(FAQ) Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I become a CNA?

You must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the applications. Once your application is approved you must pass both the written and skills portions of the NNAAP® examination. The time frame for successfully completing both exams varies, by state. Please check with your training program or the Exam Overview section of this handbook.

2. May I perform the duties of a nurse aide before I am certified?

If you are currently attending an approved training program in a nursing home, you have 120 days in which to complete the training and become certified. During that period, a student may not perform any duty for which they have not been trained and checked by the instructor.

3. How do I arrange for special accommodations?

Special requests must be submitted and approved prior to testing. Documentation from your physician or other qualifying professional must be included with the request. Please refer to the Accommodations section of the candidate handbook for details.

4. How do I decide which exam to take?

An Oral Examination in English may be substituted for the Written examination if you have difficulty reading English. It contains ten (10) reading comprehension questions in which you must identify job-related words.

5. Is there a time limit in which I must pass both exams?

Within two years per federal regulation of training program completion.

6. Can I register for an exam or check my scores online?

Registration must be done online. Score Reports are provided online. If you passed both parts of the examination, your name will be forwarded to the Virginia Board of Nursing for determination of placement on the Nurse Aide Registry. You can also verify your status by checking online. A link for the Virginia Registry: www.credentia.com/testtakers/va.

7. What form of payment do you accept, and may I take it to the test site?

You will not be scheduled unless payment is made using a credit card, debit card, single use card or electronic voucher. No form of payment will be accepted, at a test site.

8. What is the next test date?

Examination dates will appear on your screen when logged in Credentia Platform when selecting your scheduled exam.

9. How do I verify if I am on the Nurse Aide Registry?

You can verify your status on the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry online at www.credentia.com/test-takers/va.

10. How long will my name remain on the registry?

Your initial certification is for two (2) years from when your name is provided to the Board as passing both parts of the competency test within twenty-four (24) month. Once your certificate is up for renewal, it is renewed annually. A renewal notice will be sent to the address of record sixty (60) days before your certificate’s expiration date.

11. My certification expired. How do I renew it or become certified again?

If your certificate has been expired for less than nighty (90) days, contact the Board office at (804) 367-4515 for information on renewing it. If it has been expired for more than nighty (90) days, a reinstatement application must be completed and mailed to the Board of Nursing. You can access and download that application from the Board’s website at http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/ boards/nursing or by calling the Board office at the same phone number listed above. Once renewal/ reinstatement information has been received, the Board will determine if you must retest to complete the renewal/reinstatement process due to a lack of nursing-related employment within the required time frame.

12. I am moving to or from another state. May I perform nurse aide duties in that state?

If you are moving to Virginia, you will need to complete an Endorsement Application. This is now an on-line application which you can access and complete from the Board of Nursing’s website at www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/. If you do not have access to a computer, you can get an application mailed to you by contacting the Board office at (804) 367-4515. If you are moving from Virginia, you should contact the Board of Nursing or Board of Nursing for that state, to obtain state requirements.