Nursing CE Renewal Requirements by State
Look up RN, LPN/LVN, and APRN continuing education and contact hour requirements for license renewal in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, DC. Every entry links to official State Board of Nursing sources.
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Interactive CE Lookup Tool
Select a state above to view nursing CE renewal requirements.
How to Use This Tool
- Select your state from the dropdown or search by name, abbreviation, or board.
- Review RN, LPN/LVN, and APRN requirements including renewal cycle, contact hours, and mandatory topics.
- Click “Verify with official board” to open the State Board of Nursing or official licensing page and confirm before you renew.
What Counts as Nursing CE?
State boards use different terms, but renewal education generally includes:
- Contact hours / clock hours: Usually 60 minutes of approved instruction equals one contact hour.
- CEUs: One CEU often equals 10 contact hours — but always follow your board’s definition.
- Approved providers: Many boards require CE from ANCC-accredited providers, board-approved sponsors, or nationally recognized nursing organizations.
- Mandatory topics: Some states require specific courses (e.g., human trafficking, implicit bias, pharmacology for APRNs) in addition to general hours.
- Documentation: Keep certificates with your name, date, provider, course title, and hours. Boards may audit compliance.
Why Requirements Vary by State
Each U.S. state and territory regulates nursing through its own Board of Nursing — governmental agencies responsible for licensing and practice standards, as described by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Renewal cycles, CE hours, continued competency options, and mandatory topics are set by state law and administrative rules.
Common Mandatory CE Topics (State-Specific)
These topics are required only in states that explicitly mandate them. Examples from verified official sources in our dataset:
- Human trafficking: Florida (2 hours every biennium)
- Domestic violence: Florida (2 hours every third biennium)
- Implicit bias: California (required for RN renewal)
- Pharmacology: Alabama APRNs (6 hours); Indiana APRNs (8 hours); Washington ARNPs (15 hours)
- Controlled substances: Mississippi APRNs (5 hours); Wyoming APRNs (3 hours)
How We Verify Requirements
NurseOnShift uses only official sources: State Board of Nursing websites, state government licensing pages, and state statutes or administrative codes. We use the NCSBN board directory to locate official board URLs.
States or license types marked “Needs verification” have official board links but one or more role-level CE details (RN, LPN/LVN, or APRN) have not yet been confirmed from primary sources.
Found an outdated requirement? Report it via our Correction Policy so we can review the official board source.
State-by-State Nursing CE Requirements
| State | RN CE | LPN/LVN CE | APRN CE | Renewal cycle | Official source | Last reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 contact hours per license period | 24 contact hours per license period | 24 contact hours including 6 pharmacology hours | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| Two of three: 30 contact hours CE, 30 hours professional activities, or 320 hours employment (not a flat CE-only hour total) | Same as RN: two of three continued-competency options (30 CE hours, 30 professional activity hours, or 320 employment hours) | Must maintain active Alaska RN license and current national APRN certification; prescriptive authority renewal requires 15 contact hours advanced pharmacology/clinical drug management within prior 2 years | Biennial; expires November 30 of even-nu | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| No general CE required — practice competency required | No general CE required — practice competency required | 3 hours opioid/substance use/addiction CE if holding active DEA license (A.R.S. 32-3248.02) | Quadrennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 15 practice-focused contact hours per 24-month renewal period | 15 practice-focused contact hours per 24-month renewal period | 15 practice-focused contact hours (same base requirement as RN/LPN) plus 5 additional contact hours pharmacotherapeutics if holding prescriptive authority | Biennial; expires last day of birth mont | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours per renewal period | 30 contact hours every two years for active license renewal | 30 contact hours (same as RN for active license) | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| None required for routine renewal | None required for routine renewal | No additional Colorado CE beyond what is required to maintain professional certification | Biennial; RN expires September 30 of odd | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 2 contact hours once every 6 years (not annually) | 2 contact hours once every 6 years (not annually) | 50 contact hours within preceding 24-month period | Annual; expires in birth month (first ex | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours per full 2-year licensure period | 24 contact hours per full 2-year licensure period | Must meet Delaware RN CE requirement: 30 contact hours per biennial period (if holding Delaware RN license) | Biennial; expires February 28, May 31, o | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 24 contact hours per 2-year period | 18 contact hours per 2-year period | 24 contact hours per 2-year period | Biennial; birth month/birth year-based r | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 24 hours per biennium (plus 2 additional hours domestic violence every third biennium) | 24 hours per biennium with same mandatory subject breakdown as RN | 24 hours plus APRN-specific requirements including safe/effective prescription of controlled substances where applicable | Biennial (staggered expiration groups: A | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 continuing education hours per biennial period (one option among several) | 20 continuing education hours per biennial period (one option among two) | Must meet RN continuing competency requirement (30 hours or approved alternative) plus maintain current national certification | Biennial; expires January 31 of even-num | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| One learning activity option per biennium (e.g., 30 contact hours CE; cannot combine activities) | One learning activity option per biennium (same options as RN, e.g., 30 contact hours CE) | Current national certification in practice role satisfies continuing competency; APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 30 CE hours (8 pharmacology + 22 practice specialty) | Biennial; all nurse licenses expire June | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| At