How to get a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license in Ohio

Ohio nursing assistant licenses

Ohio issues 2 nursing assistant credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Who needs a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license

Hands-on care for residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities under the direct supervision of an LPN or RN: dressing, eating, mobility, hygiene and bathing.¹

Other rules on who may do this work:

• A long-term care facility may use someone not yet on the registry as a nurse aide for up to four months in total (cumulative across facilities); there is no new grace period after three failed tests.³
• A trainee may count toward staffing after the first 16 hours of training, under RN/LPN supervision.³

Requirements for a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license

Education or training

At least 75 clock hours¹
Complete an ODH-licensed Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program of no less than 75 hours: classroom (some online allowed), skills lab, and 16 hours of clinical experience in a skilled nursing facility. Absences must be made up within 60 days.¹
Who may teach it: Programmes are licensed and monitored by ODH (Bureau of Survey and Certification) and run in nursing homes, high schools, community colleges, non-profits and private businesses; ODH publishes a list of training program locations.⁷
Alternative: Nursing students who completed courses in basic nursing skills, infection control, safety, emergency procedures and personal care may test without a NATCEP.¹
Alternative: 1,600 hours of bedside-aide experience in a hospital within the last five years qualifies you to test without a NATCEP.¹

Exam

Ohio state-administered nurse aide competency evaluation (written or oral examination plus skills performance demonstration)²
Given by: D&S Diversified Technologies¹
When you can take it: After completing an ODH-approved training and competency evaluation program (NATCEP/TCEP) within the preceding 24 months, or as a nursing student who completed basic nursing skills courses, or with 1,600 hours as a hospital aide in the last five years; register at least 30 days before the test date.²
Examination component, taken in writing or orally (oral version includes a job-related reading exercise)²
Performance demonstration (skills) component: at least five randomly selected tasks²
Retakes: You keep a passed component and retake only the failed one. After three failures of a component you must complete a new training program and then pass both components.²
Time limit: Both components must be passed while you remain eligible, i.e. within 24 months of completing the training program.²
Exam waived: Nursing students who completed basic nursing skills courses, and people with 1,600 hours as a hospital aide in the last five years, may test without a NATCEP; nurse aides on another state's registry transfer by reciprocity.¹

Background check

No background check stated as required³
Employer decides, using the disqualifying offenses in OAC 3701-13-05 and the personal-character standards in OAC 3701-13-06.³

Social Security number

A valid Social Security card must be shown at the test site (two alternative documents allowed only for religious objection to photographs).²

How much a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license costs

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, D&S Diversified Technologies¹, when you schedule.

How to apply

1. Choose an ODH-licensed nurse aide training program (75+ hours) from the ODH list; ask about tuition, refund policy and pass rates. If a nursing home employs you or has offered you a job, training and testing must be free.¹
2. Register with D&S Diversified Technologies for the state test (written or oral examination plus skills demonstration) at least 30 days ahead; bring your Social Security card and photo ID.¹
3. Check your listing on the ODH Nurse Aide Registry search, by phone (800) 582-5908 or email [email protected].³

Apply online

nurseaideregistry.odh.ohio.gov⁸

Temporary or provisional license

No temporary certificate; facilities may use an unlisted aide for up to four months while they train and test.³

Processing time

The testing vendor reports passing results to the registry within 30 days; service members, veterans and spouses who send proof get processing within five business days.⁷

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every 24 months³

If it expires

If 24 consecutive months pass without verified paid work, you must either document qualifying work in that period or retrain and retest through an approved program; a new four-month grace period applies.⁴

Renew online

odh.ohio.gov⁴

Moving to Ohio with a license from another state

These are the routes ODH publishes for the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license. The other nursing assistant licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Military service members, veterans and spouses: ODH processes applications from service members, veterans and spouses who include proof of service within five business days; D&S is VA-approved so test fees may be reimbursed through the GI Bill.⁷

Certified Medication Aide (CMA) certificate

Administers prescription medications to residents of nursing homes and residential care facilities under nurse supervision: oral, topical, eye, ear and nasal (rule also allows rectal, vaginal and fixed-dose inhalants); insulin only by pen device after employer training. No feeding-tube, IV or other injections, pill splitting, or dose calculations.⁵

