Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training & certification requirements vary considerably across the U.S. In some states, the requirements go beyond the federal minimum while in other states requirements are nearly identical to the federal standards.

This page displays Iowa CNA Requirements as of February 2023.

To see requirements in other states, visit nursinghome411.org/cna-reqs.

Iowa CNA Requirements

  • Education & Training Requirement
    • Individuals must complete a state approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program.
  • Testing Requirement
    • Individuals must pass both a written and skills test.
  • Renewal & In-Service Requirements
    • In-service requirements are the same as federal.
    • Renewal requires 8 hours of nursing or nursing-related duties every 24 months.
  • Hours
    • No less than 75 clock hours of training, and
    • Including at least 30 hours of didactic theory instruction, which may be provided in a classroom setting or through online course curricula, and
    • Including at least 16 hours of laboratory experience provided in a face-to-face environment that complements the didactic theory curricula, and
    • Including 30 hours of supervised clinical training in a face-to-face environment and supervised by a department of inspections and appeals-approved instructor in a manner not inconsistent with the licensing requirements of the Iowa board of nursing.
  • Curriculum
    • Same as federal requirements.