Whether you're renewing your RN license for the first time or you've completed the process many times before, one thing is certain: continuing education (CE) requirements vary by state.
Some states require as few as 10 contact hours, while others require 30 or more. Certain states also mandate training on topics such as ethics, opioid prescribing, implicit bias, infection prevention, or child abuse reporting. Missing these requirements can delay your license renewal or even place your license at risk.
This guide explains how nursing continuing education requirements work, what to expect during the renewal process, and where to find your state's specific requirements so you can renew with confidence.
Why Continuing Education Is Required for Nurses
Continuing education helps registered nurses maintain clinical competency, stay current with evidence-based practices, and provide safe, high-quality patient care.
State boards of nursing establish CE requirements to ensure licensed professionals continue developing their knowledge throughout their careers.
Completing your CE requirements can help you:
Maintain an active nursing license
Stay current on clinical best practices
Meet state licensing requirements
Improve patient safety and outcomes
Advance your professional development
Avoid delays during license renewal
Although every state's requirements are different, the goal is the same: helping nurses continue delivering safe, effective care.
Do All States Require Continuing Education?
Not always.
While many states require continuing education as part of RN license renewal, others allow nurses to satisfy renewal requirements through alternatives such as:
Practice hours
Academic coursework
National certification
Board-approved competency activities
A combination of education and practice
Because regulations change periodically, it's important to verify the latest requirements with your state board of nursing before renewing your license.
Nursing CE Requirements by State*
The table below provides a general overview of nursing continuing education requirements across the United States. Always verify requirements with your state's Board of Nursing, as renewal rules may change.
Last reviewed: July 2026
State | Renewal cycle | RN continuing education requirement | Notes |
Alabama | Every 2 years | 24 contact hours | First-time renewal includes four hours of Alabama Board-provided education covering the Nurse Practice Act, board rules, professional conduct and accountability. |
Alaska | Every 2 years | Complete two of three options: 30 contact hours, 30 hours of professional activities or 320 hours of nursing practice | Nurses do not necessarily need 30 CE hours when they satisfy two other approved options. |
Arizona | Every 4 years | No routine CE-hour requirement | Nurses must meet the board’s practice or competence requirement, such as recent nursing practice, education, a refresher course or examination. |
Arkansas | Every 2 years | 15 contact hours or an approved alternative | Alternatives may include national certification or completion of an academic nursing course. |
California | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | CE must be completed through an approved provider. California’s Board of Registered Nursing confirms the 30-hour requirement for active renewal. |
Colorado | Every 2 years | No routine CE-hour requirement | Renew the RN license and meet any requirements that apply to the nurse’s role or circumstances. |
Connecticut | Annually | No broad annual CE-hour total; topic-specific training applies | Required training is completed over prescribed multiyear periods rather than as a general annual CE total. Nurses should review the current topic list and retain records for at least three years. |
Delaware | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | Three hours must address substance abuse. Additional requirements may apply based on practice area. |
Florida | Every 2 years | Generally 24 contact hours | Requirements include mandatory subjects such as prevention of medical errors. Other subjects, including laws and rules, human trafficking, domestic violence and recognizing impairment, apply on schedules set by the board. Florida electronically reviews CE records during renewal. |
Georgia | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours or another approved competency option | Nurses may be able to qualify through certification, academic coursework, employer verification or another approved pathway. |
Hawaii | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours or another approved competency activity | Alternatives may include a refresher course, academic coursework, national certification or another board-recognized activity. |
Idaho | Every 2 years | Complete at least two approved learning activities | Fifteen CE contact hours can satisfy one activity. Other options include practice, specialty certification, academic education or a refresher course. |
Illinois | Every 2 years | 20 contact hours | Mandatory subjects may include sexual-harassment prevention and other training required by Illinois law. Nurses should confirm the subjects applicable to the current renewal cycle. |
