How to get a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) license in California

Who needs a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) license

For compensation, performs basic patient care directed at the safety, comfort, personal hygiene and protection of patients, under the supervision of an RN or LVN; may not perform services that only a licensed person may perform.⁸

Other rules on who may do this work:

• A person working independently providing personal care may not advertise as a CNA.¹
• Federal rule: a nursing facility may not use a person as a nurse aide for more than 4 months full-time unless they have completed an approved training and competency evaluation program.⁹
• CDPH: you may work up to 120 days as a nurse assistant while certification requirements are pending.¹⁰
• Holding out as a CNA without certification is a misdemeanor (jail up to 180 days and/or fine of $20 to $1,000).¹

Requirements for a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) license

Minimum age

16 years old¹

Education or training

At least 60 clock hours²

The board's words

“(2)(A)A precertification training program consisting of at least 60 classroom hours of training on basic nursing skills, patient safety”

Who may teach it: Training program approved by CDPH in California (facility-based, educational institution or agency; classroom part may be online if approved, with clinical part at a contracted SNF/ICF).³
Alternative: Equivalency: current/former RN, LVN or psychiatric technician students who completed Fundamentals of Nursing, military medical training, or RN/LVN license holders from another state or country may take the competency exam without CNA training.¹¹

Education or training

At least 100 clock hours²
Supervised clinical practice / on-the-job training in the precertification program (at least 4 hours on developmental and mental disorders incl. dementia).²
Who may teach it: Under the director of staff development or a licensed nurse qualified to train nurse assistants with no other assigned duties during training; may consist of normal employment as a nurse assistant.²

Exam

Competency Evaluation Examination³
Given by: CDPH-approved testing vendors: Credentia, Headmaster, or National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP); the training provider gives scheduling instructions.¹⁰
When you can take it: After completing the CDPH-approved training program.³
Two portions (knowledge and skills); the FAQ refers to completing "both portions" of the competency evaluation.¹⁰
Written or oral examination may be taken in Spanish (HSC 1337.3).²

Background check

Background check required¹
Fingerprints required¹²
CDPH Criminal Background Section reviews convictions case by case (nature and severity, time since conviction); all convictions must be reported even if dismissed under PC 1203.4, except specified marijuana offenses. Denial letters explain next steps.¹³
No pre-application review of a criminal record is offered¹⁰

Residency or citizenship

CDPH may not require disclosure of citizenship or immigration status, nor deny certification solely on that basis.¹

Social Security number

SSN or ITIN required; an ITIN may be used in place of an SSN.¹⁴

Also required

Applicants must report prior arrests in the past 12 months, active arrests and prior administrative actions, and certify the information is true.¹²

How much a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) license costs

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee.

How to apply

1. Enrol in a CDPH-approved CNA training program in California.³
2. When you enroll (before any resident contact), submit the CNA Initial Application (CDPH 283B) online through the CDPH portal or by mail, with a copy of your Live Scan request form (BCIA 8016).³ Form (PDF, cdph.ca.gov)¹⁵
3. Complete Live Scan fingerprinting specifically for CDPH (an employer background check does not count) and obtain criminal record clearance.¹⁰
4. After finishing training, take the Competency Evaluation Examination with the vendor your training provider directs you to.³
5. Watch your email/mail for deficiency notices; CDPH receives exam results from the vendor and then issues the certificate. Allow at least 30 days (initial-application page, updated August 8, 2025); the older CNA FAQ (May 3, 2019) says at least 60 days.³

Apply online

cdph.ca.gov³

Application form

Form (PDF, cdph.ca.gov)¹⁵

Temporary or provisional license

No temporary certificate; a nurse assistant may work up to 120 days while certification requirements are pending.¹⁰

Processing time

Portal submissions up to 30 days; mailed paper submissions up to 45 days (allow 15 days for mail to arrive). Initial portal CNA applications are shown as "Current" for the week of September 14, 2026.¹⁶

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every 2 years⁴

When it expires

Certificates expire on the holder's birthday; the first certificate runs for two birthdays (so can exceed two years). Renew up to six months before expiration.⁴

Continuing education

At least 48 hours each renewal period⁵

Required topics

At least 12 of the 48 hours in each year of the two-year period.⁴
Work requirement: at least one day of paid nursing or nursing-related work in a facility under a licensed health professional during the certification period (IHSS/private duty, staffing agencies and in-home care do not count).¹⁷
Criminal record clearance must be maintained.⁴

Approved courses

In-service from the employing facility (documented on CDPH 283A) or CEUs from CDPH-approved providers with a NAC number; up to 24 of the 48 hours online via a CDPH-approved online program. Orientation does not count; units under 50 minutes do not count.¹⁸

If it expires

An expired certificate can be renewed within two years after expiration with the renewal application and in-service documentation.⁴
Reactivation: if renewal requirements were not met and the certificate has been expired less than two years, check "Yes" for Question 6 on CDPH 283C and pass the Competency Evaluation within two years of expiration.⁵
More than two years expired: retrain. Statute requires an approved 75-hour competency evaluation training program plus exam; CDPH's FAQ says retrain through a CDPH-approved CNA training program and submit a new CDPH 283B.⁴
You must hold an active certificate to represent yourself as a CNA.¹⁴

Renew online

cdph.ca.gov⁵

Moving to California with a license from another state

These are the routes CDPH publishes for the Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) license.

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Military medical training (DD-214 as transcript) qualifies for the equivalency route to the competency exam.¹⁹

City and county rules

No local license: CDPH certifies nurse assistants statewide under HSC 1337-1338.5.¹⁵

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a nursing assistant in California, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in California is on the California license lookup page.

Look up a license

cvl.cdph.ca.gov¹⁵

File a complaint

cdph.ca.gov¹⁵

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Cal. Health & Safety Code 1337 (definitions)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code 1337.1 (training program)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code 1337.2 (applicant requirements)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code 1337.3 (approved programs, 60+100 hours)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code 1337.6 (renewal, in-service)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code 1337.9 (denial, suspension, revocation)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code 1338.5 (criminal record clearance)
• 42 CFR 483.35(d), 483.151-483.156 (nurse aide training, competency evaluation, registry)

Rule changes since January 2024

• January 1, 2026: HSC 1337.3 amended by Stats. 2025, ch. 243 (SB 862), effective January 1, 2026 (approved training program provisions).²

Common questions

Certified nursing assistant (CNA) licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
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• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
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• Hawaii
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• Maine
• Maryland
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• New Hampshire
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• Wyoming