RN CE requirements by state
Registered nurse renewal rules for all 51 boards. Tap a state for its required topics, notes and the official board page.
| State | Hours per renewal | Required topics |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 24 contact hours every 2 years | 4 h board-provided course on Alabama nursing law, scope and standards of practice (before first renewal) |
| Alaska | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Arizona | No CE-hour minimum (other renewal rules) | None named |
| Arkansas | 15 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| California | 30 contact hours every 2 years | 1 h implicit bias (once, within the first 2 years of licensure, since Jan 1, 2023) |
| Colorado | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Connecticut | No CE-hour minimum | 2 h mental health screening (e.g., PTSD, suicide risk, depression, grief) and suicide prevention: first renewal after Jan 1, 2022, then once every 6 years |
| Delaware | 30 contact hours every 2 years | 3 h substance abuse (every renewal); 1 h recognizing and responding to abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons, or child abuse reporting duties (every renewal) |
| District of Columbia | 24 contact hours every 2 years | 2 h LGBTQ cultural competency (every renewal); 2.5 h (10% of the hours) on DC Health public health priority topics (every renewal) |
| Florida | 24 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | 2 h prevention of medical errors (every renewal); 2 h Florida laws and rules (every renewal); 2 h human trafficking (every renewal); 2 h recognizing impairment in the workplace (every other renewal); 2 h domestic violence (every third renewal, in addition to the 24 h); 1 h HIV/AIDS (once, before first renewal) |
| Georgia | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Hawaii | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Idaho | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Illinois | 20 contact hours every 2 years | 1 h sexual harassment prevention (every renewal); 1 h implicit bias awareness (every renewal); 1 h cultural competency (since Jan 1, 2025; once every 6 years); 1 h Alzheimer's and other dementias (RNs caring for adults 26+); Mandated reporter training at least every 6 years (RNs who work with children) |
| Indiana | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Iowa | 36 contact hours every 3 years, or another route | Mandatory reporter training (HHS curriculum), within the previous 3 years: child abuse if you treat children, dependent adult abuse if you treat adults |
| Kansas | 30 contact hours every 2 years | None named |
| Kentucky | 14 contact hours every year, or another route | 3 h domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect and exploitation (once); 1.5 h pediatric abusive head trauma (once); 2 h suicide prevention, incl. 1 h nurse-specific content (once); 1 h Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (once; nurses licensed on July 15, 2024 must finish by Oct 31, 2027) |
| Louisiana | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Maine | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Maryland | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Massachusetts | 15 contact hours every 2 years | Domestic and sexual violence training (at least one training, M.G.L. c.112 s.264); Alzheimer's/dementia and cognitive impairment training (once; no set hours; RNs who serve adult populations) |
| Michigan | 25 contact hours every 2 years | 2 h pain and symptom management (every renewal); 2 h implicit bias (1 h per year of the license cycle, every renewal); Human trafficking training (once) |
| Minnesota | 24 contact hours every 2 years | None named |
| Mississippi | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Missouri | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Montana | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Nebraska | 20 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Nevada | 30 contact hours every 2 years | 4 h cultural competency (every renewal, since Jan 1, 2024); 4 h bioterrorism (once); 2 h HIV stigma and bias (once, within 2 years of starting emergency or primary care work) |
| New Hampshire | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| New Jersey | 30 contact hours every 2 years | 1 h prescription opioid drugs (every renewal); 1 h organ and tissue donation and recovery (once; met if covered in nursing school) |
| New Mexico | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| New York | No CE-hour minimum | Infection control coursework (every 4 years); Child abuse identification and reporting coursework (once, before first license) |
| North Carolina | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| North Dakota | 12 contact hours every 2 years | None named |
| Ohio | 24 contact hours every 2 years | 1 h Category A (Ohio Nurse Practice Act and rules), every renewal |
| Oklahoma | 24 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Oregon | No CE-hour minimum | 1 h pain management (Oregon Pain Management Commission course), within the last 36 months; 2 h cultural competency, within the last 48 months |
| Pennsylvania | 30 contact hours every 2 years | 2 h child abuse recognition and reporting (Department of Human Services-approved), every renewal, counts within the 30; 2 h organ and tissue donation (once, within 5 years of initial licensure or renewal; effective May 1, 2026), counts within the 30; 3 h child abuse training before initial licensure (once) |
| Rhode Island | 10 contact hours every 2 years | 2 h substance abuse, every renewal (within the 10); 1 h Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment (once; statutory deadline Oct 1, 2023) |
| South Carolina | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| South Dakota | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Tennessee | No CE-hour minimum (other renewal rules) | None named |
| Texas | 20 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | 2 h nursing jurisprudence and ethics, every third renewal (6 years); certification cannot substitute; 2 h older adult/geriatric care, every renewal, if practice includes older adults; HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course, every renewal, if providing direct patient care; 2 h forensic evidence collection, once, within 2 years of starting ER work (ER nurses only) |
| Utah | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Vermont | 20 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Virginia | 30 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
| Washington | 8 contact hours every year | 2 h health equity, every year (within the 8); 6 h suicide assessment, treatment and management (once, from the DOH model list), by the end of the first full year of licensure; counts toward the 8 h |
| West Virginia | 12 contact hours every 2 years | 3 h safe prescribing and drug diversion (once, within 1 year of initial license; waiver if not handling controlled substances) |
| Wisconsin | No CE-hour minimum | None named |
| Wyoming | 40 contact hours every 2 years, or another route | None named |
Track your hours with the free CEU tracker
Checked against each state Board of Nursing (latest check 2026-10-29). RN rules only; advanced-practice and LPN rules can differ. Confirm with your board before you renew. General information, not legal advice.