StateLicensed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in New York

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
100 hrs
Upfront cost
$115
Exam
Clinical Skills and Written Examination (first-time tester)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
New York State Department of Health, Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management, Bureau of Professional Credentialing — Nurse Aide Registry

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 16 years old, pass a criminal background check. Students must be at least 16 years old to enter an approved training program and are eligible to test for certification at 17. NYSDOH requires fingerprint-based criminal history record checks (CHRC) for all new unlicensed nurse aide staff; certain criminal convictions (per Public Health Law and related regulations) bar employment in a nursing home or home care agency. [2]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 100 hours of training (including 30 clinical hours) at a state-approved program. Training must include at least 100 hours of instruction with a minimum of 30 hours of supervised clinical practice, at a nursing home nurse aide training program approved by the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) or NYS Education Department (NYSED). Students must be at least 16 to enter an approved training program and are eligible to test for certification at 17. [1]

  3. 3

    Clinical Skills and Written Examination (first-time tester)

    Pass the Clinical Skills and Written Examination (first-time tester) (fee: $115). Hands-on Clinical Skills demonstration plus a multiple-choice Written knowledge test; must be passed together within 2 years of completing training. A Clinical Skills + Oral (audio) exam combination is also offered for $135. Individual retest fees: Clinical Skills Retest $68, Written Retest $57, Oral Retest $67. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to New York State Department of Health, Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management, Bureau of Professional Credentialing — Nurse Aide Registry. [2]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, New York State Department of Health, Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management, Bureau of Professional Credentialing — Nurse Aide Registry issues your Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for New York.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [2] None specified
License fee [2] None specified
Renewal fee [2] None specified
Clinical Skills and Written Examination (first-time tester) [2] $115
Clinical Skills + Written Exam, first-time tester [2] $115
Clinical Skills + Oral Exam, first-time tester [2] $135
Reciprocity/CNA from another state (or RN/LPN) [2] $50
Recertification (typically paid by employer) [2] $40
Duplicate Certificate [2] $15

There is no separate NYSDOH application or license fee beyond the Prometric exam fee. Standard renewal (recertification) does not require a fee when it is processed based on documented paid work; the $40 recertification fee applies to a specific paid-by-employer route and is included above as 'other' rather than as the renewal value, since it is not a fee charged to every renewing aide.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Certification is valid for 24 months and expires if the aide has not worked for pay for at least 7 hours as a nurse aide in New York within the preceding 24 months. No continuing-education hour requirement was found. A $40 recertification fee applies when the recertification is filed as employer-paid; the current employer typically recertifies the aide and pays this fee.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers CNAs/nurse aides. New York uses a Reciprocity route (Route 2 on the NY Nurse Aide application) for candidates certified in another state: submit the application form, a copy of the current out-of-state certificate (with proof of any name change), and a $50 processing fee to Prometric. The out-of-state certification must be active and in good standing; if the other state doesn't publish expiration dates, a supervisor-signed letter documenting at least 7 hours of paid work in the past 24 months is required instead.

5 state-approved training providers in New York — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $115
Total$115

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of CNA training does New York require?

100 hours of instruction total, with a minimum of 30 hours of supervised clinical practice, at a training program approved by NYSDOH or NYSED.

Who administers the New York CNA exam?

Prometric, under contract with the New York State Department of Health. First-time testers take a Clinical Skills exam plus either a Written or Oral knowledge exam.

How often do I need to renew my New York CNA certification?

Every 24 months. Certification lapses if you have not worked for pay at least 7 hours as a nurse aide in New York within the preceding 24 months.

Can an out-of-state CNA transfer their certification to New York?

Yes, through the Reciprocity route: submit the application, a copy of your current out-of-state certificate, and a $50 fee to Prometric. Your out-of-state certification must be active and in good standing.

Sources

  1. [1] health.ny.gov/facilities/nursing/docs/nurse_aide_training_program_and_certification.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] prometric.com/files/Nurse-Aide/NY-NA-Bulletin.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10