT required, and certification is free.
The LNA: In contrast, the current LNA has requirements that are almost identical to the “old” CNA. The LNA must complete a criminal background check, has a higher level of oversight by the Board prior to and after issuance of the LNA license. LNAs are required to practice a minimum of 160 hours within the past two years to renew their license.
Please include clear, readable copies of your Driver’s License / Photo ID, Social Security Card, and a copy of your Nursing Assistant Certification from the State you are currently certified in. Your name must be the same on all documents. If not, send a copy of documents showing the legal reason for Name Changes (Marriage License, Divorce Decree, or Court Order). You must also have an Arkansas Address unless you live in a bordering city of Arkansas.
Mail all required forms to:
OFFICE OF LONG TERM CARE
AR NURSE AIDE REGISTRY
PO BOX 8059 SLOT S405
LITTLE ROCK AR 72203-8059
Fees Vary
In order to transfer your out-of-state certificate to California, you must complete and submit the following to CDPH:
$10 – Online Portal
CNA Endorsement Checklist – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v6rBUcAfDI08Zmma1o5RegcNSHkmkmWW/view
Create an account and follow the instructions for CNA Certification by Endorsement. An Application Specialist will review your application based on the information you supply. If your application is
incomplete, you will be contacted via the email address you provided. To monitor the status of your application,
visit Online Services: www.colorado.gov/dora/licensing/
$55 – Online Portal
Follow – Certified in another state route 7
You would select this route if you are currently active and in good standing on a registry in another state.
Please complete an online application.
$30 – Mail Only
Certified Nursing Assistant trained and certified outside the State of Delaware cannot work in a nursing home in Delaware without a Delaware certificate. Delaware certification is required before the person begins working as a CNA, whether working directly for a nursing home or through a temporary/contract agency.
The Division will grant certification through the process of reciprocity if the following conditions are met:
Fees Vary by Fingerprint Provider – Online Portal
Follow the Florida link above then click on the appropriate tabs to see the Initial Licensing Requirements, Process, Fees, Statutes and Administrative Rules for a Certified Nursing Assistant by Endorsement.
Free – Mail Only
A nurse aide from another state may apply for listing on the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry in lieu of completing a Georgia state-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program or state approved Competency Evaluation Program by meeting the following qualifications. The individual:
$25 – Mail Only
Applicants who are or have been certified in other states use the reciprocity pathway (Route 2 on the form). Prometric will verify registration status. If it is not current, the nurse aide will be required to take the competency evaluation. Reciprocity candidates will include copies of their current certificates. Prometric will need the name of the state and the certification expiration date.
Free – Mail Only
Do not return this form to the Idaho Nurse Aide Registry. After you have complete the information requested above, it is your responsibility to send this form to the state agency you are transferring FROM. These are the states that will not provide written verification of registry status: AZ, CA, CO, IL, KY , MO, NC. You will need to go to the public verification websites for these states and print a current copy of your status. Send that back to the Idaho Nurse Aide registry with the completed out of state verification form to the PO box address found at the top of the form.
$25 – Mail or Fax
To become a CNA via OUT-OF-STATE APPLICATION, download the following pdf form [ Out of State Application ] and mail the completed application to Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Nurse Assistant/Aide Testing, 1840 Innovation Drive, Suite 103, Carbondale, IL 62903.
If a CNA certification is not active in any other state, then the CNA may recertify in Illinois and no transfer fee is required. Please contact the Nurse Aide Testing office at (877) 262-9259 or by email at inat@siu.edu to inquire as to the process of recertification.
$65 – Mail Only
You must take the written portion of the test
Mail your application, documents, and fee to:
CNA Testing
P.O. Box 1621
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206
Ivy Tech Community College will notify the person who submitted the application to test by phone or mail of the test date, time, and location. Testing will be scheduled within 30 days of processing the valid application.
Free – Mail or Fax
If the DCW is transferring from another State, please use the “State Certified (if other than IA)” field to indicate state(s) where
the DCW is presently active. It is the facility’s responsibility to contact the Registry from the previous State to verify its status.
Many States will provide a license number and/or an expiration date. Please include a copy of the DCW’s present Registry
certification card, if available, as well as a legible copy of their Social Security card.
$20 Mail Only
*Above link will auto-download the form.
