It depends on your state. Some states allow you to take the test without retraining, others don't. Certified nursing aides must renew their certification every two years. You can renew during this period by submitting a completed renewal application which verifies that you provide eight (8) hours of nursing related services for pay under the supervision of a nurse during the two-year span in which your certification was active.
In Georgia, if lapsed under three years without work verification, then you must retake and pass the state written/oral and skills competency examination to update your certification. If lapsed over three years, then you must complete another state approved nurse aide training program and pass the state written/oral and skills competency examination. You may contact the GA CNA registry at 678-527-3010 or 800-414-4358 to verify this information and to ask for additional guidance on the steps you need to take to register for the test.