CCMA Background Check: What Gets Checked and By Whom
Unlike PTCB's disclosure-based approach, NHA requires every CCMA applicant to complete an actual background check. Here's what that covers, what Washington adds on top, and what tends to work against you.
NHA's actual policy: a mandatory check, reviewed case-by-case
NHA requires all CCMA candidates to complete a criminal background check through a third-party vendor at the time of application — this is a genuine background check, not just a disclosure form (unlike PTCB's pharmacy technician certification, which relies on applicant self-disclosure rather than a mandatory check). NHA does not maintain a blanket exclusion list; findings are evaluated individually. If you have any prior conviction, NHA recommends contacting its candidate support team before paying the exam fee.
Two separate layers, in the one state that has both
CCMA certification (national)
- Mandatory third-party criminal background check at application
- Case-by-case review — no published fixed exclusion list
- Contact NHA candidate support before paying if you have any prior conviction
Washington MA-C (one state only)
- Separate criminal background check run by WA Department of Health
- Criminal history considered case-by-case, not an automatic bar
- You must disclose convictions with certified court documentation
- Only relevant if you're applying for the MA-C credential in Washington
What employers check (in the other 50 states and D.C.)
Outside of Washington, there's no separate state background-check layer — physician offices, clinics, and urgent care centers run their own standard criminal background check and sometimes a drug screen as a condition of employment. This is an employer hiring standard, not a specific medical-assistant licensing law, since nearly all states regulate medical assistants only through physician delegation, not a separate state credential.
What tends to weigh most heavily
- ✗Violent felonies or any offense requiring sex offender registration
- ✗Convictions involving patient abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable person
- ✗Healthcare fraud (Medicaid/Medicare) or theft in a clinical setting
- ✗Any crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude connected to healthcare work (the standard Washington applies to MA-C unprofessional-conduct review)
Neither NHA nor Washington publishes a fixed, exhaustive disqualifying-offense list for this role — both review individually. This list reflects the general pattern, not a guarantee either way.
What's often reviewable, not automatic
- ~Older misdemeanors unrelated to healthcareGenerally far less weighted than felony or healthcare-specific offenses
- ~DUI / OUITypically reviewable unless connected to patient care or substance diversion
- ~A single older non-violent felony with documented rehabilitationNHA and WA DOH both review individually rather than applying an automatic bar
- ~Expunged or sealed recordsWhether these must still be disclosed depends on the jurisdiction — ask before assuming
If you have a prior conviction, contact NHA's candidate support team before paying the exam fee — their guidance is to ask first rather than discover a disqualification after you've already invested in the exam.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
Ready to start preparing for the exam?
Free practice tests for all 10 CCMA domains — no signup required.
Take a Free Practice Test →