StateLicensed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in Connecticut

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
100 hrs
Upfront cost
$118
Exam
Clinical Skills Test and Written (Knowledge) Test
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) — Nurse Aide Registry

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No Connecticut-published minimum age was found in DPH's nurse aide training-program requirements, so left null rather than guessed. On background checks: per a Connecticut General Assembly Office of Legislative Research analysis, no Connecticut statute or regulation requires a criminal background check as part of DPH nurse aide REGISTRY certification itself (DPH instead investigates and prosecutes abuse/neglect/misappropriation complaints after the fact, entering findings on the registry). However, Connecticut General Statutes §19a-491c separately requires state and national (FBI) fingerprint-based criminal history and patient-abuse background checks for newly-hired direct-care employees at long-term care facilities — which in practice covers nearly all working CNAs — administered through DPH's Applicant Background Check Management System (ABCMS). [4]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 100 hours of training at a state-approved program. At least 100 total hours of classroom and clinical instruction at a DPH-approved nurse aide training program, exceeding the federal OBRA/42 CFR 483.152 floor of 75 hours by 25 hours. State requirements do not mandate a fixed classroom/clinical split beyond a federally-required 16-hour pre-clinical component (communication, resident rights/independence, safety/emergency procedures including the Heimlich maneuver, infection control) that must precede any direct resident contact; clinical training occurs in a licensed Chronic and Convalescent Nursing Home or Rest Home with Nursing Supervision. [1]

  3. 3

    Clinical Skills Test and Written (Knowledge) Test

    Pass the Clinical Skills Test and Written (Knowledge) Test (fee: $118). Bundled first-attempt fee covering both the hands-on Clinical Skills Test and the multiple-choice Written (Knowledge) Test; candidates are not required to pass one before taking the other. An Oral Test can be taken in place of the Written Test for $128 combined (the exam is offered only in English; no translators or translation dictionaries are permitted). Retake fees are itemized separately: Clinical Skills Test retake $73, Written Test retake $45, Oral Test retake $55. A $20 processing fee and a $25 reschedule fee also apply where relevant. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) — Nurse Aide Registry. [2]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) — Nurse Aide Registry issues your Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) for Connecticut.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [2] None specified
License fee [2] None specified
Renewal fee [2] $0
Clinical Skills Test and Written (Knowledge) Test [2] $118
Clinical Skills Test + Written Test, first attempt (Prometric) [2] $118
Clinical Skills Test + Oral Test, first attempt (Prometric) [2] $128
Reciprocity/CNA from another state (Prometric) [2] $55

There is no separate DPH application or certificate-issuance fee beyond the Prometric testing fees — the exam fee itself functions as the combined application/testing cost. Renewal is free ($0 fee).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

No continuing-education hours are required. To renew, a nurse aide must document at least one 8-hour shift of paid employment as a nurse aide (or in a position providing nursing-related/direct personal care) before the certificate expires; the renewed certification runs 2 years from the last verified date of qualifying employment. If more than 24 months pass without qualifying work, the individual must retake and pass the Connecticut Nurse Aide exam rather than renewing. Renewal is free.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers CNAs/nurse aides. Connecticut offers Route 7 (Reciprocity) for candidates who are currently active and in good standing on another state's nurse aide registry — no retesting is required; the candidate submits a copy of their active out-of-state certificate or a verification letter from that state's registry, along with the Connecticut Nurse Aide Registry Application, for a $55 fee. Separately, Route 3 (Out-of-State Training) is for candidates who completed an approved out-of-state training program (100+ hours) within the last 24 months but have NOT yet passed that state's competency exam — those candidates must take the Connecticut exam.

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

Cost calculator

  • $118
Total$118

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Connecticut require for CNA certification?

At least 100 total hours of classroom and clinical instruction at a DPH-approved nurse aide training program.

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

Prometric, under contract with DPH. The bundled Clinical Skills + Written Test fee is $118 for a first attempt ($128 if taking the Oral Test instead of Written).

How often do I renew my Connecticut CNA certification, and is there a fee?

Every 2 years, and renewal is free. You must document at least one 8-hour paid shift as a nurse aide before your certificate expires; going more than 24 months without qualifying work means retesting instead of renewing.

Can I transfer my out-of-state CNA certification to Connecticut?

Yes, via Route 7 (Reciprocity) — no retesting is required if your out-of-state certification is active and in good standing. The reciprocity fee is $55.

Sources

  1. [1] portal.ct.gov/-/media/Departments-and-Agencies/DPH/dph/practitioner_licensing_and_investigations/plis/Nurse_Aides/CT-CNA-Training-Program-Requirements.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] prometric.com/files/2022-03/CTCNA%20Candidate%20Information%20Bulletin%203.31.2022%5B1%5D.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/nurseaide/certification-and-renewal — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] portal.ct.gov/dph/ABCMS/LongTerm-Care-Background-Search-Program-Applicant-Background-Check-Management-System-ABCMS — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/nurseaide/certified-in-another-state-route-7 — accessed 2026-07-10