Verify an SC CNA Before You Rely on a Card
This guide helps you check a South Carolina CNA through the official Nurse Aide Registry, understand the status result, avoid wrong LLR searches, and know what to do if a record is expired, missing, or moving from another state.
For hiring or facility compliance, do not stop at a CNA card, resume, old certificate, screenshot, or training document. Match the person in the official registry and save proof of the check.
Start Here: What Do You Need to Do?
Pick the closest task. Each route below has a different official action, so this section prevents the common mistake of using the wrong nursing-license lookup.
Check official registry status
Use this when you need to confirm whether a nurse aide is listed in South Carolina and whether the result matches the person.
Open SC Nurse Aide Registry searchConfirm before work starts
Use this when you are hiring, onboarding, staffing a facility, or checking a CNA for direct care work.
Go to employer checklistKeep CNA status active
Use this if your certificate is near expiration or you need continued enrollment on the registry.
Go to renewal rulesRetest or retrain?
Use this if your CNA status is expired, missing, or not active and you need to become active again.
Check lapsed optionsUse reciprocity
Use this if you are active and in good standing in another state and want to be added to the South Carolina registry.
Go to reciprocity stepsUse a different lookup
Use LLR nursing lookup for RN, LPN, or APRN licenses. Do not use it as the main CNA verification path.
See lookup differenceSC CNA License Verification in 60 Seconds
Use this exact flow when you need a fast but reliable South Carolina CNA lookup for employment, family care, agency onboarding, nursing facility files, or your own status.
Open the official registry search
Start with the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry search. Do not begin with a private directory, old card photo, or general LLR license lookup.
Search by registration number if available
The registration number is the cleanest search because it avoids similar-name confusion. Employers should ask the applicant for the number before using name search.
If using name search, enter enough identity details
The registry search asks for at least two name-search fields. Credentia’s South Carolina page says you need the name, city, and date of birth or the registration number.
Match the result to the person
Check first name, last name, city, date-of-birth detail when required, and registration number. A similar name is not enough for employment or compliance.
Save proof of the lookup
Record the registry source, date checked, registration number, name searched, status shown, and who completed the verification.
After you know what to enter, open the official South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry search.
Open SC CNA Registry SearchWhat to Enter in the SC CNA Registry Search
The registry result is only useful if the search data is accurate. Use this table before typing into the lookup tool.
| What you have | Best search method | Micro-help before clicking search |
|---|---|---|
| Registration number | Search by registration number first. | Best option for employers because it avoids common-name mistakes. |
| Legal name + city + DOB | Use name search fields. | Use legal name, not nickname. Ask about former name if no record appears. |
| Only a CNA card | Use card details to search the registry. | A card alone does not prove current certification. |
| Old certificate or resume | Ask for current registry details. | Training completion is not the same as active registry status. |
| No match | Try number, former name, exact spelling, city, and DOB. | If still unclear, use the official contact route before assuming the person is not certified. |
How to Read the South Carolina CNA Status Result
Do not just look for a name. Read the result like a decision record: identity match, current status, expiration, and next action.
| Status or result | What it usually means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Active / current | The CNA appears listed and usable based on the registry result. | Save proof, confirm identity details, and record the date checked. |
| Expired / lapsed | The CNA may not be current for work requiring active certification. | Use the lapsed-status decision table below to determine renewal, retesting, or retraining. |
| No result | The search may have wrong spelling, wrong city, missing DOB detail, former name, or wrong state. | Search by registration number or contact the registry/Credentia support route. |
| Similar name | The record may not belong to the person you are checking. | Do not hire or rely until registration number and identity details match. |
| Abuse registry concern | A separate abuse registry contact may be required. | Use the official abuse registry contact listed in the contacts section. |
Employer Checklist: Confirm a South Carolina CNA Before Hiring
This section is for nursing facilities, home-care agencies, staffing offices, HR teams, and families checking a CNA for care work.
Get the right details
- Legal first and last name.
- Registration number if available.
- City and date-of-birth detail if name search is needed.
- Former name or name-change explanation if search fails.
- Card or certificate only as supporting information, not final proof.
Save proof for your file
- Official registry page used.
- Date and time checked.
- Name and registration number shown.
- Status shown in the registry.
- Who completed the verification.
- Follow-up notes if status is unclear.
SCDHHS says a nursing facility must contact the South Carolina Registry to confirm each applicant’s status, and card possession alone is not current-certification proof.
