How to get a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license in Illinois

Who needs a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Illinois-licensed RNs and LPNs in good standing may work as CNAs without registry listing.⁴
• A long-term care facility may employ an uncertified aide who enrolls in an approved program within 45 days of hire and is on the registry within 120 days.⁴

Requirements for a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license

Minimum age

16 years old⁴

High school diploma or GED

Not required⁴

Education or training

At least 120 clock hours²
Complete an Illinois-approved Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program (BNATP). Federally certified facilities require 16 hours of classroom training before any resident contact.⁴
Who may teach it: Training programs must be approved by IDPH; IDPH publishes the list of approved CNA training programs.⁴
Alternative: Nursing student: written verification of fundamentals of nursing plus at least 40 hours of supervised clinical experience in an accredited nurse training program, then the written test.⁴
Alternative: U.S. military: a military training program covering nurse aide content, shown by a diploma/certificate with 40 hours of clinical experience or a DD 214 (hospital corpsman, medical service specialist or equivalent), then the written test.⁴
Alternative: Foreign-trained LPN/RN not licensed in the U.S.: translated diploma and transcripts, Social Security card and work authorization, then the written test.⁴
Alternative: Illinois-licensed RN or LPN in good standing may work as a CNA without being on the registry.⁴

Exam

Illinois Nurse Assistant/Aide Competency Examination (INACE), written³
Given by: Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU-C), for IDPH⁴
When you can take it: After completing an approved Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program (BNATP), or after IDPH/SIU approve an equivalency application (nursing student, military, foreign nurse).³
Written competency test⁴
Manual skills testing is named for recertification of inactive CNAs³
Retakes: After three failed attempts, the candidate must complete another Illinois-approved CNA training program before taking the written test again. Nursing-student equivalency applicants get three opportunities within 12 months after their application is approved.⁴
Exam waived: CNAs granted reciprocity from another state do not take the Illinois exam.³

Background check

Background check required⁴
Fingerprints required⁵
Fingerprint check by the Illinois State Police (results within 45 days) under the Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Disqualifying convictions bar direct-care work unless IDPH grants a waiver; administrative findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation also bar LTC work.³

Residency or citizenship

Non-citizens on the military and foreign-nurse routes must show employment authorization (Resident Alien Card, U.S. Visa, Form I-94 or Permanent Resident Card).⁴

Also required

Must speak and understand English or a language understood by a substantial share of the facility's residents (LTC work).⁴

Also required

Employers must review each nurse aide at least every 12 months and provide in-service education (federal rule for nursing facilities).⁶

How much a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license costs

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

How to apply

1. Complete an IDPH-approved Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program (about 120 hours). Nursing students, military-trained applicants and foreign-trained nurses can use an equivalency application instead.⁴ hcwrpub.dph.illinois.gov⁴
2. Have your fingerprints taken for the Health Care Worker Background Check (a Livescan request started by the training program, testing agent or employer). Disqualifying convictions bar CNA work unless IDPH grants a waiver.⁴
3. Take the written competency exam given by Southern Illinois University Carbondale at sites around the state. After three failed attempts you must complete another Illinois-approved CNA training program before testing again.⁴
4. Results post to the Health Care Worker Registry about two weeks after testing. Illinois issues no certificate or number: the registry entry is your proof of CNA status.³
5. Working in a long-term care facility: if you were hired before certification, enroll in an approved program within 45 days of hire and be on the registry within 120 days.⁴

Application form

dph.illinois.gov¹

Temporary or provisional license

No temporary certificate; a long-term care facility may employ an aide in training for up to 120 days.⁴

Processing time

Exam results appear on the registry about two weeks after testing; Illinois State Police have 45 days to return fingerprint results.³

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

No expiry. Stay active by working at least one 8-hour paid shift of nursing or nursing-related services under a licensed nurse in every 24-month period; your employer records the work history on the registry. Private-duty work does not count.³

If it expires

After more than 24 months without qualifying paid work, status shows "Inactive". With no findings of abuse, neglect or theft, recertify by passing manual skills testing and competency testing through SIU.³

Moving to Illinois with a license from another state

These are the routes IDPH publishes for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license.

Military service members, veterans and spouses: U.S. military training that covers nurse aide content (diploma with 40 clinical hours, or DD 214 as hospital corpsman/medical service specialist) qualifies for the written test via the Military Personnel Application.⁴

City and county rules

No local license: CNAs are listed on the IDPH Health Care Worker Registry.¹

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

hcwrpub.dph.illinois.gov⁴

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Health Care Worker Background Check Act, 225 ILCS 46
• 77 Ill. Adm. Code 395 (Long-Term Care Assistants and Aides Training Programs Code), incl. 395.400 Competency Examination
• 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
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• 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