Please Note: DO NOT complete this form if you have previously been a Certified Nurse Aide in Kansas. You may contact the Kansas Nurse Aide Registry at 785-296-6877 for your Kansas certification status.
In order to be eligible to sit for the Kansas Nurse Aide Test, the candidate must be listed as current or active on any other State’s registry. Any potential candidate who is not sure of his/her status is advised to contact their State registry prior to applying for Kansas certification.
Candidates for testing Must Complete this Form and Attach the following:
Free – Mail or Fax
If you have an active status in another state, submit:
Send information to KNAR:
Mail to:
Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry
312 Whittington Pkwy, Ste 300-A
Louisville, KY 40222-5172
Fax to:
502-429-1247
$35 – Mail Only
Select Route 8 on the form.
You must be active and in good standing in all states you are currently certified in.
Effective July 1, 2018, Prometric will handle the processing of reciprocity applications for Louisiana.
Please read the “Reciprocity Procedure” before submitting the application to Prometric. You must submit payment with the application, along with a legible copy (clear enough to be read) of your social security card and official Louisiana identification (ID card, driver’s license, etc.). A military ID is acceptable. Also, if the CNA lives within a 30 mile radius of the LA border, a LA ID will not be required.
Mail all required information to this address:
Prometric
ATTN: LA Nurse Aide Program
7941 Corporate Drive
Nottingham, MD 21236
Free – Mail Only
(Can work for 4 months while not on registry)
For questions regarding this program and/or application, please contact the following:
Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Licensing and Certification
Maine Registry of Certified Nursing Assistants and Direct Care Workers
41 Anthony Ave; 11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
$20 + Fingerprint Fees – Mail Only
How to Obtain an Application
• Contact the CNA program at 410-585-2044 or fax a request at 410-764-8042 or send an e-mail
request for the application to anitaj.williams@maryland.gov
Free – Mail Only
General Instructions:
Complete this form if you are currently certified as a nursing assistant in another state. Do not complete this
form if you have ever been a CNA on the Massachusetts Registry. Instead, contact the ARC Staff at 1-800-
962-4337 or 1-781-979-4010 for renewal information.
In order to be placed on the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry, complete the application and send to the
Nurse Aide Registry where you are currently certified for verification. When the verified application is
returned to you, mail the original completed application* to the following address:
ARC/Massachusetts Nurse Aide Program
Reciprocity Program
85 Lowell Street
Peabody, MA 01960
$20
Michigan requirements for reciprocity include, but are not limited to, the following:
The state training program is consistent with the Federal Code of Regulations, requires a minimum of 75-course hours prior to taking the competency evaluation
examination, and does not allow candidates to exempt from training course hours. The following states have confirmed to the state of Michigan that their
program meets or exceeds the MI requirements. Candidates that trained and tested in one of these states are eligible to apply for a MI certificate:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,
New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Free – Mail Only
Please follow directions carefully. Incomplete forms will delay your transfer to the Minnesota Registry.
All incomplete forms will be returned to the address you listed on the forms.
1) Complete Section A-1 and send this form to the state registry from which
you are transferring. For your convenience, a list of Nurse Aide Registries
is on the reverse side.
Please Note: Complete Section A-1 and mail this form to the
Minnesota Registry if you are transferring from one of the following
states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri or North
Carolina.
2) Complete Section B-1 and send to your last/current employer in the
state from which you are transferring.
Please check with the registry in the state you are transferring from to ask
if that state has a processing fee.
You will be mailed a Verification of Registration letter when you are placed
on the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry. This letter will be mailed to
the address you listed on the forms.
$26 – Mail Only
PLEASE NOTE: This application will NOT be processed without verification of your paid
employment as a nurse aide within the previous 24 months (unless you were placed on the
state registry within the previous 24 months). Acceptable verification includes a copy of a
W2 form or a pay stub from your employer.
Mail your application, required documentation, and appropriate fee together in one envelope to:
Pearson VUE – Nurse Aide, Mississippi Nurse Aide Registry
PO Box 822749
Philadelphia, PA 19182-2749
Receiving approval to challenge means that individuals who meet special criteria (listed in the link above) are not required to take the entire certified nurse assistant course but rather will be allowed to take just the final examination (written and practical) to become a CNA in Missouri. Allow seven (7) to ten (10) for a response. Please note: It takes six (6) to eight (8) weeks from the test date for your name to be added to the registry.
