How to Register for the Washington CNA Exam (Step-by-Step)

Registering for the Washington CNA exam happens in two separate steps with two separate organizations. You first schedule the in-person skills test through your training program (or through the Washington State Board of Nursing's online scheduling if your program does not test) and pay $100 to the test site. Only after your skills pass is recorded do you register on Credentia's website for the knowledge test and pay $55. The total is $155, and the order is mandatory: Credentia will not accept a registration without a recorded skills result. Here is each step in sequence, with what you need on hand and where candidates get stuck.

Before you register: know your eligibility route

The Department of Health recognizes nine eligibility routes, labeled E1 through E9. Most readers of this article are E1 (graduate of a Washington-approved traditional program) or E6 (graduate of a Washington alternative program such as an HCA–CNA bridge). Nursing students use E2, military nursing students E3, and out-of-state graduates E4. Your route determines what documentation your program or the DOH needs before testing is opened to you, so confirm it first. The full list is explained in Washington CNA eligibility routes E1–E9. If you fall under E8, OBRA reactivation, note that you get one attempt and must pass both parts the first time.

The registration steps in order

Step 1: Complete approved training and collect your Certificate of Completion

Approved programs must deliver at least 108 clock hours under WAC 246-841A-440, split into 35 classroom, 33 skills lab, and 40 clinical hours. Bridge programs for active Home Care Aides are shorter; Huduma CNA Programs' bridge runs 40 clock hours. When you finish, your program issues a Certificate of Completion and reports your completion to the state. You cannot test until that record exists, so ask your program when it submits completions and keep a copy of your certificate.

Step 2: Schedule the skills test

There are two paths, and which one you use depends on your program.

• Your program tests on site. Most established Washington programs do. The program sets test dates, assigns evaluators, and tells you how to pay the $100 test-site fee. Huduma CNA Programs tests on site in Federal Way, so students schedule directly with the school, usually within a week or two of finishing.
• Your program does not test. You use the Board of Nursing's online scheduling system to find an approved test site with open dates, then pay that site's $100 fee. Sites fill unevenly, so book as soon as your completion is recorded.

Questions about skills testing that your program cannot answer go to the DOH at nac.exam@doh.wa.gov.

Step 3: Take the skills test

Bring government-issued photo identification, wear what your test site specifies, and arrive early. You will perform hand hygiene plus a set of skills assigned on the day, scored against printed checklists. Evaluators give you the result, and the program or test site records a pass with the state. If you do not pass, WAC 246-841A-430 requires programs to allow at least four attempts; each retake is scheduled through the same channel and carries the test-site fee again.

Step 4: Confirm your skills pass is recorded

This is the step that causes the most delays. The Credentia system checks for a recorded skills pass before it will let you register. If your program has not yet entered your result, your registration attempt fails and you may assume something is wrong with your account when nothing is. Ask your program to confirm the result has been submitted, then proceed.

Step 5: Register with Credentia for the knowledge test

1. Go to Credentia's website and create an account, or log in if you already have one from an earlier attempt.
2. Select the Washington nursing assistant knowledge test.
3. Choose a delivery option: online with remote proctoring from your own computer, or in person at a Credentia test site.
4. If you read English with difficulty, select the oral format at this stage; changing formats after booking means contacting Credentia.
5. If you have a documented disability, submit an accommodation request before booking; approvals take time.
6. Pay the $55 fee and choose an appointment.

Format, content areas, and how the passing standard works are covered in the Credentia knowledge test for Washington CNAs.

Step 6: Take the knowledge test

For online testing, prepare a quiet room, a working webcam and microphone, and a clear desk. Log in early, complete the identification and room checks, and expect the proctor to watch throughout. For in-person testing, arrive with the same identification. Results are reported as pass or fail; Credentia sends passing results to the Department of Health. Timing details are in how Washington CNA exam results work.

Step 7: Apply for the NA-C credential

With both parts passed, submit your Nursing Assistant-Certified application to the DOH through its online portal. The DOH runs a name-based statewide background check, which is explained in the Washington CNA background check. Fees for the application are set by the DOH fee schedule. Once approved, your credential appears in the DOH Provider Credential Search, which functions as Washington's nurse aide registry.

The whole sequence at a glance

For a line-by-line view of what the process costs in total, see the Washington CNA exam cost breakdown.

What about the NAR?

If you want to work in a nursing facility while you finish testing, apply separately to the DOH for the Nursing Assistant-Registered (NAR) credential. It is a provisional credential that allows facility employment before certification. A NAR hired by a nursing facility has four months from the hire date to complete training and pass both exam parts, so registering promptly matters more if you are already employed. The differences are set out in NAR vs NAC in Washington.

Registration mistakes that cost time

• Registering with Credentia too early. The system rejects registrations without a recorded skills pass. Wait for confirmation from your program.
• Mismatched names. The name on your Credentia account, your DOH application, and your photo ID must match. Fix discrepancies before booking.
• Skipping the oral or accommodation request. These are arranged at registration, not on test day.
• Booking the knowledge test before you have studied. Appointment availability can tempt you to book the first open slot. A $55 retake fee and several weeks of delay cost more than a few extra study days.
• Letting the NAR clock run. If you are employed as a NAR, count four months from your hire date and work backward when scheduling both tests.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I register for the CNA exam in Washington? The skills test is scheduled through your training program, or through the Board of Nursing's online scheduling if your program does not test. The knowledge test is registered on Credentia's website after your skills pass is recorded.

How much does registration cost? $100 for the skills test, paid to the test site, and $55 for the knowledge test, paid to Credentia. The NA-C application fee is separate and set by the DOH fee schedule.

Can I register for both tests at once? No. Washington requires the skills test first, and Credentia checks for a recorded pass before accepting a registration.

What ID do I need on test day? Valid government-issued photo identification for both tests. The name must match your registration exactly.

How long after training can I test? As soon as your completion is recorded and a skills test date is available. Programs that test on site usually offer dates within a week or two of course completion.

Huduma CNA Programs tests skills on site in Federal Way and walks each cohort through the Credentia registration steps before graduation. Upcoming class dates are posted on the schedules page.