- The knowledge exam has 75 multiple-choice items, four options each, 60 minutes, 75% passing standard.
- Basic Nursing Skills carries 15 items - nearly double Resident Rights (8) and Safety (8), the next-largest areas.
- Effective March 1, 2026: knowledge exam $40, audio version $45, manual skills $100 - retakes bill only the failed component.
- You get three attempts at each component within two years of finishing your 60-hour classroom/100-hour clinical program.
Quick-Facts Snapshot
This is the one-page version of everything a California nurse aide candidate needs before sitting the D&SDT-Headmaster California Nurse Aide Knowledge Exam (HDMASTER-NA). Keep this page open during your last review pass - it pulls directly from the California Candidate Handbook, March 2026, version 9.0, and does not mix in details from other Headmaster state programs.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Governing body | California Department of Public Health (CDPH) |
| Testing provider | D&S Diversified Technologies LLP / Headmaster LLP via TestMaster Universe (TMU) |
| Knowledge exam format | 75 multiple-choice questions, 4 options each, 60-minute limit |
| Passing standard | At least 75% |
| Knowledge exam fee | $40 (audio version $45) |
| Manual skills exam fee | $100 |
| Fees effective | March 1, 2026 |
| Attempts allowed | 3 per component, within 2 years of training completion |
For the long-form breakdown of how these numbers were set and what changes candidates should expect, see the HDMASTER-NA Certification Cost 2026 pricing breakdown.
The 75-Question Format at a Glance
The HDMASTER-NA knowledge test is computer-delivered through TMU. Every question is multiple choice with exactly four answer options - there are no select-all, matching, or fill-in-the-blank items on this exam. You have 60 minutes to answer all 75 questions, which works out to under a minute per question on average, so pacing matters as much as content knowledge.
Candidates can take the standard on-screen version, an audio version for an extra $5, or use the approved remotely proctored option. If you need the audio format, you must select it before paying the testing fee - this cannot be added afterward. For a deeper walkthrough of how the passing threshold is calculated against the 75 items, read the HDMASTER-NA Passing Score 2026 guide.
Domain-by-Domain Item Counts
CDPH publishes fixed item allocations per subject area rather than percentage weights, and this cheat sheet keeps those published counts intact instead of converting them into rounded percentages that could be mistaken for official weighting.
| Domain | Questions |
|---|---|
| Basic Nursing Skills | 15 |
| Resident Rights | 8 |
| Safety | 8 |
| Care Impaired | 5 |
| Communication | 5 |
| Infection Control | 6 |
| Mental Health | 6 |
| Role and Responsibility | 6 |
| Aging Process and Restorative Care | 4 |
| Data Collection | 4 |
| Disease Process | 4 |
| Personal Care | 4 |
Notice that Basic Nursing Skills alone accounts for as many questions as the four smallest domains combined. A full explanation of what each of the twelve areas actually tests is in the HDMASTER-NA Exam Domains 2026 complete guide.
High-Yield Content to Lock In
These are the domains where the item count justifies spending disproportionate review time, plus the areas candidates most often underestimate.
Basic Nursing Skills (15 items)
The largest domain by a wide margin. Expect scenario questions on positioning, transfers, vital sign measurement, feeding assistance, and basic comfort/hygiene procedures a nurse aide performs under supervision.
- Body mechanics and safe transfer technique
- Recognizing and reporting abnormal vital signs
- Range-of-motion and skin integrity basics
Resident Rights (8 items)
Tests knowledge of what a resident is legally and ethically entitled to - privacy, dignity, informed choice, and freedom from abuse or unnecessary restraint.
- Grievance and complaint procedures
- Confidentiality of health information
- Right to refuse care
Safety (8 items)
Covers fall prevention, fire and emergency response, proper use of equipment, and hazard identification in a care setting.
- Restraint alternatives and correct application when ordered
- Emergency response priorities
- Equipment and environmental hazard checks
Registration & Fee Mechanics
Registration for the knowledge exam runs through TMU, but certification itself is processed by CDPH through the 283B application. These are two separate systems, and mismatched details between them are one of the most common causes of delayed registry listing.
Key Takeaway
Make sure your name, date of birth, and identifying information on your TMU test registration match your CDPH 283B paperwork exactly - discrepancies stall registry processing even after you pass.
