Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in Maine
- Training hours
- 130 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Exam
- Maine CNA Competency Test (Written + Skills)
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) — Division of Licensing and Certification, CNA and Direct Care Worker (DCW) Registry
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 16 years old, pass a criminal background check. You must be at least 16 years old. Maine-trained CNAs must provide a copy of the criminal background check secured by their training instructor as part of the course application; Direct Care Workers with criminal convictions in the last 10 years and/or substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation are subject to registry action. Out-of-state trained CNAs applying to the Maine registry are not required to separately resubmit a background check. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 130 hours of training at a state-approved program. Maine requires successful completion of an approved 130-hour CNA training course before placement on the CNA/DCW Registry. Fully online-only programs are not accepted — the course must include classroom instruction, lab work, and supervised clinical practice. A breakdown of classroom vs. clinical hours was not published on the official page, so clinicalHours is omitted rather than guessed. [1]
- 3
Maine CNA Competency Test (Written + Skills)
Pass the Maine CNA Competency Test (Written + Skills). The Division of Licensing and Certification's own FAQ page confirms that federal CNA law prohibits Maine from charging an applicant a fee to be listed on the Registry itself, but does not publish the Prometric vendor exam fee. Prometric's Maine-specific candidate information bulletin returned a 403 (bot-blocked) with no retrievable Wayback Machine snapshot in this session, so the exam fee amount is left null rather than guessed. Prometric's own multi-state Nurse Aide program pages list Maine among their served states, corroborating Prometric as the administrator. [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) — Division of Licensing and Certification, CNA and Direct Care Worker (DCW) Registry with the $0 application fee. [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) — Division of Licensing and Certification, CNA and Direct Care Worker (DCW) Registry issues your Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for Maine.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $0 |
| License fee [1] | $0 |
| Renewal fee [1] | $0 |
| Maine CNA Competency Test (Written + Skills) [1] | None specified |
Federal CNA law prohibits Maine from charging an applicant or a CNA a fee to be listed on the Registry, so application, license (listing), and renewal are all recorded as $0. The Prometric vendor exam fee is a separate cost not published on an official Maine source retrievable in this session (see exams).
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years. 12 continuing education hours required per cycle.
A CNA certificate/registry listing must be renewed every 24 months (2 years); renewal processing typically takes 2-4 weeks. Renewal requires a minimum of 8 hours of qualified employment during the 24-month period. Separately, nursing facilities must provide CNAs with no less than 12 hours per year of in-service education.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
No interstate compact covers CNAs/nurse aides. Out-of-state trained CNAs may apply to the Maine registry by submitting an application along with verification from all state(s) in which they currently hold or have held CNA certification, plus a copy of their current photo ID. A reciprocity form is available; Maine's registry recommends confirming requirements with the destination state's registry via the National Directory of Nurse Aide Registries when a Maine-certified CNA is moving to another state.
Cost calculator
- $0
- $0
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of CNA training does Maine require?
130 hours at a state-approved program covering classroom instruction, lab work, and supervised clinical practice. Fully online-only programs are not accepted.
Is there a fee to be listed on the Maine CNA Registry?
No — federal CNA law prohibits Maine from charging an applicant or CNA a fee to be listed on the Registry. A separate Prometric exam fee applies for the competency test itself.
How often do I need to renew my Maine CNA certificate?
Every 24 months, based on documenting at least 8 hours of qualified employment in that period. Nursing facilities must also provide 12 hours per year of in-service education.
Can I transfer my CNA certification from another state to Maine?
Yes — submit an application with verification from every state where you currently hold or have held CNA certification, plus a copy of your current photo ID. Out-of-state applicants don't need to resubmit a background check.
Sources
- [1] maine.gov/dhhs/dlc/cna-registry/frequently-asked-questions — accessed 2026-07-10