How to become a CNA in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania requires 80 hours of nurse aide training, including 37.5 hours of supervised clinical practice. Then you pass the state exam through Credentia and get listed on the nurse aide registry.
- 80
- Training hours
- 37.5
- Clinical hours
- $135
- Exam fee
- 182
- Programs
Step by step
Five steps to your Pennsylvania certification
- 1
Meet the entry requirements
Minimum age: 16 (must be 16 before taking the competency exam; some employers require 18). PA State Police Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) report from the year before training starts, free of prohibitive offenses. Anyone not a PA resident for the past 2 years also needs an FBI report. Most programs also ask for photo ID, a TB test, and proof of immunizations.
- 2
Finish a state approved training program
Pennsylvania requires 80 training hours, including 37.5 hours of supervised clinical work. Only programs approved by the state qualify you for the exam.
See all 182 approved programs in Pennsylvania - 3
Pass the state competency exam
The exam has a written or oral knowledge test and a hands on skills test, run by Credentia. The exam fee is $135. Pass both parts within 2 years of finishing training, or complete a new program 3 attempts within 2 years to pass the skills and written/oral parts, then retrain
- 4
Get listed on the nurse aide registry
Once you pass, your name goes on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry. Employers check the registry before they hire you.
Search the PA registry - 5
Keep your certification active
Every 24 months; must have worked for pay as a nurse aide at least 8 hours (one documented day) in an approved setting (nursing home, hospital, home health, personal care home, ICF). Self-employment and private duty do not count.
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
Aides active and in good standing on another state's registry apply for PA enrollment through Credentia's reciprocity application
Paying for training
Vouchers, employers, grants, and scholarships cover nurse aide training in Pennsylvania.
CNA funding in Pennsylvania →Pennsylvania CNA requirements
- Credential
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Training hours
- 80 hours
- Clinical hours
- 37.5 hours
- Exam provider
- Credentia
- Exam fee
- $135 ($50 knowledge, $85 skills)
- Fee details
- First-time Written (or Oral) + Skills is $135. Single-part retakes: written or oral $50, skills $85. Nursing homes must pay for employed aides, including retests. Written or English oral exam can be taken online or at a test center.
- Deadline to test
- Pass both parts within 2 years of finishing training, or complete a new program
- Retakes
- 3 attempts within 2 years to pass the skills and written/oral parts, then retrain
- Minimum age
- 16 (must be 16 before taking the competency exam; some employers require 18)
- Background check
- PA State Police Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) report from the year before training starts, free of prohibitive offenses. Anyone not a PA resident for the past 2 years also needs an FBI report.
- Online classroom
- Online classroom allowed, with state conditions
- Regulator
- Pennsylvania Department of Education
Checked September 2026 against official state and exam provider sources: pa.gov, legis.state.pa.us. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the state or your program before you pay.
Becoming a CNA in Pennsylvania, answered.
How many hours of training do you need to be a CNA in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania requires 80 hours of nurse aide training, including 37.5 hours of supervised clinical practice. Then you pass the state exam through Credentia and get listed on the nurse aide registry.
Who gives the CNA exam in Pennsylvania?
Credentia runs the Pennsylvania nurse aide competency exam. The exam fee is $135.
Can you take CNA classes online in Pennsylvania?
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 Pennsylvania?
Aides active and in good standing on another state's registry apply for PA enrollment through Credentia's reciprocity application
How do you renew a CNA certification in Pennsylvania?
Every 24 months; must have worked for pay as a nurse aide at least 8 hours (one documented day) in an approved setting (nursing home, hospital, home health, personal care home, ICF). Self-employment and private duty do not count.
How do I pay for CNA training in Pennsylvania?
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 Pennsylvania.
Compare approved programs, then get matched to funding that pays for it.