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CNA Reciprocity Guide – How To Transfer CNA License to Different State

Posted by CNA Certification Scoop in CNA Career | 0 comments

25.07.18

There is no national CNA license, so to work in another state you get listed on that state’s nurse aide registry. Of the 31 states whose official sources say, 25 let you transfer an active, clean certification without retaking their exam; Kansas requires its exam, and Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, New Jersey and Wyoming require it in some cases. For the other 19 states, the sources don’t say either way, so ask that state’s registry. Most states want an active certification in good standing on your current state’s registry, and many add a background check. Find your new state below.

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How a CNA transfer works

States call it reciprocity, endorsement or registry transfer, but the steps are similar: you apply to the new state (or your new employer does), it verifies your certification with your current state’s registry, and it adds you to its own registry. Federal rules also require a nursing home to check every state registry it believes has information on you (42 CFR 483.35(d)(5)) before letting you work as a nurse aide.

Keep your current certification active until the transfer is done. If it lapses first, you may have to retrain or retest in the new state; see the renewal rules by state.

CNA reciprocity by state

How to transfer an active CNA certification into each state, whether you must take its exam, the fee where the state states one, and the form or portal to use. Click a state for its full CNA guide.

Moving to How to transfer New exam? Fee Form or portal
Alabama No form; a hiring nursing home or qualifying employer has ADPH add you. Home-health-only aides can't transfer No Not stated ADPH Registry FAQ (reciprocity)
Alaska Endorsement (form 08-4070) with training and registry verifications plus fingerprints; no Alaska exam No $275 total ($100 application, $100 certification, $75 fingerprint processing) Endorsement application 08-4070 (PDF)
Arizona AZBN may register you with current proof of another state's registration plus an A.R.S. 32-1645 application Not stated Not stated Arizona statute on out-of-state CNAs
Arkansas Form 9110AR (Arkansas TMU); no exam if a similar exam was passed within 1 year of training, else waiver + exam Sometimes $25 (Form 9110AR) Reciprocity form 9110AR (Arkansas TMU)
California Form CDPH 283E plus proof of active certification (or form CDPH 931), fingerprints and paid-work proof No No application fee stated; $32 for FD-258 fingerprint cards if outside California CDPH: transfer your CNA certificate to California
Colorado Endorsement via DPO Online Services: good standing elsewhere plus equivalent training or 1+ year certified No Fee required; amount not stated DPO Nursing Applications (endorsement)
Connecticut Route 7/Reciprocity: Prometric online or printable application; credential must be active and in good standing Not stated Not stated DPH Route 7 (certified in another state)
Delaware Route 6 Reciprocity: active CNA elsewhere, 420 paid hours in last 24 months (or equal training); MD needs GNA No Reciprocity fee required; amount not stated DHCQ CNA Registry (Route 6 reciprocity)
Florida Mobile endorsement online: active license elsewhere, 2 of the last 4 years in practice, Level II screening No Not stated CNA licensure by mobile endorsement
Georgia Mail the Reciprocity/Transfer Form (10-2025) to Alliant; usually no exam, but the contractor may require one Sometimes Not stated Reciprocity/Transfer Form 10-2025 (PDF)
Hawaii Route 2 (Reciprocity): Prometric application, copy of current certificate and fee; DCCA may require the exam Sometimes Reciprocity fee required; amount not stated DCCA Nurse Aide page (links Prometric forms)
Idaho Idaho Reciprocity Form with registry printout and NATCEP certificate; need an Idaho job offer or residence No No fee (IDHW charges no fees for forms) Idaho Reciprocity Form (IDHW)
Illinois Mail IDPH's Out-of-State Nurse Aide Application to SIUC Nurse Aide Testing; includes fingerprint check consent No $25 (money order or cashier's check) SIUC Out-of-State CNA Application
Indiana Ivy Tech CNA/QMA online application + wet-signed affidavit (State Form 57866) + copy of current certification No $50 processing fee IDOH reciprocity (transfer from another state)
Iowa Apply online at the Iowa DCW Registry/Health Facilities Database (account required); allow at least two weeks Not stated Not stated Iowa DCW Registry online application
Kansas KDADS Interstate Application + ID, then the Kansas Nurse Aide Test once within one year (fail: take a course) Yes $20 nonrefundable KDADS Interstate Application (Word file)
Kentucky SRNA Reciprocity Application in the KBN Nurse Portal; paid nurse aide work within the last 24 months No Not stated KBN SRNA Reciprocity
Louisiana Prometric application (Route 8 Reciprocity) with SSN card and Louisiana or military ID; LDH approves No $35 application fee LDH Reciprocity Procedure (PDF)
Maine Form 060101 + ID + verification from every state; need recent out-of-state graduation or two years' CNA work No No fee (federal law bars a listing fee) Maine CNA Registry (out-of-state applicants)
Maryland Certification by endorsement via MBON's CHART portal; training program and certifying state verify directly No Fee required; amount not stated MBON Nursing Assistant Certification (apply in CHART)
