Certified Nursing Assistant License Reciprocity by State (2026)
No CNA compact — registry reciprocity state by state
There is no CNA compact and no multi-state CNA licence. The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RNs and LPNs only. CNAs move by transferring their listing on a state nurse aide registry one state at a time, through a process states call reciprocity or endorsement.
- Covers:
- State nurse aide registry listings. CNAs are certified on a registry, not licensed.
- Does not cover:
- The Nurse Licensure Compact does not cover nurse aides.
- Governing body:
- Each state's nurse aide registry (usually within the department of health or board of nursing)
What to know before you rely on it
- Federal law sets a 75-hour training floor including at least 16 hours of supervised practical training; states may require more, and short training hours are a common reason a transfer is refused.
- Your certification lapses after 24 consecutive months without nursing-related work for pay — a lapsed listing cannot be transferred.
- A background check is required in every destination state and is charged separately even where the registry transfer is free.
- Some states decline transfers from specific states whose training hours they consider insufficient, so reciprocity is not universal.
- Some states want registry-to-registry verification rather than documents sent by the applicant.
Verify this first: Confirm your destination registry's training-hour requirement and whether it accepts transfers from your current state.
NCSBN — Nurse Licensure Compact scope ↗State-by-state reciprocity notes
No state reciprocity notes for CNA are published in our dataset. For every state below, confirm directly with both boards — a missing note is not a negative answer. Provides hands-on patient care under RN supervision. Two-part exam: written + clinical skills.
Frequently asked questions
How does a CNA license transfer between states?
There is no CNA compact and no multi-state CNA licence. The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RNs and LPNs only. CNAs move by transferring their listing on a state nurse aide registry one state at a time, through a process states call reciprocity or endorsement.
Which states participate in No CNA compact — registry reciprocity state by state?
There is no CNA compact and no multi-state CNA licence. The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RNs and LPNs only. CNAs move by transferring their listing on a state nurse aide registry one state at a time, through a process states call reciprocity or endorsement. Confirm the current position with Each state's nurse aide registry (usually within the department of health or board of nursing).
Does No CNA compact — registry reciprocity state by state mean I skip the exam entirely?
Not automatically. Federal law sets a 75-hour training floor including at least 16 hours of supervised practical training; states may require more, and short training hours are a common reason a transfer is refused. The only reliable answer for your situation comes from the destination board, so verify before you pay application fees.
Can I transfer my CNA license to another state?
Reciprocity for CNA licenses is decided state-by-state and no state notes are published in our dataset yet. Contact both state boards — your current one and your destination — to confirm whether your license transfers, requires an exam, or needs extra education.
What does reciprocity mean for a license?
Reciprocity lets an already-licensed professional from one state qualify for a license in another state without repeating the full education and exam process. Some states have formal agreements or compacts; others require a state-specific exam or extra coursework even when they accept your license. Many states do not grant a license on reciprocity at all — they grant it by comity or endorsement, meaning you still file an application and meet their requirements.
Why do some states say "check both state boards"?
State reciprocity tables are not consistently published in machine-readable form. When a state has not published an official note in our verified sources, we point you to both boards rather than guess. That is the safest answer for a decision that can affect your eligibility to work.
Does holding a license in one state guarantee a license in another?
No. Every state sets its own licensing law. Even in states with reciprocity or a compact, you typically still file an application, pay a fee, pass a background check and sometimes pass a state-specific exam. Always confirm directly with the destination state board.
Plan your move with CNA data
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Reciprocity rules and compact membership change frequently and are set by each state legislature and board. “Check both state boards” means the note is not published in our dataset — it is not a negative answer. Mechanism data retrieved 2026-09-13; always verify with both boards before relocating.