CNA Reciprocity by State (2026): Rules, Fees, Free States

Find CNA reciprocity rules by destination state

Choose the state where you want to work. The answer depends on your current registry status, training, work history and the destination state. This guide cannot decide individual eligibility. The source guide records a check on September 22, 2026. Confirm rules and fees with the linked official source before applying.

51 destinations shown.

Northeast

ConnecticutExam: No · Fee: $55

Key conditions: Active and in good standing; no testing
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $55

Official form or registry for Connecticut

MaineExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: Current, active and in good standing; training must meet federal minimums
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for Maine

MassachusettsExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Certified elsewhere, in good standing, never certified in Massachusetts; form 9110
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Massachusetts

New HampshireExam: No · Fee: $66

Key conditions: Active license elsewhere, background check, and 12 hours of CE per year
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $66

Official form or registry for New Hampshire

New JerseyExam: Possibly · Fee: $36

Key conditions: Current certificate plus 24 hours of approved CE in the last 24 months; otherwise 24 months of full-time work and passing both NJ exams
Exam needed?: Possibly
Fee: $36

Official form or registry for New Jersey

New YorkExam: No · Fee: $50

Key conditions: Listed on another registry; if it shows no expiration date, proof of 7 paid hours in 24 months
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $50

Official form or registry for New York

PennsylvaniaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active and in good standing; if lapsed, update your home registry first
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Pennsylvania

Rhode IslandExam: No · Fee: $35

Key conditions: Current license, background check, and 3 months full-time work or a 100-hour program with 20 clinical hours
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $35

Official form or registry for Rhode Island

VermontExam: No · Fee: $25

Key conditions: Licensed elsewhere plus 400 hours (50 days) of work in the last 2 years; fingerprints
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $25

Official form or registry for Vermont

Midwest

IllinoisExam: No · Fee: $25

Key conditions: Active, federal training standards met, no findings or disqualifying convictions; fingerprints
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $25

Official form or registry for Illinois

IndianaExam: No · Fee: $50

Key conditions: Active and in good standing; no test since September 1, 2025
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $50

Official form or registry for Indiana

IowaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Currently on another state's registry; apply online
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Iowa

KansasExam: Yes · Fee: $20

Key conditions: Active and never certified in Kansas; you must pass the Kansas nurse aide test (one attempt)
Exam needed?: Yes
Fee: $20

Official form or registry for Kansas

MichiganExam: Possibly · Fee: $40

Key conditions: Only from 40 listed states, and only if you trained and tested there
Exam needed?: Possibly
Fee: $40

Official form or registry for Michigan

MinnesotaExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: Good standing plus 8 hours of work in that state in the last 24 months
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for Minnesota

MissouriExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Good standing in another state; Alabama CNAs need proof of 8 work hours
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Missouri

NebraskaExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: 75-hour training, passed exams, recent work if not tested recently, and a 1-hour Nebraska abuse and neglect course
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for Nebraska

North DakotaExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: Current status, no findings, and 8 paid hours of nursing work in 24 months
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for North Dakota

OhioExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Certified in another state; reciprocity form signed by the transferring state
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Ohio

South DakotaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: At least a 75-hour program, active registration, no findings
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for South Dakota

WisconsinExam: Possibly · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active plus a 75-hour program or 2,088 work hours in 2 years; the Wisconsin exam may be required
Exam needed?: Possibly
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Wisconsin

South

AlabamaExam: Unverified · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Reciprocity offered; conditions could not be verified on the state registry site
Exam needed?: Unverified
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Alabama

ArkansasExam: No · Fee: $25

Key conditions: Current and in good standing, never listed in Arkansas; Form 9110AR
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $25

Official form or registry for Arkansas

DelawareExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Current certificate plus 420 hours (3 months full-time) of paid CNA work in the last 24 months, or equivalent training
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Delaware

