StateLicensed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in Colorado

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
75 hrs
Upfront cost
$135
Exam
Written (or Oral) Examination, Skills Evaluation
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Colorado State Board of Nursing (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) — Nurse Aide Registry

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No Colorado-published minimum age was found for nurse aide training/certification, so left null rather than guessed. A criminal background check is required: Colorado Board of Nursing applicants (including nurse aides, under the Nurse and Nurse Aide Practice Act, Title 12, Article 255, C.R.S.) must submit fingerprints for a Colorado Bureau of Investigation and FBI criminal history check per C.R.S. §24-60-380(III)(c)(6). [3]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 75 hours of training (including 16 clinical hours) at a state-approved program. At least 75 hours of instruction at a Board-approved nurse aide training program meeting federal OBRA '87 standards, including a minimum of 16 hours of pre-clinical classroom instruction (communication, infection control, safety, resident independence/rights) and a minimum of 16 hours of clinical instruction under direct RN/LPN supervision. Matches the federal 42 CFR 483.152 floor of 75 hours (Colorado does not require additional hours beyond the federal minimum). [1]

  3. 3

    Written (or Oral) Examination

    Pass the Written (or Oral) Examination (fee: $50). 70 multiple-choice questions, written in English; an Oral Examination (English or Spanish, 60 multiple-choice + 10 reading-comprehension items via audio overlay) is available at the same $50 fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Skills Evaluation

    Pass the Skills Evaluation (fee: $85). Hands-on demonstration of 5 randomly selected nurse aide skills, 30 minutes allowed. Both the Written/Oral and Skills components must be passed within 24 months of Credentia receiving the application to be listed on the Colorado Nurse Aide Registry. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Colorado State Board of Nursing (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) — Nurse Aide Registry. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Colorado State Board of Nursing (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) — Nurse Aide Registry issues your Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) for Colorado.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] None specified
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] None specified
Written (or Oral) Examination [2] $50
Skills Evaluation [2] $85
Written (or Oral) Examination (Credentia) [3] $50
Skills Evaluation (Credentia) [3] $85

The Board's own CNA registry application/certification/renewal fee amounts could not be confirmed from a primary DORA source within research time available — secondary sources disagree (some describe the initial application as fee-free beyond the Credentia exam costs, others cite a $50 application fee and a $25 renewal fee), and the Board of Nursing's fee rule (3 CCR 716-1) was not locatable as a directly fetchable primary document. Left null rather than guessing which figure is current; only the confirmed Credentia exam fees are listed.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

All Colorado CNA certificates expire on January 31 of odd-numbered years (a fixed biennial cycle, not an individual anniversary date), with a 60-day grace period. No continuing-education hours are required; instead, renewal requires the CNA to attest that they received monetary compensation for at least 8 hours of nursing care activities during the 24 months prior to the renewal/reinstatement application.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers CNAs/nurse aides. Colorado offers Certified Nurse Aide - Certification by Endorsement (applied for online through DORA's Online Services) for candidates holding a current, valid nurse aide certificate from a jurisdiction with a substantially similar scope of practice.

7 state-approved training providers in Colorado — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $50
  • $85
Total$135

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Colorado require for CNA certification?

At least 75 hours at a Board-approved training program, including a minimum of 16 hours of pre-clinical classroom instruction and 16 hours of clinical instruction under direct RN/LPN supervision — matching the federal OBRA minimum.

Who administers the Colorado CNA exam, and what does it cost?

Credentia, under contract with the Colorado State Board of Nursing. The Written (or Oral) Examination costs $50 and the Skills Evaluation costs $85.

How often do I renew my Colorado CNA certification?

All Colorado CNA certificates expire on a fixed biennial cycle — January 31 of odd-numbered years — rather than an individual 2-year anniversary. No continuing education is required; you must instead attest to at least 8 paid hours of nursing care activity in the prior 24 months.

Does Colorado require a background check for CNAs?

Yes. Colorado Board of Nursing applicants, including nurse aides, must submit fingerprints for a Colorado Bureau of Investigation and FBI criminal history check.

Sources

  1. [1] law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/3-CCR-716-1.11 — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] credentia.com/storage/resources/CO-Handbook.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] dpo.colorado.gov/Nursing/CNAApplications — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/3-CCR-716-1.10 — accessed 2026-07-10