RN licenses expire on a fixed cycle — typically every two years, though New York uses three years and Arizona uses four. To renew, you complete a state-mandated number of continuing education (CE) hours, submit your renewal application through your state’s online portal, and pay the renewal fee. Most states require between 20 and 30 CE hours per renewal cycle, but the specifics — mandatory topics, acceptable providers, fee amounts, and late penalties — vary significantly.
Quick answers:
- Most RN licenses renew every 2 years; NY renews every 3 years, AZ every 4 years
- CE hours range from 0 (Arizona, Colorado) to 30 (California, NC, NJ, VA) per cycle
- If you hold a compact (multistate) license, you renew only in your primary state of residence — not in every compact state where you practice
- A lapsed license means you cannot legally practice — there is no grace period in most states that allows continued practice
- Start the renewal process 90 days before your expiration date; most state portals open the renewal window at that point
Which renewal situation applies to you?
Before you log into any portal, identify your scenario. The rules and the portal you use are entirely different depending on your license type and home state.
| Your situation | What this means for renewal |
|---|---|
| You hold a compact (multistate) license and your home state is an NLC member | Renew through your home state only. One renewal covers practice in all 43 NLC jurisdictions. See the compact renewal section below. |
| You hold a single-state license in a compact state | Renew in your home state per home state rules. You are not covered in other compact states — to gain multistate coverage, contact your home board about converting to a multistate license. |
| You hold a license in a non-compact state (CA, NY, IL, MI, MN, AK, HI, NV, OR, WA, DC) | Renew in each state individually. Non-compact states cannot issue multistate licenses regardless of how many years you have practiced there. |
| You hold multiple state licenses (travel nurse or previous cross-state jobs) | Each non-compact state license has its own renewal deadline and CE requirements. Track them separately — they are not synchronized. See the travel nurse section below. |
| Your license has lapsed (expired without renewal) | Stop practicing immediately. You must complete reinstatement, not standard renewal. See the lapse section below. |
| You are on active military deployment | Most states offer a CE waiver and/or fee waiver during deployment. Contact your home state board before your expiration date. See the military section below. |
State CE requirements table
CE requirements vary more than most nurses expect. The table below covers 15 major states with verified 2026 data. For states not listed, visit your state board of nursing directly or search “[state] board of nursing license renewal.”
How to read this table: “Mandatory topics” are required CE subjects — you must complete these hours within the total CE requirement, not in addition to it, unless noted otherwise. “Nursys” in the portal column indicates the state participates in the Nursys electronic license verification and CE tracking system.
| State | Renewal cycle | CE hours required | Mandatory CE topics | Renewal fee (approx.) | Portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2 years | 30 hours | Implicit bias (1 hr, first cycle after initial license); gerontology (6 hrs if >25% of patients are 65+) | $190 | BreEZe (breeze.ca.gov) |
| Texas | 2 years (expires end of birth month) | 20 hours | Jurisprudence & ethics (2 hrs every 3rd cycle); human trafficking prevention (each cycle, direct care RNs); APRNs add 5 hrs pharmacotherapeutics | $68 | bon.texas.gov |
| Florida | 2 years | 24 hours | Prevention of medical errors (2 hrs); FL laws & rules (2 hrs); human trafficking (2 hrs); recognizing impairment in the workplace (2 hrs, every other renewal); domestic violence (2 hrs, every 3rd renewal); HIV/AIDS (1 hr, one-time before first renewal) | $75 | flhealthsource.gov |
| New York | 3 years | 4 hours (mandatory topics only) | Child abuse identification & reporting (2 hrs each cycle); infection control & barrier precautions (per Education Law §6505-b, every 4 years) | $73 | eservices.nysed.gov |
| Illinois | 2 years (expires May 31) | 20 hours | Sexual harassment prevention (1 hr); implicit bias training (1 hr) | $80 | idfpr.illinois.gov |
| Ohio | 2 years | 24 hours | No specific mandatory topics for RNs (verify with Ohio Board of Nursing) | ~$65 | nursing.ohio.gov |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | 30 hours | Child abuse recognition & reporting (required); organ/tissue donation (2 hrs, one-time within 5 years) | $122 | pals.pa.gov |
| Washington | 1 year (annual renewal) | 8 hours per year | Health equity CE (2 hrs per year) | ~$138 | doh.wa.gov |
| Arizona | 4 years (expires April 1) | No CE required; must show 960 practice hours in prior 5 years (or meet one of 3 alternative criteria) | N/A (APRNs with DEA license: 3 hrs opioid/substance use) | ~$100 | azbn.gov |
| North Carolina | 2 years | 30 hours | No universal mandatory topics for RNs (verify with NCBON) | $100 | ncbon.com |
| Georgia | 2 years (expires January 31) | 30 hours (or meet one of 5 competency options, e.g., active national certification) | No specific mandatory topics | $65 | sos.ga.gov |
| Virginia | 2 years | 30 hours (or 640 practice hours + 15 CE hrs, or active national certification) | No universal mandatory topics for RNs | $140 | dhp.virginia.gov |
| Colorado | 2 years (expires September 30) | No CE required (must show competency if no practice hours in prior 2 years) | N/A | $108 | dpo.colorado.gov |
| Minnesota | 2 years | 24 hours | No specific mandatory topics for RNs (verify with MN Board of Nursing) | $85 | mn.gov/boards/nursing |
| New Jersey | 2 years (expires May 31) | 30 hours | Opioid prescribing/pain management (each renewal); organ donation (one-time) | $120 | newjersey.mylicense.com |
Fee amounts are approximate and subject to change. Always verify on your state board’s official website before submitting payment.
