How to Become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) in Indiana

Checked against Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), Indiana Aides Registry · Verified 2026-10-14

Exam: Required
Training: Required
Term: 2 years
State fee: See state office
Certified by: Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), Indiana Aides Registry

Take the free CNA practice test →

Who can apply

You must complete an IDOH-approved nurse aide training program of at least 75 hours.
You must pass both the written test and the skills test.
There is no age requirement, and Ivy Tech states no education requirement.
You must be able to do simple math (adding and subtracting) and read and write in English.

Step by step

Complete an IDOH-approved nurse aide training program (minimum 75 hours).
Submit the CNA application online with Ivy Tech Community College and pay by credit or debit card.
Wait for Ivy Tech's permission email, then schedule your written test at an Ivy Tech testing center and your skills test (at a training site or a Community Day).
Pass the 100-question written test with at least 80% and the skills test.
IDOH adds you to the Indiana Aides Registry; check your status and print your card in MyLicenseOne.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Indiana programs must be at least 75 hours: at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least 45 hours of clinical instruction. Up to 21 clinical hours may be in a lab, and at least 24 must be in a licensed comprehensive long-term care facility. Assisted living hours no longer count. This equals the 75-hour federal minimum, which requires at least 16 supervised practical hours. Ivy Tech still accepts completion of the older 105-hour program.

Exam: Ivy Tech Community College gives the exam for IDOH. The written test has 100 multiple-choice questions, and you need at least 80 correct (80%). The skills test covers hand hygiene, initial and final steps, and four randomly chosen skills shown to an evaluator. Since September 1, 2025 you get up to four attempts at each part within a two-year period. Ivy Tech fees (since January 1, 2025): written + skills $100; one part only $90.

Practice for the CNA written exam free — physical care skills, safety & infection control, and the nurse aide role →

What it costs in Indiana

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Nurse aide training tuition (varies by program)$
Ivy Tech competency exam (written + skills)$100

Estimated total in Indiana$100Plus 1 item with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Ivy Tech exam fee: written test and skills evaluation $100; written only or skills only $90; retake of one part $90, both parts $100.
No-show for the skills test forfeits your fees, and you must pay $90 to reschedule. A late cancellation or no-show for the written test costs $15.
Training tuition varies by program. Federal rule: if a nursing home employs you, or has offered you a job, when you start training, you cannot be charged for the training or its books (42 CFR 483.152(c)).
Registry renewal through MyLicenseOne is free.

Pay in Indiana

Indiana adds a local income tax on top of the state rate, so look up the local rate for your area before you budget.

Starting out on an entry-level wage? Check the SNAP income limits in Indiana by household size.

How long it takes

Ivy Tech says it may take up to two weeks for your scores to be entered in its system.

What other sites get wrong about Indiana

Myth: Indiana CNA training is a 105-hour program with 75 clinical hours.

Fact: IDOH now requires a minimum of 75 hours: at least 30 classroom hours and 45 clinical hours, with at least 24 in a licensed long-term care facility. source

Myth: Indiana allows only 3 attempts to pass the CNA exam.

Fact: IDOH allows up to four attempts at the written test and four at the skills test within a two-year period. source

Staying on the registry

Renewal: To stay active you must work at least eight hours in nursing-related duties every two years. Renewal is free and done in MyLicenseOne, where you can also print your card. An expired aide cannot be employed until they renew. You must update your name, address, phone or email in MyLicenseOne within 30 days of a change.

Good to know in Indiana

Transferring from another state: If you hold an active CNA certification in another state, in good standing with no verified complaints or discipline, you can apply through Ivy Tech. Since September 1, 2025 reciprocity applicants do not test; they pay a $50 application fee.

Nursing students and graduates: Nursing students who finished one semester including Fundamentals of Nursing with a C or better, and nursing school graduates within the past 24 months, can skip training but must pass the written and skills tests.

EMS and military: Indiana EMRs, EMTs, AEMTs and paramedics in good standing, and people with documented military healthcare training, can test without the 75-hour course. Starting September 1, 2026 they must take both the written and skills tests.

Psychiatric attendants: Ivy Tech also lists Psychiatric Attendants as CNA candidates who test without the standard course; like Emergency Medical Responders, since September 1, 2026 they must take both the written and skills portions of the exam.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), Indiana Aides Registry before you apply.