Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE-A and SANE-P) Renewals and New Certification

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) welcomed former IAFN members and acquired the forensic nursing continuing education courses and practice resources for SANE and forensic nurses. Visit Forensic Nurses | ENA for more information.

Additional educational offerings are available through other training programs. ANCC does not maintain a repository of educational offerings or endorse any specific educational program.

If your current SANE certification expires, you may be eligible for reactivation if it has been expired for no more than two years (see Reactivation of a Lapsed Certification). If you are not eligible for reactivation, we encourage you to consider applying for the new across-the-lifespan certification, anticipated to launch in 2027.

Certificants may order a letter of verification online. Learn more on the Verify Certification page.

The SANE-A and SANE-P certifications were never accredited and, therefore, are not eligible for inclusion in the Demographic Data Collection Tool (DDCT). The Magnet Recognition® Program accepts only nursing and health care–related professional board certifications that meet the established eligibility requirements for inclusion in the DDCT, including accreditation by a recognized external accrediting organization.

ANCC is developing a new certification in this specialty area and intends to pursue accreditation once the certification is established.

ANCC will offer renewal of existing SANE-A and SANE-P certifications but will not offer the separate SANE-A and SANE-P exams previously administered by IAFN. In fall 2027, ANCC will introduce a new certification and exam covering sexual assault nursing care across the lifespan.

Analysis of content obtained from IAFN revealed significant overlap between the two previous exams. An advisory panel, comprised of subject matter experts, recommended that a single across-the-lifespan exam be considered for development. ANCC’s Commission on Board Certification approved this recommendation.

A group of expert volunteers, working as sexual assault nurse examiners or familiar with the roles and responsibilities, will be established as a Content Expert Panel to advise on eligibility criteria (including requirements related to clinical/practice hours and training) and exam content.

Additionally, item writers for the new lifespan exam will be recruited for the new certification exam. Please refer to the call for ANCC volunteers here.

The name of the new certification and its associated credential has not yet been finalized. Additional information will be shared on this page as it becomes available.

ANCC anticipates launching the exam for initial test takers in fall 2027. Please check back for the official launch date of the examination, including the date that applications will be accepted.

All ANCC certification exams are available as in-person examinations at Prometric testing centers all over the U.S. and in many international locations.

Current SANE-A and SANE-P certified nurses may be eligible to take the new exam if they meet the eligibility criteria for the new certification. ANCC anticipates publishing eligibility requirements in summer 2027. Once available, nurses can review the criteria to determine their eligibility.

Current SANE-A and SANE-P certified nurses will not automatically receive the new credential. To earn the new credential, nurses must meet the eligibility requirements and pass the new certification exam. Existing SANE-A and SANE-P certified nurses may continue to maintain their current credentials by meeting ANCC’s applicable renewal requirements.