Read SCDHHS Nurse Aide guidanceSC Board of Nursing Lookup vs CNA Registry
A common search mistake is using the RN/LPN/APRN license lookup when the person is a CNA. South Carolina separates these routes.
Use the Nurse Aide Registry
Use this for CNA certification, registry status, renewal, lapsed status, reciprocity, and nurse aide questions.
Use LLR nursing license lookup
Use Board of Nursing/LLR routes for nursing licenses. These are not the primary CNA certification route.
Use the abuse-registry contact
Abuse registry questions require the listed abuse-registry phone contact and should not be treated as a normal name lookup.
SCLLR states that the South Carolina Board of Nursing does not regulate CNA certification, but it lists helpful CNA phone numbers.
Open SCLLR CNA informationOfficial Handbook Details Many Lookup Pages Miss
The South Carolina Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook and FAQ PDF include practical details that help candidates, new CNAs, employers, and lapsed certificate holders avoid wrong next steps.
Registry and certificate timing
After passing both the written or oral exam and the skills evaluation, the handbook says your name is placed on the registry and Credentia mails the certificate and wallet card about 10 business days after successful completion. If not received 30 days after the exam, call 800-475-8290.
Both exam parts matter
The handbook says candidates must pass both parts within two years from training completion or within three attempts, whichever comes first, or complete a 100-hour state-approved Nurse Aide Training Program and retest both portions.
Keep CNA365 profile current
The registry must be kept informed of current address. Address changes use CNA365 “Manage Profile.” Name or SSN corrections use the Correction Form and require documentation such as marriage certificate, divorce decree, or official document.
Use the South Carolina Candidate Handbook for exam, registry, name-change, renewal, lapsed, and reciprocity details.
Open SC Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook PDFSouth Carolina CNA Renewal and Recertification
Renewal is not just a form. Work history, contact information, fee handling, and the timing of your email notice all matter.
Certificate is valid for 24 months
The handbook says a South Carolina Nurse Aide Certificate is valid for 24 months from the date issued.
8 paid hours in 24 months
To be eligible for continued enrollment, Credentia says you must work as a nurse aide at least one documented day, eight consecutive hours, for pay during the previous 24 months under RN or LPN supervision.
Email about 90 days before expiration
The handbook says Credentia emails renewal directions approximately 90 days before expiration. If you do not receive a renewal email, contact 800-475-8290.
$35 recertification fee
The handbook lists the recertification fee as $35, non-refundable and non-transferable, paid online with credit card or single-use prepaid card.
Medicaid-certified employer note
If employed by a Medicaid-certified employer, the handbook says to print the emailed payment receipt and give it to the employer for reimbursement.
Confirm after renewal
After submitting renewal, return to the registry search later and confirm your active status updated before relying on the renewal.
Use Credentia’s South Carolina registry guidance for renewal, lapsed certification, and continued enrollment details.
Open Credentia SC registry guidanceIf Your SC CNA Status Is Expired or Lapsed
Do not guess whether you need renewal, retesting, or retraining. The correct path depends on your training history and how long the certification has been lapsed.
| Your situation | What the handbook says | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Lapsed and no prior 100-hour state-approved training | You must train at a 100-hour state-approved program and retest. | Find an approved training program and pass both written/oral and skills evaluation. |
| Lapsed not more than 24 months and you completed a 100-hour state-approved program | You are only required to retest. | Use Credentia testing/registry support before scheduling. |
| Lapsed more than two years | You must retrain at a 100-hour state-approved program and retest. | Do not assume work history alone fixes the registry; follow retraining/retest path. |
| Expired status but facts are unclear | Expired certification can be case-by-case. | Email scnar@scdhhs.gov or call the registry support number with your details. |
If active CNA certification is required for the role, do not rely on a lapsed or expired record until the registry confirms current status.
South Carolina CNA Reciprocity: Moving From Another State
Being certified in another state does not automatically mean you can work in South Carolina. You need the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry route.
You are active and in good standing
Credentia says reciprocity applicants must be currently listed on another state’s registry as active and in good standing, and must have completed at least a 100-hour basic state-approved nurse aide course.
- Current out-of-state registry status is active.
- You are in good standing.
- You can document the required training history.
- Your legal name and registry details match.
Submit reciprocity through Credentia
The handbook says eligible out-of-state nurse aides complete the online Reciprocity Application through Credentia’s South Carolina resources. The handbook also states there is no fee for certification by reciprocity.
