CNA Classes & Programs in Wyoming

Before starting your training, it's important to understand exactly what Wyoming requires to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). In Wyoming, nursing assistants must obtain certification through the Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBN), which oversees CNA certification, renewal, and endorsement under the Wyoming Nurse Practice Act. The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) oversees approved nursing assistant training programs and maintains a separate nurse aide registry for certified nursing homes and swing-bed facilities. Meeting these requirements allows you to complete the required training and competency examinations, receive your Wyoming CNA certification, and work in nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, home care agencies, and other healthcare settings throughout the state.

Eligibility

• Program enrollment: The standard certification pathway requires completion of a Wyoming state-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP). The Wyoming Department of Health oversees approved CNA training programs, which are offered through community colleges, nursing facilities, vocational training providers, high schools, and other authorized institutions.
• Age and admission requirements: Wyoming's published CNA certification requirements do not establish a universal statewide minimum certification age. Approved training programs may set their own admission requirements, including minimum age, educational prerequisites, reading and communication skills, and clinical placement eligibility. Some Wyoming programs accept high school students, but individual clinical facilities may have their own minimum age requirements. Applicants should confirm the requirements with their chosen training provider before enrolling.
• Criminal background checks: Wyoming requires CNA certification applicants to undergo state and federal criminal history background checks. Applicants must submit two fingerprint cards to the Wyoming State Board of Nursing for processing through the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Board must receive the required background check information before issuing permanent certification. Applicants must also disclose applicable criminal history, previous disciplinary actions, and other relevant matters on their certification application. The Board reviews individual circumstances and does not treat every criminal history disclosure as an automatic disqualification.
• Health and clinical requirements: Individual CNA training programs and clinical facilities may require tuberculosis screening, immunization records, physical examinations, CPR certification, or other health-related documentation before students participate in supervised clinical training. Requirements vary by program and clinical placement.
• Alternative pathways: Wyoming's standard certification-by-examination pathway requires completion of a state-approved CNA training and competency evaluation program. Applicants who already hold active CNA certification in another state may qualify for certification by endorsement without repeating Wyoming training or testing. The state also provides recertification and reactivation pathways for previously certified nursing assistants. Individuals with nursing education or other healthcare training should contact the WSBN before assuming that their previous education qualifies them to bypass the standard CNA training requirement.

Training Hours & Clinicals

Wyoming-approved Nurse Aide Training Programs must provide at least 75 total hours of training, including classroom instruction, laboratory-based skills practice, and at least 16 hours of supervised clinical training in an appropriate long-term care facility. Approved programs may provide more than the minimum required hours, and individual schools may organize their classroom, laboratory, and clinical instruction differently.

The Wyoming Department of Health oversees the approval and monitoring of CNA training programs. Training providers must meet applicable state and federal nurse aide education standards, including requirements for instructional content, qualified instructors, supervised practical experience, and demonstration of competency.

Before having direct contact with residents, students must complete at least 16 hours of introductory instruction covering communication and interpersonal skills, infection control, safety and emergency procedures, promoting residents' independence, and respecting residents' rights.

The approved curriculum covers basic nursing skills, personal care, nutrition and hydration, infection prevention, mental health and social-service needs, care of individuals with cognitive impairments, restorative services, and residents' rights. Students also learn to recognize and report changes in residents' conditions, document care appropriately, communicate with licensed nurses and other healthcare professionals, and prevent abuse and neglect.

Laboratory and supervised clinical training allows students to practice essential nursing assistant duties, including taking vital signs, assisting with bathing and dressing, providing feeding and hydration assistance, transferring and positioning residents, helping with toileting and mobility, and maintaining a safe care environment. Students must receive appropriate instruction and demonstrate proficiency before performing nursing assistant tasks during clinical training.

The required clinical experience must be supervised by qualified nursing personnel in an appropriate healthcare setting. Wyoming's published nursing assistant education guidance identifies a minimum of 16 clinical hours in a long-term care facility. Some approved programs provide additional clinical hours beyond this minimum. For example, community college programs may include several weeks of classroom and laboratory instruction followed by clinical rotations at local nursing facilities.

Under federal training regulations followed by Wyoming, nurse aide instruction must be performed by or under the general supervision of a registered nurse with at least two years of nursing experience, including at least one year providing long-term care facility services. Instructors must also have appropriate adult-teaching training or experience teaching adults or supervising nursing assistants.

