How to get a Certified Nurse Aide license in Hawaii
Hawaii licenses nursing assistants statewide through the Nurse Aide Program.1 For the Certified Nurse Aide (Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility) license you need at least 75 clock hours2 of education and a passing score on the Hawaii nurse aide examination (written or oral test plus skills evaluation)1. You renew every 2 years1.
Who issues it
Nurse Aide Program
Training and experience
Training: at least 75 clock hours2
Exam
Hawaii nurse aide examination (written or oral test plus skills evaluation)1
Renewal
Every 2 years1
On this page
- Hawaii nursing assistant licenses
- Applies to every license level
- Who needs a Certified Nurse Aide license
- Requirements for a Certified Nurse Aide license
- How to apply
- Renewal and continuing education
- Certified Nurse Aide
- City and county rules
- Check a license or report a problem
- Laws and rules
- Common questions
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA) licenses in other states
Hawaii nursing assistant licenses
Hawaii issues 2 nursing assistant credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.
| License | What it covers | Training or experience | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Nurse Aide (Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility) | Provides nursing or nursing-related services as a nurse aide in Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities, which federal law requires to use certified nurse aides.1 | Training 75 clock hours2 | Yes1 |
| Certified Nurse Aide (state-licensed or state-certified health care settings) | Provides nursing-related services as a nurse aide in state-licensed or state-certified health care settings (settings other than Medicare/Medicaid nursing facilities).1 | – | Yes1 |
Applies to every license level
These rules are the same for every Hawaii nursing assistant license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.
Requirements
- Minimum age
- 18 years old1
- Background check
- The Department of Health or Human Services makes substantiated findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of resident property; these are placed on the registry, as are such findings from another state's registry. Denied applicants get notice and a chapter 91 hearing.1
- Social Security number
- The registry records the aide's Social Security number or other identifying information.1
How to apply
- Complete a nurse aide training program approved by the Hawaii Department of Human Services (Med-QUEST Division).1
- Download the exam application and Candidate Information Bulletin from Prometric (www.prometric.com/nurseaide/hi) and register for the exam.3
- DCCA issues the certificate and the certification is entered on the Hawaii nurse aide registry within 30 days.1
- Certified in another state? Download the reciprocity application from Prometric; reciprocity is granted where the other state's requirements are comparable.1
- Processing time
- A successful certification must be entered in the registry within 30 days.1
Renewal
- How often
- Every 2 years1
From another state
- Route
- License by endorsement
- What the board says
- Reciprocity certification for a qualified nurse aide from another state whose requirements are comparable to Hawaii's; the application comes from Prometric.1
Military service members, veterans and spouses: A license held by a member of the armed forces, National Guard or reserves that expires, is forfeited or becomes delinquent while the member is on active duty and deployed during a state or national crisis is restored if restoration requirements are met.3
Who needs a Certified Nurse Aide license
Provides nursing or nursing-related services as a nurse aide in Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities, which federal law requires to use certified nurse aides.1
Other rules on who may do this work:
- A Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility may use someone as a nurse aide full-time for up to 4 months before they are certified (federal rule).2
Requirements for a Certified Nurse Aide license
The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.
- Education or training
- At least 75 clock hours2
Complete a nurse aide training program approved by the Hawaii Department of Human Services before taking the exam.1
Who may teach it: Training programs are approved by the Director of Human Services (DHS Med-QUEST Division, (808) 586-7752).1 - Exam
- Hawaii nurse aide examination (written or oral test plus skills evaluation)1
Given by: Prometric3
When you can take it: Only after successfully completing a nurse aide training program approved by the Department of Human Services.1
Skills evaluation: five randomly selected nurse aide tasks, all of which must be passed1
Retakes: Federal rule for nursing-facility aides: at least three opportunities to take the competency evaluation.2
Exam waived: A nurse aide qualified in another state whose requirements are comparable to Hawaii's is granted reciprocity certification.1
How to apply
- Temporary or provisional license
- No temporary certificate; a Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility may use an uncertified aide for up to 4 months full-time while they train and test (federal rule).2
Renewal and continuing education
- When it expires
- Recertification every two years. Needed: an annual facility performance review, regular facility in-service training based on it, a renewal form signed by the facility's director of nurses, an RN or another recognized official, and proof of at least one full day of paid nursing or nursing-related direct care in a Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility in the prior 24 months. The application must reach DCCA at least one month (30 days) before expiry.1
- Required topics
- Regular in-service training provided by the facility, based on the annual performance review.2
- If it expires
- Missed renewal or no paid direct-care day in 24 months: complete the certification requirements (training and exam) anew. The registry removes aides with no nurse aide services for 24 consecutive months; restoring requires applying as a new applicant.1
Renewal planner
Enter the expiration date printed on your Hawaii Certified Nurse Aide (Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility) license. The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.
Certified Nurse Aide
Provides nursing-related services as a nurse aide in state-licensed or state-certified health care settings (settings other than Medicare/Medicaid nursing facilities).1
Requirements
- Education or training
- Complete a nurse aide training program approved by the Hawaii Department of Human Services before taking the exam.1
Who may teach it: Training programs are approved by the Director of Human Services (DHS Med-QUEST Division, (808) 586-7752).1 - Exam
- Hawaii nurse aide examination (written or oral test plus skills evaluation)1
Given by: Prometric3
When you can take it: Only after successfully completing a nurse aide training program approved by the Department of Human Services.1
Skills evaluation: five randomly selected nurse aide tasks, all of which must be passed1
Exam waived: A nurse aide qualified in another state whose requirements are comparable to Hawaii's is granted reciprocity certification.1
Renewal
- When it expires
- Recertification every two years. Needed: a competency evaluation approved by DHS, a renewal application with fees postmarked or received at least 30 days before expiry, and proof of at least one full day of paid nursing-related direct care in a state-licensed or state-certified health care setting in the prior 24 months.1
- If it expires
- Missed renewal or no paid direct-care day in 24 months: complete the certification requirements (training and exam) anew. The registry removes aides with no nurse aide services for 24 consecutive months.1
The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.
City and county rules
Certified Nurse Aide (Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility)No county license: certification is statewide through DCCA and the Hawaii nurse aide registry.1
Check a license or report a problem
Before you hire a nursing assistant in Hawaii, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Hawaii is on the Hawaii license lookup page.
- Look up a license
- registry.prometric.com3
Laws and rules
The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.
Common questions
How long does it take to get a Certified Nurse Aide license in Hawaii?
Can I transfer my nursing assistant license to Hawaii?
The Nurse Aide Program publishes this route for the Certified Nurse Aide license: license by endorsement1. Conditions and forms.
How often do you renew a Certified Nurse Aide license in Hawaii?
Every 2 years1.
Certified nursing assistant (CNA) licenses in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Sources
Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.
- HAR Title 16 Chapter 89A Nurse AideHawaii DCCADated February 12, 2009Checked November 7, 2026
- 42 CFR 483.35 and 483.151-483.158 (nurse aide training, competency evaluation and registry)Office of the Federal Register (eCFR)Checked November 7, 2026
- Licensing Area: Nurse Aide - DCCA HawaiiHawaii DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing DivisionChecked November 7, 2026