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Colorado Certified Nursing Assistant — Requirements & Free Practice

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Certified Nurse Aide

Colorado nurse aide certification, including ordinary issuance, military-family portability, renewal, reinstatement and restoration routes.

Licensing authority: Colorado State Board of Nursing · Application information

Certification by endorsement: equivalent
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit a Board-approved application and fee, with license verifications and required screening disclosures.
Board application
The current CNA application requests an active certificate from another United States state or territory and verification of all current and former certificates.
Credential
Hold current nurse aide certification in good standing in another United States state or territory or through the federal government, or hold an applicable military occupational specialty.
Discipline
Have no act that would constitute grounds for discipline; the Board may deny on the statutory grounds.
Foreign credential
The 2026 portability statute also names credentials from another country; foreign credential eligibility is an applicant condition assessed by the Board.
Qualification
Provide satisfactory proof, under penalty of perjury, of substantially equivalent education, experience or credentials.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Certification by endorsement: one year
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit a Board-approved application and fee, with license verifications and required screening disclosures.
Board application
The current CNA application requests an active certificate from another United States state or territory and verification of all current and former certificates.
Credential
Hold current nurse aide certification in good standing in another United States state or territory or through the federal government, or hold an applicable military occupational specialty.
Discipline
Have no act that would constitute grounds for discipline; the Board may deny on the statutory grounds.
Foreign credential
The 2026 portability statute also names credentials from another country; foreign credential eligibility is an applicant condition assessed by the Board.
Qualification
Hold a current valid nurse aide certificate for at least one year in a jurisdiction with a substantially similar scope of practice.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Certification by examination: Colorado approved nurse aide training

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Training
Complete a Colorado Board-approved nurse aide training program.
Certification by examination: nurse or psychiatric technician with active discipline

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Committee review
The Nurse Aide Advisory Committee reviews the application; acceptance is not automatic.
Discipline
Answer discipline screening questions yes and explain the discipline.
License evidence
Attach the most recent nursing license.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Certification by examination: foreign nursing education

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Education
Graduate from a practical or professional nursing program outside the United States and territories; demonstrate the required nursing course credits.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Translation
Translate educational credentials into English.
Certification by examination: military equivalent training

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Board discretion
The Board determines eligibility based on military training before the competency evaluation.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Training
Show substantially equivalent United States military training on transcripts meeting OBRA 1987 requirements.
Certification by examination: active or expired nursing or psychiatric technician license

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Education verification
An applicant with an active or expired nursing or psychiatric technician license in good standing need not supply transcripts; provide license evidence.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Status
This route uses the applicant's existing nursing or psychiatric technician license as an education-verification condition.
Certification by examination: nurse aide training outside Colorado without a current certificate

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Current certificate
This examination route applies when the applicant does not hold a current nurse aide certificate for endorsement.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Training
Complete a nurse aide training program approved by the appropriate authority of a United States state or territory.
Certification by examination: United States nursing or psychiatric technician education

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Education
Complete at least five semester credits or the equivalent of approved nursing education, or five semester credits of psychiatric technician education, including the required nurse aide curriculum.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Military family occupational credential portability
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Credential
Provide proof, under penalty of perjury, of an active credential in good standing from another United States state or territory for the same occupation.
Eligible applicant
Military spouse, gold star spouse, military dependent, or spouse or dependent of another qualified servicemember who meets the relocation definitions in C.R.S. 12-20-202(3)(f).
Fee
The regulator waives the single-state credential application fee.
Limitations
No entitlement if issuance violates an existing compact or reciprocity agreement or the other credential is not in good standing.
Older rule
The earlier Board rule describes a temporary military spouse credential; the current controlling statute supplies the six-year term and broader eligible military family set.
Validity
The credential is valid for six years from issuance and may be renewed.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reinstatement without qualifying compensated nursing care, expired less than two years

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application and required fees; provide the required reinstatement or renewal documentation.
Board checklist
The current Board checklist permits attestation to either eight hours of qualifying compensated work or passing both assessments in the last twenty-four months; the rule specifically requires retesting after more than two years.
Eligibility
Certificate expired less than two years and applicant lacks qualifying paid nursing care.
Prior passes
For renewal or reinstatement without qualifying work, evidence of passing both currently offered assessments within the past twenty-four months is accepted; prior timing does not remove the registered examination leaves.
Retesting
A certificate expired more than two years requires retaking and passing both written and manual skills assessments.
Reinstatement of a certificate expired less than two years with compensated nursing care
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit a signed Board-approved reinstatement application and fee.
Documentation
Provide required license information, screening explanations, name-change documentation when applicable, and Healthcare Professions Profile.
Expiration
The certificate has been expired for less than two years.
Paid work
Attest to monetary compensation for at least eight hours of nursing care activities during the preceding twenty-four months.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reinstatement of a certificate expired more than two years

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application and required fees; provide the required reinstatement or renewal documentation.
Board checklist
The current Board checklist permits attestation to either eight hours of qualifying compensated work or passing both assessments in the last twenty-four months; the rule specifically requires retesting after more than two years.
Eligibility
Certificate expired more than two years; both assessments must be retaken and passed regardless of paid work.
Prior passes
For renewal or reinstatement without qualifying work, evidence of passing both currently offered assessments within the past twenty-four months is accepted; prior timing does not remove the registered examination leaves.
Retesting
A certificate expired more than two years requires retaking and passing both written and manual skills assessments.
Renewal without qualifying compensated nursing care

