How to Become a CNA in Louisiana

To get certified as a CNA in Louisiana, you must be at least 16, complete a minimum 80-hour LDH-approved training program, pass the Prometric nurse aide competency exam, and register with the Louisiana Department of Health. If you want to understand what a CNA actually does before committing to the certification path, start there first.

Louisiana CNA Certification Requirements at a Glance

Getting your CNA certification in Louisiana means meeting five core requirements. Here is what the process looks like:

Requirement	Details
Minimum age	16 years old
Training hours	80 minimum (40 classroom + 40 clinical)
Exam administrator	Prometric (at LCTCS college sites)
Registry	Louisiana Department of Health (LDH)
Renewal cycle	Every 2 years (8 hours paid work required)

How long is the CNA program in Louisiana? Most LDH-approved CNA programs run 4-8 weeks, though some community college and hospital programs extend to 10-12 weeks for additional clinical depth.

The sections below cover each requirement in detail: training programs and costs first, then the exam, registry, background check, salary, and renewal.

Step 1: Complete an LDH-Approved Training Program

Before you can sit for the Louisiana nurse aide competency exam, you must complete a program that LDH has approved under its NATCEP (Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program) standards. CNA programs in Louisiana are offered at community colleges, technical schools, hospital systems, and private providers.

What Happens During the 80 Hours

Louisiana requires 40 hours of classroom instruction plus 40 hours of supervised clinical practice. Before any clinical work begins, you must complete 16 hours of classroom instruction. On top of that, your program includes a 4-hour clinical site orientation. Those 4 hours do not count toward the 80-hour minimum.

The real program is slightly longer than catalog hours suggest. Most competitors describe the requirement as “80 hours” and leave it there. That framing understates what you will actually go through, and can leave you confused when your program runs a few days longer than listed.

Where to Find LDH-Approved Programs in Louisiana

Named programs across the state, with estimated costs and timelines:

Program	Type	Duration	Notes
BRCC (Baton Rouge Community College)	Community college	100 hours	OLOL partnership; free with post-grad employment commitment
CLTCC (Central Louisiana Technical Community College)	Technical college	5-6 weeks	Approx. $695 tuition
Louisiana Delta Community College	Community college	Varies	Approx. $1,998 tuition
SOWELA Technical Community College	Technical college	Varies	Approx. $1,950 tuition
Hospital/healthcare facility programs	Employer-sponsored	4-6 weeks	Often free; may require employment commitment

CNA classes in Louisiana and CNA courses in Louisiana generally run on similar schedules regardless of provider type. To find every LDH-approved program near you, use the LDH approved training programs list. That directory is searchable by location and stays current.

If you are still deciding between programs, the CNA training and certification overview and the guide on how to choose a CNA program can help you evaluate your options before enrolling.

How Much Does CNA Training Cost in Louisiana?

CNA programs in Louisiana run from free to $2,200, but the sticker price rarely reflects your total out-of-pocket cost. Before enrolling, budget for several fees that most programs list separately, if at all.

What’s Typically Included in Tuition

Program costs by type:

Program Type	Example Programs	Tuition Range	What’s Typically Included
Free/sponsored	BRCC (with OLOL partnership), hospital employer programs	$0 out of pocket	Tuition, CPR, first exam attempt; requires post-grad employment commitment
Community college	CLTCC ($695), SOWELA ($1,950), Louisiana Delta CC ($1,998)	$695-$1,998	Tuition, CPR certification, textbooks/scrubs (varies by program)
Private programs	Unitech Training Academy, Infinity College, and similar private providers	Up to $2,200	Varies widely; verify what is included before enrolling

Hidden Costs Most Programs Don’t List Upfront

Most programs will not itemize these for you. Budget for each one:

• Background check via IdentoGo/Idemia: $60.75 for state and federal LiveScan fingerprints. This became mandatory statewide as of November 1, 2024. Your program will give you a specific service code. Do not schedule your background check without it.
• Drug screen: Most programs require one before clinical placement. Budget $30-$60 at an urgent care or screening clinic.
• Immunizations: Hepatitis B series, annual flu shot, and proof of MMR/varicella are standard requirements. Costs vary: $50-$200 or more if you lack existing documentation.
• TB test (PPD or chest X-ray): $20-$40 at most clinics.
• Physical exam: Required before clinical hours; cost varies by provider.
• Scrubs and stethoscope: If not included in your program kit, budget $40-$80.