Requirements

Minimum age

18 years old⁵

High school diploma or GED

Required⁵

Education or training

30 clock hours⁵
Board-approved CMA training program in Ohio: 30 clock hours, 14 classroom and 16 supervised clinical practice in a nursing home or residential care facility, ending with an exam.⁵
Who may teach it: Programmes are approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing for two years at a time; the Board lists approved programs.⁵

Exam

CMA written examination and clinical skills examination⁵
Given by: A testing organization or the Board-approved training program itself⁵
When you can take it: On completing the approved training program.⁵
Written examination⁵
Clinical skills examination⁵
Time limit: An application not completed within one year of receipt is void and the fee forfeited.⁶
Exam waived: Out-of-state medication aides certify under ORC Chapter 4796 (Paths B, C, D) without Ohio training.⁵

Background check

The Board publishes a list of potentially disqualifying offenses (ORC 9.79) but only decides eligibility after an application is filed; certificate holders must report convictions within 30 days.⁵
No pre-application review of a criminal record is offered⁵

Also required

Must meet the direct-care requirements of ORC 4723.69.¹⁰

Fees

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

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

How to apply

1. Complete an Ohio Board-approved CMA training program (30 hours) and pass its written and clinical skills exam.⁵
2. Fill in Part 1 of Form A and give it to your program; the program administrator emails Form A to [email protected] (Form A from applicants is refused). Ask the testing service to email your results to the Board, unless the program gave the test.⁵
3. Apply online on eLicense Ohio (CMA certificate by General Application) and pay $50 plus the $3.50 transaction fee by card.⁵

Apply online

elicense.ohio.gov⁵

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years¹⁰

When it expires

Renew online between February 1 and March 1 of even-numbered years ($50); from March 2 to April 30 the fee is $100 including the $50 late fee. Complete 8 contact hours of CE each period. Aides certified between May 1 of an even year and January 31 still renew in the next period.⁵

Renewal fee

$50¹⁰

Continuing education

At least 8 hours each renewal period⁵

Required topics

At least 6 hours on medications or medication administration.⁵
At least 1 hour on professional boundaries.⁵
At least 1 hour of Category A (Ohio nursing law and rules) from an OBN Approver or Ohio-based OBN-approved provider.⁵

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $50⁵
Reinstatement fee: $100⁵
Reinstatement fee: $100⁵

If it expires

A certificate not renewed by April 30 of the renewal year lapses.⁶
Lapsed/inactive two years or less: upload 8 contact hours of CE (same topic split) and pay the reinstatement/reactivation fee. More than two years: also complete an approved CMA training program within six months before applying.⁵
Keep CE certificates for six years.⁵

Renew online

elicense.ohio.gov⁵

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Service members, veterans and spouses may be eligible for a waiver of the late application fee and the reinstatement fee (OAC 4723-2-03).⁶

City and county rules

Certified Medication Aide (CMA) certificateNo local license: certification is statewide through the Ohio Board of Nursing.⁶

Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) listed on the Ohio Nurse Aide RegistryNo local license: Ohio nurse aides are listed on the statewide ODH Nurse Aide Registry.⁸

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

nurseaideregistry.odh.ohio.gov⁸

Look up a license

elicense.ohio.gov⁵

File a complaint

nursing.ohio.gov¹¹

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• ORC 3721.28 (nurse aide use and training), 3721.31, 3721.32 (state nurse aide registry)
• OAC 3701-18-12, 3701-18-22 to 3701-18-27 (training curriculum; state-administered test)
• OAC 3701-17-07.1, 3701-17-07.3 (four-month rule; registry maintenance)
• 42 CFR 483.35(d), 483.151-483.156
• ORC 4723.61 to 4723.69 (medication aides), esp. 4723.651; ORC Chapter 4796 (out-of-state)
• OAC 4723-27-01 to 4723-27-11

Common questions

Certified nursing assistant (CNA) licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
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• California
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• Delaware
• District of Columbia
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• Louisiana
• Maine
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• Massachusetts
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