What to Bring to the CNA Exam: Test Day Rules and What to Expect
Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID that matches the name on your exam registration. That single rule is the one constant across every state’s CNA exam: arriving without acceptable ID means you cannot test, and your exam fee is not refunded. Test day specifics vary by state, since CNA certification is administered state by state rather than through one national exam. In the more than a dozen states and territories that use Credentia’s NNAAP program (current as of September 2026), candidates arrive 30 minutes before the written (or oral) knowledge exam and the skills evaluation, typically bring two forms of identification (at least one photo ID, confirmed by state), three sharpened No. 2 pencils, an eraser, and a watch with a second hand for the skills portion. The skills evaluation asks candidates to perform five nurse aide skills live within 30 minutes, always including handwashing and one measurement skill such as blood pressure, pulse, or weight. Test centers do not allow personal items or phones in the testing area; Credentia also offers an online proctored exam, covered below. If your state uses a different vendor, its own handbook governs; this guide flags every NNAAP-specific detail to verify before you go.
The Near-Universal Constants
A handful of test day rules hold up across nearly every state’s CNA exam, because they follow from how any secure, in-person certification exam has to be run.
- Government-issued photo ID matching your registration. Every state nurse aide registry requires proof that the person testing is the person who registered. The name on your ID has to match the name on your application, and expired or photocopied ID is not accepted.
- Arrive early. Test centers build check-in time into the schedule and do not hold your spot for a late arrival. Treat your appointment time as the moment check-in closes, not the moment you should walk in the door.
- No personal items or phones in a test center’s testing area. Written exams and skills evaluations administered at a physical test center are closed, monitored assessments. Phones, smartwatches, bags, and outside reference material are set aside before testing begins, not kept at your seat. Candidates taking Credentia’s online proctored exam are the exception: a smartphone or tablet is required for check-in, covered below.
- Clothing you can move in for the skills evaluation. The skills portion is a hands-on, physical demonstration in front of an evaluator, including tasks like positioning and transfers, so plan for clothing that lets you move freely rather than anything restrictive or long enough to catch underfoot.
A few other items, flat shoes and a watch with a second hand among them, come up often but are not automatically required everywhere. Confirm what your specific vendor requires rather than assuming.
Figures reflect the NNAAP framework, used in more than a dozen states and territories as of September 2026. Confirm current numbers with your own state’s nurse aide registry or testing vendor.
NNAAP-Specific: What to Bring and What the Evaluator Provides
These specifics come from Credentia’s NNAAP candidate handbooks and apply in states that use the NNAAP program. In many NNAAP states, candidates bring two forms of current, non-expired, signature-bearing identification, with at least one being photo ID. On Credentia’s ID requirements by state list, Washington is the one listed jurisdiction that accepts a single photo ID instead; every other listed jurisdiction requires two forms of ID. Photocopies of any ID are not accepted. Beyond ID, NNAAP handbooks list three sharpened No. 2 pencils, an eraser, and, in Credentia’s own words, a “watch with a second hand” for the skills evaluation.
For the skills evaluation, NNAAP handbooks call for flat, slip-on, non-skid shoes, a loose-fitting top with short or rollable sleeves, and loose-fitting pants that can be rolled up; a gown is provided over your clothing. You may not bring your own equipment, such as a transfer belt or scale: the evaluator shows you where test-site equipment is located, answers operating questions, then hands you an instruction card listing your five skills. Measurements taken during a measurement skill are recorded on a tablet the evaluator provides.
NNAAP-Specific: The Two-Part Test Day
NNAAP candidates complete two required parts to be listed on their state’s nurse aide registry: the written (or oral) knowledge exam and the hands-on skills evaluation. Handbooks instruct candidates to arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled time for both parts, whether they fall on the same appointment or separately. Your exam confirmation is the authoritative source for whether the two happen back to back or on different days, since test centers vary in how they build the schedule.
Inside the 30-minute skills window, the evaluator gives a five-minute warning once 25 minutes have passed. Communication with the volunteer client during the skills evaluation has to happen in English, and no one else is permitted to assist you while you demonstrate a skill.
