The following are some of the more frequent phoned in questions:

1)  May I challenge the CNA exam?

  Only those who have completed 120 hours of class time are eligible to take the CNA exam.

2)  What if I was unable to take the CNA exam within the allowed time frame from course completion to testing (one yer)?

  You must send a letter to the Long Term Care supervisor requesting the test needed to take and the reasons why you were not able to test in the required time frame.  This letter must include the date when the Nurse Aide program course was completed.

3)  How many times may I retest for the written or skills tests?

  You may retest up to 3 times for each test.

4)  How long does it take to receive the CNA Certification in the mail?

  It takes the standard 7-10 business days.

5)   May my employer fill out the bottom of the reciprocity form?

  No, the employer may not fill out the bottom of the reciprocity form.  That portion of the form must be completed by the State's agency responsible for the CNA Registry in that state.

6)  How do I get the reciprocity form to the Idaho CNA Registry?

  Mail or fax the form; that information is found on the Instructions sheet.

7)  I need to renew my CNA certificate, what do I need to do?

  To renew for another 2-year period, fill out the Renewal Form, found on our website at the upper right.  Your employer needs to sign the form authenticating your work history as a paid CNA (a minimum of 8 hours).  Employment dates need to be within the 2 years prior to the CNA certificate lapsing.

8)  It has been more than 5 years since I last renewed my CNA certificate, what do I need to do to renew now?

  If it has been longer than 5 years since the CNA certificate expired, it is required to retake the Nurse Aide Program course and retake both the skills and written tests.

9)  If my previous employer is unable to sign my Renewal Form in order to renew my CNA for another 2 years, what should I do?

  You may submit a copy of a valid W-2 form, or pay stub with your employers information.

10)  If I cannot provide proof that I worked for 8 hours, or more, as a paid CNA within the 2 years preceding my certification expiring, what can I do to renew my CNA certificate?

  This would require completion of both the written and skills tests again.  Contact our office in order for us to provide an Approval to Test letter.

11)  Where can I get study materials prior to retesting?

  Contact the college of your choice, one offering a Nurse Aide Program, to request copies of the study materials.

Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) are not licensed in the State of Idaho. Therefore, there are no rules governing the scope of practice for CNAs.  CNAs are referred to as Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) in the Board of Nursing administrative rules.  CNAs typically work under the direction of a licensed nurse.  The Idaho Board of Nursing does have rules concerning a licensed nurse delegating nursing functions to the UAP. To view the specific portion of the Board of Nursing rules dealing with Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP), please see pages 40 and 41, IDAPA 23.01.01.490 at IDAPA 23.01.01.490

You may contact one of the schools nearest your location and they will be able to provide you with information regarding cost, schedules, and locations. 

•  College of Western Idaho, Nampa, Idaho – (208) 562-3000

•  College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, Idaho – (208) 732-6701

•  College of Eastern Idaho, Idaho Falls, Idaho – (208) 524-3000

•  Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho – (208) 282-3372

•  Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, Idaho – (208) 792-2059

•  North Idaho College, Workforce Training Center, Post Falls, Idaho – (208) 769-3333

Yes. Idaho CNA Registry policy states that criteria for challenging the CNA test includes "Successful completion of one (1) semester of an accredited nursing school program as evidenced by a transcript of required nursing courses (not pre-requisites)." 

The transcript must verify that the applicant has successfully completed a basic nursing course, such as Nursing 101. Courses such as English, Nutrition, Human Anatomy and Physiology, etc, will not meet the criteria to challenge the CNA exam. 

You must provide a copy of your 1st semester transcripts in a letter to our office requesting approval to test. An “Approval to Test” letter will then be issued upon successful review of your request allowing you to take the Skills and Written test.

You may contact the Idaho Nurse Aide Registry to obtain a transfer/reciprocity form or simply print one out as it is found at the top right of this page, under Forms.  Fill out the top portion of the form and then send it to the State you are transferring from; so they can verify your status on their registry.  They will then forward this form to the Idaho Nurse Aide Registry.  There is no fee for this transaction.  Please note that in transferring to Idaho from another state you are not giving up your current certification in your home state; you are simply adding Idaho as a state where you are certified.  If you are not current in your home state and cannot renew your certification but are in good standing, you can obtain an "Approval to Test" letter allowing you to take both the skills and written tests to be placed on the registry here in Idaho. 

Yes. You will need to contact the Nurse Aide Registry and if you are current and in good standing we will issue you a replacement.

There is no fee for this service. We recommend that you keep your card in a secure, accessible location, as many employers require proof that you are indeed current and in good standing before hiring you.

You will need to contact the Nurse Aide Registry of the state you wish to transfer to and they will assist you with their transfer process.

Some states do require a fee for transferring and there are different prerequisites in each state required for completing the transfer process.