least 2 of listed learning activities per 2-year period (e.g., 15 contact hours CE counts as one activity; not a standalone flat CE total) | At least 2 of listed learning activities per 2-year period (same framework as RN) | 30 contact hours CE per renewal period (APRN meets Section 300 requirements instead of RN/LPN Section 061 requirements) | Biennial; renewal due by August 31 of ap | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 20 approved contact hours per 2-year renewal cycle | 20 approved contact hours per 2-year renewal cycle | 80 approved contact hours in APRN specialty per 2-year cycle (satisfies RN CE requirement) | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| None required for routine renewal | None required for routine renewal | 30 contact hours including 8 pharmacology hours (prescriptive authority holders) | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 36 contact hours per renewal period | 36 contact hours per renewal period | 36 contact hours (current national ARNP certification satisfies requirement) | Triennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 approved CNE contact hours per licensing period | 30 approved CNE contact hours per licensing period | 30 approved CNE contact hours related to APRN role per licensing period | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 14 nursing CE contact hours per earning period (Nov 1–Oct 31), OR 7 hours plus satisfactory evaluation covering at least 6 months | 14 nursing CE contact hours per earning period (Nov 1–Oct 31), OR 7 hours plus satisfactory evaluation covering at least 6 months | Minimum 5 contact hours in pharmacology annually (Nov 1–Oct 31); APRN certification meets 14-hour RN requirement | Annual renewal | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 board-approved contact hours per 2-year period OR 900 verified practice hours | No general CE contact-hour requirement for routine LPN renewal | Meet RN renewal requirement; nationally certified APRNs satisfy RN CE via certification | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| Continuing education required by statute; no fixed contact-hour count in published board rules for RN | Continuing education required by statute; no fixed contact-hour count in published board rules for LPN | 50 contact hours in nursing, medicine, or allied health in APRN practice area | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 CEUs within 2 years immediately preceding renewal (one competency pathway option) | 30 CEUs within 2 years immediately preceding renewal (one competency pathway option) | No separate state CEU hour count; current national APRN certification required for certification renewal | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 15 contact hours (CH) within 2 years before renewal | 15 contact hours (CH) within 2 years before renewal | 15 contact hours plus current board-recognized national certification | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 25 continuing education contact hours per 2-year period | 25 continuing education contact hours per 2-year period | 25 continuing education contact hours per 2-year period (same as RN/LPN) | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 24 contact hours per 24-month participation period (prorated for first or shortened periods) | 12 contact hours per 24-month participation period (prorated for first or shortened periods) | Must meet RN CE requirement (24 contact hours or approved alternative) plus maintain current national APRN certification on file with the board | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| None for standard renewal | None for standard renewal | 5 contact hours related to controlled substances per certification period | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| None for standard renewal | None for standard renewal | No state-mandated CE hour total if national certification is maintained | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| None for renewal | None for renewal | None for renewal | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 20 contact hours (with continued competency requirement) | 20 contact hours (with continued competency requirement) | Continued competency (not a flat CE-only rule): national certification + practice requirements by APRN role; APRN-NPs and CNMs who prescribe controlled substances need 3 hours opioid prescribing CE (0.5 hour Nebraska PDMP) for 2020–2028 renewal cycles | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours per renewal cycle | 30 contact hours per renewal cycle | 30 hours (RN/LPN base) plus 15 additional CE hours each renewal cycle | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours within the 2 years immediately preceding renewal | 30 contact hours within the 2 years immediately preceding renewal | 30 additional contact hours beyond RN requirement (60 total including RN CE), with at least 20 hours specific to specialty and 5 hours pharmacology appropriate to specialty | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours during the two-year period preceding renewal | 30 contact hours during the two-year period preceding renewal | Must meet RN/LPN 30-hour requirement plus APN-specific pharmacology rules | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours within the 24 months immediately preceding expiration (prorated for shortened first period) | 30 contact hours within the 24 months immediately preceding expiration | Valid national APRN certification uploaded to CE Broker satisfies APRN and RN CE requirements | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| No general CE hours for registration renewal | No general CE hours for registration renewal | No general CE contact hours for NP registration renewal | Triennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| One of eight continuing competence options (e.g., 30 CE hours, or 15 CE hours plus 640 practice hours, or national certification, or other board-approved alternatives) | Same eight continuing competence options as RN | 50 contact hours every two years OR maintain current national NP certification | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 12 contact hours within the preceding two years | 12 contact hours within the preceding two years | 15 contact hours of pharmacotherapy education related to scope of practice within preceding two years (fulfills RN 12-hour requirement) | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 24 contact hours including at least 1 hour Category A | 24 contact hours including at least 1 hour Category A | 24 additional CE hours beyond RN (48 total if holding RN+APRN) including 12 advanced pharmacology hours | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| No fixed CE-only requirement — complete one continuing qualification option (24 contact hours