StateLicensed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) License Requirements in Wisconsin

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
75 hrs
Upfront cost
$137.75
Exam
Knowledge Exam, Demonstration/Skills Exam
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) — Nurse Aide Training and Registry

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. DHS publishes no minimum age for nurse aide certification, so minAge is null. backgroundCheck is false for registry placement itself: the Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check program applies to EMPLOYMENT — facilities regulated by DHS must complete a caregiver background check for employees with resident access, and serious convictions can bar facility employment (with a Rehabilitation Review process available) — but it is not a prerequisite for taking the exam or being listed on the registry. [4]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 75 hours of training (including 16 clinical hours) at a state-approved program. State-approved Nurse Aide Training Program of 75 hours, including 16 hours of clinical work (the figures DHS itself states when describing what out-of-state and reactivating candidates must document; Wisconsin follows the federal 42 CFR 483.152 minimum). A newly trained candidate must pass the knowledge and skills exams within one year of completing training. DHS 'Becoming a CNA in Wisconsin' page verified via archive snapshot [2026-05-14] — the live page 403s automated fetches. [1]

  3. 3

    Knowledge Exam

    Pass the Knowledge Exam (fee: $35.7). Multiple-choice knowledge exam; an audio version costs an additional $5.25 ($40.95 total). A remotely proctored option is available. Fees effective June 7, 2025 per the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook Competency Exam Updates Log (V73): Knowledge Exam only $35.70; Knowledge + Demonstration/Skills combined $137.75 ($143.00 with audio). Must be passed within one year of completing training. [2]

  4. 4

    Demonstration/Skills Exam

    Pass the Demonstration/Skills Exam (fee: $102.05). Hands-on demonstration of nurse aide skill tasks. Fee effective June 7, 2025 (Demonstration/Skills only $102.05; combined with Knowledge Exam $137.75). Refund requests within the allowed window incur a $30 processing fee; a $25 deposit applies to test-score reviews. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) — Nurse Aide Training and Registry. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) — Nurse Aide Training and Registry issues your Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for Wisconsin.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] None specified
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] None specified
Knowledge Exam [2] $35.7
Demonstration/Skills Exam [2] $102.05
Knowledge Exam only (Headmaster) [3] $35.7
Demonstration/Skills Exam only (Headmaster) [3] $102.05
Knowledge + Skills combined (Headmaster) [3] $137.75
Audio version of Knowledge Exam, surcharge [3] $5.25

Wisconsin DHS charges no application, registry-placement, or renewal fee — placement follows passing the vendor-administered exams, and renewal is a free employer-verification process in the TMU system. The published costs are the Headmaster exam fees (effective June 7, 2025), so application/license/renewal are null.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Federal work eligibility lapses every two years per 42 CFR Part 483 and cannot be extended or waived. To renew, the aide must have worked as a nurse aide for pay under the supervision of an RN or LPN during the 24-month certification period (Wis. Stat. § 146.40(1)(d), Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 129.03(30)(a)); the employer confirms employment in the TMU system (or via Renewal Form F-03211). There is no continuing-education requirement, so ceHours is null. An aide who has not met the work requirement must retest (both skills and written) — Wisconsin does not require retraining. Page verified via archive snapshot [2026-01-21].

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers CNAs (the Nurse Licensure Compact applies to RN/LPN only). Active, good-standing out-of-state aides apply for registry placement with the Out-of-State application on the Wisconsin Headmaster (TMU) website, documenting completion of a minimum 75-hour state-approved training program (diploma/transcript or program letter with completion date) — or, lacking training proof, employer verification of at least 2,088 hours worked as a nurse aide under RN/LPN direction in the two years preceding application. Candidates who can document neither must retrain and retest in Wisconsin. Inactive-but-good-standing out-of-state aides must renew their home-state registry status or complete competency testing in Wisconsin. Alabama-trained applicants certified only in Alabama more than two years ago also need employment verification for the previous two years.

15 state-approved training providers in Wisconsin — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $35.7
  • $102.05
Total$137.75

Frequently asked questions

How do I become a CNA in Wisconsin?

Complete a DHS-approved 75-hour nurse aide training program (including 16 clinical hours), then pass the knowledge and skills exams administered by D&SDT-Headmaster within one year of finishing training. Passing places you on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry.

How much does the Wisconsin nurse aide exam cost?

Through Headmaster: $137.75 for the combined knowledge + skills exams, or $35.70 (knowledge only) and $102.05 (skills only). An audio knowledge version adds $5.25. DHS itself charges no application or registry fee.

How do I keep my Wisconsin nurse aide eligibility active?

Work as a paid nurse aide under RN or LPN supervision during each 24-month certification period, and have your employer verify the employment in the TMU system. There is no fee and no CE requirement.

What happens if I haven't worked as a nurse aide in the past 24 months?

Your federal eligibility lapses and you must retest — both the skills test and written test. Wisconsin does not require retraining.

Can I transfer my out-of-state CNA certification to Wisconsin?

Yes — submit the Out-of-State application via the Wisconsin Headmaster website with proof of a 75-hour state-approved training program, or employer verification of at least 2,088 hours of supervised nurse aide work in the past two years.

Sources

  1. [1] dhs.wisconsin.gov/caregiver/nurse-aide/nurse-aide.htm — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] hdmaster.com/testing/cnatesting/wisconsin/WIformpages/WIforms/WISCONSIN%20NURSE%20AIDE%20COMPETENCY%20EXAM%20UPDATES%20LOG%2011.1.25.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] dhs.wisconsin.gov/caregiver/nurse-aide/maintain-status.htm — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] hdmaster.com/testing/cnatesting/wisconsin/WIformpages/WIforms/WICandidateHandbook%20V72%2011.1.2024.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10