Indiana | Every 2 years | No routine CE requirement for RNs | APRNs and nurses with prescriptive authority may have separate requirements. |
Iowa | Every 3 years | 36 contact hours | A shorter initial or prorated license period may require fewer hours. Mandatory-reporter training applies to nurses whose work involves children or dependent adults. |
Kansas | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | CE must meet the Kansas Board of Nursing’s continuing nursing education standards. |
Kentucky | Annually | 14 contact hours or an approved alternative | Options include seven hours plus an employment evaluation, national certification, qualifying academic work and other board-approved activities. Kentucky uses an annual earning period from Nov. 1 through Oct. 31. |
Louisiana | Every 2 years | 30 board-approved contact hours or 900 verified practice hours | Additional alternatives and exemptions may apply. CE must be approved by ANCC or a state board of nursing. |
Maine | Every 2 years | No routine CE requirement | Nurses should still confirm whether any role-specific or disciplinary requirements apply. |
Maryland | Every 2 years | No routine CE-hour total for standard RN renewal | Nurses must meet any board requirements related to practice status, refresher education or reinstatement when applicable. |
Massachusetts | Every 2 years | 15 contact hours | RNs renew on their birthdays in even-numbered years. Mandatory training may apply under separate state laws or regulations. |
Michigan | Every 2 years | 25 contact hours | Includes at least two hours in pain and symptom management. Separate one-time or recurring training, including implicit bias and human trafficking, may apply. |
Minnesota | Every 2 years | 24 contact hours | Continuing education must relate to nursing practice and meet board standards. |
Mississippi | Every 2 years | No routine CE requirement | Additional education may be required for particular roles, disciplinary matters or reinstatement. |
Missouri | Every 2 years | No routine CE requirement | RN licenses expire April 30 in odd-numbered years. |
Montana | Every 2 years | No routine CE requirement for RNs | APRNs have separate continuing education requirements. |
Nebraska | Every 2 years | 20 contact hours or an approved practice-based alternative | At least 10 hours must meet the state’s formal peer-reviewed CE standard. Practice-hour combinations and other alternatives may be available. |
Nevada | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | Mandatory training includes four hours of cultural competency during each renewal cycle. A one-time bioterrorism course and other role-specific requirements may also apply. |
New Hampshire | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | Nurses must also meet the board’s active-practice requirement or another applicable competency pathway. |
New Jersey | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | The board requires at least 30 contact hours during the two years preceding renewal. Mandatory-topic requirements may apply during particular cycles. |
New Mexico | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | Additional education applies to certain roles, including nurses involved in prescribing or treating specific patient populations. |
New York | Every 3 years | No general CE-hour total, but mandatory courses apply | Nurses generally complete infection-control training every four years and child-abuse identification and reporting training as required. Other mandatory courses may apply based on practice setting. |
North Carolina | Every 2 years | Complete one continuing-competence option | Options include 30 CE hours, national certification, academic education, a refresher course or 15 CE hours combined with qualifying practice or professional activities. Requirements must be met before renewal. |
North Dakota | Every 2 years | 12 contact hours | Nurses must also meet the board’s continuing-competence requirements. Online CE may be accepted when it meets board standards. |
Ohio | Every 2 years | 24 contact hours | At least one hour must address the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and board rules. First-renewal exemptions or adjusted requirements may apply. |
Oklahoma | Every 2 years | 24 contact hours or another approved option | Alternatives include qualifying employment hours, specialty certification, a refresher course or academic coursework. |
Oregon | Every 2 years | No broad recurring CE-hour total, but mandatory education applies | Nurses must complete the state’s one-time pain-management education and recurring cultural-competency education as applicable. Other role-specific training may be required. |
Pennsylvania | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours | Includes two hours of board-approved child-abuse recognition and reporting training for each renewal. |
Rhode Island | Every 2 years | 10 contact hours | Required hours include board-designated topics such as substance-use education when applicable to the renewal cycle. |
South Carolina | Every 2 years | 30 contact hours or another competency option | Alternatives include national certification, academic education or employer verification of nursing practice. |
South Dakota | Every 2 years | No routine CE requirement | Nurses must still meet renewal, practice and conduct requirements established by the board. |
Tennessee | Every 2 years | No fixed general CE-hour total; continuing-competence activities are required | Nurses must complete two approved competency activities during each renewal cycle. Accepted activities can include CE, certification, practice, presentations, publications or other professional development. |
Texas | Every 2 years | 20 contact hours in the nurse’s area of practice or approved national certification | At least two hours must relate to nursing jurisprudence and ethics. Additional targeted subjects apply to certain nurses and practice settings. |
Utah | Every 2 years | Choose one: 30 contact hours; 15 hours plus 200 practice hours; or 400 practice hours | Nurses can satisfy the requirement entirely through practice when they meet the required threshold. |
Vermont | Every 2 years | No routine CE-hour requirement | Nurses must meet the board’s recent-practice requirement or complete an approved re-entry pathway when applicable. |
Virginia | Every 2 years | Complete one approved competency option | Options include 30 contact hours, or 15 hours plus 640 practice hours, national certification, academic education, teaching, publication, research or a refresher course. |
Washington | Annually | 8 hours of CE and 96 hours of active practice each renewal period | Two of the eight CE hours must cover health equity. |
West Virginia | Every 2 years | 12 contact hours | Required subjects include drug diversion and safe prescribing practices. Additional requirements can apply to nurses who prescribe controlled substances. |
Wisconsin | Every 2 years | No routine CE requirement | Nurses should verify whether separate requirements apply to advanced practice, prescribing, reinstatement or disciplinary status. |
Wyoming | Every 2 years | 20 contact hours or another competency option | Alternatives include recent nursing practice, national certification, examination, a refresher program or an approved combination of practice and CE. |
*Requirements are subject to change. Always confirm current renewal dates, required contact hours, mandatory topics and approved-provider rules with your state’s official Board of Nursing before renewing your license.
Common Nursing CE Topics Required by States
Many states require nurses to complete education on specific healthcare topics in addition to general contact hours.
These commonly include:
Ethics
Infection prevention and control
Patient safety
Pain management
Opioid prescribing
Implicit bias
Cultural competency
Human trafficking awareness
Domestic violence recognition
Child abuse reporting
Not every state requires these courses, so review your renewal checklist carefully.
How to Stay Compliant Before Your License Renewal
Following a few simple steps throughout your renewal cycle can help you avoid last-minute stress.
1. Know Your Renewal Date
Mark your renewal deadline on your calendar and begin completing CE well before your license expires.
2. Verify Your State Requirements
Check your Board of Nursing website to confirm:
Required contact hours
Mandatory subject areas
Approved providers
Renewal deadlines
3. Complete Courses Early
Waiting until the last week before renewal increases the risk of missing deadlines or scrambling to complete required topics.
4. Save Your Certificates
Most states recommend retaining CE completion certificates for several years in case you're selected for an audit.
5. Submit Your Renewal on Time
After completing your CE requirements, submit your renewal application before your license expires to avoid interruptions to your practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.How many continuing education hours do nurses need?
It depends on your state. Requirements range from no routine CE requirement in some states to 30 or more contact hours in others.
2.Can I complete nursing CE online?
Yes. Many states accept online continuing education from approved providers, making it convenient to complete courses on your own schedule.
3.What happens if I don't complete my CE requirements?
Failure to complete required continuing education may delay license renewal, require additional documentation, or result in disciplinary action depending on your state's regulations.
4.How do I know if a CE provider is accepted?
Review your state's Board of Nursing guidelines and choose courses from providers that meet your state's approval requirements.
Complete Your Nursing CE with LearnTastic
Whether you're planning ahead or renewing your license soon, LearnTastic makes it easy to complete high-quality continuing education on your schedule.
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Explore LearnTastic's Registered Nurse Continuing Education courses and take the next step toward renewing your license with confidence.
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