How to get a Certified Nurse Assistant certificate in Idaho

Who needs a Certified Nurse Assistant certificate

Unlicensed assistive personnel who give nursing care services under the direction and supervision of licensed nurses (an RN). CNAs may not perform licensed-nurse functions or tasks needing nursing assessment or judgment. Each facility sets CNA duties by policy and must ensure competency.¹

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Federal rule: a Medicare/Medicaid nursing facility may use someone as a nurse aide full-time for up to 4 months before they complete training and the competency evaluation.²

Requirements for a Certified Nurse Assistant certificate

Education or training

120 clock hours¹
Complete a NATCEP-approved CNA course of 120 hours: 80 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours of hands-on clinical instruction.¹
Who may teach it: Courses must be NATCEP-approved through the Idaho Nurse Aide Program. IDHW lists six college training schools: CWI (Nampa), CSI (Twin Falls), CEI (Idaho Falls), ISU (Pocatello), LCSC (Lewiston) and NIC (Post Falls).¹
Alternative: Not accepted: paramedic, EMT, former military medic or medical assistant training cannot be used to challenge the course.¹

Exam

Idaho nurse aide exam (written test and skills test)¹
Given by: Prometric¹
When you can take it: After completing a 120-hour NATCEP-approved CNA course, or (nursing students only) after one semester of an accredited nursing program and an IDHW "Approval to Test Letter".¹
Written test¹
Skills test¹
Retakes: Up to three retests for each test (written and skills).¹
Time limit: Test within one year of completing the course; if you miss it, email the Idaho Nurse Aide Program with the reason and your course completion date.¹
Exam waived: Aides certified in another state may apply for reciprocity with the IDHW Reciprocity form instead of testing, if they live in Idaho or have an Idaho job offer.¹

Background check

A DHW background check for skilled-nursing-facility work checks the Nurse Aide Registry, and a relevant Nurse Aide Registry record leads to an unconditional denial, meaning the person cannot provide services.³

Residency or citizenship

Reciprocity only: granted only if you live in Idaho or have been offered a job in Idaho.¹

Also required

Employers must verify that a CNA's certificate is current when hiring and at renewal.¹

Also required

Nursing facilities must review each nurse aide's performance at least every 12 months and provide in-service education (federal rule).²

How much a Certified Nurse Assistant certificate costs

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, Prometric¹, when you schedule.

How to apply

1. Complete a 120-hour NATCEP-approved CNA course (80 classroom + 40 clinical hours). Nursing students with one semester of nursing courses may instead request an Approval to Test Letter from the Idaho Nurse Aide Program ([email protected]).¹
2. Register for the Idaho nurse aide exam through Prometric, within one year of finishing the course.¹
3. Pass the written test and the skills test; you may retest up to three times for each.¹
4. Prometric mails your certificate to the address on your testing form; your status appears on the Idaho State Nurse Aide Registry.¹
5. Certified in another state? If you live in Idaho or have an Idaho job offer, send the IDHW Reciprocity (out-of-state verification) form with documentation to the CNA Registry by email, mail or fax.¹ publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov¹

Application form

publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov¹

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

Processing time

Certificates arrive by mail from Prometric in up to 14 business days.¹

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every 24 months¹

When it expires

Renew in the month your certificate expires using the IDHW Renewal Form, signed by your employer, showing at least 8 hours of paid CNA or nursing-related work before the certificate lapses (or attach a W-2 or pay stubs). The new expiry is 24 months from your last day worked.¹

If it expires

Cannot show 8 paid hours in the two years before expiry: retake and pass both the written and skills tests; ask the Idaho Nurse Aide Program for an Approval to Test letter.¹

Renew online

publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov¹

Moving to Idaho with a license from another state

These are the routes IDHW publishes for the Certified Nurse Assistant certificate.

City and county rules

No local license: certification is statewide through the IDHW Idaho Nurse Aide Program.¹

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

registry.prometric.com¹

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• IDAPA 16.05.06 Criminal History and Background Checks (sections 001, 100, 200)
• IDAPA 24.34.01.010.31 (Board of Nursing definition of unlicensed assistive personnel)
• 42 CFR 483.35(d), 483.151-483.156 (nurse aide training, competency evaluation, registry)

Common questions

Certified nursing assistant (CNA) licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
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• District of Columbia
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