Massachusetts Online through D&SDT: MA Reciprocity Form 9110 with government photo ID; for CNAs never certified in MA Not stated Not stated MA Reciprocity Form 9110 (D&SDT TMU)
Michigan New application via MILogin/MI-NATES; in good standing and trained/tested in a state on Michigan's list No $40 registration fee LARA Nurse Aide Registry (reciprocity section)
Minnesota Online interstate endorsement; you must have worked or tested in the endorsing state within the last 24 months No Not stated MDH interstate endorsement tutorial (PDF)
Mississippi Online CNA Reciprocity Form in Mississippi TMU with training and ID documents; Headmaster decides eligibility No $25 non-refundable verification/processing fee CNA Reciprocity Form (Mississippi TMU)
Missouri Online Missouri CNA Reciprocity Application in TMU with your certificate or registry printout; DHSS approves No Not stated Missouri CNA Reciprocity Application (TMU)
Montana CNA Interstate Endorsement Application in the DPHHS BOUNDS portal; needs at least one current CNA number Not stated Not stated Montana Nurse Aide Registry (Interstate Endorsement)
Nebraska Interstate Endorsement form by mail, fax or email; 75-hour training, passed exams, one-hour NE abuse training No No fee Interstate Endorsement application (PDF)
Nevada Nevada Nurse Portal endorsement: active certificate, training proof, CNA work in past two years, fingerprints Not stated $50 NSBN CNA endorsement requirements (PDF)
New Hampshire LNA by endorsement: OPLC online application, background check, uploaded out-of-state license verification Not stated Application fee per OPLC fees page (older rule Nur 304.04: $35) OPLC checklist: LNA by endorsement (PDF)
New Jersey Call PSI (1-877-774-4243). Route 1: 24 CEU hours in 24 months, no exam. Route 2: 24 months' work + NJ exams Sometimes $36 (per PSI bulletin) NJ DOH: certification through reciprocity
New Mexico Out-of-State Reciprocity Application in NM TMU with photo ID, SSN card and current certification; online only No No fee NMHCA CNA Registry (reciprocity)
New York Route 2: NYCNA Exam Application to Prometric with current out-of-state certificate(s) and training info Not stated $50 NYS DOH CNA Manual (Prometric, PDF)
North Carolina Form 4515 to DHSR by mail/email; within 24 months you need 8 paid RN-supervised hours or a passed exam No Not stated DHSR: Applying for Reciprocity
North Dakota Online CNA Endorsement/Reciprocity Application (no paper); current status elsewhere, no validated finding Not stated No fee for the CNA category ND online nurse aide applications
Ohio Form HEA 6907: you fill Section I, your other state's registry completes and seals Section II; send to Ohio Not stated Not stated Request for Reciprocity form HEA 6907 (PDF)
Oklahoma LTC Reciprocity digital form or ODH Form 735 (email nar@health.ok.gov); must be listed as a certified LTC aide Not stated No fee for LTC reciprocity (HHA: $15) Reciprocity Application ODH Form 735 (PDF)
Oregon CNA by Endorsement in the OSBN portal: active CNA elsewhere, 1-hour OR pain training, Fieldprint fingerprints No Not stated OSBN CNA by Endorsement steps (PDF)
Pennsylvania Reciprocity application in a Credentia Platform account; must be active and in good standing elsewhere Not stated Not stated Credentia Pennsylvania (reciprocity application)
Rhode Island Mail-in endorsement application, Interstate Verification Form, BCI check; 100-hour training or 3 months' work Not stated $35 nonrefundable RIDOH endorsement application (PDF)
South Carolina Reciprocity application in a Credentia Platform account; active elsewhere, with at least a 100-hour course No Not stated Credentia South Carolina (reciprocity application)
South Dakota Online Registration by Endorsement: 75-hour+ training, active CNA elsewhere, no findings, misconduct affidavit Not stated Not stated SD Board of Nursing CNA endorsement
Tennessee E3 Reciprocity Application via Credentia; active elsewhere, no abuse findings; not accepted from Florida No Not stated TN HFC Nurse Aide page (reciprocity)
Texas TULIP reciprocity request with Texas DPS criminal history results, your certificate, photo ID and SSN card Not stated No reciprocity fee stated; the DPS criminal history check has a fee for each last name HHSC: Become a CNA in Texas (reciprocity)
Utah UNAR online Reciprocity Application with photo ID, SSN card and current CNA card or registry screenshot Not stated Processing fee; amount not stated UNAR Common Questions (reciprocity)
Vermont LNA by endorsement via OPR online: Fast Track (3+ years licensed) or Standard (400 hours in two years) Not stated Not stated OPR LNA Application Instructions (PDF)
Virginia Endorsement, applied for online from the Board's Nurse Aide page; must be current in at least one state No No application fee Endorsement checklist (Virginia Board of Nursing, PDF)
Washington NAC endorsement via HELMS with employment history and a Credential Verification Form from each state held Not stated Not stated for endorsement (state rules list $85 for a certification application) WABON Nursing Assistant (NA) License
West Virginia OHFLAC online reciprocity application; good standing elsewhere, no 24-month lapse in paid work in three years Not stated Not stated OHFLAC online reciprocity application
Wisconsin Out-of-State application on Wisconsin TMU: 75-hour training proof, or 2,088 RN/LPN-directed hours in two years No Not stated WI DHS: Becoming a CNA (out-of-state)
Wyoming WSBN Nurse Portal endorsement; no new exam if you show 400 work hours or 40 CE hours in 2 years, else NATCEP Sometimes Fees required; amount not stated WSBN Licensing (Application by Endorsement)

