How to become a CNA in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin requires 75 hours of nurse aide training, including 16 hours of supervised clinical practice. Then you pass the state exam through Headmaster and get listed on the nurse aide registry.
- 75
- Training hours
- 16
- Clinical hours
- $144.70
- Exam fee
- 302
- Programs
Step by step
Five steps to your Wisconsin certification
- 1
Meet the entry requirements
Facilities must complete a caregiver background check for employees with access to residents; not described as a registry placement step. Most programs also ask for photo ID, a TB test, and proof of immunizations.
- 2
Finish a state approved training program
Wisconsin requires 75 training hours, including 16 hours of supervised clinical work. Only programs approved by the state qualify you for the exam.
See all 302 approved programs in Wisconsin - 3
Pass the state competency exam
The exam has a written or oral knowledge test and a hands on skills test, run by Headmaster. The exam fee is $144.70. Must pass both knowledge and skills within 1 year of completing training; after that must complete another DHS approved program Unlimited attempts within 1 year of training completion
- 4
Get listed on the nurse aide registry
Once you pass, your name goes on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (WNAR). Employers check the registry before they hire you.
Search the WI registry - 5
Keep your certification active
Every 24 months for federal eligibility; must have worked for pay as a nurse aide at least 8 hours during the previous 24 months (verified in TMU).
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
WI CNA Reciprocity Form 9110WI for active out of state aides (75 hour training with 16 clinical and a comparable exam); inactive out of state aides must pass the WI exam.
Paying for training
Vouchers, employers, grants, and scholarships cover nurse aide training in Wisconsin.
CNA funding in Wisconsin →Wisconsin CNA requirements
- Credential
- Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Training hours
- 75 hours
- Clinical hours
- 16 hours
- Exam provider
- Headmaster
- Exam fee
- $144.70 ($37.49 knowledge, $107.21 skills)
- Fee details
- Effective June 7, 2026: knowledge $37.49, audio knowledge $42.94, skills $107.21. Retakes pay per failed component.
- Deadline to test
- Must pass both knowledge and skills within 1 year of completing training; after that must complete another DHS approved program
- Retakes
- Unlimited attempts within 1 year of training completion
- Background check
- Facilities must complete a caregiver background check for employees with access to residents; not described as a registry placement step.
- Online classroom
- Classroom hours can be taken online
- Regulator
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Checked September 2026 against official state and exam provider sources: docs.legis.wisconsin.gov, dhs.wisconsin.gov, hdmaster.com. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the state or your program before you pay.
Becoming a CNA in Wisconsin, answered.
How many hours of training do you need to be a CNA in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin requires 75 hours of nurse aide training, including 16 hours of supervised clinical practice. Then you pass the state exam through Headmaster and get listed on the nurse aide registry.
Who gives the CNA exam in Wisconsin?
Headmaster runs the Wisconsin nurse aide competency exam. The exam fee is $144.70.
Can you take CNA classes online in Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin?
WI CNA Reciprocity Form 9110WI for active out of state aides (75 hour training with 16 clinical and a comparable exam); inactive out of state aides must pass the WI exam.
How do you renew a CNA certification in Wisconsin?
Every 24 months for federal eligibility; must have worked for pay as a nurse aide at least 8 hours during the previous 24 months (verified in TMU).
How do I pay for CNA training in Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin.
Compare approved programs, then get matched to funding that pays for it.