As a certified nursing assistant, your credentials are only valid for a certain amount of time. Typically, they are valid for two years from the date that they were issued. If you want to continue working as a CNA after that time, you must complete the renewal process before your credentials expire. However, if your credentials expire and then you decide you want to look for CNA jobs near me, you can still have your credentials renewed. However, the process for doing so is much lengthier.
Renewals and Expirations
Before you attempt to renew your expired license, call your state department of health or your state department of nursing. Exactly who you will need to call will vary depending upon the state that you live in. These agencies can let you know if there is a grace period for renewing your license.
The requirements to keep your certification active can vary between states. For instance, some states will require you to pay a renewal fee while other states do not. Some states allow you to complete your renewal online while others do not.
When you do not meet the requirements to keep your nursing license active, your name will be removed from your state’s CNA registry. Your certification will expire and you will have to re-apply to be a CNA. For instance, in Florida when you do not renew your certification by the expiration date your certification will become delinquent. This means you cannot continue working as a CNA until you renew your certification and pay for its renewal fee. You will also be charged a delinquency fee. Once your certificate has been delinquent for two years, it will be considered null and void and you will have to re-apply.
How to Renew an Expired Nursing License
If your certified nursing assistant license has expired and you are outside of the grace period, you must contact your state department of health or board of nursing and request an application for a new license. If you are still within the grace period, you should request a renewal form, which you may be able to find online. Â
An important part of renewing your license is making sure that you comply with your state’s requirements for training and experience. These requirements vary from state to state. While some states only require 24 training hours, others will require 8. Some states do not have a requirement regarding how many paid hours of nursing-related job duties you have within two years while others may require as many as 160.
Once you have met all the requirements, you must complete an application and consent to both employment and training verification. You may also have to pay a fee for processing the application.
Since your license is expired, you will be required to take two exams. The first is a skills portion and the second is a written and skills competency portion. Most states charge an additional fee for this testing.
Once your CNA license is current and you are looking for CNA jobs near me, contact CynaMed. We have many openings for CNAs in a variety of settings.