District of ColumbiaExam: No · Fee: $100

Key conditions: Current, unencumbered certificate and background check; fast track for Maryland and Virginia
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $100

Official form or registry for District of Columbia

FloridaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active license, practiced 2 of the last 4 years, clean discipline record; background screening
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Florida

GeorgiaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active, no findings, and 8 paid hours under RN supervision in the last 2 years
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Georgia

KentuckyExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active status elsewhere; a current pay stub may be requested
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Kentucky

LouisianaExam: No · Fee: $35

Key conditions: Active and in good standing in every state; Louisiana ID unless you live within 30 miles
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $35

Official form or registry for Louisiana

MarylandExam: No · Fee: $20

Key conditions: Active and in good standing, no findings, training that meets Maryland standards; fingerprints
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $20

Official form or registry for Maryland

MississippiExam: No · Fee: $25

Key conditions: Active, good standing, and 8 hours of work in a nursing home, hospital or hospice in the last 24 months
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $25

Official form or registry for Mississippi

North CarolinaExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: Active, passed exam, and 8 paid hours under RN supervision in the last 24 months
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for North Carolina

OklahomaExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: Listed as a certified long-term care aide with no findings
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for Oklahoma

South CarolinaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active and in good standing, OBRA-tested, and at least a 100-hour training course
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for South Carolina

TennesseeExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active and in good standing; Florida certifications are not accepted
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Tennessee

TexasExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active in another state plus a DPS criminal history check; apply through TULIP
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Texas

VirginiaExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: Approved training, passed competency evaluation, currently registered with no findings
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for Virginia

West VirginiaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Good standing, and the other state's requirements must be substantially the same as West Virginia's
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for West Virginia

West

AlaskaExam: No · Fee: $275

Key conditions: Current, unencumbered certificate, federal-standard training and a passed competency exam; fingerprints
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $275

Official form or registry for Alaska

ArizonaExam: Unverified · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Could not be verified (state board site blocked automated access)
Exam needed?: Unverified
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Arizona

CaliforniaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Active and in good standing; proof of paid work in the last 2 years unless certified less than 2 years ago; Live Scan
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for California

ColoradoExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Good standing plus 1 year certified or equivalent training
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Colorado

HawaiiExam: Possibly · Fee: $27

Key conditions: Current, active certificate; the state may still require the competency exam
Exam needed?: Possibly
Fee: $27

Official form or registry for Hawaii

IdahoExam: No · Fee: free

Key conditions: Current on any registry; only if you live in Idaho or have a job offer there
Exam needed?: No
Fee: free

Official form or registry for Idaho

MontanaExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Current CNA registration in any US state or territory
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for Montana

NevadaExam: No · Fee: $50

Key conditions: Active certificate, OBRA training, CNA work in the last 2 years, verification from your first state; fingerprints
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $50

Official form or registry for Nevada

New MexicoExam: No · Fee: not published

Key conditions: Current and in good standing; if trained in AL, IL or NE within 24 months, proof of 8 work hours
Exam needed?: No
Fee: not published

Official form or registry for New Mexico

OregonExam: No · Fee: $60

Key conditions: Active certificate, approved training and a fingerprint background check
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $60

Official form or registry for Oregon

UtahExam: No · Fee: $50

Key conditions: Current and active, no abuse findings
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $50

Official form or registry for Utah

WashingtonExam: No · Fee: $85

Key conditions: Active certificate, work history and verification forms from each state
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $85

Official form or registry for Washington

WyomingExam: No · Fee: $60

Key conditions: Active certificate plus 400 hours, 40 hours of CE or a passed exam in the last 2 years; fingerprints (+$60 background check)
Exam needed?: No
Fee: $60

Official form or registry for Wyoming

“Not published” means no fee was published in the checked official source; it does not mean free. “Unverified” means the exam rule could not be confirmed. The complete source tables and methodology remain below.