Wyoming permits approved training providers to deliver certain classroom or theoretical instruction online. However, the practical skills and supervised clinical components must be completed in the appropriate laboratory or clinical environment. An entirely online CNA training program without the required supervised practical experience does not satisfy the state's standard training requirements.

Under federal regulations, Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities may employ an individual as a nurse aide for up to four months while the individual completes the required training and competency evaluation, subject to applicable supervision and competency requirements. In Wyoming this covers trainees hired into an approved facility-based training program. Outside a training program, the Wyoming Nurse Practice Act requires a Board certificate or temporary permit to work as a nursing assistant. Trainees may not perform resident-care duties for which they have not been trained and found proficient. Wyoming also offers a temporary CNA permit to qualifying applicants awaiting certification, subject to the Board's separate application and eligibility requirements.

Competency Exam (Knowledge & Skills)

After completing a Wyoming-approved training program, candidates must pass the Wyoming Nurse Aide Competency Examination, administered by D&SDT-Headmaster through its TestMaster Universe (TMU) system. The examination consists of two components: a knowledge examination and a manual demonstration skills examination.

Headmaster is the examination provider approved by the Wyoming State Board of Nursing. Candidates should use Headmaster's current Wyoming Candidate Handbook rather than older Prometric examination materials, which are no longer applicable to the state's current testing process.

• Knowledge examination: The examination consists of 60 multiple-choice questions covering essential nursing assistant knowledge, including infection prevention, safety, communication, residents' rights, basic nursing skills, personal care, recognizing changes in residents' conditions, and the CNA's role and responsibilities. Candidates have 60 minutes to complete the examination and must achieve a score of at least 76% to pass. An audio examination option is available for candidates who prefer to hear the questions and answers read aloud while viewing them on a computer.
• Manual skills examination: Candidates must demonstrate three or four assigned nursing assistant tasks under the observation of an authorized registered nurse test observer. The examination begins with one mandatory task incorporating handwashing, followed by two or three additional randomly assigned tasks. Candidates have up to 30 minutes to complete the examination. To pass, they must correctly perform all critical steps and at least 80% of the remaining noncritical steps on each assigned task.

The knowledge examination is delivered electronically through Headmaster's TMU testing system. Candidates can take the examination at an approved testing location or, when eligible, through a remotely proctored testing arrangement. The audio version is also administered electronically and requires candidates to select the option before scheduling and paying for the examination.

The manual skills examination assesses practical competencies such as infection prevention, personal care, transferring and positioning residents, mobility assistance, measuring vital signs, and assisting residents with activities of daily living.

Under Headmaster's published Wyoming testing procedures, the first assigned task must include handwashing with soap and water. Possible mandatory tasks include assisting a resident with a bedpan, providing catheter care, providing perineal care, or using personal protective equipment while emptying a urinary drainage bag. The remaining assigned tasks are selected from the state's approved nursing assistant skills list.

Candidates must demonstrate the required procedures according to Headmaster's current skills checklists. All critical steps must be performed correctly, and the candidate must earn at least 80% of the available noncritical steps on each task. Candidates may correct certain mistakes during the allotted examination time, provided they demonstrate the required correction before completing the examination.

Wyoming permits candidates up to five attempts to pass each examination component within two years of completing their approved training program. Candidates who exhaust their five permitted attempts on either the knowledge or skills examination, or who do not complete the required examinations within the two-year eligibility period, must successfully complete another approved CNA training program before becoming eligible for additional testing.

Candidates who fail only one component may retake that component without repeating the portion already passed, provided they remain within the applicable testing limits. Retesting requires payment of the appropriate examination fee unless the candidate's training provider or sponsoring facility covers the cost.

After completing training, the approved program enters the candidate's information and training completion date into Headmaster's TMU system. Candidates must activate or complete their TMU account, verify their identifying information, pay any applicable examination fees, and schedule their examinations through the online portal.

Headmaster requires candidates to present an acceptable, unexpired government-issued photo identification document that matches their TMU registration information. Candidates must also comply with the examination provider's testing attire and identification requirements. Additional instructions and testing accommodations are described in the official Wyoming Candidate Handbook.

Placement on the Registry & Working as a CNA

After completing the required training, passing both competency examination components, and satisfying the applicable background check and application requirements, candidates become eligible for certification through the Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBN).

