StateLicensed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in Vermont

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
75 hrs
Upfront cost
$25
Exam
LNA Written (Knowledge) Test, LNA Skills Test
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Vermont Board of Nursing — Office of Professional Regulation (Secretary of State)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. A fingerprint-supported criminal background check (Vermont Crime Information Center + FBI) is required of all first-time applicants; results can take up to 12 weeks, and a one-time, non-renewable 90-day provisional license may be issued while awaiting results once the fingerprint receipt is uploaded. Neither OPR nor the Board of Nursing publishes a minimum age for LNA licensure, so minAge is null rather than guessed. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 75 hours of training at a state-approved program. Vermont calls its nurse aides Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNAs) — this is a true license, not just registry placement. An approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) must be at least 75 clock hours, including at least 59 hours of curriculum instruction and 16 hours of supervised practical training with a live person in a laboratory or other setting. Programs are approved by the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), Division of Licensing and Protection; the Board of Nursing rules (Rule 10-1) require completing such a program (or its equivalent in another US jurisdiction) within two years of application. The 16 practical hours are lab-based, not necessarily facility clinical, so clinicalHours is omitted. [1]

  3. 3

    LNA Written (Knowledge) Test

    Pass the LNA Written (Knowledge) Test. Written knowledge test. Per-component pricing is not published: Excel Testing charges a combined $200 registration fee covering both the Written Test and Skills Test, so each component's individual fee is recorded as null and the combined fee appears under fees.other. There is a fee to re-test. Per Board Rule 10-2, a candidate who has not passed after three attempts must repeat an approved nursing assistant education program. [2]

  4. 4

    LNA Skills Test

    Pass the LNA Skills Test. Hands-on skills demonstration. Covered by the same combined $200 registration fee as the Written Test (see fees.other); individual component pricing is not published, hence null. Same 3-attempt limit before retraining (Board Rule 10-2). [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Vermont Board of Nursing — Office of Professional Regulation (Secretary of State) with the $25 application fee. Typical processing time: Minimum 5 full business days for application processing; fingerprint background check results can take up to 12 weeks (90-day provisional license available while waiting). [5]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Vermont Board of Nursing — Office of Professional Regulation (Secretary of State) issues your Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) for Vermont.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $25
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $65
LNA Written (Knowledge) Test [2] None specified
LNA Skills Test [2] None specified
Combined exam registration — Written + Skills Tests (Excel Testing) [3] $200

Per the OPR Initial Licensing/Renewal Fees schedule (updated 7/1/2025): Licensed Nursing Assistant (profession code 075) application fee $25, renewal fee $65, renewal date November 30 of even years. There is no separate initial license fee beyond the application fee, so license is null. Exam registration is a separate $200 combined fee paid to Excel Testing.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Biennial renewal (expires November 30 of even years), $65 online via the OPR Online Services System. Per Board of Nursing Administrative Rule 4-8(b), LNAs must demonstrate, via job description or other appropriate employer verification, at least 50 days (400 hours) of employment as a nurse assistant (or in a role that reasonably reinforces LNA training and skills) in the two years preceding application. There is no continuing-education requirement for LNAs, so ceHours is null. A licensee who does not meet the active-practice requirement must repeat the nursing assistant education program and competency examination.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers LNAs/CNAs — Vermont belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact for RNs/LPNs only, and it does not apply to LNA practice (Board rules explicitly note the NLC 'is not applicable to APRN or LNA practice'). Out-of-state nurse aides use licensure by endorsement: licensed/certified in good standing in a substantially equivalent jurisdiction, with at least 50 days (400 hours) of nurse assistant employment in the last two years (Rule 10-3); applicants continuously licensed elsewhere for 3+ years may use Fast Track Endorsement instead. A federal criminal background check is required for all routes.

Cost calculator

  • $25
Total$25

Frequently asked questions

What is an LNA and how is it different from a CNA?

Vermont licenses its nursing assistants as Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNAs) through the Board of Nursing rather than only listing them on a registry. The role is equivalent to a CNA in other states.

How many training hours does Vermont require?

At least 75 clock hours in a DAIL-approved program: a minimum of 59 hours of curriculum instruction and 16 hours of supervised practical training.

Do I need a background check to become an LNA?

Yes — all first-time applicants must complete a fingerprint-supported criminal background check (VCIC + FBI). A 90-day provisional license can be issued while results are pending.

How do I renew my Vermont LNA license?

Renew online every two years ($65, expiring November 30 of even years). You must document at least 400 hours (50 days) of nursing assistant employment in the preceding two years; there is no continuing-education requirement.

Can I transfer my out-of-state CNA credential to Vermont?

Yes, by endorsement — you need good standing in your current state plus 400 hours of work in the past two years, or Fast Track Endorsement if you've been licensed elsewhere for 3+ years.

Sources

  1. [1] dlp.vermont.gov/survey-cert/natcep-forms — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] exceltestingvt.com/register/ — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/general/initial_licensing_renewal_fees_dates_90-day_licensing_policy.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/nursing/nursing_administrative_rules.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/nursing/nursing_licensed_assistant_application_instructions.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10