Certified Nurse-Midwife / California
2026 data California board official source

California Certified Nurse-Midwife License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Requirements, fees, and renewal timing for this license, sourced from state board records.

PlainCredential home → About this data

Provides prenatal, birth, and postpartum care. Scope varies by state.

What the California data shows for Certified Nurse-Midwifes

California sets the entry bar for certified nurse-midwifes at 1,000 training hours and a passing score on a state-approved exam. A background check is a standard part of the process. The credential is administered under California's licensing regime, which classifies the training track as "Certificate/Degree".

Upfront cost is $100 on a 2-year cycle. There's no continuing-education mandate tied to this profession in California, which keeps the long-run cost of staying licensed lighter than in CE-heavy states.

California evaluates out-of-state credentials case-by-case rather than through a published reciprocity list.

Licensing Ease Score

D
Licensing Ease Score
47/100
Certified Nurse-Midwife · California

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training D
1,000 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee C-
$100
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden N/A
N/A
Renewal fee annualized over the renewal cycle
Continuing Education N/A
N/A
Continuing-education hours annualized over the renewal cycle
Experience Required N/A
N/A
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in California

Education / Training Hours
Certificate/Degree
1,000 hours
Exam Requirement
Required
Initial License Fee
$100
Renewal Fee
N/A
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
Not required
Criminal History Check
Required

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Certified Nurse-Midwife All California licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with California licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Certified Nurse-Midwife in California? ▼
California requires 1000 education/training hours, passing an exam, and an initial fee of $100. A criminal background check is also required.
How do I get certified as a Certified Nurse-Midwife in California? ▼
Certification as a certified nurse-midwife in California means clearing the state's checklist: 1000 hours of education, and a passing exam score. The California licensing board can confirm the current details.
Can I transfer my Certified Nurse-Midwife license to California from another state? ▼
Out-of-state certified nurse-midwife credentials get a case-by-case review in California rather than automatic recognition. Interstate compacts exist for a number of professions and might still help. Confirm the details with the California licensing board.
Does California require a background check for Certified Nurse-Midwife licensing? ▼
California does require a background check before issuing a certified nurse-midwife license. What counts as disqualifying, and how it's reviewed, is up to the state licensing board.

Related Guides

What to do with this certified nurse-midwife license

Certified Nurse-Midwife in California is one requirement row in a certified nurse-midwife-wide, 50-state comparison.

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the California licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.