Individuals meeting any of the above requirements must submit a written request to the DHSS. Each request must include a clear copy of the individual’s social security card; return address, a daytime telephone number and all additional documentation.
Section for Long Term Care
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Attn: Health Education Unit
PO Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570
Free – Online Portal or Email
Online Portal Instructions.
1.Create an Epass Montana Account – https://app.mt.gov/epass-idp/Authn/EpassCreate/
2.Start your online application here using your Epass login credentials – https://cna.hhs.mt.gov/datamart/ePass.do
Email Instructions.
1. Follow this link to download the PDF form – https://dphhs.mt.gov/Portals/85/qad/documents/CertificationBureau/IEApplication.pdf
2.Email the completed PDF to cna@mt.gov
$20 Abuse Class
Abuse Class Link – Online Version
All nurse aides coming into Nebraska from another state must also have Nebraska’s one-hour in-service on reporting abuse and neglect. If your first Nebraska employer will not give you this in-service, it can be obtained at some of the community colleges or online.
“We process applications in the order received and it can take up to 30 days to process your application after receipt. If your application is not complete, we will send the application back to you with a deficiency letter.
We do not issue licensure cards for Nurse Aides and we do not send you any notification that we have issued your registration number. You can print your registration information from the website which is updated every day at about 8:00 am.”
$50 Application + $51.25 Fingerprinting
-State Nurse Aid Registry Telephone Directory
Follow all instructions. All questions in all sections must be answered completely and the answers legibly
written. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
Your application for certification is valid for one year from the date received by the Board. It is your
responsibility to follow up with the Board to determine the ongoing status of your application.
You must notify the Board, in writing, within 30 days of any changes in your address of record.
After all documents are submitted, reviewed, and evaluated, if you are eligible for a temporary certificate, one will
be issued. A temporary certificate is valid for six months only and cannot be renewed.
Nevada does not mail certification cards. You must check to see if your certificate has been issued and note its
expiration date by visiting the license/certification verification section of our website www.nevadanursingboard.org.
$82 – Mail
Application Process:
Certification through equivalency or reciprocity
If you are certified in another state or U.S. territory, your certification may allow you to work in New Jersey and be placed on the state registry if you satisfy the following:
Call 1-877-774-4243 to apply for reciprocity.
Free – Email, Mail, or Fax
New Address: 5301 Central Avenue NE, Suite 1510 Room 11, Albuquerque, NM 87108
New Fax # 505-841-6551
New Phone # 505-861-9680
Updated email address: CNA.Registry@state.nm.us
Reciprocity PDF Form: https://www.nmhealth.org/publication/view/form/5280/
$50 – Mail Only
Fees may be paid by money order or certified check made payable to “NY Commissioner of Health, NYNA.” Your name and ID (if available) must be written on the form of payment. Personal checks and cash are not accepted. Fees are nonrefundable.
Mail to:
Prometric, ATTN: NY Nurse Aide Program
7941 Corporate Drive
Nottingham, MD
21236
Out-of-State Nurse Aides may be able to be listed on the NC Nurse Aide I Registry by either completing a Training Waiver or Reciprocity Application. Eligibility for each are listed below.
Reciprocity Application – https://www.ncnar.org/pdf/Reciprocity%20Candidate%20Application.pdf
Free – Online Application
Complete applications are processed within 3-5 business days. Status of license applications can be viewed online at https://services.ndnar.org/apply/status/.
Free – Mail or Fax
Download the form by following the Ohio link above.
You can apply for CNA certification reciprocity if you are listed as a nursing assistant with an active certification in another state.
You will need to be listed in good standing with no crimes or misconduct against patients.
It will be necessary to provide the following information to the Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry:
Submit all the requested information above to:
Ohio Nurse Aide Registry- 246 N. High Street-Columbus, OH43215
Or fax to: (614) 564-2461 or (614)466-8692
Free – Mail Only
If you’re an out-of-state CNA, you can transfer your license to Oklahoma through reciprocity.
Note: If there are findings of abuse or neglect on your record, the registry will deny your application for transfer.
