Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in Nebraska
- Training hours
- 75 hrs
- Upfront cost
- —
- Exam
- Written/Oral Exam, Skills Exam
- Renewal cycle
- —
- Issuing board
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit — Nurse Aide Registry
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 16 years old, pass a criminal background check. DHHS's published qualifications require an applicant to be 'At least 16 years of age' and to not have been 'convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude that is rationally related to the position of a nurse aide' — DHHS defines moral turpitude as conduct 'contrary to justice, honesty, modesty, good morals and with the intent to defraud.' A nurse aide's registry status becomes 'Ineligible' if there is a finding of conviction, abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on record. Separately, federal Department of Labor rules restrict nurse aides under 18 from operating patient lifts unassisted (16-17 year-olds may assist). [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 75 hours of training at a state-approved program. Applicants must successfully complete a minimum of 75 hours of DHHS-approved training (or a 21-hour basic resident care course for intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled), plus 1 hour of Nebraska-specific abuse/neglect/misappropriation training. If a candidate fails an exam 3 times, they must retake the full 75-hour course. [1]
- 3
Written/Oral Exam
Pass the Written/Oral Exam. 50 multiple-choice questions; 70% or greater is a passing grade. You have 3 opportunities to pass; failing all 3 requires retaking the 75-hour nurse aide course. Takes approximately 3 weeks after passing to be made active on the registry. No exam fee amount was published on DHHS's official Nurse Aide page (the page states there is no application fee for nurse aides). [1]
- 4
Skills Exam
Pass the Skills Exam. Demonstration of six skills; 70% or greater passing score on each skill, with some mandatory steps that must be performed correctly. Failing any one of the six skills fails the whole exam. You have 3 opportunities to pass; failing all 3 requires retaking the 75-hour nurse aide course. [1]
- 5
Submit your application
Submit your application to Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit — Nurse Aide Registry. Typical processing time: Approximately 3 weeks to be made active on the registry after passing the exam; up to 30 days to process an Interstate Endorsement application. [1]
- 6
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit — Nurse Aide Registry issues your Nurse Aide for Nebraska.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | None specified |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | None specified |
| Written/Oral Exam [1] | None specified |
| Skills Exam [1] | None specified |
DHHS's official page states plainly, under Applications, Forms & Fees: 'Application – there is none for nurse aides. Fees – there are none for nurse aides.' Nebraska also does not charge a fee to transfer a nurse aide certificate in or out of state. The only fee identified anywhere on the page is a $100 Conviction Review fee, which is optional and only for applicants who want an advance determination of whether a criminal conviction would disqualify them — not a routine certification cost.
Renewal & continuing education
Renewal cycle not specified.
Nebraska does not use a fixed renewal cycle with an expiration date. DHHS's page states: 'Expiration dates - none noted unless lapsed or ineligible.' A nurse aide's registry status stays 'Active' as long as they have worked as a nurse aide in a paid position within the past 24 months in an approved employer setting; if not, status becomes 'Lapsed' and the individual must retest. There is no continuing-education-hour requirement and no renewal fee.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
No interstate compact covers CNAs/nurse aides (unlike the RN/LPN Nurse Licensure Compact). A nurse aide moving to Nebraska from another state completes the Interstate Endorsement form; DHHS says this may take up to 30 days to process, and DHHS will contact the nurse aide registry of the state where the applicant trained (and any other states worked in) to verify status. All nurse aides transferring in must also complete Nebraska's 1-hour Abuse/Neglect/Misappropriation training, even if similar training was completed elsewhere. There is no fee for this transfer in either direction.
1 state-approved training provider in Nebraska — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of CNA training does Nebraska require?
At least 75 hours of DHHS-approved training (or a 21-hour basic resident care course for ICFs serving the developmentally disabled), plus 1 hour of Nebraska-specific abuse/neglect/misappropriation training.
How much does it cost to become a nurse aide in Nebraska?
DHHS states there is no application fee and no fees for nurse aides — the state doesn't charge for initial application, renewal, or interstate transfer.
How old do I need to be to become a nurse aide in Nebraska?
At least 16 years of age. Nurse aides under 18 have some restrictions on operating patient lifts unassisted.
Does my Nebraska nurse aide certification expire?
There's no fixed expiration date — your status stays 'Active' as long as you've worked as a nurse aide in a paid position within the past 24 months. If not, your status becomes 'Lapsed' and you must retest.
Can I transfer my nurse aide certification from another state to Nebraska?
Yes, via the Interstate Endorsement form, which can take up to 30 days to process. You'll also need to complete Nebraska's 1-hour Abuse/Neglect/Misappropriation training even if you completed similar training in your prior state.
Sources
- [1] dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Nurse-Aide.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10