NurseCETracker

Last verified 2026-10-17 against official board sources · Spot an error?

A contact hour is the unit nursing boards count, but its length depends on your state: Illinois counts 60 minutes, while Kentucky and Connecticut define it as 50 minutes. A CEU is ten times bigger: by the IACET definition, 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours. If your board asks for 24 contact hours, 2.4 CEUs would cover it.

Conversion table

UnitEqualsSource
1 CEU10 contact hoursIACET: About the CEU
1 contact hour (Illinois)60 minutes = 1 CEIllinois IDFPR RN CE FAQ
1 contact hour (Kentucky)50 minutes201 KAR 20:215 §1(1)
1 contact hour (Connecticut)at least 50 minutes of instructionCT DPH nursing CE page
Illinois units1 semester hour = 15 contact hours; 1 academic quarter hour = 12.5; 1 CME, CNE or AMA credit = 1 contact hourIllinois IDFPR RN CE FAQ
California units1 academic quarter unit = 10 contact hours; 1 semester unit = 15California BRN CE page
Iowa mandatory reporter course2 contact hours (certificate shows 2.4 social work credits)Iowa DIAL

Always convert to your board's definition. A provider's "CEU" label may mean contact hours, so check the certificate.

How many contact hours is 1 CEU?

One CEU equals 10 contact hours under the IACET definition, which dates to a 1970 national task force. So 0.1 CEU is one contact hour, and a 3-CEU course is 30 contact hours. Nursing boards count contact hours, so convert any CEU figure before you count it toward your renewal.

Are CEUs and contact hours the same thing?

No, though people often use the words interchangeably. A contact hour is a single unit of learning time, and a CEU is ten contact hours. Some providers label courses CEUs when they mean contact hours. Your certificate should list contact hours: that's the figure to report to your board or to CE Broker.

Can nurses use CME credits for CE?

Sometimes. Illinois treats one CME credit, or one AMA credit, as one contact hour for nurses. Other boards accept only nursing-accredited or board-approved courses. Check your own board's approved-provider rule before you count physician CME, especially for mandatory topics that need a specifically approved course, such as Pennsylvania's child abuse hours.

Nursing CE terms, A to Z by topic

Contact hour
The unit boards use to count CE time. Its length depends on the state: Illinois counts 60 minutes, Kentucky defines it as 50 minutes of an approved, organized learning experience, and Connecticut as at least 50 minutes of instruction. (source)
CEU (continuing education unit)
A unit equal to 10 contact hours under the IACET definition. In everyday use, "CEUs" often just means CE courses, so check whether a course's figure is CEUs or contact hours. (source)
CNE (continuing nursing education)
CE designed for nurses. Illinois counts 1 CNE as 1 contact hour, and Texas accepts CNE approved by the credentialing agencies it lists, such as ANCC. (source)
CME (continuing medical education)
CE designed for physicians. Illinois counts 1 CME credit as 1 contact hour for nurses; other boards may not accept it, so check your board's approved-provider rule. (source)
ANCC accreditation
Accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Illinois lists ANCC-accredited or approved providers among its accepted sources, and Texas accepts CNE approved by ANCC. Check your own board's list rather than assuming every state accepts it. (source)
Approved provider
A provider your board accepts. Some topics need a specifically approved course: Pennsylvania's child abuse hours, Texas's HHSC-approved human trafficking course and Iowa's mandatory reporter course. (source)
Mandatory topic
A subject a state requires, such as human trafficking or child abuse reporting, often inside the total hours. Topic guides.
One-time requirement
A course completed once per license or career rather than every renewal, such as Rhode Island's 1 hour of Alzheimer's training per career or Kentucky's one-time dementia hour. (source)
Renewal period / earning period
The window your CE must fall in. Kentucky's earning period runs November 1 through October 31 of the current licensure period. Renewal dates by state. (source)
First-renewal exemption
Some states waive CE for the first renewal after licensure by exam. Rules vary: California waives other CE but still requires its implicit bias hour for RNs in their first two years. (source)
Pharmacology hours
CE on drug content that some states require of APRNs. Separately, the federal MATE Act required a one-time 8 hours of substance use disorder training for DEA-registered practitioners. (source)
CE Broker
A CE tracking platform some boards use to check CE. See the CE Broker states guide for which ones we track. CE Broker states.
Audit
A board request for your CE certificates after renewal. Minnesota, for example, asks for CE documents only if you're selected for an audit. Keep certificates for your state's retention period, such as Texas's 3 licensing periods or 6 years. (source)
Lapsed, expired and inactive
Terms differ by state. In Minnesota, a license that isn't renewed by the expiration date must go through reregistration, which has different rules from renewal. Lapsed license guide. (source)
Multistate license (NLC)
One license from your home state that lets you practice in other compact states. CE follows your home state's rules. It covers RN and LPN/VN licenses, not APRN licenses. NLC compact states. (source)
Nursys, QuickConfirm and e-Notify
NCSBN's national nurse license database. QuickConfirm is a free license lookup, and e-Notify is free for nurses and sends expiration reminders, 60 days ahead by default. (source)

FAQ

How many contact hours is 1 CEU?

One CEU equals 10 contact hours under the IACET definition. Nursing boards count contact hours, so convert CEUs before reporting them.

How long is a nursing contact hour?

It depends on the state. Illinois counts 60 minutes, while Kentucky and Connecticut define a contact hour as 50 minutes. Use your board's definition.

What is the difference between CNE and CEU?

CNE is continuing education designed for nurses, usually measured in contact hours. A CEU is a unit of measure equal to 10 contact hours.

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