StateLicensed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in New Hampshire

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
100 hrs
Upfront cost
$283
Exam
Nurse Aide Competency Exam (Written and Skills, combined)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), Board of Nursing

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No OPLC-published minimum age for LNA licensure was found on the official pages reviewed this session. Background check: applicants must complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check through the NH Criminal Records Portal (New Hampshire State Police), and the Board of Nursing can only accept completed criminal record reports sent directly from NH State Police. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 100 hours of training (including 60 clinical hours) at a state-approved program. New Hampshire Administrative Code Nur 704.08 requires at least 100 hours of combined instruction: 40 hours of classroom theory instruction and 60 hours of supervised clinical practice. This exceeds the federal OBRA/42 CFR 483.152 floor of 75 hours. New Hampshire uses the term 'LNA' (Licensed Nursing Assistant) where most states say 'CNA.' [1]

  3. 3

    Nurse Aide Competency Exam (Written and Skills, combined)

    Pass the Nurse Aide Competency Exam (Written and Skills, combined) (fee: $200). Written knowledge component (written or oral format) plus a hands-on clinical skills demonstration. Excel Testing's own registration page states candidates register for 2 tests — Written Test and Skills Test — for combined exam fees of $200; the fees are not broken out separately by component. There is a fee to retest if you don't attend a scheduled exam. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), Board of Nursing with the $63 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), Board of Nursing issues your Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) for New Hampshire.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $63
License fee [3] $20
Renewal fee [3] $63
Nurse Aide Competency Exam (Written and Skills, combined) [2] $200
Criminal background check / fingerprinting (NH Criminal Records Portal) [3] $47
License Verification Fee [3] $10

Per OPLC's official Board of Nursing License Fees schedule: LNA Application Fee is $63 (includes a mandatory $28 Professional Health Program fee), Renewal Fee is $63, Reinstatement Fee is $63, and the separate Certificate Fee is $20. The $47 fingerprinting fee is paid directly to the NH Criminal Records Portal/State Police, not to OPLC.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Nur 403.02: each applicant for renewal, reinstatement, or endorsement of an LNA license must complete at least 12 contact hours per year (24 contact hours over the 2-year renewal cycle) of workshops, conferences, lectures, or in-service education designed to enhance nursing-assistant knowledge, judgment, and skills. Successful completion of a state nursing-assistant competency exam within 2 years of the application date can substitute for the CE requirement.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers CNAs/LNAs (unlike the RN/LPN Nurse Licensure Compact). New Hampshire allows LNA licensure by endorsement for candidates certified in another state, via OPLC's Reciprocity process; endorsement applicants are also subject to the same $63 application fee and background-check/fingerprinting requirements as new applicants, and are held to the same 24-contact-hour CE standard at renewal.

Cost calculator

  • $63
  • $20
  • $200
Total$283

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of training does New Hampshire require to become an LNA?

100 hours total: 40 hours of classroom theory instruction and 60 hours of supervised clinical practice, per Nur 704.08.

Who administers the New Hampshire nursing assistant exam?

Excel Testing, the Board of Nursing's approved testing agency. The Written Test and Skills Test are registered and billed together for a combined $200.

How much does it cost to get licensed as an LNA in New Hampshire?

The application fee is $63 (which includes a mandatory $28 Professional Health Program fee), plus a separate $20 certificate fee and a $47 fingerprint-based background check fee. Renewal is also $63 every 2 years.

Does New Hampshire require continuing education to renew an LNA license?

Yes — at least 12 contact hours per year (24 hours over the 2-year renewal cycle) of qualifying education, unless you complete a state nursing-assistant competency exam within the 2 years before applying.

Can I transfer my nursing assistant certification from another state to New Hampshire?

Yes, through licensure by endorsement, which follows the same $63 application-fee and background-check process as a new applicant.

Sources

  1. [1] oplc.nh.gov/nursing-assistant-educational-programs — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] exceltestingnh.com/register/ — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] oplc.nh.gov/board-nursing-license-fees — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] oplc.nh.gov/board-nurses-education-and-training — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] oplc.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt441/files/2024-04/background_check_instructions-updated.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10