Registered Nurse (RN) Continuing Education Requirements by State
Registered Nurses provide direct patient care in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings. All US states require RNs to complete continuing education for license renewal. Compare requirements across all states below.
50
States Covered
20-40
Typical Hours Range
2 years
Most Common Cycle
NCSBN
National Body
Disclaimer: Requirements are set by each state's licensing board and may change. Always verify with your state board before making CE decisions.
National Overview
Registered Nurse (RN) requirements vary significantly by state, ranging from 20-40 hours per renewal cycle. Most states follow a 2 years cycle. The national coordinating body is NCSBN. Online CE is widely accepted, though some states impose limits on self-study hours.
All States Comparison
| State | Hours | Cycle | Online? | Key Topics | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 24 | 2 yr | Yes | Nurse Practice Act | View → |
| Alaska | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Continuing education content areas | View → |
| Arizona | 0 | 4 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Arkansas | 15 | 2 yr | Yes | Practice-focused continuing education | View → |
| California | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Implicit Bias, Gerontology / Dementia Care | View → |
| Colorado | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Connecticut | 2 | 6 yr | Yes | PTSD, Suicide Risk, Depression & Grief Screening and Suicide Prevention | View → |
| Delaware | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Substance Abuse, Abuse Recognition and Reporting | View → |
| Florida | 24 | 2 yr | Yes | Prevention of Medical Errors, Florida Laws and Rules | View → |
| Georgia | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Hawaii | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Idaho | 15 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Illinois | 20 | 2 yr | Yes | Sexual Harassment Prevention Training, Implicit Bias Awareness Training | View → |
| Indiana | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Iowa | 36 | 3 yr | Yes | Identification and Reporting of Child and Dependent Adult Abuse | View → |
| Kansas | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Kentucky | 14 | 1 yr | Yes | Domestic Violence, Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia | View → |
| Louisiana | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Maine | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Maryland | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Implicit Bias and Racism Training | View → |
| Massachusetts | 15 | 2 yr | Yes | Domestic and Sexual Violence Training, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care | View → |
| Michigan | 25 | 2 yr | Yes | Pain and Pain Symptom Management, Human Trafficking Identification | View → |
| Minnesota | 24 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Mississippi | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Missouri | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Montana | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Nebraska | 20 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Nevada | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Cultural Competency, Bioterrorism | View → |
| New Hampshire | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| New Jersey | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Prescription Opioid Drugs, Organ and Tissue Donation and Recovery | View → |
| New Mexico | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| New York | 4 | 3 yr | Yes | Infection Control and Barrier Precautions, Child Abuse and Maltreatment Mandated Reporter Training | View → |
| North Carolina | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| North Dakota | 12 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Ohio | 24 | 2 yr | Yes | Ohio Nurse Practice Act / Laws and Rules (Category A) | View → |
| Oklahoma | 24 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Oregon | 3 | 2 yr | Yes | Pain Management, Cultural Competency | View → |
| Pennsylvania | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting, Organ and Tissue Donation and Recovery Process | View → |
| Rhode Island | 10 | 2 yr | Yes | Substance Abuse, Alzheimer's Disease Training | View → |
| South Carolina | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| South Dakota | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Tennessee | Varies | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Texas | 20 | 2 yr | Yes | Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethics, Forensic Evidence Collection | View → |
| Utah | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Vermont | 20 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Virginia | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Washington | 8 | 1 yr | Yes | Health Equity, Suicide Prevention Training | View → |
| West Virginia | 12 | 2 yr | Yes | Safe Prescribing and Drug Diversion | View → |
| Wisconsin | None | — | — | — | View → |
| Wyoming | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |