Nursing CE Requirements by State: How to Stay Compliant Before Your License Renewal

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

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.

Written By

Jenifer Ho, Advisor, Learntastic View profile

Published Jul 29, 2026 Updated Sep 2, 2026 11 min read

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.

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.

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.

Our online nursing courses are: