How to become a CNA in South Carolina.
South Carolina requires 100 hours of nurse aide training, including 40 hours of supervised clinical practice. Then you pass the state exam through Credentia and get listed on the nurse aide registry.
- 100
- Training hours
- 40
- Clinical hours
- Varies
- Exam fee
- 203
- Programs
Step by step
Five steps to your South Carolina certification
- 1
Meet the entry requirements
Most programs also ask for photo ID, a TB test, and proof of immunizations.
- 2
Finish a state approved training program
South Carolina requires 100 training hours, including 40 hours of supervised clinical work. Only programs approved by the state qualify you for the exam.
See all 203 approved programs in South Carolina - 3
Pass the state competency exam
The exam has a written or oral knowledge test and a hands on skills test, run by Credentia. Apply within 24 months of finishing training and pass no later than 2 years after finishing the approved program
- 4
Get listed on the nurse aide registry
Once you pass, your name goes on the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry. Employers check the registry before they hire you.
Search the SC registry - 5
Keep your certification active
Every 24 months; must have worked at least one documented day (8 consecutive hours) for pay under an RN or LPN in the previous 24 months. If expired 2+ years, retrain in a 100-hour program and retest.
Online classes
Classroom hours can be taken online. Ask each program how its classroom hours are delivered. Skills lab and clinical hours are always in person.
Moving from another state
Reciprocity Application through SCDHHS for aides on another state's registry. Out-of-state trained people not on a registry (route E2) can test if they finished a 100-hour state approved program with documented classroom and clinical hours. Out-of-state certificates expired less than 24 months qualify for route E4.
Paying for training
Vouchers, employers, grants, and scholarships cover nurse aide training in South Carolina.
CNA funding in South Carolina →South Carolina CNA requirements
- Credential
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Training hours
- 100 hours
- Clinical hours
- 40 hours
- Exam provider
- Credentia
- Fee details
- The Credentia SC KB fee table is an image and could not be read; the page says the fees took effect July 1, 2020. A search-engine summary cited $140 total ($45 written, $95 skills), but this could not be checked against the official text. Nursing-home employers must pay for employed or offered-employment candidates.
- Deadline to test
- Apply within 24 months of finishing training and pass no later than 2 years after finishing the approved program
- Online classroom
- Classroom hours can be taken online
- Regulator
- South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Checked September 2026 against official state and exam provider sources: scdhhs.gov, provider.scdhhs.gov, credentia.com, kb-sc.credentia.com. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the state or your program before you pay.
Becoming a CNA in South Carolina, answered.
How many hours of training do you need to be a CNA in South Carolina?
South Carolina requires 100 hours of nurse aide training, including 40 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 South Carolina?
Credentia runs the South Carolina nurse aide competency exam.
Can you take CNA classes online in South Carolina?
Classroom hours can be taken online. Skills lab and clinical hours are always in person.
I am a CNA in another state. Can I work in South Carolina?
Reciprocity Application through SCDHHS for aides on another state's registry. Out-of-state trained people not on a registry (route E2) can test if they finished a 100-hour state approved program with documented classroom and clinical hours. Out-of-state certificates expired less than 24 months qualify for route E4.
How do you renew a CNA certification in South Carolina?
Every 24 months; must have worked at least one documented day (8 consecutive hours) for pay under an RN or LPN in the previous 24 months. If expired 2+ years, retrain in a 100-hour program and retest.
How do I pay for CNA training in South Carolina?
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 South Carolina.
Compare approved programs, then get matched to funding that pays for it.