Wyoming requires applicants to submit an initial CNA certification application through the Board's online Nurse Portal. The application includes the required certification fee, background check documentation, and any additional information requested by the Board. Paper certification applications are no longer accepted.

Applicants must submit the required fingerprint cards for state and federal criminal history screening. The Board reviews the application, confirms the examination results, and determines whether the candidate meets Wyoming's certification requirements before issuing permanent certification.

Once approved, the individual receives Wyoming CNA certification and becomes eligible for placement on the state's nurse aide registry. Certification can be verified through the WSBN's online Verify a CNA service. Wyoming generally provides electronic certification verification rather than automatically issuing paper licenses or certificates.

Wyoming also maintains a separate Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry for individuals who are fully certified by the State Board of Nursing and provide services in federally certified nursing homes and swing-bed facilities. The Wyoming Department of Health's Healthcare Licensing and Surveys program provides a registry placement form, identified as HLS/CNA-109, for CNAs seeking placement on that registry.

This Department of Health registry process is separate from obtaining initial certification through the State Board of Nursing. CNAs who plan to work in certified nursing homes or swing-bed facilities should confirm that their certification and registry placement meet the applicable employment requirements.

Wyoming also offers a temporary CNA permit to eligible candidates who have completed an approved training program and are awaiting certification. This one-time temporary permit may be valid for up to 120 days, subject to the Board's eligibility, application, and supervision requirements. The permit is not equivalent to permanent CNA certification and may expire earlier if the applicant fails the initial competency examination.

Wyoming CNA certification is distinct from professional nursing licensure as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, although all three credentials are regulated by the Wyoming State Board of Nursing.

Certified nursing assistants provide nursing and nursing-related services under appropriate nursing supervision. Their responsibilities may include assisting residents with personal hygiene, dressing, feeding, mobility, transfers, toileting, and other activities of daily living. CNAs also observe and report changes in patients' conditions and help maintain a safe care environment.

CNAs must work within their training, assigned responsibilities, and the state's established CNA role. They may not independently perform duties requiring professional nursing assessment, diagnosis, care planning, or nursing judgment.

Wyoming also provides additional credentials for qualified nursing assistants, including CNA II, Medication Aide-Certified (MA-C), and Home Health Aide (HHA) certification. These credentials require additional approved training and, where applicable, competency testing. They are separate from the initial CNA certification requirements.

Certification Renewal

Wyoming CNA certification must be renewed every two years, during even-numbered calendar years. Unlike states that renew certification individually based on the date of initial issuance, Wyoming follows a statewide renewal schedule. All active CNA certificates are subject to renewal by December 31 of the applicable even-numbered renewal year, including certificates first issued earlier in that same year.

For the 2026 renewal cycle, the Wyoming State Board of Nursing opened renewal applications on October 1, 2026, with the renewal period ending on December 31, 2026. CNAs must complete the renewal process through the Board's online Nurse Portal.

To qualify for renewal, Wyoming CNAs must demonstrate continued competency by completing one of the following three requirements during the preceding two years:

• Qualifying employment: Complete at least 400 hours of employment in the CNA role during the preceding two years.
• Continuing education: Complete at least 40 hours of continuing education relevant to nursing assistant practice during the preceding two years.
• Competency examination: Successfully pass the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) examination or a comparable national competency examination accepted by the Board.

These requirements reflect the Wyoming State Board of Nursing's updated continuing competency standards under Chapter 2, Section 14 of its certification rules.

Older Wyoming renewal guidance, including the renewal section that still appears in Headmaster's Candidate Handbook, describes an alternative pathway requiring 200 CNA employment hours and 15 continuing education hours, or 30 continuing education hours without employment. These older combinations have been replaced by the Board's updated competency requirements. Applicants should follow the current WSBN renewal instructions rather than relying on outdated third-party summaries.

Continuing education is therefore not universally mandatory for every Wyoming CNA. Nursing assistants who satisfy the 400-hour qualifying employment requirement can renew without separately completing 40 continuing education hours for Board certification purposes. However, CNAs employed in Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities remain subject to applicable federal in-service training requirements, including at least 12 hours of in-service training annually.

CNAs who use continuing education to demonstrate competency must retain documentation showing the course title, provider, completion date, number of hours earned, and their name. The Wyoming State Board of Nursing may require applicants to upload these records through the Nurse Portal and may conduct audits to verify compliance.

