Nursing CE Requirements by State

How Nursing CE Renewal Works

Every state board of nursing sets its own continuing education rules. Most require between 15 and 30 contact hours per renewal cycle (typically every 2 years), with several states also mandating specific contact hours on designated topics — opioid prescribing, domestic violence, implicit bias, and jurisprudence are common examples.

Acceptable courses must come from a board-approved provider. Most state boards accept providers accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), along with state nursing associations and approved universities. Some states (notably Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina) use CE Broker — a centralized electronic reporting system where approved providers submit your completed hours directly to the board.

Several states have moved to a continued competency model that lets nurses satisfy the requirement through a mix of CE hours, employer attestation, certification, or active practice. Use the calculator above to see the specific options accepted in your state.

What Counts as Nursing Continuing Education?

Acceptable continuing education depends on board approval, not just the topic. The most widely-accepted approval routes are:

• ANCC accredited providers

  Recognized in every state. CE Ready is ANCC-accredited (Provider P0986).

• State nursing associations

  E.g. CNA, FNA, TNA — typically the gold standard for state-specific topics like jurisprudence.

• National certification

  Holding (or maintaining) credentials like CCRN, CEN, MEDSURG-BC often satisfies all or part of CE in select states.

• University coursework

  Accredited graduate-level nursing courses convert to CE on a contact-hour-equivalent basis.

Continuing medical education (CME) credits from physician-focused providers do not automatically count as nursing CE in most states. When in doubt, verify the provider against your state board's approved-provider list before paying.