An Illinois CNA license does not expire on a set date. Your certification stays active as long as you perform at least eight hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work, under a licensed nurse’s supervision, within every rolling 24-month period. Miss that threshold for 24 consecutive months and your certification is revoked; to work as a CNA again, you’ll need to pass a written competency exam. Illinois has no renewal application, no renewal fee, and no continuing education requirement.
The 24-Month Work Rule
Illinois ties CNA status to work history rather than a calendar date. You keep your certification by working at least eight paid hours of nursing-related duties, supervised by a licensed nurse, in any consecutive 24-month window.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Frequently Asked Questions: CNAs and Other Workers The eight hours do not have to come from one shift. Under the Illinois Administrative Code, they can be consecutive or non-consecutive, so scattered short shifts count as long as they add up to eight hours of paid nursing work during that period.2Cornell Law School. Illinois Admin Code tit 77, 395.265 – Recertification of Certified Nursing Assistant I or Certified Nursing Assistant II
The clock resets each time you work qualifying hours. A CNA working regularly never needs to think about expiration. The 24-month timer tends to catch people who step away for health reasons, family, school, or a different job and don’t realize their certification is quietly running down.
No Renewal Form, Fee, or Continuing Education
Illinois does not ask CNAs to submit a renewal application, pay a renewal fee, or complete continuing education hours. The state doesn’t issue a physical license or certificate either. Your status as an Illinois CNA is maintained through your reported work history, not through a document you hold.3Illinois Department of Public Health. CNA Facts
Keeping that record current is largely your employer’s job. Illinois law requires healthcare employers to report your hire date and any separation date to the Health Care Worker Registry within 30 days, and to verify your employment on the registry at least once a year.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Frequently Asked Questions: CNAs and Other Workers Those employer reports are what keep your certification active in the state’s system. Because the paperwork is out of your hands, check your record periodically. If an employer fails to report your work, the registry could show a gap even when you’ve been on the job.
How to Check Your Status
The Illinois Department of Public Health runs the Health Care Worker Registry, the official record for every CNA in the state. You can search it by name on the IDPH site.4Illinois Department of Public Health. Illinois Department of Public Health Worker Registry The entry shows your certification status, the work history your employers have reported, and any administrative findings against you.5Illinois Department of Public Health. Health Care Worker Registry
Employers are required to check the registry before hiring, so what it shows directly shapes your ability to get work. If you spot missing or wrong employment dates, start with the employer who should have reported them, since they’re the ones who submit updates. If that doesn’t fix it, contact the Health Care Worker Registry at IDPH directly.
What Happens If Your Certification Goes Inactive
Once 24 consecutive months pass without at least eight hours of paid nursing-related work on your record, your CNA certification is revoked.2Cornell Law School. Illinois Admin Code tit 77, 395.265 – Recertification of Certified Nursing Assistant I or Certified Nursing Assistant II Your registry status flips to inactive, and you can’t legally work as a CNA in Illinois until you recertify.
Passing the Written Competency Exam
Recertification requires passing the written competency test. IDPH currently requires only the written exam for recertification, not the manual skills test used for initial certification.3Illinois Department of Public Health. CNA Facts Southern Illinois University at Carbondale administers the exam at testing sites across the state. You can register online at nurseaidetesting.com or by calling (877) 262-9259.6Illinois Nurse Aide Testing. Student Exam Schedule
The exam fee is $85. A retake is also $85. If you register for a date and don’t show up, the rescheduling fee is $55.7Illinois Nurse Aide Testing. Fee Schedule
Three Strikes
Fail the written competency test three times and you cannot simply keep retesting. At that point you must complete a new Illinois-approved CNA training program before you’re eligible to test again.3Illinois Department of Public Health. CNA Facts Programs vary in length and cost, so the stakes of each attempt rise sharply after the second failure.
When Recertification Isn’t an Option
The exam route is only open to CNAs whose registry record is clean of administrative findings for abuse, neglect, or theft. If you have such a finding, passing the competency exam will not restore your certification.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Frequently Asked Questions: CNAs and Other Workers
Certain criminal convictions can also disqualify you. IDPH sorts disqualifying offenses into three groups: 66 waiver-eligible offenses, 11 offenses eligible for a rehabilitation waiver, and 47 always-disqualifying offenses that permanently bar certification unless you successfully challenge the finding through a formal appeal.8Illinois Department of Public Health. Disqualifying Convictions The full list is on the IDPH website. If you have any criminal history, check it before you pay for a test or a training program.