Hawaii CNA Reciprocity: How to Transfer Your CNA License to Hawaii

Moving to a new state is stressful enough without worrying about your certification. Here’s the exact process.

Yes — Hawaii accepts CNA certifications from all other U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Prometric, Hawaii’s nurse aide testing and registry vendor, manages applications on behalf of the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). If your certification is currently active, you won’t need to take any additional exams.

What	Details
Application fee	$27 (money order or cashier’s check payable to Prometric)
Exam required?	No, if your certification is active and in good standing
Fingerprinting required?	No, for active certification transfers
Processing time	Approximately 4-6 weeks after receipt of complete packet
Submission method	Mail only — no online or fax option
States accepted	All 50 states, DC, and U.S. territories

Use the document checklist in the step-by-step section below to make sure your packet is complete before you mail it.

Does Hawaii Accept Out-of-State CNA Licenses?

Yes. Hawaii accepts CNA certifications from all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and territories including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. According to the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), the state uses a reciprocity process — officially called endorsement — to recognize certifications from other registries, with Prometric serving as the processing and registry vendor you’ll interact with throughout.

To qualify at a glance, you’ll need all four of the following:

• An active CNA certification in good standing from another U.S. state, territory, or DC
• At least 8 hours of paid CNA work performed in the past 2 years
• A clean registry record with no substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation
• A valid government-issued photo ID

If you check all four boxes, you’re eligible for the endorsement process described below. If your certification has lapsed, jump ahead to “What If Your Certification Has Lapsed?” for your options.

Readers who haven’t yet started the CNA certification process can find program information on our Hawaii CNA programs page. If you need background on CNA training and certification before deciding whether to transfer or start fresh, that page covers the full path.

Eligibility Requirements for Hawaii CNA Reciprocity

To qualify for Hawaii CNA reciprocity, you must meet four requirements. Missing any one of them changes your path, so read each carefully before submitting an application.

1. Active, good-standing certification in another U.S. state, territory, or DC.

“Active and in good standing” means your certification hasn’t expired, hasn’t been revoked or suspended, and carries no disciplinary findings. Some states use the terms “current” or “valid” — those count equally. A certification you once held but let expire doesn’t qualify, even if it lapsed by only a few months.

2. At least 8 hours of paid CNA work under RN supervision in the past 24 months.

This is the requirement most applicants overlook. Per the DCCA endorsement requirements and the Prometric Hawaii endorsement application form, applicants must demonstrate at least 8 hours of paid nursing-related work within the previous two years. Volunteer work and unpaid student clinical hours don’t count. You’ll need documentation: a pay stub showing CNA-level work, or a signed letter from your employer confirming paid CNA duties performed under RN supervision.

3. No findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on any state registry.

Prometric will verify your certification status with your home state’s registry as part of the review. Any substantiated finding on any state’s nurse aide registry can disqualify your application — not just your most recent state. If you’ve held certifications in multiple states, every record must be clear.

4. A valid government-issued photo ID.

A driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or passport will work. The ID must be current — expired IDs are not accepted.

The current Prometric Hawaii endorsement application does not list fingerprinting or a separate criminal background check as part of the reciprocity packet for active out-of-state applicants. Individual employers may conduct their own background checks after hiring — those costs are separate from the reciprocity application fee.

What happens if you don’t meet one of these requirements? If your certification has lapsed, see the lapsed certification section below. If you have registry findings, contact the Hawaii DCCA directly before submitting an application.

Step-by-Step: How to Transfer Your CNA License to Hawaii

Every year, experienced healthcare workers relocate and bring their careers with them. One r/nursing community member described their own move this way:

“I was born & raised in upstate New York and worked at the same hospital for 26 years. I then moved to Portland, OR about 7 years ago, after a wonderful year of travel nursing.”
— Reddit user, r/nursing

Here is exactly how to transfer your CNA certification to Hawaii.

Step 1: Verify Your Current Certification Is Active

Before gathering any documents, confirm your certification is currently listed as active on your home state’s nurse aide registry. Most states have an online lookup tool — search “[your state] nurse aide registry lookup” to find it.

Check two things: the expiration date hasn’t passed, and your record shows no substantiated findings. If your certification has expired, go to the lapsed certification section before proceeding.

Step 2: Download the Reciprocity Application Form

Go to Prometric’s Hawaii nurse aide program page at prometric.com/nurseaide/hi and locate the endorsement application. The official form name is “Hawaii Nurse Aide Testing/Out of State/Reciprocity Application Form” — it covers multiple application types. Look specifically for the endorsement or out-of-state transfer section.

Download the form directly from Prometric’s site. Do not use forms from third-party services like SignNow or PDFfiller. Those are not official sources, and an outdated form version can delay your application.

Step 3: Gather Required Documents

Collect all of the following before you seal the envelope:

• Completed reciprocity application form (downloaded directly from Prometric)
• Photocopy of your current, active CNA certificate or registry card
• Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport — must be current)
• Proof of 8+ hours paid CNA work in the past 2 years (pay stub or signed employer letter)
• $27 application fee as a money order or cashier’s check payable to Prometric

Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted. Money order or cashier’s check only.

Step 4: Submit Your Application by Mail

Mail all documents together in a single packet to:

Prometric — Hawaii Nurse Aide Program
[Insert exact address from current Prometric application form before publication]

The address is also printed on the application form. If the address above has changed, use the one on the current form. Sending documents in separate envelopes or at different times will delay processing — Prometric won’t begin reviewing your application until the complete packet arrives.

