Florida State College at Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL
Nursing Assistant (Articulated)
- Duration:
- 165 hours
- Cost:
- $1,500
CNA Classes in Florida
23 state-approved Certified Nurse Aide training programs across 5 cities in Florida. Florida requires None required (challenge exam allowed) of training, with the competency exam administered by Prometric.
Training Hours
None required (challenge exam allowed)
Federal minimum: 75h
Exam Vendor
Prometric
$155 total ($35 written + $120 skills)
Time to Certify
2–10 weeks depending on whether you challenge the exam directly or complete a training program first
Minimum Age
18
Cost: $250–$1,500 (challenge exam pathway is the cheapest; full training adds $400–$1,200)
What makes Florida different: Florida is the only U.S. state that lets candidates challenge the CNA exam without completing any formal training program — making it the fastest and cheapest pathway in the country, though candidates must still pass the same Prometric exam as everyone else
CNA Classes by City in Florida
Becoming a CNA in Florida
Florida is unusual in giving you two distinct paths to becoming a CNA, and the choice matters more than most candidates realize. If you have any prior healthcare experience — medical assistant, home health aide, EMT, military medic, or internationally trained nurse — the challenge-exam pathway can put you on the registry in as little as 2 to 4 weeks for around $250 total. If you are starting from zero, a 120-hour training program is the lower-risk choice even though it is not legally required, because first-time challengers without healthcare experience have a much lower pass rate on the skills portion of the Prometric exam than program graduates.
Whichever pathway you choose, the bottleneck is rarely the exam itself — it is the Level II background screening. You must submit Livescan fingerprints to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement using ORI# EDOH0380Z before the Board of Nursing will issue your certification, and processing typically takes 1 to 3 weeks. Plan to book your Livescan appointment as one of your first steps, not as a final formality. Disqualifying offenses under Florida Statutes 435.04 and 408.809 cover most violent felonies, theft, fraud, sexual offenses, and vulnerable-adult abuse — recent non-automatic-disqualifier offenses are reviewed case-by-case and can add weeks to your timeline.
Once your background clears and you pass both the written and skills exams, the Florida Board of Nursing — not the AHCA — adds you to the state CNA registry. From that point you can work in nursing homes, hospitals, hospice programs, home health agencies, and assisted living facilities anywhere in Florida. The minimum age for certification is 18 (or 16 with a high school diploma or GED), and there is no maximum age. Many Florida employers, particularly in the state's large long-term-care sector, will reimburse training and exam costs in exchange for a work commitment, which makes the 120-hour training path effectively free for committed candidates.
How to Become a CNA in Florida
- 1
Confirm you meet the prerequisites
You must be at least 18 years old (or 16+ with a high school diploma or GED), able to communicate in English, and pass a Level II background screening (Livescan fingerprinting through ORI# EDOH0380Z). The Florida Board of Nursing does not require any formal training, but most candidates benefit from at least some preparation.
- 2
Decide whether to challenge the exam directly or complete a training program
Florida's challenge exam pathway (sometimes called E3 Challenger) lets you sit for the Prometric Nurse Aide exam without formal training. You have up to three attempts within a two-year window. If you fail three times, you must complete a state-approved 120-hour training program before testing again. Most no-experience candidates choose a short prep course or training program to maximize their pass rate.
- 3
Apply to the Florida Board of Nursing
Submit your CNA application to the Florida Board of Nursing through the floridasnursing.gov portal, including the application fee, Level II background screening, and a Prometric application packet (if testing). Allow several weeks for processing.
- 4
Complete Level II background screening
Schedule Livescan fingerprinting through a Florida Department of Law Enforcement-approved vendor using ORI# EDOH0380Z. Results are sent electronically to the Board of Nursing. Certain felony convictions involving violence, theft, fraud, sexual offenses, or vulnerable-adult abuse are disqualifying under Florida Statutes 435.04 and 408.809.
- 5
Schedule and pass the Prometric exam
Apply through prometric.com/exams/nurseaide-fl/ and pay the $155 total exam fee ($35 written + $120 skills). The written portion is multiple-choice (or oral by request). The skills evaluation requires demonstrating randomly assigned nurse aide skills under observer scoring. Both portions must be passed to be added to the registry.