Open Credentia reciprocity instructionsThe FAQ says if you are certified in another state, that does not by itself mean you can work in South Carolina. You must be current and in good standing on the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry to work in South Carolina.
No Result, Wrong Status, Abuse Registry or Name Problem?
Use this troubleshooting section when the registry search does not show what you expected.
Try better search data
Ask for the registration number. If searching by name, check spelling, legal name, former name, city, and date-of-birth detail.
Use CNA365 correction route
For name or SSN changes, the handbook says to use the Correction Form and upload official documentation for review.
Use the abuse-registry phone number
The FAQ directs abuse-registry questions to 803-545-4205. Do not treat this as a normal lookup mismatch.
Email transcript for review
The FAQ PDF says military education candidates should submit a military transcript to scnar@scdhhs.gov with full name and contact information for review.
Fundamentals of Nursing route
The FAQ PDF says applicants who completed Fundamentals of Nursing with C or better within two years may send transcript/advisor letter to scnar@scdhhs.gov for review.
Spanish option is limited
The FAQ PDF says the test is available in Spanish for the Written and Oral Examinations only, with a listing of skills in Spanish on the site.
South Carolina CNA Contacts: Who to Call or Email
Use the right contact for the right issue. General registry information, testing, abuse registry, and SCDHHS review questions are different routes.
| Need | Contact | Use this when |
|---|---|---|
| General CNA information | 1-800-475-8290 | You need general South Carolina CNA registry or certification information. |
| Testing | 1-800-273-3517 | You need CNA testing, exam scheduling, or candidate test information. |
| Abuse Registry | (803) 545-4205 | You have an abuse registry question or abuse-registry match issue. |
| SCDHHS Nurse Aide Registry questions | scnar@scdhhs.gov | You need case review, expired-certification direction, military education, RN/LPN program review, or program questions. |
| Credentia renewal/platform help | 800-475-8290 / Credentia Platform | You did not receive renewal email, need CNA365 profile help, or need registry platform direction. |
“I am trying to verify South Carolina CNA status. I have the legal name, registration number if available, city, date of birth detail if needed, and the result I found. Can you confirm the correct registry path or next step?”
Official South Carolina CNA Verification Links
Use these official sources after choosing your task. They are placed here so users do not click the wrong nursing-license page.
South Carolina CNA License Verification FAQs
These answers cover the main lookup, status, renewal, reciprocity, lapsed certification and employer-verification questions.
How do I verify a South Carolina CNA license?
Use the official South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry search. Search by registration number when possible, or use the CNA’s legal name, city and date-of-birth information when required by the lookup tool.
Is a South Carolina CNA card proof of current certification?
No. SCDHHS says possession of a card alone is not an indicator of current certification. Employers and facilities should confirm status through the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry.
What information do I need for SC CNA verification?
The best search is the registration number. If you do not have it, use the CNA’s name, city and date-of-birth details when the registry search requires them.
Why can’t I find a CNA in the South Carolina registry?
The name may be misspelled, the person may have a former name, city or date-of-birth details may not match, the status may be expired, or the person may be registered in another state.
Does the South Carolina Board of Nursing verify CNA certification?
No. The South Carolina Board of Nursing does not regulate CNA certification. CNA status is handled through the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry and Credentia routes.
How long is a South Carolina CNA certificate valid?
The South Carolina Nurse Aide Certificate is valid for 24 months from the date it was issued. Renewal should be handled before expiration so the registry status stays active.
What is the work requirement for SC CNA renewal?
To be eligible for continued enrollment, a nurse aide must have worked as a nurse aide for at least one documented day, eight consecutive hours, for pay during the previous 24 months under RN or LPN supervision.
What happens if my South Carolina CNA status is expired or lapsed?
A lapsed certification may require retesting or retraining depending on whether you completed a 100-hour state-approved training program and how long the certification has been expired.
Can I transfer my CNA certification to South Carolina?
South Carolina reciprocity may be available if you are listed as active and in good standing on another state registry and meet the required training conditions. Use Credentia’s reciprocity instructions for the official path.
Who should I contact for South Carolina CNA questions?
For general CNA information use 1-800-475-8290, for testing use 1-800-273-3517, for abuse registry questions use (803) 545-4205, and for SCDHHS Nurse Aide Registry questions use scnar@scdhhs.gov.
Ready to Check a South Carolina CNA?
Start with the official Nurse Aide Registry search. Use registration number when possible, confirm the identity, read the status, save proof, and use Credentia or SCDHHS routes for renewal, lapsed status, reciprocity or unclear records.