Step-by-step renewal process
The sequence below applies to standard on-time renewal in most states. Compact and lapsed-license situations have different steps — see those sections.
Step 1 – Find your expiration date. Log into your state board’s license lookup or your Nursys profile at nursys.com. Your license card or wallet card should also show it. Do not rely on memory — check the official record.
Step 2 – Identify your CE requirements. Look up your state’s current requirements on the official board website, not a third-party CE vendor (vendors have an incentive to overstate requirements). Confirm total hours, mandatory topics, and approved provider criteria.
Step 3 – Audit your completed CE. Gather certificates from the current renewal period. Confirm each course was from a board-approved or ANCC-accredited provider. Confirm mandatory topics are covered. If you have gaps, fill them before the 90-day window opens.
Step 4 – Verify your CE provider is approved. ANCC-accredited CE is universally accepted by state boards, with limited exceptions (California requires BRN-approved providers specifically; always double-check for your state). Online CE platforms vary — look for ANCC Provider Accreditation or state board approval on the course page before you start.
Step 5 – Log in to your state portal and start the renewal application. Most portals open the renewal window 60–90 days before expiration. You will be asked to attest to completed CE, confirm your address and employer information, and answer background-check questions about any changes since your last renewal.
Step 6 – Update your address and employer if you’ve moved. State boards mail renewal notices and important correspondence to the address on file. An outdated address is one of the most common reasons nurses miss renewal deadlines. Update your address in the portal even if you are not renewing yet.
Step 7 – Pay the renewal fee. Fees range from approximately $65 (Georgia) to $190 (California). Most portals accept credit/debit card payment. Print or save your payment confirmation.
Step 8 – Confirm renewal and save documentation. After submission, download your renewed license certificate or wallet card. Save CE certificates for audit purposes — most states require you to retain them for 2–4 years even though you do not submit them with your renewal application (they are self-reported with audit capability).
What CE counts toward renewal
Most state boards accept CE from any of the following sources, provided the provider is board-approved or holds ANCC Provider Accreditation:
| CE type | Generally accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online courses from ANCC-accredited providers | Yes – all states except CA (requires BRN approval) | Check the course page for "ANCC Provider" logo or state approval statement |
| Nursing conferences and workshops | Yes | Must receive a certificate of attendance with contact hours listed; track ANCC accreditation status of the sponsor |
| Hospital in-service training | Yes, if documented | Must have a CE certificate showing contact hours; undocumented training does not count |
| Academic coursework (college credit) | Yes | 1 semester credit hour ≈ 15 contact hours; 1 quarter credit hour ≈ 10 contact hours |
| Nursing journal articles with post-test | Yes, if ANCC-accredited | Many professional journals (AJCC, Nursing2026, Medscape Nursing) offer board-approved CE credit per article |
| Employer-mandated online compliance training | Varies | General HR compliance (harassment, HIPAA privacy awareness) usually does not carry CE credit. Clinical skills modules often do — check the completion certificate |
| Basic CPR/BLS renewal alone | No | CPR renewal is not nursing CE. ACLS, PALS, and NRP may carry CE credit if the course is offered through an ANCC-accredited provider — verify before assuming |
| New employee orientation | No | Orientation training is not CE regardless of clinical content. Exceptions apply only if the hospital delivers it through a formal ANCC-accredited CE program with individual certificates issued |
On mandatory CE subcategories: Several states require CE hours in specific clinical or regulatory topics. Pharmacology, pain management, opioid prescribing, substance use disorders, and drug diversion are the most common mandatory categories — particularly for APRNs. For RNs, the most prevalent mandatory topics are human trafficking (FL, TX, NY, NJ), medical error prevention (FL), child abuse recognition (PA, NY), and jurisprudence/ethics (TX). If your state has mandatory topics, those hours must come from courses that specifically address that topic — a general pharmacology review does not satisfy a “drug diversion awareness” requirement unless the course content covers diversion explicitly.
Compact license renewal mechanics
If you hold a multistate (eNLC) license, the renewal rules are different in one critical way: you renew through your primary state of residence only.
