Free State-by-State Nursing CE Checklist (2026)
One checklist for every state's nursing CE rules: required hours, renewal cycle, mandatory topics, your next deadline and a link to the board or state rule we used. Covers all 50 states plus DC for registered nurses. Deadlines calculated as of November 1, 2026.
- Find each state where you hold a license.
- Tick the box once your hours and mandatory topics are done.
- Confirm your exact expiration date on your license or Nursys QuickConfirm.
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The full checklist is free on this page, no sign-up needed: Download the printable PDF. Newsletter sent via Buttondown. Informational only; always confirm with your state board of nursing.
| ✓ | State | Required CE (RN) | Renewal cycle | Topic mandates | Next deadline (as of Nov 1, 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Alabama | 24 contact hours per 2-year period | Renewal Sep 1–Dec 31; RN even years (single-state), LPN odd years | New licensees: 4-hour Board-provided mandatory course before first renewal (prorated hours); APRN 6 pharm | RN (single-state): Dec 31, 2026, 4:30 p.m. (window Sep 1–Dec 31, even years). LPN: Dec 31, 2027 | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Alaska | 2 of these 3 every 2 years: 30 CE hours, 30 hours of professional activities, or 320 hours of nursing employment | Biennial; next RN deadline Nov 30, 2026 (RN licenses expire Nov 30 of even-numbered years; no grace period) | None specified by board | RN: Nov 30, 2026 (even years; no grace period) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Arizona | No CE; practice req: 960 hours in 5 years (or degree/refresher) | Every 4 years by April 1; late fee if you worked after May 2 without renewing | APRNs with DEA: 3 hours opioid/SUD CE | April 1 of your 4-year renewal year (individual) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Arkansas | 15 contact hours, a national certification, or an academic nursing course each 2-year renewal | Biennial, staggered by birth date (expires in birth month) | APRN prescriptive authority authority: +5 hours pharmacotherapeutics | Your birth month in your renewal year (individual) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | California | 30 contact hours every 2 years from a BRN-approved provider | Biennial; CE must be within preceding 2-year period; first renewal after NCLEX exempt except implicit bias | 1 hour implicit bias (for new licensees within first 2 years, BPC 2811.5); NPs with >25% patients 65+: 6 hours gerontology | Every 2 years, at the end of your birth month (first license runs for two birthdays). Check your exact date on BreEZe or Nursys QuickConfirm. | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Colorado | None required | RN expires Sep 30 (odd/even year by issue date); LPN Aug 31 | None | RN: Sep 30 of your renewal year (odd/even set by issue date); LPN: Aug 31 | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Connecticut | No general hours; 2 contact hours every 6 years | Annual, in birth month (first birth month after issuance) | 2 hours PTSD/suicide risk/depression/grief screening + suicide prevention, every 6 years | Your birth month, every year | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Delaware | 30 contact hours / 2 years + practice req (1,000 hours in 5 years or 400 in 2) | Biennial; RN Feb 28, May 31 or Sep 30 of odd years; LPN Feb 28 of even years | 3 hours substance abuse; 1 hour on recognizing and responding to abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons | RN: Feb 28, May 31 or Sep 30, 2027 (by renewal group). LPN: Feb 28, 2028 | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | District of Columbia | 24 contact hours / 2 years | RN: mid-April–June 30, even years; LPN: date printed on your license; first renewal exempt | 2 hours LGBTQ cultural competency; 10% on DC public-health priority topics | RN: June 30, 2028 (renewal opens mid-April of even years). LPN: check the date on your license or Nursys QuickConfirm. | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Florida | 24 contact hours every 2 years (16 general plus mandatory topics) | Biennial in 3 groups: Group 1 expires Apr 30 2028, Group 2 Jul 31 2028, Group 3 Apr 30 2027 | 2 medical errors, 2 FL laws and rules, 2 human trafficking (every renewal); 2 recognizing impairment (every other renewal); 2 domestic violence every 3rd biennium (extra); 1 HIV/AIDS one-time before first renewal | Group 3: Apr 30, 2027 · Group 1: Apr 30, 2028 · Group 2: Jul 31, 2028 | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Georgia | One of five options, such as 30 