Short answer

In 44 of 51 jurisdictions (the 50 states and DC), an active CNA in good standing can transfer without retaking the exam, as long as the state’s conditions are met.
Kansas is the exception: you must pass the Kansas nurse aide test. Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey and Wisconsin may require their exam depending on your situation.
Eight states charge nothing: Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Virginia. The most expensive is Alaska at $275.
The most common condition is recent paid work: many states want proof that you worked as a nurse aide, often at least 8 hours within the last 24 months.
Each state row below links to the official form or registry. We checked every state on September 22, 2026.

A CNA certification is a state credential: you’re listed on one state’s nurse aide registry, and moving means getting listed on another. Every state calls the process something different (reciprocity, endorsement, “Route 2”) and sets its own conditions. This guide collects the rules for all 50 states and DC from the state agencies and their testing contractors, with a link to the official source for each. Rules change; check the linked page before you apply.

How CNA reciprocity works

The basic steps are similar everywhere:

Keep your current certification active. Nearly every state requires that you’re active and in good standing on another state’s registry. If your certification has lapsed, most states will send you back to training and testing, or ask you to reactivate in your home state first (Pennsylvania says so explicitly).
Apply to the new state’s registry, usually online through the state or its testing vendor (Credentia, Prometric, Headmaster/TMU and others).
Prove your identity and status: photo ID, Social Security card, a copy of your certificate, and often a verification from every state where you’ve been certified.
Pass a background check where required. Several states ask for fingerprints (for example Alaska, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Wyoming).
Meet any work-history condition (see below) and pay the fee, if there is one.

Federal rules set the floor for all of this: a state-approved nurse aide program must include at least 75 hours of training, 16 of them supervised practical training (42 CFR 483.152). Several states check that your original training met that standard.

The conditions that trip people up

Recent work. Georgia and North Carolina want at least 8 paid hours under RN supervision in the last two years; Minnesota and Mississippi want 8 hours; California wants proof of paid work in the last two years unless you were certified recently. A few states set much higher bars:

State	Work requirement for reciprocity
Delaware	420 hours (3 months full-time) of paid CNA work in the last 24 months, or equivalent training
Vermont	400 hours (50 days) of nursing assistant work in the last 2 years
Wyoming	400 hours, 40 hours of CE, or a passed exam in the last 2 years
Rhode Island	3 months of full-time work, or a 100-hour program with 20 clinical hours
New Jersey	24 hours of approved CE in the last 24 months, or 24 months of full-time work plus both NJ exams

Where you trained. Tennessee does not accept Florida-issued certifications. Michigan only accepts CNAs from 40 listed states, and only if they trained and tested there. South Carolina requires at least a 100-hour training course. West Virginia requires that your original state’s requirements are “substantially the same” as its own.

States with no expiration date. Some states (for example Illinois and Nebraska) don’t print an expiration date. If you’re coming from one of them, New York, Indiana and several others ask for an employer letter proving recent paid work.

Living or working in the state. Idaho only grants reciprocity if you live in Idaho or have a job offer there. Louisiana asks for a Louisiana ID unless you live within 30 miles of the state.

State-by-state CNA reciprocity rules

“Exam needed?” means: do you have to pass the new state’s competency exam if you meet the listed conditions? “Not published” means the state doesn’t publish a fee on its official pages; it doesn’t mean the process is free.

Jump to your region: Northeast (CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT) · Midwest (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI) · South (AL, AR, DE, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV) · West (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY)

Northeast

State	Exam needed?	Key conditions	Fee	Official source
Connecticut	No	Active and in good standing; no testing	$55	form or registry
Maine	No	Current, active and in good standing; training must meet federal minimums	free	form or registry
Massachusetts	No	Certified elsewhere, in good standing, never certified in Massachusetts; form 9110	not published	form or registry
New Hampshire	No	Active license elsewhere, background check, and 12 hours of CE per year	$66	form or registry
New Jersey	Possibly	Current certificate plus 24 hours of approved CE in the last 24 months; otherwise 24 months of full-time work and passing both NJ exams	$36	form or registry
New York	No	Listed on another registry; if it shows no expiration date, proof of 7 paid hours in 24 months	$50	form or registry
Pennsylvania	No	Active and in good standing; if lapsed, update your home registry first	not published	form or registry
Rhode Island	No	Current license, background check, and 3 months full-time work or a 100-hour program with 20 clinical hours	$35	form or registry
Vermont	No	Licensed elsewhere plus 400 hours (50 days) of work in the last 2 years; fingerprints	$25	form or registry

