1.1 Current NC CNA Exam Facts
Key Takeaways
- North Carolina requires a state-approved Nurse Aide I program with at least 75 hours, including at least 16 hours of practical training.
- The Credentia knowledge examination has 70 questions in 120 minutes, and the skills evaluation assigns five skills in 30 minutes from the current 23-skill list.
- Credentia reports pass or fail rather than publishing a raw cutoff; current fees are $140 combined, $40 knowledge only, and $100 skills only.
- Candidates must pass both parts within two years or three attempts, whichever comes first.
What the NC CNA Credential Actually Is
Quick Answer: To become a Nurse Aide I (NA I) in North Carolina you must finish a 75-hour state-approved training program, pass the Credentia NNAAP written/oral test (60 scored + 10 pretest items, 120 minutes, with a pass/fail result) and a 5-skill clinical evaluation (handwashing is always one), pay $140 for the combined examination, and get listed on the NC Nurse Aide I Registry maintained by NC DHSR. The listing lasts 24 months and renews automatically only if you work at least 8 paid hours of nursing-related duties in that window.
North Carolina regulates two nurse-aide credentials. Nurse Aide I (NA I) is the entry-level certification that lets you provide basic personal-care and basic-nursing tasks in long-term care, hospitals, home care, and adult care homes. Nurse Aide II (NA II) is a separate, more advanced credential governed by the North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) that requires additional training and its own competency evaluation — it is not what you earn by passing the standard CNA exam.
NA I listing is administered by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) Health Care Personnel Registry Section. Testing itself is delivered by Credentia, the current vendor for the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP). Older third-party materials may name a previous vendor or use an obsolete fee, time limit, or skills count. Use the current Credentia North Carolina pages for the examination you will take.
Eligibility and Training
- Training: completion of a 75-hour NA I program approved by NC DHSR, including at least 16 hours of practical training.
- Program admission: age, health-screening, and background-check requirements can vary by approved program or employer; confirm them directly.
- Test window: you must test within 24 months of finishing the approved program, with a maximum of three attempts at each portion before retraining is required.
Exam Logistics at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Credentialing body | NC DHSR Health Care Personnel Registry (NA I list) |
| Test vendor | Credentia |
| Required training | 75-hour DHSR-approved Nurse Aide I program |
| Written/Oral test | 60 scored multiple-choice + 10 pretest = 70 items, 120 minutes, with a pass/fail result |
| Oral version | English audio + printed test booklet, available on request |
| Skills evaluation | 5 randomly selected skills; handwashing is always included; approx. 30 minutes |
| Skills scoring | Pass/fail according to the current official checkpoints |
| Combined fee | $140 combined ($40 knowledge only; $100 skills only) |
| Result timing | Exam result after testing; registry posting normally 2–5 business days after passing |
| Registry listing | NC NA I Registry, valid 24 months |
| Renewal rule | At least 8 paid hours of nursing-related duties under licensed-nurse supervision during the 24-month window |
| Background check | Program and employer screening requirements vary |
How the Written/Oral Section Is Built
The NNAAP written/oral test follows a published content outline. Of the 70 items you see, 60 count toward your score and 10 are unscored pretest items that Credentia mixes in to validate future questions — you cannot tell which is which, so treat every item as scored. Credentia reports the result as pass or fail and does not publish a raw percentage cutoff on its public North Carolina pages. The oral version plays an audio recording of each item while you read along in a booklet; it is designed for candidates who prefer to hear the questions, not as a translation into other languages.
How the Skills Evaluation Is Built
Credentia selects 5 skills at random from the published NC skills list for each candidate. Handwashing (Hand Hygiene) is the only skill that is always included — it counts as one of the five. Evaluators score every critical step (called a checkpoint) for each skill. Missing even one critical step on one skill — for example, failing to lock a wheelchair before a transfer — fails that skill and can fail the entire evaluation.
Cost, Retakes, and the Registry Clock
The combined fee is $140; knowledge-only retakes are $40 and skills-only retakes are $100. You may attempt each portion up to 3 times within 24 months of finishing your 75-hour program. Exceeding either limit forces you to retake an approved training program before testing again.
Once you pass, NC DHSR lists you on the Nurse Aide I Registry. The listing is valid for 24 months and renews automatically only if registry records show you completed at least 8 paid hours of nursing-related duties under the supervision of a licensed nurse during that window. Volunteer hours, unpaid clinical, and family caregiving do not count. If your listing lapses, you generally must retest (and in many cases retrain) to be reinstated.
NC CNA II Is a Separate Credential
A common point of confusion: the standard NNAAP exam covered in this guide certifies you as NA I only. NA II is governed by NCBON, requires extra coursework in skills such as sterile dressing changes, tracheostomy care, suctioning, and IV-fluid monitoring, and uses a separate competency exam approved by NCBON. You cannot "test up" from NA I to NA II — you must complete an approved NA II program first.
How many items are on the NC CNA (NNAAP) written/oral test, and how many actually count toward your score?
Which clinical skill is GUARANTEED to appear on every NC CNA skills evaluation?
After being listed on the NC Nurse Aide I Registry, what is required to keep the listing active beyond 24 months?