West Virginia Registered Nurse (RN) Continuing Education Requirements
Requirements Overview
West Virginia requires only 12 contact hours of continuing education per biennial renewal cycle, placing it among the states with the lightest CE requirements for registered nurses. The Board uses CE Broker as its official tracking system, with compliance electronically verified at renewal — no manual certificate submission required unless audited.
Newly licensed RNs have a reduced first-renewal requirement: just 3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion, to be completed within one year of initial licensure. A waiver is available for new nurses who did not prescribe, administer, or dispense controlled substances during that period.
RN licenses expire June 30 of even years, with the renewal window running from May 1 to June 30. CE hours cannot be carried forward to the next reporting period. West Virginia is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Prescribing and Drug Diversion | 3 | First renewal |
First Renewal vs. Standard Renewal
Exemptions
- Exemption — Newly licensed RNs who did not prescribe, administer, or dispense controlled substances within 1 year of initial license may request a CE waiver for the drug diversion training requirement.
- Exemption — No CE requirements if license is placed on inactive/retired status prior to expiration date, or if license lapses.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Provider Requirements
Board-approved CE providers include: national APRN organizations (AANPCB, AMCB, ANCC, NCC, PNCB), national/state nursing associations (ANA, WVNA, AANA), any State Board of Nursing in the U.S., and any provider accredited by ANCC. CE Broker is the official tracking system.
Tips for West Virginia RNs
- Set up your CE Broker account early. West Virginia electronically verifies CE compliance at renewal, so your hours need to be in the system before you submit.
- With only 12 hours required, focus on high-impact courses relevant to your daily practice rather than spreading across random topics.
- Newly licensed nurses: complete your 3-hour drug diversion training within one year of licensure. If you didn't handle controlled substances, apply for the waiver instead.
- Do not send CE certificates with your renewal application. West Virginia only wants documentation if you're selected for a random audit. Keep certificates for 2 years after reporting.