State terminology: Nurse aide certification. Tennessee Health Facilities Commission: Nurse Aide Programs and Registry ↗ · terminology checked November 6, 2026.
Sources checked November 4, 2026. Tennessee Health Facilities Commission, Nurse Aide Programs and Registry.
How do I transfer my CNA credential to Tennessee?
Route to review: Tennessee reciprocity. Check all the conditions for this route. 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 Tennessee?
HFC oversees approved nurse-aide training and competency evaluation and publishes a training-program search.
- Credentia became the nurse-aide registry and testing vendor on June 1, 2026.
- Complete an approved nurse-aide training program and the state competency examination, using the current HFC/Credentia handbook and platform.
Official training directory: Tennessee HFC-approved nurse aide training program search ↗
Which pathway applies to you?
Tennessee reciprocity
Active out-of-state nurse aides without abuse or other derogatory registry information.
- The sending-state certification must be active with no abuse or derogatory information.[1]
This route may not apply to:
- Anyone living in Florida: Tennessee does not accept Florida reciprocity, so you must retrain and retest in Tennessee.
- Anyone ever certified in Tennessee: contact the Registry about reinstatement before applying for reciprocity.
Use the current testing-agency route
Tennessee identifies Credentia as its registry/testing vendor from June 1, 2026.[1]
Submit the online reciprocity application
Select Tennessee in the current Credentia state directory and follow its document instructions.[1]
Official route: Online Credentia Tennessee reciprocity application. [1] Open agency instructions ↗
What if you previously held a nurse aide credential in Tennessee?
Anyone previously certified in Tennessee should contact the registry about reinstatement eligibility before submitting reciprocity.[1]
Who sends registry verification?
Tennessee stopped manually completing paper outgoing verification forms in May 2019; destination agencies can use the current online registry.[1]
What exceptions apply?
Living in Florida
Tennessee does not accept Florida reciprocity. A person living in Florida must retrain and retest in Tennessee to become certified.[1]
What else should you know?
Tennessee certification is valid for 24 months. Renewal requires verification of at least eight hours of CNA work during the 24-month period in a licensed or certified healthcare facility.[1]
What fees does the state publish?
The reviewed source does not publish an amount for the following item: Application and third-party charges. Confirm the current charge with the agency before paying.
What should you confirm with the agency?
- Confirm portal-only requirements and the fee with the agency.
- Published processing descriptions are not guaranteed approval times.
The state decides eligibility and approval. This guide does not grant a credential.
What will the Tennessee planner ask?
- Which pathway applies to you? (Tennessee reciprocity)
- Have you previously held nurse aide certification in Tennessee? (Yes, No, I’m not sure)
Sources
- Tennessee HFC Nurse Aide Information ↗
Checked November 4, 2026 · HFC Nurse Aide page (reviewed from page text captured November 4, 2026): Credentia became the registry and testing vendor June 1, 2026; exam within 24 months of training; renewal every 2 years with 8 hours worked in 24 months; reinstatement proof for each year; reciprocity from all states except Florida.