One question that surfaces constantly in CNA communities captures exactly what this section is designed to answer:

“Is CNA program worth it for $2000 before nursing school?”

(Reddit user)

The honest answer is: a $2,000 estimate is realistic for community college tuition alone. Add the required fees above and your total cost can reach $2,500 at a private program, or drop under $1,000 at a community college with financial aid.

Your total all-in cost (tuition, exam registration, background check, drug screen, immunizations, TB test, and supplies) typically runs $800-$2,500. Community college programs with financial aid can land under $1,000. Private programs without aid run toward the higher end.

Free and Low-Cost CNA Training Options

Free CNA classes in Louisiana are real, but not unconditional.

BRCC/Our Lady of the Lake (OLOL) partnership: BRCC offers a 100-hour CNA program through its OLOL partnership. Tuition is covered, but graduates are expected to work at OLOL after completing the program. This is a legitimate, well-established pathway. Know the employment commitment before you enroll.

Hospital and healthcare facility programs: Some long-term care facilities and hospital systems sponsor CNA training for potential hires. The program is free, but you are effectively auditioning for employment. Ask about post-training work requirements before signing up.

WIOA grants: Income-eligible adults can receive Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding through their local Louisiana Workforce Commission office. This can cover tuition and some fees at approved programs including CLTCC.

Financial Aid for CNA Programs in Louisiana

Pell Grants cover tuition at community colleges for eligible students with a high school diploma or GED. WIOA is needs-based and worth pursuing if you qualify. Institutional scholarships exist at CLTCC and some community colleges. Ask the financial aid office directly rather than assuming no aid is available.

Can You Get CNA Certified Online in Louisiana?

No. Louisiana does not allow fully online CNA certification. State law requires all CNA candidates to complete at least 40 hours of in-person clinical practice at an LDH-approved site before sitting for the competency exam.

Some programs offer the 40 classroom hours in an online or hybrid format, which helps students with scheduling flexibility. But the 40 clinical hours must be completed at an LDH-approved site in person. There is no workaround.

On the “2 week cna classes online Louisiana” question: programs advertising a two-week online CNA course may be out-of-state programs, continuing education credits only, or simply inaccurate advertising. A complete Louisiana certification requires a minimum of 80 hours, spread across at least 4 full weeks.

If a program promises complete Louisiana CNA certification 100% online without mentioning clinical hours, verify it against the LDH approved training programs list before paying any fees.

Step 2: Pass the Louisiana Nurse Aide Competency Exam

Completing your Louisiana CNA certification requires passing a two-part competency exam administered by Prometric. Both parts must be passed. You cannot earn certification by passing only one. Prometric administers the exam at testing sites across Louisiana, most of which are at LCTCS campuses.

What to Expect on Exam Day

The knowledge portion is multiple choice and can be taken as a written test or in an oral (read-aloud) format for candidates who prefer it. The content covers your training program material: basic nursing skills, residents’ rights, infection control, safety, and communication.

For the clinical skills exam, you will perform 5 tasks selected randomly from the full skills list. Two tasks are always included: handwashing and indirect care (positioning, draping, bed rail safety). The other 3 are drawn from your training skills and may include blood pressure measurement, measuring weight, counting respirations, or similar tasks.

You are evaluated on both technique and safety. Missing a critical step on handwashing, for example, can result in a failing score on that task.

Clinical Skills: Which Tasks Are Tested

Knowing what is always on the exam gives you a concrete target for practice. Handwashing and indirect care are guaranteed. Prepare them until they are automatic. Use the site’s CNA skills test resource for a breakdown of every scored skill and the steps evaluators check.

For broader exam preparation, the CNA practice exam covers the written portion, and the guide on how to study for the CNA exam walks through a structured preparation approach.

