How to Become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) in Montana
Checked against Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Office of Inspector General, Certification Bureau, Montana Nurse Aide Registry ·
- Exam
- Required
- Training
- Required
- Term
- DPHHS's page does not state the length of a certificate term. Certificates have an expiration date and can be renewed starting 90 days before it.
- State fee
- See state office
- Certified by
- Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Office of Inspector General, Certification Bureau, Montana Nurse Aide Registry
Who can apply
- You must complete a DPHHS-approved nurse aide training program. Otherwise you may challenge the state exam once without training.
- You must pass both the knowledge and skills parts of the Montana nurse aide exam.
- You must apply to DPHHS through the BOUNDS online portal. Paper and PDF applications are no longer accepted.
Step by step
- Complete a DPHHS-approved nurse aide training program.
- Your program enters you in Headmaster's TMU system. Pay the testing fees and schedule at mt.tmutest.com.
- Pass the knowledge exam and the skills test within six months of finishing training (three attempts).
- Create a BOUNDS portal account and submit the Montana CNA by Exam Application.
- When DPHHS receives your passing results from Headmaster, it processes your application and places you on the Montana Nurse Aide Registry.
Training and exam
Training: DPHHS approves training programs that follow its Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide Core Curriculum. Its pages do not state a Montana-specific hour minimum and link to the federal rules, which require at least 75 hours, including at least 16 hours of supervised practical training (42 CFR 483.152). DPHHS's curriculum says newly hired, uncertified nurse aides must get 16 hours of classroom training before they are assigned to resident care.
Exam: DPHHS has approved Headmaster (D&S Diversified Technologies) to give and score the exam. The knowledge exam has 72 multiple-choice questions in up to 90 minutes, and you need 75% to pass. On the skills test you have 35 minutes, and you must score 80% on each task without missing a key step. You get three attempts to pass both parts within six months of finishing training. After six months your training expires and you can no longer test on it. Challenge candidates get one attempt; if they fail, they must complete approved training.
What it costs in Montana
Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.
- $
- $97
- $11
Cost details from the state
- Headmaster exam fees (February 2025 handbook): knowledge exam $20, audio knowledge exam $31, skills test $77, so $97 for both parts. Retakes cost the same per part.
- DPHHS's pages do not list a fee for the CNA by Exam Application.
- Training tuition varies by program. Federal rule: if a nursing facility employs you, or has offered you a job, when you start training, you cannot be charged for the training or its books. If a nursing facility hires you within 12 months after you finish, the state must arrange for you to be paid back for training costs (42 CFR 483.152(c)).
Pay in Montana
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Starting out on an entry-level wage? Check the SNAP income limits in Montana by household size.
How long it takes
Headmaster's handbook says your certification number should show on the DPHHS registry about 10-14 days after you submit the Certified Nurse Aide Application.
Staying on the registry
Renewal: Renew online through the BOUNDS portal, starting 90 days before your certificate expires. Renewals by email are not accepted, and portal renewals are processed automatically. DPHHS's page does not state a work-hour requirement. The federal rule says that if you go 24 consecutive months without doing paid nursing or nursing-related services, you must complete a new training and competency evaluation program or a new competency evaluation (42 CFR 483.35(d)(7)).
Online options: Headmaster allows a remotely proctored knowledge exam for retakes only. First attempts and the skills test are in person. DPHHS does not say whether training can be taken online.
Good to know in Montana
Transferring from another state: If you hold a current CNA registration in at least one U.S. state or territory, apply for Interstate Endorsement through the BOUNDS portal and enter at least one current CNA number.
Nursing students: Students in a Montana college or university nursing program who have completed the specific fundamentals course DPHHS lists for their school can apply in BOUNDS. The school must email an official transcript to cna@mt.gov.
Home health aide: Montana does not accept out-of-state home health aide endorsements. You must first hold a Montana CNA certificate and then finish home health aide training through a Montana home health provider.
Sources
- Montana DPHHS - Montana Nurse Aide Registry
- Montana DPHHS - Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide Training Course Core Curriculum Requirements
- Montana DPHHS - Federal Regulations for CNAs
- D&SDT-Headmaster - Montana Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook (February 2025, v6)
- D&SDT-Headmaster - Montana CNA testing home
- 42 CFR 483.152 - Requirements for approval of a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (Cornell LII)
- 42 CFR 483.35 - Nursing services (Cornell LII)
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General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Office of Inspector General, Certification Bureau, Montana Nurse Aide Registry before you apply.