- Knowledge exam: $40, effective March 1, 2026
- Audio knowledge exam: $45 (must be selected before payment)
- Manual skills exam: $100
- Retakes: billed at the same component fee, and only the component you failed needs to be paid again
Candidates coming from an approved training program typically complete 60 classroom hours and 100 supervised clinical hours before they're eligible to test. Full eligibility rules are covered in the HDMASTER-NA Requirements 2026 eligibility guide, and scheduling windows are detailed in the HDMASTER-NA Exam Dates 2026 guide.
Remote Testing Checklist
The remotely proctored option is convenient but has strict setup requirements. Missing any of these can mean rescheduling and paying the component fee again.
- A primary testing computer or tablet to take the exam on
- A separate smartphone or tablet positioned as a secondary camera, showing your face, screen, keyboard, and mouse simultaneously
- A quiet, secured room where you will be completely alone during testing
- No unapproved materials on the desk or within reach
- Stable internet on both devices before the session starts
Calculator, Scratch Paper & Dictionary Rules
Material rules are strict but simple once memorized:
- Basic calculator: permitted; at on-site test locations the proctor supplies it - you don't bring your own
- Scratch paper: permitted, also supplied by the on-site proctor
- Translation dictionary: a word-for-word translation dictionary is allowed, but it must be inspected first
- Prohibited: dictionaries with added definitions or handwritten notes, and any electronic translator device
Bringing an unapproved dictionary or trying to use a phone-based translator is treated as a testing violation, so if you need translation support, source a clean word-for-word print dictionary well before test day.
Retakes & Renewal Quick Reference
Both the knowledge and manual skills exams must be passed, and California allows three attempts at each component within two years of finishing training. If either window closes without a pass, retraining is generally required before testing again.
| Situation | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Fail knowledge exam | Pay $40 (or $45 audio) again to retake only that component |
| Fail manual skills exam | Pay $100 again to retake only that component |
| Pass both components | Certification processed via CDPH 283B application |
| Certification renewal | Biennial; 48 in-service/CE hours over 2 years, minimum 12 hours each year |
For a deeper look at how attempt limits and timing interact with real candidate outcomes, see the HDMASTER-NA Pass Rate 2026 data breakdown, and for a broader look at how challenging candidates find each component, check How Hard Is the HDMASTER-NA Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide.
Final-Week Review Sprint
If you're using this cheat sheet in the last week before test day, structure your remaining hours around the item-count hierarchy rather than reviewing every domain equally.
Basic Nursing Skills (15 items)
- Drill positioning, transfers, and vital-sign scenarios
- Review feeding, hygiene, and comfort-care procedures
Resident Rights & Safety (8 + 8 items)
- Memorize resident rights categories and grievance steps
- Run through fall-prevention and emergency-response scenarios
Mid-weight domains (5-6 items each)
- Infection Control, Mental Health, Role and Responsibility, Care Impaired, Communication
- Use short, timed practice sets rather than long reading sessions
Smaller domains + full run-through
- Aging Process and Restorative Care, Data Collection, Disease Process, Personal Care
- Take one full 75-question, 60-minute timed simulation
A complete week-by-week plan built around this same logic, plus practice question banks for each domain, is available in the HDMASTER-NA Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. You can also run a full-length timed simulation on our HDMASTER-NA practice test platform to see how your pacing holds up under the real 60-minute limit.
FAQ
75 multiple-choice questions with four answer options each, to be completed within 60 minutes.
You need to score at least 75% on the knowledge exam, as set out in the March 2026 Candidate Handbook.
Basic Nursing Skills, with 15 of the 75 questions - nearly double the item count of the next-largest domains, Resident Rights and Safety.
A basic calculator and scratch paper are permitted, but on-site the proctor supplies them. A word-for-word translation dictionary is allowed after inspection; dictionaries with notes or definitions, and electronic translators, are prohibited.
You get up to three attempts at each component within two years of finishing training, and each retake requires paying the fee for that specific failed component only.
Keep this cheat sheet handy alongside your practice runs on the main HDMASTER-NA practice test site, and revisit the complete domain guide whenever a specific content area needs more depth than a one-page summary allows.