How to Register for the Exam

Do not attempt to schedule your exam until your instructor confirms they have uploaded your completion data to Prometric. You will receive an automated email from Prometric once you are cleared to pay and select a test date.

When scheduling, you can book online at prometric.com/exams/nurseaide-la or by phone at 1-800-853-6768. Bring a current government-issued photo ID that matches your registration name on test day.

If you fail only one part (written or skills), you retake only that part. If you fail both, you retake both. You have 3 attempts total, and all must occur within 2 years of finishing your training program. If you do not pass within that window, you must complete another LDH-approved training program before retesting.

Exam Fees

Prometric publishes the current Louisiana nurse aide exam fees on its official Louisiana nurse aide page. Because LDH guides and school pages sometimes lag behind Prometric updates, use Prometric’s current fee schedule as the controlling source before you register. Your training program’s tuition may include the first exam attempt. Check your enrollment documents.

Step 3: Get Listed on the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry

Once you pass both parts of the Louisiana nurse aide competency exam, you are automatically placed on the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry. You do not need to submit a separate application.

The LARS portal (lars.dhh.la.gov) is where you register your account, keep your contact information current, and monitor your certification status. Employers use the registry to verify your credentials before hiring, so your information should stay accurate.

For registry questions, contact the LDH Health Standards Section: 225-342-0138 or [email protected].

For a step-by-step walkthrough of the LARS portal, including how to look up your listing, fix errors, and what employers see when they verify your certification, see the full Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry guide.

Background Check Requirements for Louisiana CNA Applicants

Louisiana CNA certification requires a criminal background check through IdentoGo (formerly Idemia). The cost is $60.75, covering both state and federal fingerprint processing via LiveScan. This requirement was standardized statewide as of November 1, 2024, under LDH Health Standards Section implementation of Act 458.

When to schedule: Do not schedule fingerprinting until your school gives you the correct IdentoGo service code. Appointments booked without it cannot be applied to your application. Complete the background check early enough to clear before clinical placement begins; most programs will not allow you to start clinical hours until results are processed. LDH reviews disqualifying offenses for registry eligibility, while individual clinical sites may also impose their own placement rules. Ask your program coordinator how fingerprint timing affects your class start and clinical schedule.

If you have a criminal record:

Louisiana statute RS 37:1024 governs who can be placed on the nurse aide registry. Certain disqualifying offenses, particularly those involving abuse, neglect, or exploitation of elderly or disabled adults, prevent registry placement. Other offenses are reviewed case by case by LDH.

If you have any criminal history, contact the LDH Health Standards Section before enrolling in a program. Paying tuition only to discover a clinical placement block is a costly outcome a single phone call can prevent. Reach Health Standards at 225-342-0138 or [email protected].

CNA Salary in Louisiana: What to Actually Expect

According to BLS 2024 data, the median annual salary for CNAs in Louisiana is $30,240, or about $14.54 per hour. That is $9,290 below the national median of $39,530, a gap worth understanding before you commit to this career.

Job posting aggregators like ZipRecruiter ($35,688) and Salary.com ($33,022) pull from posted listings and often reflect mid-career wages, not starting pay. New CNAs in Louisiana typically earn less than either figure suggests.

The entry-level reality is documented by CNAs working in Louisiana:

“In Louisiana they were trying to pay me 10.50 an hour. Eventually I got a job for 14.87 an hour…but I lived in New Hampshire my whole life. My last job in NH paid me 24 an hour. I left and went to Target to work for 15.50, and it was a wonderful break.”

(Reddit user)

That frustration is common in Louisiana’s CNA market, which has some of the lowest nursing aide wages in the country. Pay varies by facility type, experience, and location. Hospital-based and specialty positions often pay $2-$4 more per hour than long-term care.

The pattern holds across settings:

“Good thing you don’t live in my state (Louisiana) lol…we are lucky to get 14-15 an hour…most places and especially for a new CNA, it’s 10-12 an hour.”

(Reddit user)

Experienced CNAs in better-paying settings see $14-$15/hr, still below what many neighboring states offer for the same work. The 90th percentile in Louisiana ($47,459/yr, approximately $22.82/hr) shows what is achievable with experience, specialization, or facility choice. Hospital, rehabilitation, and specialty long-term care positions pay more. Metro areas like Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport trend higher than rural markets.

