CNA Requirements in West Virginia
Step-by-step guide to becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant in West Virginia: the training, exam, background check, and timeline you need to plan for.
Find West Virginia CNA Training ProgramsWest Virginia CNA Requirements at a Glance
Minimum Age
18
Training Hours
120 hours minimum, exceeding the federal 75-hour floor
(Federal minimum: 75)
Time to Certification
6-10 weeks from program start to registry listing
Exam Vendor
Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC
Becoming a CNA in West Virginia
West Virginia regulates its CNA workforce through the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC), which sits inside the West Virginia Department of Health and is one of the few state agencies that contracts a regional vendor - Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD) - rather than Prometric or Pearson VUE to administer the nurse aide competency exam. OHFLAC sets training, testing, and abuse-registry policy, while PHD handles scheduling, proctoring, scoring, and rule book updates.
OHFLAC's 120-hour curriculum is one of the more rigorous in the country - it exceeds the 75-hour federal minimum by 60 percent and requires a specific 65/55 split between classroom and clinical hours. Programs are operated by community and technical colleges, career and technical centers, and approved skilled nursing facilities, and they must include detailed modules on resident rights, dementia care, infection control, and restorative services that align with OBRA and West Virginia state plan requirements.
West Virginia is friendly to candidates who become CNAs through employer-sponsored pathways: federal Medicare rules and state policy require nursing facilities that hire newly certified aides to reimburse training and testing costs, meaning many West Virginia CNAs pay nothing out of pocket. The state's path is otherwise inexpensive compared with national averages, with the PHD competency exam priced at a flat $100 covering both the Knowledge Exam and Skills Evaluation.
Detailed West Virginia CNA Requirements
Regulatory Body
West Virginia Department of Health Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC)
Minimum Age
You must be at least 18 years old to begin CNA training in West Virginia.
Education Requirement
High school diploma or GED is generally expected by training providers and most West Virginia employers, although it is not a statutory OHFLAC requirement; applicants must be able to read, write, and communicate in English at a functional level.
Training Hours
120 hours minimum, exceeding the federal 75-hour floor required.
65 hours classroom/skills lab instruction + 55 hours of instructor-supervised clinical practice in an OHFLAC-approved nursing facility
Background Check
West Virginia Cares fingerprint-based criminal background check (combining West Virginia State Police, FBI, and OIG exclusion screening) plus an OHFLAC abuse and neglect registry check
Competency Exam
Administered by Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC. Two-part Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation: a written (or oral) Knowledge Exam and a Skills Evaluation of five randomly assigned hands-on nurse aide tasks scored on a 300-point scale (minimum 225 to pass)
Cost: $100 total exam fee, typically paid by the sponsoring employer or training program per federal and West Virginia law
Application Fee
$0 state application fee; a $10 fee applies to request a duplicate certificate of completion
Total Cost Estimate
$0-$1,200 (most West Virginia CNAs train at no cost through skilled nursing facility-sponsored programs because federal and state law requires reimbursement once the candidate is hired)
Where You Can Work
Skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, hospitals, hospice, home health agencies, assisted living residences, and behavioral health programs regulated by the West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification
What's Different About West Virginia
West Virginia is one of the few states that contracts a regional vendor (Professional Healthcare Development, LLC) rather than a national one to administer its CNA exam, and OHFLAC mandates 120 training hours with a specific 65/55 classroom-to-clinical split.
How to Become a CNA in West Virginia: Step by Step
Confirm OHFLAC eligibility and basic prerequisites
Verify you are at least 18 years old, can pass the West Virginia Cares fingerprint background check, are free of any substantiated abuse, neglect, or misappropriation finding on the OHFLAC nurse aide abuse registry, and can read, write, and communicate in English. While OHFLAC does not require a high school diploma, most West Virginia training providers and employers expect a diploma or GED for admission.
Enroll in an OHFLAC-approved 120-hour Nurse Aide Training Program
Choose a program from the OHFLAC-approved list, which includes community and technical colleges (BridgeValley, Pierpont, Mountwest, Eastern WV CTC), career and technical centers, and facility-based programs operated inside skilled nursing facilities. Programs must deliver at least 65 hours of classroom and lab instruction and 55 hours of supervised clinical practice in an approved long-term care setting, with curriculum covering basic nursing, restorative care, infection control, residents' rights, and dementia care.
Complete the West Virginia Cares background check
Submit fingerprints through the West Virginia Cares program managed by the Department of Health. This screening combines a West Virginia State Police criminal history check, an FBI national fingerprint check, and an Office of Inspector General federal exclusion search. The screening must be completed before unsupervised patient contact and must remain current to be eligible for nurse aide employment.
Apply for the West Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Examination through PHD
Your training program submits a completed PHD application packet (NAECEP-5 form and supporting documentation) to Professional Healthcare Development at (304) 733-6145 within 24 months of finishing training. The $100 examination fee is generally paid by the sponsoring nursing facility under federal Medicare reimbursement rules; self-pay candidates may pay PHD directly by money order, certified check, or major credit card.
Pass the Knowledge Exam and Skills Evaluation
PHD schedules you at a regional test site. The Knowledge Exam is a multiple-choice written test (also available orally for candidates with reading difficulties), and the Skills Evaluation requires you to perform five randomly selected hands-on tasks scored on a 300-point scale - you must earn at least 225 points, complete all critical steps, and avoid any action that would cause resident harm. Candidates have three attempts within 24 months of completing training to pass both parts.