CE hours, a national certification, or 500 practice hours | Biennial; renew by Jan 31 of expiration year (late through Feb 28) | None specified by board | Jan 31 of your expiration year (late renewal through Feb 28) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Hawaii | One approved learning activity, most commonly 30 contact hours (or a national certification) | Biennial; current cycle Jul 1 2025–Jun 30 2027, renew by Jun 30 2027 | None specified by board | June 30, 2027 (cycle Jul 1, 2025–Jun 30, 2027) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Idaho | None | Biennial by Aug 31 of renewal year | None | Aug 31 of your renewal year | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Illinois | 20 hours / 2 years (first renewal exempt) | RN expires May 31 even years (2026 cycle Jun 1 2024–May 31 2026) | 1 hour implicit bias + 1 hour sexual harassment prevention (within 20); 1 hour cultural competency every 6 years (from Jan 1, 2025); 1 hour Alzheimer's/dementia (direct care of adults 26+); mandated reporter training every 6 years (nurses who work with children) | RN: May 31, 2028 (even years) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Indiana | None for RN/LPN | RN Oct 31 odd years; LPN Oct 31 even years | None (APRN prescriptive authority: 30 hours including 8 pharm) | RN: Oct 31, 2027 (odd years). LPN: Oct 31, 2028 (even years) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Iowa | 36 contact hours per 3-year renewal period (national certification or residency can count) | Every 3 years; expires the 15th of your birth month (renew up to 60 days early) | Child abuse and/or dependent adult mandatory reporter course (2 hours each) if applicable to practice | 15th of your birth month (individual) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Kansas | 30 contact hours per licensing period | Biennial; last day of birth month (odd/even year matches birth year) | None specified by board | Last day of your birth month (odd/even year matches birth year) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Kentucky | 14 contact hours per Nov 1–Oct 31 earning period is one of several ways to meet the annual requirement (201 KAR 20:215 §3) | Annual; CE complete by Oct 31 | One-time (generally within 3 years of licensure): 3 hours domestic violence and elder abuse, 1.5 hours pediatric abusive head trauma, 2 hours suicide prevention, 1 hour Alzheimer's/dementia (active licensees on July 15, 2024: by Oct 31, 2027) | Oct 31, 2027 (annual; CE earning period Nov 1, 2026–Oct 31, 2027) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Louisiana | 30 contact hours / 2 years or 900 practice hours (employer-verified) | 2-year licensure period; renewal season ends Jan 31 | None specified by board for RN renewal | Renewal season ends Jan 31 (2-year licensure period; check your renewal year) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Maine | None | Biennial, on or before birthday | None | On or before your birthday in your renewal year (individual) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Maryland | One of: 1,000 practice hours in 5 years, a nursing program in 5 years, or 30 CEUs in 2 years | Biennial; expires 28th of birth month (odd/even year matches birth year) | One-time structural racism training at your first renewal after April 1, 2026, plus implicit bias training if you didn't complete it for a prior renewal (Health Occ. §1-225) | 28th of your birth month (odd/even year matches birth year) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Massachusetts | 15 contact hours / 2 years | RN: birthday in even years; LPN: birthday in odd years; first renewal exempt | One-time domestic and sexual violence training (Chapter 260); one-time training on caring for patients with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's and dementia, if you serve adult populations (Chapter 220 of 2018) | RN: your birthday in even years. LPN: your birthday in odd years | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Michigan | 25 hours / 2 years | Biennial | 2 hours pain management; implicit bias 1 hour/year; one-time human trafficking | See state board | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Minnesota | 24 contact hours / 24 months | Two-year registration, set from your birth month and year | None specified by board | Set from your birth month and year (individual) | Board source · Deadline sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Mississippi | None routine (20 hours only if not practicing >5 years) | Biennial; RN expires Dec 31 of even years (renewal opens Jul 1) | None | RN: Dec 31, 2026 (even years; renewal opened