To renew, applicants must submit the appropriate online renewal application, provide evidence of meeting one of the competency requirements, and satisfy any applicable payment requirements. CNAs should monitor their Nurse Portal account and message center for requests for additional documentation or notification of their renewal status.

The standard Wyoming CNA renewal fee is $50. However, the Wyoming State Board of Nursing announced a temporary waiver of renewal fees for the 2026 renewal period. Under the updated fee provisions, the usual renewal fee is waived for qualifying applications submitted between October 1 and December 31, 2026.

The 2026 fee waiver does not eliminate the requirement to submit a complete renewal application or demonstrate continued competency. CNAs should confirm the applicable payment amount in the Nurse Portal before submitting their application.

Failure to renew by December 31 of the applicable renewal year results in expiration of the CNA certificate. Individuals with expired certification may not continue practicing in Wyoming as certified nursing assistants until the Board has approved their recertification or reactivation.

CNAs whose certificates have expired must follow the Board's applicable recertification procedures. Depending on their certification history and continued competency, this may involve submitting a new application, completing another criminal background check, documenting recent employment or continuing education, or successfully passing the competency examination again.

Individuals returning to practice after an extended absence should confirm their specific requirements with the Wyoming State Board of Nursing before submitting an application. The Board distinguishes between routine renewal, recertification after failure to renew, reactivation from inactive status, and reinstatement following disciplinary action.

Reciprocity

Wyoming offers CNA certification by endorsement, commonly called reciprocity, for nursing assistants who hold a current certification or registration in another U.S. state and meet Wyoming's eligibility requirements. Approved applicants may obtain Wyoming CNA certification without repeating the state's approved training program or taking the Wyoming competency examinations.

Wyoming's endorsement process is administered by the Wyoming State Board of Nursing. Applicants must hold an active CNA certification in good standing from another jurisdiction and satisfy the Board's requirements for training, examination history, criminal background screening, and continued competency.

Under Wyoming's CNA certification-by-endorsement requirements, applicants must generally provide:

• Existing certification: Verification of an active nursing assistant certification or registration from another state or jurisdiction.
• Training documentation: Evidence of successful completion of a state-approved nursing assistant training and competency evaluation program.
• Examination verification: Verification of the applicant's initial certification by examination, including information from the jurisdiction where the original certification was obtained.
• Criminal background check: Two fingerprint cards and the required fees for state and federal criminal history screening through Wyoming's Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
• Continuing competency: Evidence of meeting Wyoming's applicable continued competency requirements. Under the Board's current standards, this may include 400 hours of CNA employment, 40 hours of continuing education, or successful completion of an accepted competency examination within the relevant period.
• Application and fees: A completed certification-by-endorsement application submitted through the Wyoming State Board of Nursing's online Nurse Portal, together with the applicable application and background check fees.

Applicants must submit a Wyoming CNA Verification Form to obtain the required certification information from their existing jurisdiction. The Board's licensing guidance directs applicants moving to Wyoming to complete the endorsement application and provide the required verification forms in addition to the online application.

Wyoming's endorsement process is not automatic. The Board reviews the applicant's out-of-state certification, training, examination history, continued competency, and criminal background information before approving certification.

The standard Wyoming CNA endorsement application fee is $60, and applicants must also pay the applicable criminal background check fee. The Board's published fee schedule identifies a $60 DCI background check fee, with additional card-processing or fingerprint collection charges potentially applying.

Wyoming may issue a temporary permit to eligible applicants who hold current certification in good standing in another jurisdiction while their permanent endorsement application is being processed. A one-time CNA temporary permit may be issued, subject to the Board's application and eligibility requirements. The published temporary permit fee is $25.

Once the applicant has satisfied the Board's requirements and endorsement has been approved, the individual receives Wyoming CNA certification. The applicant can then verify their certification through the Board's online certification verification system.

Applicants planning to work in federally certified nursing homes or swing-bed facilities should also confirm whether placement on the Wyoming Department of Health's separate nurse aide registry is required.

Individuals whose out-of-state CNA certification is expired or inactive generally cannot use the standard active-certification endorsement pathway. The Wyoming State Board of Nursing directs applicants who are not actively certified in another state to apply by examination instead.