Get listed on the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry
PHD forwards passing results to OHFLAC, which adds your name to the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry. There is no state registry fee. Employers and the public can verify your status through OHFLAC's online Nurse Aide Verification tool at ohflac.wvdhhr.org/Apps/Lookup/NALookup. Active registry status is the legal prerequisite for paid work as a CNA in any West Virginia long-term care facility.
Maintain certification through paid work and timely renewal
West Virginia nurse aides must complete at least 8 hours of paid nursing-related work (under RN/LPN supervision) within every 24-month renewal cycle. There is no renewal fee for current certificates, and renewal applications can be submitted up to 60 days before expiration. CNAs who lapse must complete an OHFLAC-approved refresher course or repeat the full training program and competency exam to be reinstated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who administers the West Virginia CNA exam?
Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), a regional examination vendor headquartered in West Virginia, administers the Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation under contract with the West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC). PHD can be reached at (304) 733-6145, and their primary website is profhd.com. Unlike most states, West Virginia does not use Prometric, Credentia, or Headmaster.
How long is West Virginia CNA training and what does it cost?
OHFLAC requires at least 120 hours of training - 65 hours of classroom and skills lab plus 55 hours of supervised clinical practice in an approved nursing facility. Programs typically run 4-6 weeks full time. Tuition varies from $0 (for skilled nursing facility-sponsored students whose costs are reimbursed under federal Medicare rules) to roughly $1,200 at private and community college programs. The PHD examination fee is a flat $100.
What is the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry?
The West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry is the official OHFLAC database of individuals who have completed approved training, passed both portions of the PHD competency examination, and cleared the West Virginia Cares background check. It is the authoritative source employers must consult before hiring a nurse aide and is searchable for free through OHFLAC's online lookup at ohflac.wvdhhr.org/Apps/Lookup/NALookup.
Can I get a West Virginia CNA license by reciprocity?
Yes. OHFLAC accepts reciprocity applications from CNAs who hold an active, in-good-standing certification in another state with no findings on that state's abuse registry. You must submit OHFLAC's Reciprocity Application along with proof of current out-of-state certification and a completed West Virginia Cares background check. There is no reciprocity fee, and most applications are processed within 30 days.
How do I renew my West Virginia CNA certification?
West Virginia CNAs must show at least 8 hours of paid nursing-related work (under RN/LPN supervision) during every 24-month cycle and submit a renewal form to OHFLAC. There is currently no fee to renew an active certificate before it expires, and renewal can be submitted up to 60 days early. CNAs who allow certification to lapse must complete an OHFLAC-approved refresher course or retake the full training and PHD examination.
Is there a minimum age to become a CNA in West Virginia?
Most West Virginia training providers and OHFLAC-approved nurse aide programs set 18 as the minimum age, in part because clinical placements require adults who can lawfully execute background-check disclosures and consent forms. A small number of high school career and technical centers allow 16- and 17-year-olds to begin coursework, but they cannot complete the PHD competency examination and be placed on the registry until they reach age 18.
Free Study Materials for the West Virginia CNA Exam
The Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC exam used by the West Virginia Department of Health Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC) tests both knowledge and hands-on skills. Use these free study guides to prepare for the topics most commonly tested in West Virginia:
Infection Control
Standard precautions, PPE, hand hygiene, transmission-based precautions, and biohazard handling for the West Virginia CNA exam.
Basic Nursing Skills
Vital signs, intake/output, positioning, transfers, and range of motion — the largest block on the Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC skills test.
Personal Care & Elimination
Bathing, peri-care, oral care, toileting, and incontinence management — heavily tested Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC skills in West Virginia.
Safety & Emergencies
RACE/PASS fire safety, fall prevention, choking, CPR, and seizure care — required knowledge for West Virginia CNA candidates.
Communication Skills
SBAR handoff, therapeutic communication, and adaptations for hearing, vision, and dementia residents — tested throughout the Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC exam.
Patient Rights
OBRA '87 resident rights, HIPAA, advance directives, and freedom from restraints — graded on every West Virginia CNA practical exam skill.
Data Collection & Reporting
Objective vs subjective data, pain scales, what to report immediately, and documentation rules used on the West Virginia exam.
Body Systems & Conditions
Cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, and endocrine basics, plus pressure-injury staging — frequently tested on the West Virginia written exam.
End-of-Life Care
Hospice vs palliative care, Kübler-Ross stages, and postmortem care for West Virginia CNAs working in long-term care.
Mental Health & Dementia
Delirium vs dementia, sundowning, validation therapy, and de-escalation — frequently tested on the Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC written exam in West Virginia.
Legal & Ethical Issues
Scope of practice, the four elements of negligence, mandatory reporting, and ethical principles every West Virginia CNA must know before working.
Test yourself for the West Virginia CNA exam
Free Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC Practice Tests
The Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD), under contract with OHFLAC written exam used in West Virginia has 60 scored multiple-choice questions. Drill our free NNAAP-style practice tests until you can consistently score above 80%, then walk into the testing center confident.
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Find approved training programs, free study materials, and license verification tools for West Virginia.