How to Become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) in New York
Checked against New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Nursing Home Nurse Aide Registry (run for NYSDOH by Prometric) ·
- Exam
- Required
- Training
- Required
- Term
- 2 years
- State fee
- See state office
- Certified by
- New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Nursing Home Nurse Aide Registry (run for NYSDOH by Prometric)
Who can apply
- Complete a NYS-approved nursing home nurse aide training program within the last 24 months.
- Nursing homes must run a fingerprint-based criminal history check (state DCJS and FBI) on CNAs and facility-paid trainees, at no cost to you. Some convictions bar nursing home work.
Step by step
- Complete a NYS-approved nurse aide training program (at least 100 hours).
- Fill out the Prometric exam application; your training program (and your employer, if you work in a nursing home) completes their sections.
- Pay the exam fee (your nursing home employer must pay it if you work there).
- Pass the clinical skills exam and the written or oral exam within two years of finishing training.
- Your name is added to the NYS Nurse Aide Registry. Paper certificates stopped August 1, 2026; employers verify you on the registry.
Training and exam
Training: New York requires at least 100 hours of combined classroom and clinical training, including at least 30 hours of supervised practical experience in a nursing home (10 NYCRR 415.26). That is 25 hours more than the 75-hour federal minimum.
Exam: Prometric gives the New York exam: a clinical skills exam and a written (or oral) exam. You get three attempts at each part and must pass both within two years of finishing training.
What it costs in New York
Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.
- $
- $0
- $115–$135
Cost details from the state
- Exam fees (paid to the NYS Commissioner of Health, NYNA): skills + written $115; skills + oral $135; skills retest $68; written retest $57; oral retest $67; duplicate certificate $15.
- Fingerprinting: no charge to you; the nursing home submits it.
- If you are hired by a nursing home after paying your own training or exam fees, give the receipts to the nursing home to process reimbursement. 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. If a nursing home 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 New York
Before you compare job offers, see what a paycheck takes home in New York after taxes.
Starting out on an entry-level wage? Check the SNAP income limits in New York by household size.
What other sites get wrong about New York
Myth: New York CNA programs only need 75 hours of training, with 16 hours in a clinical setting.
Fact: New York requires at least 100 hours of combined classroom and clinical training, including at least 30 hours of supervised practical experience in a nursing home. source
Staying on the registry
Renewal: Your certificate is valid 24 months. To renew, you must have worked as a nurse aide for at least 7 hours in a licensed health care facility (Article 28) in the 24 months before expiration; the renewal fee is $40 (paid by your employer).
Good to know in New York
Transferring from another state: Apply under Route 2 (Reciprocity) with a copy of your current out-of-state certificate and a $50 fee. If your state's registry shows no expiration date, add a letter proving at least 7 paid hours of nurse aide work in the past 24 months.
Sources
- NYSDOH - Nurse Aide Registry
- NYSDOH - New York State Nurse Aide Registry
- 10 NYCRR 415.26 - Organization and administration
- Prometric - New York Nurse Aide (linked from NYSDOH)
- Prometric - NYS Nursing Home Nurse Aide Candidate Information Bulletin (rev. 11/11/2025)
- Prometric - NYS Nurse Aide Registry Renewal Form (rev. 02/02/2026, linked from NYSDOH)
- 42 CFR 483.152 - Requirements for approval of a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (Cornell LII)
Other states
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General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Nursing Home Nurse Aide Registry (run for NYSDOH by Prometric) before you apply.