California CNA training with online theory, built for CDPH approval
Since AB 2850, a California nurse assistant training program can teach its 60 classroom hours online, and the CDPH eLearning Review Unit approves that format on its own application. The 100 supervised clinical hours still happen in person at an approved skilled nursing or intermediate care facility. We build the online half on your site, plus the clinical records that tie the two halves together, so the review walkthrough and every later audit have answers.
What CDPH requires of an online course
California Department of Public Health, Aide and Technician Certification Section (CDPH). Summarized from the rule text, with the citation for each so you can check it yourself.
- 01
Theory online, clinical in person
CDPH AFL 20-89.1
An approved online program may conduct its minimum 60 hours of classroom training online or by distance learning. The minimum 100 hours of clinical training stays in person at an approved SNF or ICF.
- 02
Self-paced theory needs daily contact and a clock
CDPH AFL 20-89.1
Asynchronous programs must set up daily interaction between students and instructors, build a time or pause mechanism into the learning management system, and stop students from skipping forward or jumping to the module exam without the full module time.
- 03
Module exams and a 50-minute hour
CDPH AFL 20-89.1
Each asynchronous module ends with an exam, and students pass it at the program proficiency level before moving on. A full hour of credit takes at least 50 minutes of participation, and the modules total at least 60 hours.
- 04
Statistics CDPH can open at any time
CDPH AFL 20-89.1
The LMS keeps time per module, grades per module, module repeat rates, the average certification exam pass rate over two years, and test and course pass or fail rates. CDPH gets initial and ongoing access to the program.
- 05
Unique logins and a sworn identity
CDPH AFL 20-89.1
Every user gets a unique login with password reset and industry-standard password strength. Students and instructors confirm identity with a PIN or personal identification information, and students attest to their identity under penalty of perjury.
- 06
Clinical hours verified by the instructor, 15 to one
22 CCR 71835(m)(1)
The 100 clinical hours run under the immediate supervision of the Director of Staff Development or Instructor, with no more than 15 students per instructor during clinical training and skills demonstration. Performance counts toward the 100 hours only once the instructor or DSD verifies it.
- 07
Dementia and developmental disability hours
CDPH AFL 26-08 (SB 862)
Since January 1, 2026, at least two of the 60 classroom hours address developmental and mental disorders and at least two address Alzheimer disease and related dementias. At least four of the 100 clinical hours address the special needs of persons with those conditions.
Would your course pass CDPH today?
7 questions, one per rule above, about how you deliver the course now. You see the result right away.
CDPH AFL 20-89.1
Theory online, clinical in person
An approved online program may conduct its minimum 60 hours of classroom training online or by distance learning. The minimum 100 hours of clinical training stays in person at an approved SNF or ICF.
Does your current setup do this?
How the platform is built to it
Your course, on your site, under your name. Every requirement above is a feature, not a promise in the application.
Theory modules on a pause clock
Each module has its own timer that stops on idle, blocks skipping ahead and leaves earlier content open for review. Credit counts in 50-minute blocks, and the module exam unlocks only after the full time, which is how AFL 20-89.1 describes the asynchronous build.
A daily instructor touchpoint, logged
Every student gets a daily check-in from an approved instructor inside the course, and the instructor has an inbox for questions outside scheduled hours. Each contact is timestamped, so the daily interaction requirement has a record behind it.
A live statistics view and a CDPH reviewer login
Time per module, module grades, repeat rates and pass rates sit on a dashboard that updates as students work. The CDPH account is separate from student accounts and stays open for ongoing monitoring, not just the review.
Clinical hours and skills checkoffs logged by the instructor
The clinical half runs from your daily clinical schedule. Instructors log each session at the facility and check off skills from your E276A checklist, a skill counts only when the instructor verifies it, and scheduling warns before a group passes 15 students per instructor.
Preclinical gate and four years of records
A student cannot be scheduled for clinical work until the preclinical theory is complete. Theory and clinical records stay on the platform for the four years 22 CCR 71835(l) asks for, and transcripts export on request.
Identity and the program landing page
Unique logins, password rules and the penalty of perjury attestation are built into enrollment. Your landing page carries what AFL 20-89.1 lists: hardware and software needs, grade requirements, fees, coursework, deadlines, program length and the cities of your clinical sites.
The path to CDPH approval
- 1
Get the learning management system to a reviewable state first. AFL 20-89.1 requires a prototype or full system CDPH can assess at a consumer level, and it cannot change during review without CDPH consent.
- 2
Email the complete package to the eLearning Review Unit: CDPH E276 with its skills checklist, daily clinical schedule, student record and ownership forms, the clinical site agreement for schools, the E276P policies, E279 instructor applications, curriculum, lesson plans, exams with keys and a crosswalk.
- 3
The unit issues a tracking number, may send up to two incomplete notices with 10 business days to answer each, and asks for a live walkthrough of the LMS.
- 4
CDPH decides within 90 calendar days, the limit set in 22 CCR 71835(h)(2).
- 5
Renew every two years from the approval date, and send changes to core curriculum, training hours or contracted services 30 calendar days before you make them.
The terms
We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.
- One flat fee
- Quoted per course before any work starts. No hourly billing and no surprise line items.
- Final payment on approval
- The last payment is due when the regulator approves the course, so the platform has to pass review before it is paid for in full.
- No per-student fees
- You keep what every enrollment pays. Nothing is skimmed per seat, per certificate or per month of traffic.
- You own it
- The platform, the code and the student records are yours outright, on your site and under your brand.
Questions schools ask
Can a California CNA program be fully online?
No. Under AFL 20-89.1 the 60 theory hours can be online or distance learning, and the 100 clinical hours are in person at an approved SNF or ICF. The platform runs the theory and keeps the clinical record.
Live classes or self-paced?
CDPH allows both. Synchronous classes work like a live lecture with attendance. Asynchronous programs add daily student and instructor interaction, a pause mechanism and an exam at the end of every module. We build either one, or both.
Does CDPH visit online programs?
Yes. The eLearning Review Unit began unannounced site visits on May 29, 2024 for renewal applications and complaint investigations, and AFL 20-89.1 also lists class audits and desk audits.
Can a nursing facility use another program for theory?
Yes, through the Alternative Online NATP. A SNF or ICF contracts with a CDPH-approved online program for theory and teaches clinical with its own staff, and clinical cannot begin until the preclinical theory hours are done.
Who owns the platform when it is done?
You do, code included. We quote one flat fee per course, final payment is due when CDPH approves the program, and there are no per-student fees. Monthly upkeep for hosting and rule changes is optional. We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.
Do you file the CDPH application for me?
No, you file it. We build the LMS to the reviewable state the application requires, run the walkthrough with you, and prepare the platform side of the policies, such as attendance, equipment failure and record keeping.
Price your CDPH course
Tell us the course and how you teach it now. You get a flat price back by email, and a list of what the application will ask about the platform.
Or email [email protected]
Sources
- CDPH AFL 20-89.1, Requirements for Online or Distance Learning NATPs
- CDPH Online/Distance Learning Nurse Assistant Training Program (ELRU)
- 22 CCR 71835, Nurse Assistant Certification Training Program
- 42 CFR 483.152, Nurse aide training program approval
Read from the sources above on October 17, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current text with CDPH before you apply. This page is not legal advice.