is one option) | No fixed CE-only requirement — complete one continuing qualification option (24 contact hours is one option) | Same continuing qualifications for practice as RN/LPN, plus prescriptive authority CE if applicable | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| Currently: mandatory topic hours only (1 hr pain management + 2 hr cultural competency). Effective January 1, 2028: additionally 20 CE hours within two years | Same as RN — currently mandatory topic hours only; 20 CE hours added effective January 1, 2028 | Currently: mandatory pain management and cultural competency only. Effective January 1, 2028: current national certification in role/population OR 75 CE hours related to advanced practice role within five years (CNS); NP/CRNA may use current national certification | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 Board-approved contact hours per biennial renewal period | 2 Board-approved contact hours per biennial renewal period (child abuse only — no 30-hour general CE requirement) | 30 Board-approved contact hours per two-year certification renewal period | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 10 contact hours per two-year licensing cycle | 10 contact hours per two-year licensing cycle | 10 contact hours per two-year licensing cycle | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours (one of four competency options) | 30 contact hours (one of four competency options) | Continued competency required — see board prescriptive authority rules for APRN-specific CE | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| No mandatory CE hours for RN license renewal | No mandatory CE hours for LPN license renewal | No state-mandated CE hour total — current national certification in role required | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| No flat CE requirement — 5 contact hours of CE is one menu option (10 hours if not practicing) | No flat CE requirement — same continued-competence menu as RN | Continued-competence menu applies; APRNs with Certificate to Prescribe (CF) have additional CE | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 20 contact hours CNE in area of practice OR board-approved national certification | 20 contact hours CNE in area of practice OR board-approved national certification | 20 CNE hours plus APRN-specific requirements including 5 pharmacotherapeutics hours if prescriptive authority | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 approved contact hours OR 200 practice hours + 15 CE hours OR 400 practice hours (no CE) | 30 approved contact hours OR 200 practice hours + 15 CE hours OR 400 practice hours (no CE) | Current national certification in specialty area required; legacy licensees (pre-July 1, 1992) need 30 CE hours and 400 practice hours | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 20 qualifying CE hours in two years (one of four competency options) | 20 qualifying CE hours in two years (one of four competency options) | Must satisfy RN renewal competency plus maintain current national APRN certification | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 30 contact hours of board-recognized CE (one of nine competency options) OR 15 CE hours plus 640 active practice hours | Same nine-option continued competency framework as RN | Current national professional certification required (post-May 8, 2002 licensees); legacy APRNs may use 40 CE hours in specialty | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| Continuing competency required — see board Continuing Competency Requirements page for specific hour/practice thresholds | Continuing competency required — see board Continuing Competency Requirements page | 30 contact hours; plus 15 pharmacology hours if prescriptive authority within last two years | Annual | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| 12 contact hours from a Board-approved CE provider per renewal cycle | 24 contact hours per two-year cycle | 24 contact hours per renewal cycle | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| No CE required for RN license renewal | No CE required for LPN license renewal | 16 contact hours per biennium in clinical pharmacology or therapeutics relevant to practice area | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 | |
| No mandatory CE — CE is one optional competency pathway (40 hours if using CE option) | No mandatory CE — 40 CE hours is one optional competency pathway | 3 CE hours on responsible prescribing of controlled substances or treatment of substance abuse (if holding prescriptive authority) | Biennial | Official source | 2026-07-04 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all states require CE for nurses?
No. Some states require continuing education or continued competency every renewal cycle; others do not mandate CE for standard RN/LPN renewal. Always confirm with your State Board of Nursing.
What is the difference between a CEU and a contact hour?
A contact hour is typically 60 minutes of instruction. A CEU is often 10 contact hours. Boards may use either term — check your state’s definition.
Do APRNs have extra CE requirements?
Often yes — especially pharmacology or controlled substance prescribing CE for prescriptive authority holders.
Can I use the same CE course for multiple licenses?
Sometimes, if the course meets each board’s rules. Verify with every state where you hold an active license.
What happens if I miss my nursing renewal deadline?
Penalties vary: late fees, inactive/lapsed status, extra CE, refresher courses, or re-examination.
Are compact license states different?
Yes. You generally follow your primary state of residence (PSOR) rules under the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Should I trust third-party CE summaries?
No — not as your only source. Always verify on your official State Board of Nursing website.
Editorial Review
Reviewed by: NurseOnShift Editorial Team
Licensure source review: NurseOnShift Editorial Team — requirements verified from official State Board of Nursing and state government sources only.
Source standard: State Board of Nursing websites, state government licensing pages, statutes, and administrative rules only — no commercial CE provider summaries.
Editorial standards: Editorial Policy
Last reviewed: July 4, 2026
Verification method: Each jurisdiction is verified separately for RN, LPN/LVN, and APRN requirements. Role-level gaps are flagged until confirmed from primary sources.
Update policy: We review official board sources periodically and update entries when renewal requirements change. Report an outdated requirement.
Disclaimer
This tool is for general educational guidance only. Nursing license renewal requirements can change. Always confirm with your State Board of Nursing before renewing your license. NurseOnShift does not provide legal or licensure advice.