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

Who can apply

• You must be at least 16 years old.
• You must have finished at least the ninth grade. A high school diploma or equivalency is preferred but not required.
• Training programs must check that you read and write English at a ninth-grade level (TABE, CASAS or another Board-approved test).
• Your training program runs a criminal background check when you apply to the course. Some convictions and any substantiated abuse, neglect or misappropriation finding bar you from the Registry.

Step by step

1. Enroll in a Maine State Board of Nursing-approved CNA training program. The program runs your background check at enrollment.
2. Complete at least 130 hours of training: 70 classroom hours, 20 skills-lab hours and 40 supervised clinical hours.
3. Pass both parts of the Maine CNA competency test: a written or oral exam and a skills demonstration.
4. Apply to the Registry online or with the PDF application. Attach your photo ID, proof of training completed within the last two years, proof you passed the test, your Certificate of Training and the background check from your instructor.
5. The Registry decides within 30 days of receiving a complete application and sends you a letter with your listing and expiration dates.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Maine requires at least 130 hours: 70 hours of classroom instruction, 20 hours of skills laboratory and 40 hours of supervised clinical practice (Board of Nursing rule 02-380 CMR Ch. 5, effective September 1, 2021). This is 55 hours above the 75-hour federal minimum. Programs must use the Board's prescribed curriculum, and only registered nurses may teach.

Exam: The Maine CNA competency test has two parts: a written or oral exam and a demonstration of skills from the Board of Nursing's checklist. You get no more than three attempts to pass within 2 years of finishing training. If you do not pass in that time, you must retake the training program. DHHS's pages do not name a testing vendor or state a test fee; the Registry FAQ tells you to contact the Maine Department of Education about where to take a course or the test.

What it costs in Maine

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

How long it takes

Maine DHHS says the Registry has 30 days to decide whether you are eligible after it receives your completed application and all required documents. For CNAs trained in another state, it says to allow two to four weeks.

What other sites get wrong about Maine

Staying on the registry

Renewal: Renew every 24 months by submitting a renewal form online or by mail. The Registry sends a reminder 45 to 60 days before your listing expires. You must show at least 8 hours of paid work as a CNA under a registered nurse's supervision in the last 24 months. Your employer must fill out the current Employment Verification Form. If you miss the work requirement or do not renew on time, you are removed from the active list. To get back on, you pass the test for non-traditional CNAs (up to three attempts within two years) or retake the full training.

Good to know in Maine

Transferring from another state: Apply online or with the PDF application. Include a copy of your photo ID and verification from every state where you hold or have held CNA certification. You must be current, active and in good standing on at least one other state's registry. DHHS asks you to allow two to four weeks for processing. If your training does not meet Maine's rules, you can ask for a one-time temporary listing of up to 4 months while you complete a Maine-approved program.

Other routes: Nursing students can be listed with a Student Nurse Verification of Equivalent Training form signed by their school. Current LPNs and RNs can apply with a copy of their license. People trained as CNAs (or the equivalent) in the U.S. military can apply with proof of equivalent training and proof they finished the ninth grade.

Working before you are listed: You cannot work as a CNA in Maine unless your Registry status is Active. Nursing facilities may hire CNAs who have been granted reciprocity, or who are deemed competent under Board of Nursing rules, for no more than four months before they are listed.

Medication aide (CNA-M): If you are active on the Registry, have worked 1,200 hours as a CNA in the last two years and read and write at a tenth-grade level, you can take the Board of Nursing's Standardized Medication Course (60 classroom, 20 lab and 40 clinical hours) to become a CNA-M.

Out-of-state training rule: Under Maine Board of Nursing rules (02-380 CMR ch. 5, sec. 3), a CNA trained in another state is considered for the Maine Registry only if they passed a nationally certified nursing assistant test covering theory and clinical skills and either graduated from their CNA program within the last year or worked as a CNA outside Maine for the last two years. Otherwise you must complete a Maine DHHS-approved CNA training program.

Sources

• Maine DHHS - CNA Registry
• Maine DHHS - CNA Registry Frequently Asked Questions
• Maine DHHS - CNA Definitions
• 10-144 CMR Ch. 128 - Certified Nursing Assistant and Direct Care Worker Registry Rule
• 02-380 CMR Ch. 5 - Maine State Board of Nursing, Training Programs and Delegation to CNAs
• 22 MRS 1812-G - Registry of certified nursing assistants and direct care workers
• 42 CFR 483.152 - Requirements for approval of a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (Cornell LII)