How to Become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) in Texas
Checked against Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Nurse Aide Registry ·
- Exam
- Required
- Training
- Required
- Term
- 2 years
- State fee
- See state office
- Certified by
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Nurse Aide Registry
Who can apply
- You must complete a state-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP).
- You must pass a criminal background check under Texas Health and Safety Code 250.006.
- You must not be listed on the Employee Misconduct Registry.
Step by step
- Complete the 60-hour classroom portion at an approved NATCEP or through HHSC's free computer-based training (CBT).
- Complete the 40-hour clinical portion with an approved NATCEP.
- Submit a New Nurse Aide by Examination application in TULIP, the HHSC online licensing system.
- Your training program director approves your training in TULIP.
- Register for and pass the written (or oral) exam and the skills exam with Prometric.
- HHSC issues your certificate and TULIP emails you. Print it from TULIP.
Training and exam
Training: Texas requires at least 100 clock hours: 60 classroom hours and 40 hours of hands-on resident care in a nursing facility. This is 25 hours above the 75-hour federal minimum (which requires at least 16 supervised practical hours).
Exam: Prometric gives the Texas Nurse Aide exam: a written or oral knowledge test plus a clinical skills test. You must take the competency evaluation within 24 months after completing the training portion of your NATCEP. If you fail either part you may retest twice. After three failed attempts you must retrain before testing again.
What it costs in Texas
Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.
- $
- $
- $125
Cost details from the state
- Exam fees paid to Prometric (effective September 1, 2026): written + clinical skills $125; oral + clinical skills $125; clinical skills only $92; written only $33; oral only $33.
- DPS criminal history check: HHSC says there is a fee for each check but does not state the amount.
- Training tuition varies by program; HHSC's computer-based classroom course is free. 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 Texas
Before you compare job offers, see what a paycheck takes home in Texas after taxes.
Starting out on an entry-level wage? Check the SNAP income limits in Texas by household size.
How long it takes
HHSC says that once you pass the exam, it takes around a week for your results to be updated in TULIP, where your certificate is issued.
What other sites get wrong about Texas
Myth: Texas CNA training only has to meet the federal 75-hour minimum.
Fact: Texas requires at least 100 clock hours: 60 classroom hours and 40 hours of hands-on resident care in a nursing facility. source
Staying on the registry
Renewal: Verify paid employment with the Nurse Aide Registry at least every two years to stay active. You also need 24 hours of in-service education every two years (including geriatrics and dementia care) plus HHSC's infection control courses each year.
Online options: The 60-hour classroom portion can be done through HHSC's online computer-based training; the 40 clinical hours must be done in person with an approved program.
Good to know in Texas
Transferring from another state: If you hold an active nurse aide certification in another state, complete a DPS criminal history check and apply for reciprocity in TULIP, uploading your out-of-state certificate, photo ID and Social Security card.
Military spouses: Spouses of active-duty service members stationed in Texas with an active out-of-state certificate can use a waiver that issues a Texas certificate with a three-year expiration.
Other routes: Texas also has waivers for out-of-state training completed in the last 24 months, 100+ hours of equivalent military training, RN/LVN graduates, and RN/LVN students who have finished their first semester.
Training program closed: If you completed an approved Texas NATCEP in the past two years but the program has since closed, you can apply under the Training Program Closed waiver, uploading your criminal history results and certificate of completion in TULIP.
Sources
- HHSC - Become a Certified Nurse Aide in Texas
- HHSC - Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP)
- HHSC - NAR Credentialing FAQs
- HHSC - Nurse Aide In-Service Education
- Prometric - Texas Nurse Aide (linked from HHSC)
- 42 CFR 483.152 - Requirements for approval of a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (Cornell LII)
- 26 Tex. Admin. Code 556.6 - Competency Evaluation Requirements (Cornell LII)
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General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Nurse Aide Registry before you apply.