Jul 1) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Missouri | None | RN expires Apr 30 odd years | None | RN: Apr 30, 2027 (odd years) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Montana | None (former 24-hour req removed) | Biennial by Dec 31 (odd/even by license) | None | Dec 31 of your renewal year (odd/even by license) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Nebraska | 20 contact hours / 2 years + 500 practice hours / 5 years (or alternatives) | RN licenses expire Oct 31 of even-numbered years | None specified by board | RN: Oct 31, 2028 (even years) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Nevada | 30 hours / 2 years | Biennial | 4 hours cultural competency/DEI each cycle; one-time 4-hour bioterrorism; 2 hours HIV stigma for some EMS/primary care | Your birthday, every 2 years (first license may be shorter). Renewal opens 60 days before; no grace period. | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | New Hampshire | 30 contact hours / 2 years + 400 practice hours / 4 years | Biennial, by midnight on birthday | None specified by board | By midnight on your birthday in your renewal year (individual) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | New Jersey | 30 contact hours / 2 years | Biennial | 1 hour opioids each cycle; 1 hour organ/tissue donation one-time | See state board | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | New Mexico | 30 contact hours / 24 months (cert may substitute) | Biennial (CE in 24 months before expiration) | None specified by board | End of your birth month, every 2 years (first license runs to your birth month after its first anniversary) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | New York | No general CE-hour requirement; mandated trainings only (see topics) | Registration every 3 years | Infection control coursework every 4 years (all RNs/LPNs, or exemption); child abuse identification and reporting (2 hours, one-time, RNs). Updated mandated-reporter curriculum (children with intellectual or developmental disabilities) due by Nov 17, 2026; a 15-minute addendum works if you trained between 11/1/2022 and 8/31/2025. | Updated mandated-reporter training: Nov 17, 2026. Registration: every 3 years; date on your registration certificate. | Board source · Deadline sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | North Carolina | One of 8 options, for example 30 contact hours | Biennial; by last day of birth month | None specified by board | Last day of your birth month in your renewal year (individual) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | North Dakota | 12 contact hours in the past 2 years, plus 400 hours of nursing practice in the past 4 years (first renewal after NCLEX exempt from CE) | Biennial; CE before renewal | None mandated by board | Dec 31 of your license's expiration year (licenses run 2 calendar years; check whether yours ends Dec 31, 2026 or 2027) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Ohio | 24 contact hours / 2 years including 1 hour Category A | Biennial; RN odd years, LPN even years; apply by Sep 15 (late fee Sep 16–Oct 31); license lapses Nov 1; first renewal after NCLEX exempt | 1 hour Category A (Ohio law/rules) | RN: Oct 31, 2027 (odd years). LPN: Oct 31, 2028 (even years) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Oklahoma | One of: 520 work hours, 24 CE hours, a certification, a refresher course, or 6 academic credit hours in 2 years | Biennial | None specified by board | RN: last day of your birth month in even-numbered years. LPN: odd-numbered years. | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Oregon | No general CE hours until 2028 (practice-hour requirement ended Jan 1, 2026); starting Jan 1, 2028, 20 CE hours for renewal | Biennial | 1 hour pain management (36 mo); 2 hours cultural competency (48 mo) | Before 11:59 p.m. on your birthday, every 2 years (odd years if born in an odd year, even if even) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Pennsylvania | 30 hours / 2 years | Biennial | 2 hours child abuse recognition and reporting | April 30 or October 31 of your renewal year, every 2 years (49 Pa. Code §21.29); check the date on your license | Board source · Deadline sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Rhode Island | 10 hours / 2 years | Biennial | 2 hours substance abuse; 1 hour Alzheimer's disease training (once per career, since Aug 1, 2019) | March 1 every 2 years (odd/even year set by your original license); apply by Feb 15 | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | South Carolina | One of: 30 contact hours, a certification, academic credit, or