Pass the California CNA State Exam on Your First Try
Standard: Current 2026 Testing Standards
Study topics and practice questions aligned to the official CaliforniaCerts exams.
Popular searches: california cna state exam practice test; california cna written exam practice; cna written exam practice test california.
Browse all CaliforniaCerts certification exams · Study guides and code resources
The California Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) state exam is a 70-question, closed-book written test administered by Prometric on behalf of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). You have 2 hours to complete it and need a score of 72% or higher to pass — 51 correct answers out of 70. The written exam is one of two components required for CNA certification: you must also pass a separate skills demonstration exam where a Prometric evaluator observes you performing five randomly selected nursing skills. Both components must be passed within two years of completing your state-approved CNA training program. The written exam covers nine topic areas across three domains — Physical Care Skills, Psychosocial Care Skills, and Role of the Nurse Aide. Physical Care Skills: Basic Nursing Skills is by far the largest section at 35% of the exam.
Exam details
The California CNA written exam is administered by Prometric at testing centers throughout California and via remote online proctoring. The exam is closed book — no references or notes are permitted. You must complete a state-approved CNA training program of at least 150 hours before you are eligible to test. The 150 hours includes at least 50 hours of supervised clinical experience. You have two years from your program completion date to pass both components of the exam. If you fail either component, you may retake it up to three times. After three failed attempts on either component, you must repeat the full CNA training program before testing again. The exam fee is $75 per attempt for the written component. Results are reported immediately at the testing center.
A new test and solution key are generated each time; the solution key link is included in the PDF.
Three areas cause the most failures on the California CNA written exam. First, infection control within Basic Nursing Skills: hand hygiene procedures, the chain of infection, standard precautions, and the correct sequence for donning and doffing PPE are tested with precise procedural questions. Many candidates understand the concept but miss questions on specific steps or their order. Second, client rights: the exam presents scenario-based questions where the correct answer requires prioritizing the resident's rights even when it conflicts with facility convenience or family wishes. Candidates who memorize rights as a list but have not practiced applying them to realistic scenarios frequently choose answers that feel correct but violate a right. Third, scope of practice: the Role of the Nurse Aide sections test the boundary between what a CNA may do independently versus what must be reported to or delegated from a licensed nurse. Questions about when to act, when to report, and when to refuse a task are among the most nuanced on the exam and account for a combined 26% of total questions across the Role sections.
70 multiple-choice questions, all scored. You have 2 hours — roughly 103 seconds per question. The written exam is closed book, and no references or notes are permitted.
72% — at least 51 correct answers out of 70. Prometric reports your result immediately at the testing center.
No. California requires passing both a written exam and a skills demonstration exam. In the skills exam, a Prometric evaluator observes you performing five randomly selected nursing skills drawn from the state-approved skills list. Both components must be passed within two years of completing your CNA training program.
Prometric, contracted by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). You register through Prometric after completing your state-approved CNA training program and receiving authorization from your school.
Nine topics across three domains. Physical Care Skills: Basic Nursing Skills (35%), Activities of Daily Living (22%), and Self Care/Independence (7%). Psychosocial Care Skills: Emotional and Mental Health Needs (8%) and Spiritual and Cultural Needs (2%). Role of the Nurse Aide: Communication (7%), Client Rights (8%), Legal and Ethical Behavior (5%), and Member of the Health Care Team (6%).
You may retake each component up to three times within two years of your training program completion date. After three failed attempts on either component, you must complete another state-approved CNA training program before testing again.
Yes. California requires completion of a state-approved CNA training program of at least 150 hours, including at least 50 hours of supervised clinical experience. Your training program must submit your completion information to CDPH before you can register with Prometric.
Yes. Prometric offers remote online proctoring for the California CNA written exam. You will need a computer with a webcam, microphone, and stable internet connection. The skills demonstration exam must be taken in person — it cannot be completed remotely.
California CNA certification must be renewed every two years. Renewal requires proof of at least eight hours of paid nursing assistant work in the previous 24 months, plus completion of continuing education hours depending on your employer type.
$75 per attempt for the written component. The skills demonstration exam fee is separate. Fees are paid to Prometric at the time of scheduling.
Topics and blueprint percentages come from our topic bank; practice sessions allocate questions using those shares when set.
Start practicing free — no account required. The first two questions in each topic are unlocked so you can see the difficulty and clinical scenario style before committing.