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application and required fees; provide the required reinstatement or renewal documentation.
Board checklist
The current Board checklist permits attestation to either eight hours of qualifying compensated work or passing both assessments in the last twenty-four months; the rule specifically requires retesting after more than two years.
Eligibility
Renewal applicant has not performed the qualifying eight hours of compensated nursing care in the last twenty-four months.
Prior passes
For renewal or reinstatement without qualifying work, evidence of passing both currently offered assessments within the past twenty-four months is accepted; prior timing does not remove the registered examination leaves.
Retesting
A certificate expired more than two years requires retaking and passing both written and manual skills assessments.
Renewal with compensated nursing care
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Documentation
Provide required license information, screening explanations, name-change documentation when applicable, and Healthcare Professions Profile.
Paid work
Attest to monetary compensation for at least eight hours of nursing care activities during the preceding twenty-four months.
Status
Renew within the renewal period, including the sixty-day grace period; pay the renewal fee.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Certification after revoked nurse aide certificate

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Previous status
The prior Colorado CNA certificate was revoked.
Retraining
Complete a state-approved retraining program within two years before applying by examination and provide proof.
Review
Answer screening question 8 yes, provide an explanation, and undergo Nurse Aide Advisory Committee review.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Waiting period
Wait two years after revocation or surrender before applying.
Certification after surrendered nurse aide certificate

All of the following:

Application
Submit the Board-approved application, pay required application and examination fees, verify education, and satisfy state and federal certification requirements.
Attempt limit
After three failures of either assessment, repeat an approved nurse aide training program before future certification or testing.
Passing window
Pass both NNAAP assessments within two years after receipt of the certification application.
Previous status
The prior Colorado CNA certificate was surrendered.
Retraining
Complete a state-approved retraining program within two years before applying by examination and provide proof.
Review
Answer screening question 8 yes, provide an explanation, and undergo Nurse Aide Advisory Committee review.
Screening
Disclose disciplinary and criminal history and provide required explanations; certification remains subject to Board review.
Waiting period
Wait two years after revocation or surrender before applying.
Restoration following court determined mental competency
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Clinical evidence
The Board may request physical or mental examination by a designated health-care provider; this is applicant clinical evidence, not a profession licensing examination.
Restoration
The suspension continues until the nurse aide is restored to competency, discharged as competent, or otherwise found competent as provided by law.
Status
A court finding of mental disorder has caused automatic suspension.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) Skills Evaluation

This assessment does not have a question bank.

Provider
Credentia Nurse Aide LLC (develops and manages the NNAAP exam); administered by Credentia at test centers
Format
Performance evaluation at a test center, scored and retaken separately from the Written (or Oral) Examination: the candidate performs five skills on a candidate volunteer acting as the client and is rated by a Nurse Aide Evaluator; each skill is scored Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory and all five must be Satisfactory to pass
Time limit
30 minutes
Examination sources

NNAAP Written (or Oral) Examination

Provider
Credentia Nurse Aide LLC (develops and manages the NNAAP exam); administered by Credentia online or at test centers
Format
Multiple-choice examination taken online or at a test center, in English or Spanish, scored and retaken separately from the Skills Evaluation; candidates may choose the Oral Examination form, in which the multiple-choice questions are read aloud by recorded voice (MP3 player at test centers) and ten reading comprehension (word recognition) questions are added, and both Oral sections must be passed
Exam questions
70 multiple-choice items: 60 scored and 10 pretest (non-scored); the Oral form has 60 multiple-choice items and 10 reading comprehension (word recognition) items
Time limit
2 hours
Examination outline
  • I. Physical Care Skills — A. Activities of Daily Living (22% of the exam; 13 questions) (22%)
    • Activities of Daily Living — 1. Hygiene
    • Activities of Daily Living — 2. Dressing and Grooming
    • Activities of Daily Living — 3. Nutrition and Hydration
    • Activities of Daily Living — 4. Elimination
    • Activities of Daily Living — 5. Rest/Sleep/Comfort
  • I. Physical Care Skills — B. Basic Nursing Skills (35% of the exam; 21 questions) (35%)
    • Basic Nursing Skills — 1. Infection Control
    • Basic Nursing Skills — 2. Safety/Emergency
    • Basic Nursing Skills — 3. Therapeutic/Technical Procedures
    • Basic Nursing Skills — 4. Data Collection and Reporting
  • I. Physical Care Skills — C. Self-Care and Independence (7% of the exam; 4 questions) (7%)
    • Self-Care and Independence
  • II. Psychosocial Care Skills — A. Emotional and Mental Health Needs (8% of the exam; 5 questions) (8%)
    • Emotional and Mental Health Needs
  • II. Psychosocial Care Skills — B. Spiritual and Cultural Needs (2% of the exam; 1 question) (2%)
    • Spiritual and Cultural Needs
  • III. Role of the Nurse Aide — A. Communication (7% of the exam; 4 questions) (7%)
    • Communication
  • III. Role of the Nurse Aide — B. Client Rights (8% of the exam; 5 questions) (8%)
    • Client Rights
  • III. Role of the Nurse Aide — C. Legal and Ethical Behavior (5% of the exam; 3 questions) (5%)
    • Legal and Ethical Behavior
  • III. Role of the Nurse Aide — D. Member of the Health Care Team (6% of the exam; 4 questions) (6%)
    • Member of the Health Care Team
Examination sources