The Registry

Change Of Address or Name

The California Department of Public Health must be kept informed of your current address and name so that you can receive notification of certification renewal on the Registry. Failure to inform the CDPH of an address change may jeopardize your certification status.

If your address or name changes at any time after you are placed on the Registry, you must send written notification of this change to the CDPH. Use the Change of Address or Name Form found in the back of this handbook.

Name changes must be accompanied by official documentation such as a notarized copy of a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or other official document. Your notification must include your previous name, current name, mailing address, phone number, and Social Security number.

Re-Certification

Nursing assistants on the California Nursing Assistant Registry must renew their certification through the California Department of Public Health to stay active. You must have worked for pay as a nurse assistant performing nursing-related services for at least eight (8) consecutive hours during the twenty-four (24) months prior to your certification expiration date, and you must submit evidence of forty-eight (48) hours of in-service training or continuing education. Contact the CA Department of Public Health at (916) 327-2445 for more information.

Lapsed Certification

Under federal requirements, certification as a nurse assistant becomes invalid after a lapse of twenty-four (24) consecutive months or more in the performance of paid nursing related services. It is critical to maintain a personal file of your past work history that can be validated by your prospective employer.

Certification by Reciprocity

Reciprocity is a process by which a certified nurse assistant from another state may qualify for certification in California. You are eligible for reciprocity if you are a nurse assistant in a state other than California in accordance with the competency evaluation requirements of OBRA ’87 (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), and if you are currently listed on the other state’s registry as active and in good standing. 

Contact the CDPH for additional information about applying for placement in the California Nursing Assistant Registry via reciprocity.