Midwest

State	Exam needed?	Key conditions	Fee	Official source
Illinois	No	Active, federal training standards met, no findings or disqualifying convictions; fingerprints	$25	form or registry
Indiana	No	Active and in good standing; no test since September 1, 2025	$50	form or registry
Iowa	No	Currently on another state’s registry; apply online	not published	form or registry
Kansas	Yes	Active and never certified in Kansas; you must pass the Kansas nurse aide test (one attempt)	$20	form or registry
Michigan	Possibly	Only from 40 listed states, and only if you trained and tested there	$40	form or registry
Minnesota	No	Good standing plus 8 hours of work in that state in the last 24 months	free	form or registry
Missouri	No	Good standing in another state; Alabama CNAs need proof of 8 work hours	not published	form or registry
Nebraska	No	75-hour training, passed exams, recent work if not tested recently, and a 1-hour Nebraska abuse and neglect course	free	form or registry
North Dakota	No	Current status, no findings, and 8 paid hours of nursing work in 24 months	free	form or registry
Ohio	No	Certified in another state; reciprocity form signed by the transferring state	not published	form or registry
South Dakota	No	At least a 75-hour program, active registration, no findings	not published	form or registry
Wisconsin	Possibly	Active plus a 75-hour program or 2,088 work hours in 2 years; the Wisconsin exam may be required	not published	form or registry

South

State	Exam needed?	Key conditions	Fee	Official source
Alabama	Unverified	Reciprocity offered; conditions could not be verified on the state registry site	not published	form or registry
Arkansas	No	Current and in good standing, never listed in Arkansas; Form 9110AR	$25	form or registry
Delaware	No	Current certificate plus 420 hours (3 months full-time) of paid CNA work in the last 24 months, or equivalent training	not published	form or registry
District of Columbia	No	Current, unencumbered certificate and background check; fast track for Maryland and Virginia	$100	form or registry
Florida	No	Active license, practiced 2 of the last 4 years, clean discipline record; background screening	not published	form or registry
Georgia	No	Active, no findings, and 8 paid hours under RN supervision in the last 2 years	not published	form or registry
Kentucky	No	Active status elsewhere; a current pay stub may be requested	not published	form or registry
Louisiana	No	Active and in good standing in every state; Louisiana ID unless you live within 30 miles	$35	form or registry
Maryland	No	Active and in good standing, no findings, training that meets Maryland standards; fingerprints	$20	form or registry
Mississippi	No	Active, good standing, and 8 hours of work in a nursing home, hospital or hospice in the last 24 months	$25	form or registry
North Carolina	No	Active, passed exam, and 8 paid hours under RN supervision in the last 24 months	free	form or registry
Oklahoma	No	Listed as a certified long-term care aide with no findings	free	form or registry
South Carolina	No	Active and in good standing, OBRA-tested, and at least a 100-hour training course	not published	form or registry
Tennessee	No	Active and in good standing; Florida certifications are not accepted	not published	form or registry
Texas	No	Active in another state plus a DPS criminal history check; apply through TULIP	not published	form or registry
Virginia	No	Approved training, passed competency evaluation, currently registered with no findings	free	form or registry
West Virginia	No	Good standing, and the other state’s requirements must be substantially the same as West Virginia’s	not published	form or registry

