State terminology: Nursing assistant license. Rhode Island nursing assistant licensing ↗ · terminology checked November 5, 2026.
Sources checked November 4, 2026. Rhode Island Department of Health.
How do I transfer my CNA credential to Rhode Island?
Compare the reviewed application routes to see which one fits your situation. An out-of-state credential alone does not establish eligibility.
What does CNA reciprocity mean?
States use the terms reciprocity, endorsement and transfer to describe how they review nurse aide credentials from another state. Each state defines its own process, so use the term your new state uses. Approval is not automatic. The destination state decides whether your training, testing, work history and registry status meet its rules.
A nurse aide registry is an official state list used to check nurse aide status. A competency evaluation is the state-approved nurse aide exam. Its format varies by state. This guide explains the published instructions, but the agency decides whether you qualify.
How do you become a CNA in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island nursing assistant training programs must be 120 hours: 80 classroom hours and 40 clinical hours.
- Applicants must pass both the written and practical nursing assistant examinations within one year from the date training began.
- RIDOH’s application directs candidates to Credentia for scheduling the skills portion.
Official training directory: RIDOH nursing assistant licensing and training-program entry points ↗
Which pathway applies to you?
Endorsement with 100-hour training
Current out-of-state nursing assistant license holder
- Provide training evidence showing at least 100 hours including 20 supervised practical clinical hours.[2]
Mail the endorsement application
Include current license verification, ID, Rhode Island BCI and required documents; do not hand deliver.[2]
Application name: Application for License as a Nursing Assistant[2]
Official route: Mail Rhode Island Department of Health. [2] Open agency instructions ↗
Endorsement with qualifying employment
Current out-of-state nursing assistant license holder
- Provide employer verification of three months full-time NA work within the last year, including one in-service hour per employed month.[2]
Have the employer return work verification
Complete the top section and send it to the employer; employer returns directly to RIDOH.[2]
Application name: Application for License as a Nursing Assistant[2]
Official route: Mail endorsement packet; employer sends verification directly. [2] Open agency instructions ↗
Reinstatement of a prior Rhode Island license
Former Rhode Island NA
- Rule 22.5.5(M) describes reinstatement for good-standing former RI aides working in another jurisdiction during the preceding two years with 12 in-service hours per year.[3]
Official route: RIDOH reinstatement review. [3] Open agency instructions ↗
What if you previously held a nurse aide credential in Rhode Island?
Disclose any previous Rhode Island license. Use reinstatement review; a lapse of two years or more without qualifying employment proof requires training and exams under 22.5.5(I).[2] [3]
Who sends registry verification?
For incoming endorsement, complete the applicant portion and send a verification form to each other state; that authority returns the form directly to RIDOH.[2]
What exceptions apply?
No additional exception is listed in the reviewed sources.
What fees does the state publish?
| Item | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Endorsement with 100-hour training: Endorsement application | $35 non-refundable; confirm the separate BCI cost with the agency.[2] |
What should you confirm with the agency?
- Confirm the returning-license fee and current reinstatement form with the agency.
- An exam exemption is not guaranteed for every out-of-state applicant; document the qualifying route that applies.
The state decides eligibility and approval. This guide does not grant a credential.
What will the Rhode Island planner ask?
- Which pathway applies to you? (Endorsement with 100-hour training, Endorsement with qualifying employment, Reinstatement of a prior Rhode Island license)
- Have you previously held a Rhode Island nursing assistant license? (Yes, No, I’m not sure)
Sources
- Nursing Assistant ↗
Checked November 3, 2026 · Initial Applications > Nursing Assistant by Endorsement
- Nursing Assistant Endorsement Application ↗
Checked November 3, 2026 · Revised October 24, 2024; printed pp.1–2,6–7: two routes; fee; verification sender
- 216-RICR-40-05-22 Nursing Assistants ↗
Checked November 4, 2026 · 22.5.3(A)(3)–(4), 22.5.5(D),(I),(M): qualification and reinstatement