Thank you for your interest in the CNA Certification Program and for pursuing your specialty certification credential!
You can choose among 19 nursing practice specialties if applying for CNA certification via our rigorous computer-based exam. There are two exam windows annually (see important dates). Your exam preparation will be unique, depending on what you already know in your specialty. We offer many exam preparation resources, as do many nursing specialty associations.
If you become certified, your credential will be valid for a five-year term. At the end of five years, you can renew by submitting a record of continuous learning hours or rewriting the exam.
Certification eligibility
We want certification to be accessible to nurses while maintaining our established high quality and credibility. To be eligible, nurses require a minimum number of specialty experience hours to apply for certification. There are two options:
- 1,950 hours of experience in your nursing specialty within the last five years.
- 1,000 hours of experience in your nursing specialty within the last five years plus 300 hours of formal education, which can be a specialty post-basic course or program at a college/university.
For more details, see the application process.