West

State	Exam needed?	Key conditions	Fee	Official source
Alaska	No	Current, unencumbered certificate, federal-standard training and a passed competency exam; fingerprints	$275	form or registry
Arizona	Unverified	Could not be verified (state board site blocked automated access)	not published	form or registry
California	No	Active and in good standing; proof of paid work in the last 2 years unless certified less than 2 years ago; Live Scan	not published	form or registry
Colorado	No	Good standing plus 1 year certified or equivalent training	not published	form or registry
Hawaii	Possibly	Current, active certificate; the state may still require the competency exam	$27	form or registry
Idaho	No	Current on any registry; only if you live in Idaho or have a job offer there	free	form or registry
Montana	No	Current CNA registration in any US state or territory	not published	form or registry
Nevada	No	Active certificate, OBRA training, CNA work in the last 2 years, verification from your first state; fingerprints	$50	form or registry
New Mexico	No	Current and in good standing; if trained in AL, IL or NE within 24 months, proof of 8 work hours	not published	form or registry
Oregon	No	Active certificate, approved training and a fingerprint background check	$60	form or registry
Utah	No	Current and active, no abuse findings	$50	form or registry
Washington	No	Active certificate, work history and verification forms from each state	$85	form or registry
Wyoming	No	Active certificate plus 400 hours, 40 hours of CE or a passed exam in the last 2 years; fingerprints (+$60 background check)	$60	form or registry

Sources: the state agency or its contracted testing vendor, linked in each row. Where a state site blocked access, we used archived copies of the same official page and say so in our dataset. For Alabama and Arizona the official pages were not reachable, so we don’t list conditions we couldn’t verify.

Recent changes worth knowing

Indiana stopped requiring a test for transferring CNAs on September 1, 2025.
Maryland replaced its GNA title on April 1, 2026: former CNA/GNA holders are now CNA-I (can work in nursing homes), former CNAs are CNA-II.
Michigan requires 12 hours of continuing education per year for certificates expiring on or after March 23, 2026.
Washington moved nursing assistants under the State Board of Nursing on July 1, 2026; certification renews every year.
Oregon cut its training requirement from 155 to 105 hours on July 1, 2025.
New York stopped issuing paper certificates on August 1, 2026.

How to make the transfer smooth

Don’t let your current certification lapse before you’re listed in the new state. Lapsed status turns a paperwork process into retraining in many states.
Keep proof of your paid work hours (pay stubs, employer letters). It’s the most common condition.
Apply before you start work. You generally need to be on the state’s registry to work in a nursing home, as the BLS notes for nursing assistants (BLS).
Check the renewal rule of your new state right away. Utah wants 200 paid hours in 24 months for renewal, New Hampshire 200 hours plus 24 hours of CE, and Virginia and Washington renew every year.

For how CNA compares with LPN and RN, see CNA vs LPN vs RN.

Frequently asked questions

Which states have free CNA reciprocity?

Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Virginia list no fee. Other states either charge a fee or don’t publish one.

Do I have to retake the CNA exam in a new state?

In most states, no, as long as your certification is active and you meet the conditions. Kansas requires its own test, and Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey and Wisconsin may require their exam depending on your situation.

How long does CNA reciprocity take?

It depends on the state and on how quickly your previous states verify your status. Iowa, for example, says processing takes at least two weeks. Apply before you plan to start work.

Can I transfer an expired CNA certification?

Usually not directly. Most states require active status; with a lapsed certification you’ll typically need to reactivate in your original state, or complete training and testing again.

Does Texas have CNA reciprocity?

Yes. Texas lists an active certification in another state plus a DPS criminal history check, with the application submitted through the TULIP system.

How we checked this. Our researchers read the official page or handbook for every state on September 22, 2026: state nurse aide registries, health departments, boards of nursing and their contracted testing vendors. Each claim in our dataset has a source link and quote. Rules and fees change often; the linked official page is always the final word. Certificate Quest is not affiliated with any state agency or testing vendor and earns nothing from links on this page. This is general career information, not legal advice.

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