Notes on specific states (where official sources disagree or a detail could not be confirmed):

  • Arizona: Only the state law was confirmed; the Board's application form, conditions, fee and exam rules could not be confirmed.
  • Delaware: The reciprocity application link on the DHCQ page is broken, so the form's fee and contents couldn't be confirmed.
  • Hawaii: Reciprocity steps come from the testing vendor's 2017 bulletin; the current application could not be confirmed.
  • Idaho: The no-exam rule comes from a 2013 testing-vendor bulletin; current IDHW pages don't address exams for transfers.
  • Iowa: Iowa's official pages don't list reciprocity eligibility conditions or required documents beyond applying online.
  • Kansas: A 2013 rule lets some out-of-state aides work without the Kansas test; current KDADS forms (2021) require taking it once.
  • Maine: One Maine rule says 'recently graduated'; the Board of Nursing rule says graduated within the last year.
  • Maryland: Endorsement fee and portal steps couldn't be confirmed (fact sheet link broken); rule changes published November 9, 2026 are pending.
  • Montana: DPHHS doesn't say whether endorsement requires work history or an exam.
  • New Hampshire: An older rule (2016) also required 24 CE hours, 200 work hours and a $35 fee; OPLC's current checklist doesn't list these.
  • New York: The Route 2 steps list no exam, but the manual's summary says to take the scheduled exams 'if required'.
  • North Carolina: DHSR switched to a new Reciprocity Application (updated November 2026), announced for November 1.
  • Oregon: The 1-hour pain management training is listed in OSBN's endorsement steps but wasn't found in the Board's rule text.
  • Rhode Island: The rule refers to passing a state-approved exam; the endorsement form lists no Rhode Island exam, so it's unclear if one is needed.
  • Utah: The reciprocity application form and its processing fee amount couldn't be confirmed.
  • Washington: The endorsement fee couldn't be confirmed; state rules list $85 for a certification application.

Before you move

  • Look yourself up on your current state’s registry and confirm your status is active, with no findings.
  • Check the new state’s training-hour minimum in the requirements table: a few states ask for more hours than others, which can matter if your training was short.
  • If your certification has lapsed or you never finished the exam, you’ll likely need training in the new state.
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Sources

Last reviewed November 2026.

CNA Salary and Work Environment | Certified Nursing Assistant Job Facts

Posted by CNA Certification Scoop in CNA Career | 0 comments

14.07.18

Nursing assistants earned a median $42,260 a year, or $20.32 an hour, in May 2025, and 1,448,910 of them held jobs across the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Pay varies most by state: the median runs from $30,510 in Louisiana to $49,830 in Oregon. By setting, skilled nursing facilities, the biggest employer of nursing assistants, paid a median $43,000 a year ($20.67 an hour).