Costs & Reimbursement

The cost of CNA training in Wyoming varies by approved training provider. Community colleges, nursing facilities, vocational schools, and private training providers may charge different tuition and materials fees. Some employers offer facility-sponsored CNA training or provide financial assistance to individuals planning to work at their facilities.

Wyoming CNA certification involves separate fees for the competency examinations, the State Board of Nursing certification application, and the required criminal background check.

According to D&SDT-Headmaster's published Wyoming Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook, the examination fees are:

• Written knowledge examination: $32
• Audio knowledge examination: $42
• Manual skills examination: $95

The combined cost of the standard written knowledge and manual skills examinations is $127. Candidates choosing the audio knowledge examination pay $137 for both components. The same component fees apply to retesting after an unsuccessful examination attempt.

These examination fees are listed in Headmaster's official Wyoming Candidate Handbook, Version 2.0, which remains linked from Headmaster's Wyoming testing resources. Candidates should confirm current amounts in the TMU registration system before scheduling, as examination charges may change.

According to the Wyoming State Board of Nursing's published fee schedule, the standard certification-related charges are:

• Initial CNA certification by examination: $60
• CNA certification by endorsement: $60
• State and federal criminal background check: $60
• Temporary permit: $25, when applicable
• Standard biennial CNA renewal: $50, temporarily waived during the October–December 2026 renewal period

Based on these published amounts, a first-time Wyoming CNA applicant paying for both standard examination components, the initial certification application, and the criminal background check would pay approximately $247 in testing and state certification fees, excluding training tuition, fingerprint collection charges, card-processing fees, and other expenses. An optional temporary permit would add another $25.

The Wyoming State Board of Nursing processes certification applications and payments through its online Nurse Portal. The Board's published payment instructions identify an additional 2.4% card-processing fee, with a minimum charge of $1, for applicable card transactions.

The Board has waived its standard CNA renewal fee for the 2026 renewal cycle, October 1 through December 31, 2026. The fee waiver applies to the renewal charge, not to initial certification, endorsement, examination, or criminal background check fees.

Applicants may also incur costs for textbooks, uniforms, required supplies, CPR certification, tuberculosis screening, immunizations, criminal background check fingerprint collection, and transportation to clinical training or examination locations. Some training programs include examination fees or required materials in their tuition, while others charge separately.

Under federal law, an individual who is employed by a Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facility, or who has received an offer of employment from one, when beginning an approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program may not be charged for the required training, textbooks, course materials, or competency evaluation.

If an individual pays for an approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program and becomes employed by or receives an offer of employment from a Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facility within 12 months after completing the program, eligible training and testing expenses must be reimbursed on the applicable prorated basis. These federal reimbursement requirements do not apply to every healthcare employer or training provider.

Nursing assistants who pay for their own approved training should retain receipts and contact their employing nursing facility to determine whether they qualify for reimbursement. Facility-sponsored programs may cover some or all of the required expenses upfront, depending on the employer's arrangements and applicable federal requirements.

Sources: Wyoming State Board of Nursing – CNA Certification, Nurse Practice Act, and Current Administrative Rules, Wyoming State Board of Nursing – CNA Certification by Examination, Endorsement, Background Checks, and Nurse Portal Applications, Wyoming State Board of Nursing – Approved CNA Programs and Headmaster Testing, Wyoming State Board of Nursing – 2026 Certification Renewal and Continuing Competency Requirements, Wyoming State Board of Nursing – September 2026 Renewal Announcement and Fee Waiver, Wyoming State Board of Nursing – Rules & Regulations, Chapter 5: Fees (current fee schedule), Wyoming Department of Health – Certified Nurse Aides, Approved Training Programs, and Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry, D&SDT-Headmaster – Wyoming CNA Testing, Candidate Resources, and TMU, D&SDT-Headmaster – Wyoming Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook, Version 2.0, Wyoming TestMaster Universe – CNA Competency Examination Registration and Scheduling, Wyoming Secretary of State – Official Wyoming Administrative Code and Current Nursing Board Rules, Wyoming Statutes Title 33, Chapter 21 – Wyoming Nurse Practice Act, Wyoming Department of Education – Certified Nurse Aide Program and Clinical Training Standards, 42 CFR 483.152 – Federal Nurse Aide Training Requirements, 42 CFR 483.154 – Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation, 42 CFR 483.156 – Nurse Aide Registry Requirements, 42 CFR 483.95 – Nursing Facility In-Service Training Requirements