employer-verified competency | Biennial; 2026 window Feb 1–Apr 30 | None mandated by board | Next window Feb 1–Apr 30, 2028 (biennial; 2026 window was Feb 1–Apr 30) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | South Dakota | No CE; practice 140 hours in any 12 mo or 480 hours in 6 years | Biennial, on birth date (2nd calendar year after issuance) | None | Your birth date, 2nd calendar year after issuance (individual) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Tennessee | At least 2 continued-competence items every 2 years; one option is 10 contact hours of CE (others include employer evaluation, certification, volunteer work) | Biennial | None specified by board | Last day of your birth month, every 2 years | Board source · Deadline sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Texas | 20 contact hours every 2 years or a board-approved national certification | Expires last day of birth month (odd years if born in an odd year, even if even). First renewal: CE (including targeted CE) waived if you renew on time or within 90 days after expiration. Since Sept 1, 2026: enter your CE in the CE Module of your Texas Nurse Portal before you submit renewal. | 2 hours jurisprudence and ethics every 3rd period (all); HHSC-approved human trafficking course each period (direct care); 2 hours geriatric if practice includes older adults; 2 hours forensic evidence (one-time, ER nurses) | Last day of your birth month (odd years if born in an odd year, even if even) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Utah | One of: 400 practice hours, 200 practice hours plus 15 CE hours, or 30 CE hours every 2 years | Biennial; RN expires Jan 31 of odd years, LPN Jan 31 of even years | One DOPL-listed online suicide-prevention training (0.5 credit) before each renewal | RN: Jan 31, 2027 (odd years). LPN: Jan 31, 2028 (even years) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Vermont | One of: 400 practice hours in 2 years, 960 in 5 years, 20 CE hours in 2 years, or a certification | Biennial; date printed on your license (renewal opens 6 weeks before) | None specified by board | RN: March 31, 2027 (odd years). LPN: January 31, 2028 (even years). Your date is printed on your license. | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Virginia | 15 contact hours + 640 practice hours per cycle (one option) | Biennial; last day of birth month (odd/even year matches birth year) | None specified by board | Last day of your birth month (odd/even year matches birth year) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
| ☐ | Washington | 8 CE hours + 96 practice hours every year | Annual, by birthday | 2 hours health equity (within 8); one-time 6-hour suicide prevention | Your birthday, every year | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | West Virginia | 12 contact hours / 2 years | Biennial; RN renewal May 1–June 30 of even years | New RNs: 3 hours safe prescribing and drug diversion within 1 year of initial license (waiver if you didn't prescribe, administer or dispense controlled substances) | RN: June 30, 2028 (even years) | Board source · Deadline sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Wisconsin | None | Biennial; RN renew by end of Feb in even years, LPN by Apr 30 of odd years | None | RN: Feb 29, 2028 (even years). LPN: Apr 30, 2027 (odd years) | Board source · Deadline sourceLast verified 2026-10-17 |
| ☐ | Wyoming | One of these in the past 2 years: 400 practice hours, 40 CE hours, passing NCLEX, a refresher course, or a higher nursing degree | Biennial, all licenses renew in even years Oct 1–Dec 31 | None (APRN prescriptive authority: 3 hours controlled substances) | Dec 31, 2026 (all licenses; window Oct 1–Dec 31, even years) | Board sourceLast verified 2026-10-16 |
Informational only, not legal or professional advice. Rules are summarized from each state board of nursing or state rule, linked in each row, and were last checked Oct 16–31, 2026. Requirements change, so always confirm with your board before you renew. 'Next deadline' is calculated from each board's published rule as of November 1, 2026; where it depends on your birthday, issue date or license, check your license, renewal notice or Nursys QuickConfirm. APRN and LPN/LVN rules differ and are on each state page.
Get CE rule changes and renewal reminders
Join the free NurseCETracker newsletter for CE rule changes and upcoming renewal deadlines. One click to unsubscribe.
The full checklist is free on this page, no sign-up needed: Download the printable PDF. Newsletter sent via Buttondown. Informational only; always confirm with your state board of nursing.