NNAAP-Specific: The Oral Exam Option
Candidates who need it can take an Oral Examination instead of the written knowledge exam; this option is typically requested at registration. At the test center, it is delivered on an MP3 player with earphones rather than a printed booklet: 60 multiple-choice questions, each read twice, plus 10 reading comprehension questions testing familiarity with common, job-related words, each read three times. Like the written exam, the Oral Examination runs on a two-hour time limit, and a candidate must pass both sections to pass.
NNAAP-Specific: The Online Proctored Exam Option
Credentia also offers an online proctored version of the NNAAP written (or oral) exam for qualifying candidates, taken from home instead of a test center. A live proctor monitors you by webcam throughout, and your setup has to meet specific requirements: a single-monitor computer, a private room with no one else present, and a smartphone or tablet, required to complete a 360-degree scan of your testing space before the exam starts. That phone or tablet, part of check-in itself, is the one exception to the near-universal “no personal items or phones” rule above, which governs physical test centers. Taking the Oral Examination through the online option means questions are read to you by a recorded voice rather than the MP3 player used at test centers.
| Item | Bring or leave | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Government-issued photo ID matching your registration | Bring | Near-universal. State-dependent: some NNAAP states require a second, non-photo form of ID |
| Second form of ID | Bring (most NNAAP states) | State-dependent; confirm with your handbook |
| Three sharpened No. 2 pencils and an eraser | Bring | NNAAP-specific |
| Watch with a second hand | Bring if your vendor requires it | State and vendor-dependent; verify before test day |
| Flat, non-skid, slip-on shoes and clothing that rolls up at the sleeves and legs | Wear for the skills evaluation | NNAAP-specific detail; movement-friendly clothing generally is near-universal |
| Your own transfer belt, scale, or other equipment | Leave | NNAAP-specific; the test site supplies all skills equipment |
| Phone, smartwatch, or recording device | Leave | Near-universal |
| Notes, textbooks, or outside reference material | Leave | Near-universal |
Confirm Your State’s Requirements
Because CNA certification is regulated at the state level, the rules above are a starting point, not a substitute for your state’s candidate handbook. Credentia’s NNAAP exam is used in more than a dozen states and territories; states using a different vendor set their own ID, materials, and test day rules, which may differ from what is described here. Before test day, confirm with your state’s nurse aide registry or vendor: which vendor administers your exam, what identification and materials it requires, and whether your written (or oral) exam and skills evaluation are scheduled together or separately. Your official exam confirmation and candidate handbook are the source of truth for your appointment.
Ready to walk into test day knowing the content cold? Try our CNA practice test, or start with a free CNA practice test to see how the written exam’s format feels before your real appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ID do I need for the CNA exam?
Every state requires a valid, government-issued photo ID that matches the name on your registration; expired ID and photocopies are not accepted. Many NNAAP states additionally require a second form of ID; Washington is the one NNAAP jurisdiction that accepts a single photo ID instead. Confirm the exact requirement with your state’s nurse aide registry or testing vendor before test day.
Do I need special shoes or a watch for the CNA skills evaluation?
In NNAAP states, handbooks call for flat, slip-on, non-skid shoes and, in Credentia’s own words, a “watch with a second hand” for the skills evaluation. Whether your vendor requires these items is state-dependent, so verify against your own handbook.
Do I take the written exam and skills evaluation on the same day?
It depends on how your test center schedules appointments. NNAAP handbooks instruct candidates to arrive 30 minutes early for both the written and skills portions, whether they fall on the same day or separate days. Your exam confirmation is the authoritative source for your specific schedule.
Can I take an oral version of the CNA exam?
In NNAAP states, an Oral Examination is available in place of the written exam, typically requested at registration. It is delivered on an MP3 player with earphones at the test center, covering the same content within the same two-hour time limit.
Sources
- Credentia, NNAAP Nurse Aide Assessment
- Credentia Pennsylvania Candidate Handbook, Exam Overview
- Credentia Pennsylvania Candidate Handbook, The Skills Evaluation
- Credentia Pennsylvania Candidate Handbook, Exam Day Test Center
- Credentia Pennsylvania Candidate Handbook, The NNAAP Written (or Oral) Examination
- Credentia Help Center, Exam Identification Requirements by State
- Credentia Pennsylvania Candidate Handbook, Exam Day: Online Exam
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For educational and exam preparation purposes only. Not a substitute for formal clinical training.