Free CNA Training in Texas and Florida: Who Pays
Federal rules stop nursing facilities from charging their own nurse aides for CNA training, and they make the state repay some people who paid for it themselves.
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The short answer
- If a nursing facility employs you, or has offered you a job, it can't charge you for any part of an approved nurse aide training program, including textbooks.
- If you pay for training yourself and a nursing facility hires you within 12 months of finishing, the state must pay you back for your training costs, pro rata, for the time you work there as a nurse aide.
Source: 42 CFR §483.152(c)(1) and (c)(2), Cornell LII.
What “pro rata” means for you
The repayment is spread over the time you actually work as a nurse aide for that facility, rather than paid in one lump sum. The rule doesn't set a single schedule for every state, so ask your state's nurse aide registry or the facility's HR team how it works where you live.
What Texas and Florida add
Texas: a free online classroom course
Texas HHSC runs a free computer-based course that covers the 60-hour classroom part of nurse aide training. HHSC treats charging for this course as fraud. You still finish the 40 clinical hours with an approved program before the exam.
Source: Texas HHSC: Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP).
Florida: training and testing fees
Florida's exam bulletin says that if a nursing home employs you within 12 months of getting your certification, federal law requires it to pay your training and testing fees. The Florida Board of Nursing adds that nursing homes are the only employers that reimburse these costs.
Sources: Prometric: Florida Nurse Aide Candidate Information Bulletin (Rev. 11/01/2025); Florida Board of Nursing FAQ.
Job-training funds through WIOA
The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult program offers career and training services through local American Job Centers. When centers use Adult program money for individual training, they must give priority to people who get public assistance, other people with low incomes, and people who need help with basic skills. Veterans get priority in every Labor Department-funded job program.
Services and eligibility vary by state and local area, so ask your nearest center whether it funds CNA training. You can find a center through CareerOneStop or by calling 1-877-US-2JOBS.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA Adult Program.
How to use these rules
- Step 1Ask facilities firstIf a nursing facility hires you or offers you a job before you train, it can't charge you for the training.
- Step 2Look for facility programsSome approved programs on the state lists are run by nursing and rehabilitation centers (examples below).
- Step 3Choose an approved programThe rules cover approved programs only, and only approved programs lead to the state exam.
- Step 4Keep every receiptPaid yourself? Keep receipts for tuition, books and fees in case a nursing facility hires you within 12 months.
Facility programs on the official lists
These approved programs have names that suggest a nursing or care facility, with words like “Nursing”, “Rehabilitation” or “Care Center”. A name doesn't prove who runs a program or what it charges, so call and ask.
Texas: 177 programs with facility names
| Program | City | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Oaks Living and Rehabilitation | Abilene | (253) 878-0347 |
| Windcrest Health and Rehabilitation | Abilene | (325) 692-1533 |
| Wisteria Place Nursing & Rehabilitation | Abilene | (325) 692-6145 |
| Stonewall Living Center Nurse Aide Training Program | Aspermont | (940) 989-3526 |
| Azle Manor Health Care & Rehabilitation | Azle | (210) 412-7163 |
| Avir at Baird NATCEP | Baird | (325) 854-1429 |
| Ballinger Healthcare | Ballinger | (325) 365-5766 |
| Central Texas Nursing and Rehabilitation Nurse Aide Training Program | Ballinger | (325) 271-1145 |
| Cedar Creek Nursing and Rehabilitation Center | Bandera | (830) 460-3767 |
| Bangs Nursing & Rehab CNA Training | Bangs | (760) 221-1020 |
| Windsor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of Bastrop | Bastrop | (512) 321-2529 |
| Matagorda Nursing & Rehab | Bay City | (979) 245-7369 |
| Beaumont Health Care Center | Beaumont | (409) 842-2228 |
| Jefferson Nursing and Rehabilitation Center | Beaumont | (409) 892-6811 |
| Hacienda Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation-Beeville | Beeville | (361) 358-5612 |
Showing 15 of 177. Search every Texas program.
Florida: 8 programs with facility names
| Program | City | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Donatello School of Nursing and Healthcare | Apopka | (407) 703-5814 |
| Crystal River Health and Rehab School of Health | Crystal River | (352) 795-5044 |
| Alwyn C Cashe State Veterans' Nursing Home | Largo | (904) 940-2193 |
| Ardie R Copas State Veterans' Nursing Home | Largo | (772) 241-6132 |
| Baldomero Lopez State Veteran's Nursing | Largo | (904) 940-2193 |
| Clifford Sims State Veteran's Nursing Ho | Panama City | (904) 940-2193 |
| Alexander "Sandy" Nininger Veteran's Nursing Home | Pembroke Pines | (904) 940-2193 |
| Clyde E. Lassen State Veteran's Nursing | Saint Augustine | (727) 518-3217 |
Common questions
Can a nursing home charge me for CNA training?
Not if it employs you or has offered you a job. Federal rules stop a nursing facility from charging its own nurse aides, or people it has offered a job, for any part of an approved training program, including textbooks.
Will I get my money back if I paid for CNA training myself?
If a nursing facility hires you within 12 months of finishing an approved program, the state must pay you back for your training costs, pro rata, for the time you work there as a nurse aide. Keep every receipt.
Is there free CNA training in Texas?
The 60-hour classroom part can be free: Texas HHSC offers its own free online course. You still complete the 40 clinical hours with an approved program, and a nursing facility that employs you can't charge you for that training.
Who pays for the CNA exam in Florida?
You pay Prometric when you apply. If a nursing home employs you within 12 months of certification, federal law requires it to pay your training and testing fees.
Can WIOA pay for CNA classes?
It may. Local American Job Centers offer WIOA training services, with priority for people on public assistance, people with low incomes, people who need help with basic skills, and veterans. Ask your nearest center whether it funds CNA training.
Related guides
Sources
- 42 CFR §483.152 Requirements for approval of a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (Cornell LII)
- U.S. Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
- Texas HHSC: Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP)
- Prometric: Florida Nurse Aide Candidate Information Bulletin (Rev. 11/01/2025)
- Florida Board of Nursing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Texas HHSC list of approved NATCEP programs
- Florida Board of Nursing approved CNA training programs
This guide explains official rules in plain language. It isn't legal advice. Your state's regulator has the final word.