An out-of-state certified nurse aide can transfer credentials to Hawaii by mailing the Hawaii CNA reciprocity application to Prometric with a copy of the current CNA certificate and a $27 fee. Prometric handles the process on behalf of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), verifies your standing in every state where you’ve been certified, and adds your name to the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry once you’re approved.1Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Licensing Area: Nurse Aide – DCCA Hawaii There’s no retest.
Who Qualifies
You need an active, unexpired CNA certification from another state. The application asks for your certification number, the date you were originally certified, and the expiration date, so pull your certificate out before you sit down with the form.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
Federal rules also matter here. Under 42 CFR 483.156, every state must remove a nurse aide from its registry after 24 consecutive months without performing nursing or nursing-related services.3eCFR. 42 CFR 483.156 If you’ve been out of the field for two years or more, your home-state registry entry has likely already been removed, and there’s nothing for Hawaii to verify. Check that you still appear as active on your current state’s registry before you spend the $27.
The same federal rule requires findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of resident property to stay on a state registry permanently. Hawaii will not grant reciprocity to anyone carrying those findings.3eCFR. 42 CFR 483.156
The Form and Where to Get It
DCCA’s nurse aide page points applicants to Prometric, which hosts the PDF at prometric.com. Look for the “Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form.”1Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Licensing Area: Nurse Aide – DCCA Hawaii
There is no reciprocity-only form. One application covers initial testing, out-of-state transfers, and reciprocity, and you identify yourself as a reciprocity applicant by selecting “Route 2 – Reciprocity/Out of State” on the form.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
What to Fill In
Personal Information
Use your full legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID. A mismatch between the application and your ID can hold up processing.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form You’ll also give your mailing address, phone number, date of birth, and Social Security Number. If your name has changed since your original certification, bring supporting documentation such as a marriage certificate or court order.
Route 2 – Reciprocity/Out of State
This is the section that does the work. Enter your current certification number, the date you were originally certified, and the expiration date. Say whether you’re currently working as a nurse aide, and answer honestly, because Prometric will verify your registry standing in every state where you’ve held certification. List your current employer’s name and full address, your hire date, and the end date if you’ve left. Then list every state where you hold or have held a CNA credential.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
Mandatory Disclosure Questions
Near the bottom, every applicant answers three yes-or-no questions:
- Whether you’ve been convicted of a crime in the past 20 years (excluding convictions that have been annulled or expunged).
- Whether your nurse aide certification has ever been revoked, suspended, or subject to disciplinary action by another state registry.
- Whether you’re currently under investigation or facing pending disciplinary proceedings.
A “yes” isn’t an automatic denial, but it triggers additional review. Attach a separate page explaining the date, location, and nature of the issue. Prometric may also ask for certified court documents or other records.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
What to Send With It
Route 2 requires one attachment: a copy of your current CNA certificate from the state where you’re certified. A photocopy is fine; don’t send the original.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
If you answered “yes” to any disclosure question, include the written explanation on a separate sheet. Prometric cross-references your answers against every state registry you’ve been on, so what you write needs to line up with what those registries actually show. Discrepancies delay the application or lead to a denial.
Where to Mail It and What to Pay
Send the completed application, the certificate copy, and payment to:
Prometric
Nurse Aide Program
354 Uluniu Street, Suite 308
Kailua, HI 967342Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
Do not mail it to the DCCA office in Honolulu. DCCA oversees nurse aide licensing, but Prometric processes applications and manages the registry.
The reciprocity fee is $27 and nonrefundable. Make checks or money orders payable to Prometric, not to DCCA or the State of Hawaii. Personal checks and cash are not accepted; certified checks, company checks, and money orders are. The last page of the application also has a credit card section for Visa or MasterCard payment.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
Processing Time and Getting on the Registry
Once your packet arrives, Prometric verifies your identity, confirms your certification with every state registry you listed, and checks for findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation. An internal reviewer marks you “In Good Standing” or “Not in Good Standing” across those registries.2Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form
DCCA’s general guidance for professional licensing applications puts processing at roughly 45 to 60 business days from receipt of a complete packet.4Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Check The Status of Your Application – DCCA Hawaii A missing certificate copy, an unsigned form, or a check made out to the wrong payee will extend that timeline while Prometric requests what’s missing.
After approval, your name is added to the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry, and you’re cleared to work. You can confirm your listing yourself on Prometric’s public registry portal by searching your certificate number or your name and date of birth.5Prometric. Hawaii State Nurse Aide Registry If you’re interviewing while the application is still pending, tell the employer, because they won’t find you in the system until Prometric finishes the review.
Keeping the Certification Active
Hawaii certification is valid for two years. To renew, you must have worked for pay performing nursing or nursing-related services under the supervision of a licensed or registered nurse for at least eight hours during that 24-month period.6Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry Recertification Form That’s a single shift. Let the two years pass with no qualifying work and federal rules pull you off the registry.
What you pay at renewal depends on where you work. If your employer is a Medicare- or Medicaid-approved long-term care facility, there is no renewal fee and your employer completes the verification section of the recertification form. If you work in a licensed healthcare setting that isn’t Medicare/Medicaid-approved, the renewal fee is $27 and you must also provide proof of 24 hours of competency training or continuing education.6Prometric. Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry Recertification Form Submit the recertification form no more than 30 days before your expiration date; Prometric won’t process early submissions.
Recertification goes to the same Prometric office in Kailua, and the payment rules are the same: certified checks, company checks, money orders, or credit cards. Keep a copy of every submission. If your registry listing lapses, you may need to retake the competency evaluation to get back on, which is a much bigger disruption than mailing a form and a check every two years.