Understanding CNA patient ratios alongside pay data gives you a fuller picture of what the work actually involves at different facility types.

Low wages and staffing pressures are interconnected in Louisiana’s long-term care sector, which is part of why many CNAs use the role as a stepping stone to LPN or RN.

How to Renew Your Louisiana CNA Certification

Louisiana CNA certification must be renewed every 2 years. The requirement is simple: 8 hours of paid nursing-related work in an approved setting during the renewal period.

Where you work matters for renewal:

Work performed at a nursing home or LDH-approved long-term care facility counts. Agency work counts only if that agency placed you at a qualifying facility. If your staffing agency hours were at a hospital, private home, or unapproved setting, they do not satisfy the renewal requirement.

If you work through an agency, confirm that your placements are at qualifying facilities. Do not assume all placements count.

How renewal works if you are employed at an approved facility:

Your employer submits your work activity to the LARS system. Your certification renews automatically. You do not file any separate paperwork. Verify your renewal status at lars.dhh.la.gov or by contacting LDH at 225-342-0138.

If your certification has lapsed:

Within 2 years of the lapse date, you can retest through Prometric without completing a new training program. Contact LDH Health Standards to initiate this process. After 2 years from the lapse date, you must complete a new LDH-approved training program before retesting.

Transferring Your CNA Certification to Louisiana (Reciprocity)

If you are already certified in another state, you can transfer your certification to Louisiana without completing another training program. The process goes through Prometric, the same organization that administers Louisiana’s nurse aide competency exam.

Documents required for the reciprocity application:

• Completed reciprocity application (available from Prometric)
• Proof of current out-of-state certification (in good standing)
• Social Security card
• Louisiana state ID or driver’s license
• $35 application fee

Background check for reciprocity: Verify current fingerprinting requirements directly with Prometric (1-800-853-6768) and LDH Health Standards (225-342-0138) before applying. Some reciprocity applicants have not been required to repeat the full new-applicant fingerprinting process, but do not assume it is waived unless the current official reciprocity instructions confirm this. The Nov 1, 2024 statewide standardization of background checks may have changed requirements. Confirm before submitting your application.

The 30-mile border rule: If you work within 30 miles of a state border, you may have different regulatory considerations. This applies in border regions near Texas, Arkansas, or Mississippi. Contact Prometric (1-800-853-6768) or LDH Health Standards (225-342-0138) to confirm requirements before submitting your application.

To start the reciprocity process, contact Prometric at 1-800-853-6768 or visit prometric.com/exams/nurseaide-la.

Career Advancement: From CNA to RN in Louisiana

CNA certification is a recognized stepping stone to LPN or RN in Louisiana. Several community colleges have structured programs that recognize your clinical experience and provide a clear path forward.

ADN pathway: Louisiana community colleges, including BRCC and other LCTCS network schools, offer ADN programs, the standard entry point for most CNAs who want to become RNs. ADN programs typically run 2 years after prerequisites.

First-semester rule: Louisiana allows first-semester nursing students to work as CNAs during their program. You can continue earning CNA wages while completing your first semester before clinical hours begin. Not every state allows this. It is a Louisiana-specific advantage worth knowing.

LPN bridge: LPN programs at several LCTCS schools run approximately one year. An LPN credential typically earns more per hour than CNA wages, and it is a practical intermediate step for CNAs not yet ready to commit to a 2-year ADN.

One Louisiana parent on Reddit made the case for the ADN pathway:

“Here in Louisiana I’ve talked my son into an ADN bc that is all anyone needs and his opinion is that ‘anyone with the required gpa gets in it’s not competitive'”

(Reddit user)

That pragmatism is well-founded. For working in Louisiana hospitals and facilities, an ADN opens the same doors as a BSN for most clinical positions. Admission standards vary by program. Check current GPA and prerequisite requirements directly with each school.

For readers still deciding whether the CNA path is right for them, Why Become a CNA in Louisiana covers the career case in full. You can also explore all Louisiana CNA resources at CNAClasses.com.