How to Become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) in New Jersey

Checked against New Jersey Department of Health, Certification Program (Nurse Aide Registry run by PSI) · Verified 2026-10-14

Exam: Required
Training: Required
Term: 2 years
State fee: See state office
Certified by: New Jersey Department of Health, Certification Program (Nurse Aide Registry run by PSI)

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Who can apply

You must complete a Department-approved 90-hour Nurse Aide in Long Term Care Facilities Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP).
You must pass the skills evaluation and the written (or oral) exam.
You must complete a Criminal Background Investigation (CBI) application and be fingerprinted for a New Jersey State Police and FBI check.

Step by step

Complete the 90-hour state-approved training (50 classroom hours and 40 clinical hours).
Get the CBI application and fingerprint form from your instructor; mail the notarized CBI application and get fingerprinted at IdentoGO.
Your training program registers you with D&SDT-Headmaster in TMU (nj.tmutest.com); pay the $27 skills fee and take the skills evaluation first.
After you pass the skills evaluation, schedule and pay for the written or oral exam with PSI.
Pass both parts within 2 years of finishing training (and within 1 year of your first skills attempt).
Once your exams and background check clear, you are certified and listed on the New Jersey Nurse Aide Registry.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: New Jersey requires a 90-hour course: 50 classroom hours and 40 clinical hours. That is 15 hours above the federal 75-hour minimum. The Department of Health's Certification Program approves training programs.

Exam: You take the skills evaluation first (given by D&SDT-Headmaster): five tasks, and you must perform all five correctly. Then PSI gives the computer-based written exam: 60 questions, 90 minutes, 75% to pass; an oral version is offered in English or Spanish. Fees (PSI bulletin updated June 2026): skills $27; written $57; oral $68. You have 2 years from finishing training to pass both, and 1 year from your first skills attempt. After 3 failures of either part, you must retrain.

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What it costs in New Jersey

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

Skills evaluation (D&SDT-Headmaster)$27
Written exam (PSI); oral version $68$57–$68
Criminal background check and IdentoGO fingerprinting (Department charges no processing fee)$
NATCEP training tuition$

Estimated total in New Jersey$84–$95Plus 2 items with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Skills evaluation: $27, paid to D&SDT-Headmaster.
Written exam: $57 (English oral or Spanish oral: $68), paid to PSI when you schedule. The PSI fee table lists these under "Re-take Exam" and says the written fee is paid when you schedule it.
Criminal background check: the Department says there is no charge for processing the CBI application or fingerprint form; it does not state whether the IdentoGO fingerprint appointment costs anything.
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.

Help while you start out in New Jersey

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

How long it takes

The Department says to allow at least 12 weeks for your criminal background investigation to be processed.

What other sites get wrong about New Jersey

Myth: New Jersey's combined exam fee is $76 for skills plus written, or $90 with the oral test.

Fact: PSI's June 2026 bulletin lists the skills evaluation at $27 and the written exam at $57 ($68 oral), which is $84 for skills plus written or $95 with the oral exam. source

Staying on the registry

Renewal: Renew every two years. You need at least 7 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work in a licensed health care facility or agency in the 24 months before your certificate expires, plus an updated criminal background check before expiration. The recertification fee is $36, paid at a PSI site with an employer-signed renewal form. PSI mails a reminder about 60 days ahead. If the certificate expires, it is immediately invalid for work.

Online options: The Department does not state that any part of training may be taken online. The skills evaluation is in person, and PSI gives the written exam at its test centers.

Good to know in New Jersey

Transferring from another state: If you are on another state's registry with no findings, you can apply for reciprocity ($36 fee) by calling 1-877-774-4243. Route 1: 24 hours of approved CEUs in the prior 24 months (12 on dementia care). Route 2: 24 months of full-time CNA work (35+ hours/week) in a nursing home, plus passing New Jersey's skills and written exams. A background check is required.

Waivers: Nursing students who completed Fundamentals of Nursing within the past year, graduate nurses, foreign-licensed RNs and military-trained aides can apply for a waiver to test without the course. A waiver is valid for one year and gives one try at each exam; failing means you must take the 90-hour course.

Expired certificates: If you were certified in New Jersey less than 5 years ago, you can retest. If more than 5 years ago, you must redo the full training and exams.

Hospitals: New Jersey does not require nurse aides in acute care hospitals to be certified, except on licensed long-term care or sub-acute units.

Getting your certificate: If you pass the written (or oral) exam and have met all NJDOH requirements, including the criminal background investigation, PSI gives you your nurse aide certificate at the test site that day. If your CBI is not complete, PSI takes your photo and issues the certificate after the CBI clears. The certificate is valid for 24 months from the date you pass the written (or oral) exam.

Where to get fingerprinted: If you live or work in New Jersey or within 20 miles of its border, you must be fingerprinted through IdentoGO, the State Police-approved vendor; bring your fingerprint form and one current government photo ID showing your name, address and date of birth. Others may use a local police or sheriff's department, which usually takes longer; commercial fingerprint services are not accepted.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with New Jersey Department of Health, Certification Program (Nurse Aide Registry run by PSI) before you apply.