HHA vs HCA in California
These look like the same job with the letters shuffled, and they are not. California runs two separate credentials out of two separate state departments, and the one you need depends on whether the work is medical or not. Getting this wrong means paying for the wrong course, so it is worth two minutes.
If your certificate seems to be missing from the registry, this is almost always why. HHA records live with CDPH at cvl.cdph.ca.gov. Home Care Aide records live with CDSS on a different list. Searching the wrong one returns nothing and looks alarming.
Side by side
| HHA (CDPH) | HCA (CDSS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Healthcare Professional Certification and Training Section | California Department of Social Services (CDSS) |
| What it is for | Medical home health work, including Medicare certified agencies | Non-medical home care |
| Training required | Minimum 120 hours through a CDPH approved program (Title 22 CCR section 74747) | Set by CDSS. Confirm the current figure with CDSS directly rather than trusting a course seller |
| Where you appear | CDPH Licensing and Certification Verification registry (cvl.cdph.ca.gov), alongside CNA, CHT and NHA | CDSS Home Care Aide Registry, a separate list |
| Separate state exam | No. The competency evaluation is built into the approved program | Not applicable |
Which one do you need?
Look at the employer, not the job title in the advert. If the agency is a Medicare certified home health agency and the work involves personal care under a nurse's supervision, you need the CDPH Home Health Aide certificate. If the work is companionship, housekeeping, errands and non-medical support arranged through a home care organisation, that is the CDSS Home Care Aide side.
The HHA route is the longer one. California asks for at least 120 hours, which is well beyond the 75 hour federal Medicare minimum that most states stop at, and classroom time is capped at 75 of those hours so the rest has to be supervised clinical practice. You cannot do the whole thing in a classroom.
Common questions
Is an HCA the same as an HHA in California?
No. They are two different credentials from two different state departments. CDPH certifies Home Health Aides for medical home health work. CDSS maintains a separate Home Care Aide Registry for non-medical home care. If a job is with a Medicare certified home health agency, the HHA certificate is the one that matters.
How many training hours does a California HHA need?
A minimum of 120 hours through a CDPH approved program, under Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, section 74747. That is well above the 75 hour federal Medicare floor. Classroom lecture is capped at 75 hours of that total, and the remainder goes to supervised clinical experience, with CDPH recommending at least 61 clinical hours.
Is there a California state HHA exam?
There is no separate third party state exam the way there is for CNA. The knowledge and skills competency evaluation is built into the CDPH approved training program itself, so the test you sit is the one at the end of your course.
How do I check whether my California HHA certificate is active?
Use the CDPH Licensing and Certification Verification registry at cvl.cdph.ca.gov. It lists CNA, HHA, CHT and NHA credentials. If you are looking for a Home Care Aide listing instead, that is held separately by CDSS and will not appear there, which is the single most common reason people think their record is missing.
How much in service training do I need to keep my HHA certificate?
California certification runs on a two year cycle, and AB 1495 (Chapter 400, Statutes of 2025, amending Health and Safety Code section 1736.2) requires at least 12 hours of in service training in each 12 month period, so 24 hours across the cycle. You cannot bank all of it into one year. Online or distance in service training is now permitted under conditions set by AB 1495.
I am a certified HHA in another state. Can I transfer to California?
California does not grant reciprocity for HHA certification. An aide certified elsewhere generally has to complete a full CDPH approved 120 hour program. Budget for that before you move rather than after.
Practising for the CDPH competency evaluation
Because California builds the test into the program rather than running a separate state exam, the questions come from your course content. Free practice questions written for California, no account needed to start.
California HHA practice testRequirements come from Title 22 CCR section 74747, Health and Safety Code section 1736.2 as amended by AB 1495, and CDPH. State processes change without notice, so confirm current details with CDPH or CDSS before relying on them. This page is information, not legal advice.