How to become a CNA in Illinois.
Illinois requires 120 hours of nurse aide training, including 40 hours of supervised clinical practice. Then you pass the state exam through Southern Illinois University and get listed on the nurse aide registry.
- 120
- Training hours
- 40
- Clinical hours
- $85
- Exam fee
- 394
- Programs
Step by step
Five steps to your Illinois certification
- 1
Meet the entry requirements
Minimum age: 16. Fingerprint based criminal history records check under the Health Care Worker Background Check Act must be initiated before entry into the training program (before the first day of class) Most programs also ask for photo ID, a TB test, and proof of immunizations.
- 2
Finish a state approved training program
Illinois requires 120 training hours, including 40 hours of supervised clinical work. Only programs approved by the state qualify you for the exam.
See all 394 approved programs in Illinois - 3
Pass the state competency exam
The exam has a written or oral knowledge test and a hands on skills test, run by Southern Illinois University. The exam fee is $85. Competency exam must be successfully completed within one year (12 months) of completing the BNATP After failing the competency test three times, must complete another Illinois approved CNA training program before testing again
- 4
Get listed on the nurse aide registry
Once you pass, your name goes on the Illinois Health Care Worker Registry (IDPH). Employers check the registry before they hire you.
Search the IL registry - 5
Keep your certification active
No periodic renewal application; certification is lost if there is a period of 24 consecutive months without providing nursing or nursing related services for pay
Online classes
Online classroom allowed, with state conditions. Ask each program how its classroom hours are delivered. Skills lab and clinical hours are always in person.
Moving from another state
Apply through SIUC with the Out of State CNA Application and $25 money order: documentation of current registration from another state showing 42 CFR 483.151 and 483.152 requirements were met, no findings of abuse/neglect/misappropriation, and no disqualifying convictions
Paying for training
Vouchers, employers, grants, and scholarships cover nurse aide training in Illinois.
CNA funding in Illinois →Illinois CNA requirements
- Credential
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Training hours
- 120 hours
- Clinical hours
- 40 hours
- Exam provider
- Southern Illinois University
- Exam fee
- $85
- Fee details
- Fee schedule effective July 1, 2023: initial exam $85; failed exam retake $85; no show/reschedule $55; out of state CNA application $25. Payment by money order. The state exam is written only; skills are evaluated within the BNATP, so no separate state skills fee.
- Deadline to test
- Competency exam must be successfully completed within one year (12 months) of completing the BNATP
- Retakes
- After failing the competency test three times, must complete another Illinois approved CNA training program before testing again
- Minimum age
- 16
- Background check
- Fingerprint based criminal history records check under the Health Care Worker Background Check Act must be initiated before entry into the training program (before the first day of class)
- Online classroom
- Online classroom allowed, with state conditions
- Regulator
- Illinois Department of Public Health
Checked September 2026 against official state and exam provider sources: ilga.gov, nurseaidetesting.com, dph.illinois.gov. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the state or your program before you pay.
Becoming a CNA in Illinois, answered.
How many hours of training do you need to be a CNA in Illinois?
Illinois requires 120 hours of nurse aide training, including 40 hours of supervised clinical practice. Then you pass the state exam through Southern Illinois University and get listed on the nurse aide registry.
Who gives the CNA exam in Illinois?
Southern Illinois University runs the Illinois nurse aide competency exam. The exam fee is $85.
Can you take CNA classes online in Illinois?
Online classroom allowed, with state conditions. Skills lab and clinical hours are always in person.
I am a CNA in another state. Can I work in Illinois?
Apply through SIUC with the Out of State CNA Application and $25 money order: documentation of current registration from another state showing 42 CFR 483.151 and 483.152 requirements were met, no findings of abuse/neglect/misappropriation, and no disqualifying convictions
How do you renew a CNA certification in Illinois?
No periodic renewal application; certification is lost if there is a period of 24 consecutive months without providing nursing or nursing related services for pay
How do I pay for CNA training in Illinois?
Workforce vouchers, employer sponsorship, state grants, and scholarships all pay for nurse aide training. A nursing home that hires you within a year of certification must reimburse your training costs under federal rules.
Start your training in Illinois.
Compare approved programs, then get matched to funding that pays for it.