- 6
Get listed on the Florida CNA Registry
Once your background check clears and you pass both portions of the exam, the Florida Board of Nursing adds you to the CNA Registry. You can verify your status at the FL DOH MQA Search Portal. From that point, you are authorized to work as a CNA in any Florida licensed healthcare facility.
Accelerated CNA Programs (≤4 weeks)
2 fast-track options for students who want to start working quickly.
All CNA Programs in Florida (23)
Atlantic Technical College - Arthur Ashe Jr. Campus
Fort Lauderdale, FL
CNA Training Program
- Duration:
- 290 hours
Miami Dade College - Padron Campus
Miami, FL
Certified Nursing Assistant
- Duration:
- 120 hours
- Cost:
- $1,479
HCC Institute for Corporate and Continuing Education
Tampa, FL
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Duration:
- 84 classroom/lab hours plus optional 40 clinical hours
- Cost:
- $1,195
Aguilas International Technical Institute
Tampa, FL
Nursing Assistant Exam Prep (CNA)
- Duration:
- ~40 hours over 2 weeks
Florida State College at Jacksonville - North Campus
Jacksonville, FL
Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Cost:
- $1,228
First Coast CNA
Jacksonville, FL
Nursing Assistant Training Program
- Duration:
- 120 hours
- Cost:
- $1,100
One Week CNA Training & Testing
Jacksonville, FL
Nursing Assistant (CNA) Exam Prep
- Duration:
- 3 days (one week)
- Cost:
- $225
Frequently Asked Questions: CNA Training in Florida
Can I really become a CNA in Florida without going to school?
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Yes. Florida is the only U.S. state that lets you challenge the Prometric Nurse Aide exam without completing a formal training program. If you are at least 18 (or 16+ with a high school diploma or GED), pass a Level II background screening, and pass both the written and skills portions of the exam, the Florida Board of Nursing will issue your certification. You have up to three attempts within a two-year period; after that, you must complete an approved 120-hour training program before testing again.
What does it cost to become a CNA in Florida via the challenge exam pathway?
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The challenge exam pathway is the cheapest in the country. Expect to pay around $250 total: $155 for the Prometric exam ($35 written + $120 skills), $40–$50 for the Florida Board of Nursing application fee, and $50–$75 for Level II background screening (Livescan fingerprinting). Optional online prep courses or skills videos cost $50–$200. If you choose to complete a full 120-hour training program, add $400–$1,200.
How long does it take to become a CNA in Florida?
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The challenge exam pathway can be completed in 2 to 4 weeks (background check processing time + Prometric exam scheduling availability). The full training pathway typically takes 6 to 10 weeks (training + exam + registry listing). Florida has no mandatory training-hour requirement before the exam, so the timeline depends mainly on background check turnaround and exam scheduling.
Who is most likely to pass the challenge exam without formal training?
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Candidates with prior healthcare experience — medical assistants, home health aides, internationally trained nurses, EMTs, and military medical personnel — have the highest first-attempt pass rate via the challenge route. Self-motivated learners who use Prometric's free Candidate Handbook, watch CNA skills videos online, and practice the 22 standardized skills with a partner can also succeed without formal training. First-time test-takers with no healthcare background typically benefit from at least a short prep course.
What disqualifies you from becoming a CNA in Florida?
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Florida Statutes 435.04 and 408.809 disqualify applicants with certain felony convictions, including those involving violence, theft, fraud, sexual offenses, drug trafficking, and vulnerable-adult abuse. Substantiated findings of resident abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on any state's registry are also disqualifying. Recent non-automatic-disqualifier offenses are reviewed case-by-case by the Board of Nursing.
Is the Florida CNA certification recognized in other states?
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Yes, Florida CNA certification is recognized through reciprocity (endorsement) by most other state registries. However, some states with significantly higher training-hour requirements — California (160 hours), New York (100 hours), Virginia (120 hours) — may require additional training hours or testing before granting reciprocity if you obtained your Florida certification via the challenge exam pathway. Check the destination state's specific endorsement rules.