$64.50 Fingerprints – Online Application
You are eligible to apply for an Oregon CNA certification by endorsement if you:
Fingerprint FAQ – https://www.oregon.gov/osbn/documents/FAQ_FingerprintBackgroundChecks.pdf
Free – Online
Create an account and login here -> https://i7lp.integral7.com/durango/do/login?ownername=pana
Once logged in, look for the small link labeled “To apply for nurse aid reciprocity, click here”
$35 – Mail Only
3 Capitol Hill, Room 104
Providence, RI 02908-5097
(401) 222-5888
Free – Online Portal
To be added to the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry by way of Reciprocity, you must complete an online application and provide proof of having completed a minimum of 100 hours of nurse aide training and your current certification information. Click on the above link and “Create an Account”. Then complete the South Carolina Reciprocity Application.
Free – Online/Mail
Please note:
The applicant should:
Complete the online application.
Print the Verification of Registration form and send it to the state registry where the applicant was originally registered as a Certified Nurse Aide.
Print the Employment Verification form and have it completed by a current/previous employer.
Online – Updated
D&S Diversified Technologies took over the TN CNA reciprocity approval process from the TN Dept of Health in May of 2019. Individuals need to visit https://www.hdmaster.com, click on the TENNESSEE link in the NURSE AIDE column, then click on blue button at the bottom of the orange box CLICK HERE FOR: OUT OF STATE NA RECIPROCITY INTO TN.
You can call them for assistance at 888-698-1278.
This form cannot be viewed on mobile or tablet devices. Follow the steps below to download and view the form on a desktop PC or Mac.
$30 – Mail, Fax, or Email
Transferring your CNA into and out of Utah: Complete the attached application and email, mail or hand
deliver it to our office along with a photocopy of your driver’s license or acceptable form of ID*, nursing assistant
credentials and required fee to the Utah Nursing Assistant Registry (UNAR) office.
The names on the application, ID and nursing assistant credentials must match or your application will be denied.
Only PDF versions of the application and
attachments will be accepted by email. JPEG, TIFF, PNG or photos of the application and attachments will not be
accepted and will be returned for correct resubmission.
$20 – Online Application
Out-of-state CNAs or LNAs can be endorsed into Vermont without examination only if they meet experience requirements. They must have worked at least 400 hours (50 days) during the prior two years.
License verification will be required. However, an endorsement candidate may receive a temporary license, valid for up to 90 days. Verification forms are available on the website of the Board of Nursing. Application files must be complete within six months.
A nursing assistant with active status who has not met the 400 hour requirement but who completed a program of at least 80 hours may be allowed to test without retraining; the training program must have included at least 30 hours of clinical work and must have been completed in the prior two years.
Free – Online
Register for an account and then login and follow the instructions for applying online.
$32 – Mail Only
Out of state trained, out of country trained, or nursing school student:
If you have completed an out of state training, out of country training, or if you are a
nursing school student and are requesting approval to take the nurse aide competency
examinations you must:
• Submit application and fee
• Have your training program submit official transcripts, certificates, or any
documentation of training. If your documents are not in English, you must have
them translated by a professional translation service.
• Evidence of completion of seven hours of AIDS education and training.
• Have completed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course, provide a copy
of the front and back of your current card as proof of completion.
• Have successfully passed the nurse aide competency examinations.
Note: Once your training has been reviewed, and determined to meet Washington State
requirements, you will be authorized to take the National Nurse Aide Assessment
Program (NNAAP) examinations. Once you have successfully passed your exam,
results will be sent directly to the Department.
$15 – Mail
Mail this application and a $15 money order made payable to Pearson VUE, along with copies of your social
security card, your current out-of-state nurse aide certificate/license, and signature-bearing photo identification, to:
Pearson VUE
DC Nurse Aide Endorsement
PO Box 13785
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3785
Free – Online Application
Click the link above and fill out/submit the application for Nurse Aide by Reciprocity.
Free – Mail Only
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Office of Caregiver Quality will process your application within 10 business days of our
receipt. If you are eligible for placement on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry, you will receive a WI Nurse Aide Registry Card within
three (3) weeks.
$120 – Online
Follow the link below to create your account and apply online.
or
1550 Williston Road
So. Burlington, VT 05403
1010 South 120th Street
Suite 200
Omaha, NE 68154
