CNA License Renewal in Texas and Florida
Texas and Florida both ask for 24 hours of in-service training every two years and recent work as a nurse aide. The topics, deadlines and fees differ.
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People often call it a CNA license. Texas issues a nurse aide certificate and lists you on its Nurse Aide Registry; Florida's renewal page calls it a license, and the Department of Health's license verification site shows each CNA's expiration date. Either way, you renew every two years to keep working.
Texas and Florida side by side
| Rule | Texas | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| How often | Every two years | Every two years, in two groups (May 31, 2027 or May 31, 2028) |
| In-service training | 24 hours every two years | 24 hours every two years |
| Required topics | Geriatrics, and caring for residents with dementia including Alzheimer's disease | Seven topics, including infection control, residents' rights, CPR and preventing medical errors |
| Work requirement | Documented work experience in each two-year period | Paid nursing-related work within the last 24 consecutive months |
| When you can renew | From three months before your expiration date | The online renewal option appears no later than 90 days before expiration |
| How | Online in TULIP, yourself or through your employer | Online at flhealthsource or the MQA Services Portal, or by mail |
| Fee | Not listed on HHSC's renewal page | $55 on time, $105 late, $160 after a delinquency notice |
Sources: Texas HHSC and Florida Board of Nursing, checked November 2, 2026. Details and full lists are below.
The federal rules behind renewal
Federal rules for nursing facilities shape what states ask of nurse aides:
- 12 hours of in-service training a year. A nursing facility must give its nurse aides at least 12 hours of in-service training a year, including dementia management and resident abuse prevention. Aides who care for people with cognitive impairments also get training on that care.
- 24 months without paid work. If you go 24 consecutive months without doing paid nursing or nursing-related work, you must complete a new training and competency evaluation program, or a new competency evaluation, before working as a nurse aide in a nursing facility again.
- Registry checks before hiring. Before a nursing facility lets you work as a nurse aide, it must get verification from the registry that you met the competency requirements, and seek information from every state registry it believes has information on you.
Sources: 42 CFR §483.95(g) and 42 CFR §483.35(d), checked November 2, 2026.
Renewing in Texas
Renewing a Texas CNA certificate
Texas renewal works in two-year periods. You can renew starting three months before the expiration date on your certificate.
- Complete at least 24 hours of in-service education every two years, including training in geriatrics and in caring for residents with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
- Have documented work experience in each two-year period since your certificate was issued or last renewed.
- Renew yourself by creating a TULIP account and completing a Certified Nurse Aide Renewal Application, or have your employer file a Nurse Aide Facility Staff Renewal for you.
- Once approved, print your updated certificate from TULIP.
- If your certificate expired and you don't have the work experience, HHSC's other renewal options involve retraining or retesting.
Source: Texas HHSC: Renew or Make Changes to a Nurse Aide Certificate, checked November 2, 2026.
Checking a CNA on the Texas registry
Anyone can look up a nurse aide's certificate on HHSC's TULIP public search. Employers use it to confirm a certificate is active, and you can use it to check your own record after you pass the exam.
Source: Texas HHSC TULIP public search, checked November 2, 2026.
Renewing in Florida
Renewing a Florida CNA certificate
Florida CNAs renew every two years, in two groups. Group 1 certificates expire at midnight Eastern time on May 31, 2027, and Group 2 on May 31, 2028.
To stay on the registry, you must have done paid nursing-related work within the last 24 consecutive months. Before you renew, complete 24 hours of in-service training during the two years, covering these topics:
- Blood-borne disease prevention and infection control
- Domestic violence awareness
- Charting care and a nursing assistant's legal responsibilities
- Residents' rights
- Communicating with people who have cognitive impairment
- CPR skills
- Preventing medical errors and promoting safety
| When you renew | Fee |
|---|---|
| On time, before your certificate expires | $55 |
| Late, after it expires | $105 |
| After a 120-day delinquency notice | $160 |
Renew online through flhealthsource ("Renew A License") or the MQA Services Portal, or by mail with a cashier's check or money order. Don't send your in-service certificates to the Board. Fees include a $5 fee to combat unlicensed activity.
Source: Florida Board of Nursing: CNA Renewal, checked November 2, 2026.
If you miss the Florida deadline
- Florida no longer mails renewal forms. It sends renewal postcards about 120 days before the expiration date.
- If you moved, change your address online at flhealthsource so notices reach you.
- If you don't renew by the expiration date, your certificate becomes delinquent and you can't work as a CNA until you renew.
- If it stays unrenewed, the certificate becomes null and void and you have to take the CNA exam again.
- The expiration date of every CNA certificate shows on the Department of Health license verification site.
Source: Florida Board of Nursing: Frequently Asked Questions, checked November 2, 2026.
Starting work in Florida before you're certified
The Florida Board of Nursing lists three exceptions that let you work as a nursing assistant for up to four months before you get your Florida certificate. One covers applicants verified as actively certified in another state. Using an exception is up to the employer.
Source: Florida Board of Nursing: Frequently Asked Questions, checked November 2, 2026.
A renewal checklist
- Step 1Check your dateLook up your expiration date on your state's registry.
- Step 2Finish 24 hoursComplete your in-service hours on your state's required topics.
- Step 3Keep proof of workHave records of your nurse aide work for the two years.
- Step 4Renew on timeRenew online before your certificate expires.
- Find your expiration date on your state's registry: TULIP in Texas, or the Department of Health verification site in Florida.
- Count your in-service hours for the two-year period and make sure they cover your state's required topics.
- Keep proof of your nurse aide work for the period.
- Renew online as soon as your state allows it, before the expiration date.
- Check the registry after renewal to confirm your new expiration date.
Common questions
How many in-service hours does a CNA need to renew in Texas and Florida?
Both states require 24 hours of in-service training every two years. Texas requires training in geriatrics and in caring for residents with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Florida lists seven required topics, including infection control, residents' rights, CPR and preventing medical errors.
How much does it cost to renew a CNA license in Florida?
$55 if you renew on time, $105 if you renew late, and $160 after a 120-day delinquency notice. The fees include a $5 fee to combat unlicensed activity.
Can I renew my Texas CNA certificate online?
Yes. Create a TULIP account and complete a Certified Nurse Aide Renewal Application, or have your employer file a Nurse Aide Facility Staff Renewal for you. You can renew starting three months before your expiration date.
What happens if my Florida CNA certificate expires?
It becomes delinquent, and you can't work as a CNA until you renew. If it stays unrenewed, it becomes null and void and you have to take the CNA exam again.
What if I haven't worked as a CNA for two years?
Under federal rules, if you go 24 consecutive months without paid nursing or nursing-related work, you must complete a new training and competency evaluation program, or a new competency evaluation, before working as a nurse aide in a nursing facility again.
Related guides
Sources
- Texas HHSC: Renew or Make Changes to a Nurse Aide Certificate
- Texas HHSC TULIP public search
- Florida Board of Nursing: CNA Renewal
- Florida Board of Nursing: Frequently Asked Questions
- 42 CFR §483.35 Nursing services (Cornell LII)
- 42 CFR §483.95 Training requirements (Cornell LII)
This guide explains official rules in plain language. It isn't legal advice. Your state's regulator has the final word.