Your primary state of residence (PSOR) is the state where you claim legal domicile — where you vote, hold a driver’s license, and file state income taxes. The compact license is issued by your PSOR and governed by your PSOR’s renewal requirements. When you renew, you complete your PSOR’s CE requirements, pay your PSOR’s renewal fee, and use your PSOR’s online portal. The renewal automatically remains valid in all 43 NLC jurisdictions.
Secondary compact states where you practice have no renewal role. You do not file in those states, pay fees to those states, or report CE to those states.
What happens when you change your primary state of residence:
If you move from one compact state to another, you must apply for a new multistate license in your new home state within 60 days of establishing residence. Your previous state’s multistate license becomes invalid for practice in your new home state once you declare it as your PSOR. During the transition period, retain documentation of your move date in case of a licensing audit.
If you move from a compact state to a non-compact state, your multistate license becomes invalid for non-compact practice. You will need to obtain a single-state license in your new non-compact home state by endorsement. See the nursing license by endorsement guide for the endorsement process.
For a full overview of which states are in the compact and how multistate licensure works, see the nursing compact license guide.
License lapse and reinstatement
What lapse means: A lapsed license is one that expired without a completed renewal. This happens when a nurse misses the renewal deadline — either because CE was not completed in time, the renewal application was not submitted, or the fee was not paid. A lapsed license is not a suspended or revoked license; there is no disciplinary finding attached. It is simply expired.
The critical rule: You cannot legally practice nursing with a lapsed license. There is no state in the US where continued practice after license expiration is permitted. Practicing on a lapsed license exposes you to criminal charges, civil liability, and disciplinary action that can permanently complicate future licensure — including reinstatement being denied. If you discover your license has lapsed, stop practicing and contact your state board immediately.
Grace periods — and what they do and don’t mean:
Some states offer a post-expiration window during which you can renew with a late fee without going through formal reinstatement. This is not permission to practice during the grace period — it is an administrative convenience that avoids the full reinstatement process.
- States with no grace period for continued practice: Texas (no grace period at all — $60–$120 late fees apply, reinstatement required immediately), California (no grace period), Missouri
- States with a short post-expiration renewal window: Michigan (60 days), Georgia (30 days), New Jersey (30 days)
- States with longer windows: Some states allow 1–2 years before requiring full reinstatement; requirements escalate the longer the lapse
Contact your state board to confirm the current policy before assuming any window applies to your situation.
Reinstatement vs. reactivation:
These are different processes with different triggers:
- Reinstatement applies when a license expired involuntarily (you missed the deadline)
- Reactivation applies when you voluntarily placed your license in inactive or retired status
The requirements differ, and the terminology used on state board websites varies. If you are unsure which category applies, call the board directly and describe your situation.
Reinstatement process:
For a lapse of less than one renewal cycle, most states require you to complete all outstanding CE, pay the standard renewal fee plus a late/reinstatement fee, and submit a completed reinstatement application. No hearing is typically required for short lapses with no accompanying disciplinary history.
For lapses of 2 or more years, many states require additional steps: a board-approved refresher course (includes both classroom and clinical components, typically 80–150 hours), additional background check, and sometimes a board appearance. A few states require re-examination for lapses exceeding 5 years. Check your state board’s specific reinstatement rules before starting — the requirements are materially different from standard renewal.
Travel nurse multi-license renewal
Travel nurses holding licenses in multiple states face a tracking problem. Each non-compact state license has its own expiration date, its own renewal cycle, its own CE requirements, and its own portal. They do not synchronize, and missing one renewal is easy when you are working a 13-week assignment in a different state.
What the compact covers: If your home state is an NLC member and you hold a multistate license, all 43 compact jurisdictions are covered by your one renewal. Non-compact state licenses — California, New York, Illinois, and the others — require separate renewal regardless of your compact status.
Recommended tracking approach: Build a simple spreadsheet or use a license management app with the following columns for each state license you hold:
- State and license number
- Expiration date
- CE hours required per cycle
- CE hours completed (running total)
- Mandatory topics and whether they are satisfied
- Renewal fee
- Portal URL
- 90-day advance reminder date
Set calendar reminders 90 days before each expiration date. This is the point when most portals open the renewal window and when you need to confirm your CE is on track. Waiting until 30 days out often means scrambling to complete CE in time.
For the initial licensing process when you need to add a new state license for a travel assignment, see the nursing license by endorsement guide and the nursing license guide for the NCLEX and initial licensing steps.
Military and military spouse exemptions
Most states offer some form of CE waiver or renewal fee waiver for nurses on active military deployment. The exemptions vary in scope:
Common provisions across most states:
- Active-duty members called to deployment can request a CE waiver for the renewal period during which they are deployed
- The waiver is not automatic — you must submit a request with documentation (deployment orders) to your state board before or shortly after your license expiration date
- Fee waivers are offered separately from CE waivers and are not universal
State-specific provisions worth knowing:
- California: The BRN waives both CE and renewal fee requirements for active-duty military. Request must be submitted while on active duty. Full renewal requirements apply once separated.
