How to Complete the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry Reciprocity Form

If you already hold an active CNA credential in another state, you can move it to Georgia through the Georgia nurse aide registry reciprocity process managed by Alliant Health Solutions for the Georgia Department of Community Health. There is no fee. Plan on gathering a short stack of documents, mailing or uploading them to Alliant, and waiting at least 14 business days for processing once your file is complete.

Who Qualifies

Three conditions have to be true before Georgia will consider your application.

Your name is listed as active on another state’s official nurse aide registry. Lapsed, expired, or inactive status disqualifies you from reciprocity entirely.
You have performed at least eight hours of nursing-related services for pay, under the supervision of a registered nurse, within the past two years. Volunteer hours do not count.
You have no documented finding of resident abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of resident property on any state registry. Federal rules require facilities to check every state registry before hiring a nurse aide, so a finding anywhere blocks your Georgia application.¹

The work requirement is where most applicants get stuck. A current out-of-state card is not enough on its own; you also need documentation of recent paid CNA work.

Documents to Gather

Pull everything together before you open the form. A missing item will delay your application.

A legible copy of a current, unexpired government photo ID, such as a driver’s license or U.S. passport.
A legible copy of your Social Security card itself, not just the number.
Proof of your current certification: a copy of your state CNA card or a printout from your state’s online registry showing active status. If you are not currently listed on any registry, submit a copy of your CNA training program completion certificate instead.
Proof of paid CNA work within the last two years: a paycheck stub, a W-2, or a letter from your most recent CNA employer on company letterhead listing your job duties and dates of employment.

If the name you use now does not match the name on your out-of-state certification, include documentation that connects the two. A marriage certificate from the county probate court covers a name change through marriage.² Any other name change requires a certified copy of the final court order.

If Your Recent Work Was Private Duty

Private duty care qualifies only if it was performed under the general supervision of a licensed nurse, and the paperwork is heavier. You need a notarized statement from the supervising LPN or RN that lists your job duties, the dates you worked, and the nurse’s current license number and signature. Attach a check stub or W-2 showing you were paid for the work.

Filling Out and Submitting the Form

The form is titled “Application for Nurse Aide Registry Listing by Reciprocity” and lives on the Alliant Health Solutions Nurse Aide Program Portal at nurseaide.allianthealth.org.³ Section A collects your legal name, mailing address, and contact details, along with your attached copies of ID, Social Security card, certification proof, and employment proof. Spell your name and address carefully, because this information populates the public registry once you are approved and errors can trip up future employment verifications. Section B documents the paid CNA work that qualifies you: enter your most recent employer’s full name, address, and phone number, and attach the pay stub, W-2, or employer letter that backs it up.

Alliant has been moving toward an online digital form that lets you upload supporting documents electronically, so check the portal for the current submission method before you print anything.³ If you are mailing, send the complete packet to:

Alliant Health Solutions
Attn: Nurse Aide Registry
PO Box 105753
Atlanta, GA 30348

Faxed applications are not accepted. Use a sturdy envelope and skip the staples, since Alliant scans paper documents into a digital system. There is no application fee.

Processing Time and Checking Your Status

Once Alliant has your complete application, allow at least 14 business days for processing when your prior state’s registry can be verified online. If Georgia has to mail a paper verification form to your former state and wait on a reply, the timeline stretches, sometimes considerably, depending on how fast that state responds. You have no control over that part, so if you know your former state is slow, build that into your plan.

When processing is finished, search for your name in the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry at nurseaide.allianthealth.org.⁴ If you appear as active, you are legally authorized to work as a CNA in Georgia. Alliant no longer mails physical certification cards, so the registry listing itself is your proof.³

Criminal History That Can Block Approval

Georgia’s administrative rules at Chapter 111-8-12 list specific convictions that bar placement on the registry, including cruelty to children, exploitation or neglect of disabled adults or elderly persons, child molestation, and sexual assault. Felony convictions under several chapters of Georgia criminal law also disqualify, covering crimes against persons, sexual offenses, theft, forgery and fraud, controlled substances, burglary, and criminal attempt. A ten-year lookback period after completion of sentence applies to most of these offenses, but certain serious offenses identified under Georgia law carry no time limit and are permanent disqualifiers.⁵

Georgia uses the Georgia Applicant Processing Service, run by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, for fingerprint-based background checks tied to employment and licensing.⁶ Whether fingerprinting is required at the reciprocity stage or only when a facility hires you can vary, so if the timing matters to you, ask Alliant Health Solutions directly before you apply.

Keeping Your Certification Active After Approval

Georgia certification renews every two years. To stay eligible for renewal, you need to perform at least eight hours of nursing-related services for pay under nurse supervision during each certification period. Federal guidance also calls for at least 12 hours of in-service or continuing education annually, and Georgia follows that standard. Renewal is done through a renewal application that verifies your employment during the period. Let the two-year window lapse without meeting the work requirement and you may have to retake the competency evaluation to regain active status. The Georgia CareConnect portal at careconnect.georgia.gov provides tools for checking your status and uploading continuing education documentation.⁷

1
CMS. Survey and Certification Letter 05-46
2
Georgia.gov. Apply for a Name Change
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Alliant Health Solutions. Georgia Nurse Aide Program Portal
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Alliant Health Solutions. Georgia Nurse Aide Registry
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Georgia Secretary of State. Rules and Regulations for Criminal Background Checks
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Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS)
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Georgia CareConnect. Certified Nurse/Medication Aides