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How much CNAs make nationally

BLS reports pay for all nursing assistants (occupation 31-1131), certified or not. In May 2025:

  • Median pay: $42,260 a year ($20.32 an hour). Half earned more, half less.
  • Average (mean) pay: $42,700 a year ($20.53 an hour).
  • The lowest-paid 10% earned $33,940 or less; the top 10% earned $51,980 or more.
  • Jobs: 1,448,910.

CNA salary by state (May 2025)

The five highest state medians were in Oregon ($49,830), Washington ($49,180), New York ($48,590), New Hampshire ($47,870) and California ($47,630). The table below lists every state; click a state for its training, exam and registry rules. Figures are BLS state estimates for nursing assistants in all industries (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

State Median annual pay Median hourly pay Jobs
Alabama $34,140 $16.41 25,250
Alaska $46,370 $22.29 2,060
Arizona $44,780 $21.53 20,320
Arkansas $34,430 $16.55 17,260
California $47,630 $22.90 110,060
Colorado $47,380 $22.78 22,240
Connecticut $44,790 $21.53 21,380
Delaware $42,030 $20.21 5,530
Florida $37,510 $18.03 96,960
Georgia $37,680 $18.12 43,440
Hawaii $45,350 $21.80 5,050
Idaho $38,650 $18.58 7,910
Illinois $45,960 $22.10 68,640
Indiana $38,330 $18.43 33,640
Iowa $39,350 $18.92 22,670
Kansas $38,010 $18.27 24,610
Kentucky $38,370 $18.45 23,410
Louisiana $30,510 $14.67 20,690
Maine $47,070 $22.63 8,540
Maryland $43,240 $20.79 27,720
Massachusetts $46,680 $22.44 38,130
Michigan $39,570 $19.03 43,290
Minnesota $46,680 $22.44 29,120
Mississippi $31,520 $15.15 14,200
Missouri $37,680 $18.11 34,050
Montana $40,900 $19.67 4,390
Nebraska $40,000 $19.23 16,450
Nevada $45,490 $21.87 8,100
New Hampshire $47,870 $23.02 7,810
New Jersey $46,830 $22.52 32,400
New Mexico $39,390 $18.94 4,750
New York $48,590 $23.36 87,990
North Carolina $38,460 $18.49 64,010
North Dakota $45,820 $22.03 6,840
Ohio $39,010 $18.76 63,280
Oklahoma $35,930 $17.27 19,410
Oregon $49,830 $23.96 14,800
Pennsylvania $44,590 $21.44 67,740
Rhode Island $46,440 $22.33 10,220
South Carolina $37,220 $17.90 21,760
South Dakota $38,800 $18.65 6,860
Tennessee $37,990 $18.27 27,040
Texas $37,500 $18.03 88,680
Utah $39,840 $19.15 12,260
Vermont $47,130 $22.66 3,030
Virginia $43,200 $20.77 40,580
Washington $49,180 $23.65 30,270
West Virginia $36,720 $17.66 9,390
Wisconsin $45,130 $21.70 28,370
Wyoming $39,160 $18.83 2,830

Where CNAs work, and what each setting pays

In 2025, BLS reports, 36% of nursing assistant jobs were in skilled nursing facilities, 32% in hospitals, 11% in continuing care retirement communities and assisted living, 5% in home health care and 3% in government. Pay in the three biggest settings (May 2025):

Setting Jobs Median annual pay Median hourly pay
Skilled nursing facilities 534,270 $43,000 $20.67
Hospitals 479,330 $42,310 $20.34
Retirement communities and assisted living 161,150 $39,490 $18.99
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What the work environment is like

Nursing homes and hospitals provide care around the clock, so CNAs may work nights, weekends and holidays, even though most nursing assistants work full time. BLS also notes that in nursing homes, nursing assistants are often the main caregivers and get to know residents who stay for months or years.

The job is physical. In 2023 and 2024, nursing assistants in private industry had 363.7 injury and illness cases involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers a year, more than four times the rate for all occupations (86.6). Overexertion while moving or handling people or objects accounted for 108.9 of those cases per 10,000.

In nursing homes that take Medicare or Medicaid, federal rules require at least 12 hours of in-service training a year for nurse aides, including dementia care and abuse prevention.

Job outlook

BLS projects nursing assistant jobs to grow 3% between 2025 and 2035, from 1,505,900 to 1,544,900, about as fast as the average for all occupations. It expects about 203,300 openings a year for nursing assistants and orderlies combined, most of them to replace workers who leave the occupation.

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Sources

Last reviewed November 2026.