- Florida: Active-duty members with a Florida license in good standing before deployment are exempt from renewal requirements for the duration of active duty plus six months after discharge. The same exemption covers military spouses absent from Florida due to the service member’s duty assignment.
- Texas and North Carolina: Both have specific military exception statutes. TX BON accepts deployment orders as documentation for waiver requests. NC BON similarly accommodates active-duty renewal extensions.
- South Carolina: Active-duty nurses seeking a CE or fee exemption cannot renew online — they must request a paper application from the Board.
Federal military nurses: Nurses employed by the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, or other federal agencies practice under federal authority and are exempt from state licensure requirements when practicing within their official federal role. This exemption does not extend to off-duty civilian nursing employment.
The NCSBN maintains a military resource page at ncsbn.org with current state-by-state military accommodation data. Always verify with your specific state board rather than relying on general summaries — military provisions are updated by state legislatures periodically.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Waiting until the last minute. CE can take time to find, complete, and document. Starting 90 days out gives you enough runway to complete mandatory topics before the renewal window opens. Starting 30 days out often creates a rush.
Using an unapproved CE provider. Not every online CE platform has ANCC accreditation. If the course does not display board approval or ANCC Provider Accreditation, the hours may not count. Check the provider’s accreditation before purchasing, not after completing the course.
Forgetting mandatory CE subcategories. You can complete 30 hours of general clinical CE and still have an incomplete renewal if you missed a required topic. Identify your state’s mandatory topics at the start of the renewal period, not the end.
Confusing compact renewal with individual state renewal. RNs with multistate licenses sometimes attempt to renew in states where they work (secondary compact states) instead of their home state. Secondary compact states will not process this renewal — you must go through your PSOR’s board. Conversely, some nurses renew only in their home state and assume this covers their separately-held non-compact state license (California, New York, etc.). It does not.
Not updating your address. State boards send renewal reminders and license documents to the address on file. If you’ve moved, update your address in the board’s system immediately — even between renewal cycles. Most boards have a simple online address-change function that takes two minutes.
Assuming lapse = suspension. A lapsed license carries no disciplinary finding on its own. But the consequences of practicing while lapsed are serious — don’t. Complete reinstatement before returning to work, and document the timeline carefully in case any employer or future licensing board inquires.
Frequently asked questions
How often do I need to renew my RN license? Most states require renewal every two years. New York renews every three years. Arizona renews every four years. Washington state renews annually. Your renewal date is typically tied to your birth month or a fixed calendar date set at the time of initial licensure.
How many CE hours do I need to renew my RN license? It depends on your state. The range is 0 to 30 hours per renewal cycle. Arizona and Colorado require no CE hours (practice hours or competency demonstration instead). California, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia require 30 hours. Most states fall between 20 and 30 hours. Some states also require specific mandatory topics within those totals.
What happens if my nursing license expires? Your license enters lapsed status and you cannot legally practice. You must complete reinstatement — which may include completing overdue CE hours, paying late fees, submitting a reinstatement application, and potentially completing a board-approved refresher course if the lapse extends beyond one to two years.
Can I practice nursing with an expired license? No. Practicing with an expired license is illegal in all 50 states and US territories. It can result in criminal charges, civil liability, employment termination, and disciplinary action that complicates future licensure. If you discover your license has lapsed, stop practicing immediately and contact your state board.
Do I need to renew my license in every state where I’m licensed? If you hold a multistate (compact) license, you renew through your primary state of residence only. That one renewal covers all 43 NLC compact jurisdictions. Non-compact state licenses — such as California, New York, or Illinois — require individual renewal in each state, regardless of your compact status.
What CE hours count toward nursing license renewal? Courses from ANCC-accredited providers or providers specifically approved by your state board count. Nursing conferences with documented contact hours, accredited hospital in-service programs, and academic coursework at the college level also count. Basic CPR renewal, general HR compliance training, and new employee orientation do not count as CE hours unless delivered through a formal ANCC-accredited CE program with individual certificates.
How long does nursing license renewal take? Online renewal through your state portal typically processes within minutes to a few days. Your license record in Nursys and your state board’s public database updates within 1–5 business days after submission. Some states issue an updated license certificate by mail, which takes 2–4 weeks. Your online renewal confirmation serves as proof of current licensure while waiting for a physical card.
Can I renew my nursing license online? Yes – all states offer online renewal through their state board portal. Paper applications are generally reserved for nurses who cannot complete online renewal due to background disclosures, military status requests, or other circumstances requiring board review. See the portal column in the state CE requirements table above for your state’s renewal URL.