CNA Requirements in Arkansas

Arkansas CNA training and certification are regulated by the Office of Long Term Care (OLTC), a division of the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Unlike most surrounding states, Arkansas requires 90 hours of state-approved training — 15 hours above the federal OBRA-87 minimum — to reflect the state's emphasis on long-term care competency. The OLTC partners with D&SDT-Headmaster (often shortened to 'Headmaster' or 'TMU') to administer the written and skills competency exam and to maintain the public Nurse Aide Registry.

The Arkansas pathway has a distinctive structure: the first 16 hours of every approved program serve as a state-mandated orientation in communication, infection control, residents' rights, and emergency procedures, and students may not touch patients until those 16 hours are complete. After orientation, candidates complete 74 hours of classroom and lab plus 16 hours of supervised clinical at a long-term care facility, skilled nursing unit, rehab unit, or inpatient hospice. Once approved, the candidate has 12 months to pass the Headmaster exam — a tighter window than the 24 months most states allow.

Arkansas CNAs work primarily in long-term care, but the credential is also recognized by hospitals, home health agencies, hospice programs, and assisted living communities across the state. Demand is particularly strong in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and the Delta region, where many nursing facilities offer free training in exchange for a 12-month employment commitment. Reciprocity into Arkansas is straightforward for CNAs who completed at least 90 hours of training elsewhere and are in good standing on another state's registry.