You cannot legally perform CNA duties in Hawaii until your name appears on the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry. Hawaii employers are required to verify registry status before allowing certified work. Plan your move to allow at least 6 to 8 weeks between your application submission date and your intended first day. Some employers will hire you conditionally pending registry listing, but you can’t perform CNA-level duties until your name appears.

Keep photocopies of everything you mail before sending.

Step 5: Wait for DCCA Review

After Prometric receives your complete packet, expect approximately 4 to 6 weeks for processing. Peak periods — especially summer, when military PCS transfers increase application volume — can extend that timeline.

To check your status, call Prometric’s Hawaii nurse aide program line at (808) 587-4090. Once approved, your name will appear on the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry, verifiable through Prometric’s public lookup tool at registry.prometric.com/publicHI.

Hawaii CNA Reciprocity Document Checklist

Print this before gathering your documents:

• [ ] Completed reciprocity application form (downloaded from Prometric’s official site)
• [ ] Photocopy of current, active CNA certificate or registry card
• [ ] Government-issued photo ID (not expired)
• [ ] Proof of 8+ hours paid CNA work in past 2 years (pay stub or signed employer letter)
• [ ] $27 money order or cashier’s check payable to Prometric

Once your reciprocity is approved, the next question is usually about pay. See our breakdown of CNA salary in Hawaii for current earnings data by island and facility type.

Costs and Fees

Transferring your CNA license to Hawaii costs $27 if your certification is currently active. No exam fee. No fingerprinting fee. No processing surcharge.

Cost Item	Reciprocity (Active Cert)	New Certification from Scratch
Application fee	$27	$27
Training program	$0	$500-$2,200
Certification exam	$0	$200-$210
Fingerprinting	$0	Varies by employer
Total	$27	$727-$2,437+

A note on the fee: some sources cite $25 as the current amount. Prometric's published fee is $27. Confirm the exact amount on Prometric's Hawaii nurse aide page before preparing your payment.

Payment must be a money order or cashier's check made payable to Prometric.

What If Your Certification Has Lapsed?

If your certification has lapsed, the standard endorsement process isn't available. That's disappointing -- but you have clear options.

Hawaii doesn't require you to repeat a full training program in most cases. The DCCA may instead require you to pass the Hawaii Competency Evaluation Program exam, administered by Prometric. Many CNAs have returned to active certification this way after a gap in employment or a missed renewal.

One r/CNA community member described returning to CNA work after time away:

"I have finished my CNA program and had a wonderful experience studying again and doing clinicals. It wasn't as difficult to start studying again. I just need to memorize and brush up on skills for my State exam. I will be working as a caregiver until I feel more confident to do CNA work in a hospital or LTC."
-- Reddit user, r/CNA

The Hawaii competency exam has two parts:

• Written portion: 60 questions, 90-minute time limit, minimum passing score of 70% (per the Prometric Hawaii Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook)
• Clinical portion: 5 skills tested, including mandatory handwashing

Exam fees: $25 application fee, plus $200 for the combined written and clinical exam ($210 if the oral supplement is required).

Before scheduling the Hawaii exam, contact your home state registry first. If your certification lapsed recently, your home state may allow reinstatement -- often faster and less expensive than scheduling a new exam in Hawaii.

If reinstatement isn't available, you may need to complete a state-approved training program. Our guide to becoming a CNA in Hawaii covers Hawaii-approved programs and the full certification path. If you're preparing for the competency exam, our CNA exam guide covers what to expect from both the written and clinical portions.

Military Spouses and PCS Transfers

Hawaii hosts three major military installations: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Schofield Barracks, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Military families facing PCS orders deal with this process frequently. The good news: Hawaii's transfer is one of the simpler ones -- one application, one fee, no fingerprinting requirement. Hawaii doesn't currently offer a formal expedited process for military spouses, but including a cover letter with your PCS orders may help flag your application. Call Prometric's Hawaii program line at (808) 587-4090 to ask about current processing times.

After Approval: Keeping Your Hawaii CNA Certification Active

Once your name appears on the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry, your certification follows Hawaii's renewal cycle.

Requirement	Details
Renewal cycle	Every 2 years from date of Hawaii registry listing
Paid work requirement	At least 8 hours of paid nursing-related work under RN supervision within the renewal period
Continuing education	In-service training hours as required by your employer category (confirm current hour requirement with DCCA)
Renewal fee	Confirm current fee on the Prometric Hawaii nurse aide page

Your renewal date resets to the date Hawaii lists you on the registry -- it does not carry over from your previous state. Mark this date and set a reminder at least 90 days before expiration.

Verify your registry listing at any time through Prometric's public lookup tool. If you need details on the full renewal process, see our Hawaii CNA renewal guide.

Contact Information

Prometric -- Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry
- Website: prometric.com/nurseaide/hi
- Phone: (808) 587-4090
- Registry lookup: registry.prometric.com/publicHI
- Role: Application processing, exam scheduling, registry management

Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA)
- Website: cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/programs/nurse/
- Role: Regulatory oversight, final certification authority

Fieldprint Hawaii (required for background checks if competency exam is needed)
- Website: fieldprinthawaii.com
- Role: Criminal background check processing for Hawaii