Delaware Board of Nursing
Delaware Nursing CE Requirements
Delaware RNs need 30 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 2 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice.
At a glance
Delaware nursing license renewal
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN) [1] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [1] |
| Hours per renewal | 30 contact hours [2] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [2] |
| Renewal deadline | RN licenses run for a two-year biennium ending in an odd-numbered year and expire on February 28, May 31 or September 30, depending on the nurse's renewal period. [1] |
| State-mandated topics | Substance abuse; Recognizing and responding to abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons, or mandatory reporting obligations [2] |
| What CE counts | Contact hours must be earned through a Board-approved method or from an approved provider: a nationally accredited provider of nursing-related CE; an organization approved as a provider by, or with programs approved by, a nationally accredited approver of nursing CE; a Board-approved school of nursing; a health care agency staff development department or accredited educational institution; a provider approved by another US board of nursing that is an NCSBN member; or an entity approved by the Delaware Board. [2] |
State-mandated topics
- Substance abuse — 3 hours [2]
All RNs and LPNs, every biennium. The hours count toward the biennial total.
- Recognizing and responding to abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons, or mandatory reporting obligations — 1 hour [2]
All RNs and LPNs, every biennium: at least one hour on recognizing and responding to suspected or known abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons (such as children, elders or people with disabilities), or on reporting obligations including child abuse or neglect reporting.
Good to know
- Active nurses must also give evidence of nursing practice: 1,000 hours in the past five years, 400 hours in the past two years, or a nursing refresher course completed within the past two years. [1]
- National certification or recertification awarded during the biennium counts as 20 contact hours. [2]
- Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) need 24 contact hours per biennium, including the same substance abuse and abuse-recognition hours. [2]
- Nurses licensed by examination during a biennium are exempt from CE for that biennium. [2]
- Employer-mandated education such as CPR, infection control, fire safety and facility policies is not recognized as continuing education. [2]
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Delaware Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free continuing education
Free nursing CE
The Delaware Board of Nursing pages we checked do not name an accreditor we track, so we do not mark individual courses as accepted here. Check a course's approval against the board's rule before relying on it.
Questions
Delaware nursing CE, answered
How many CE hours do Delaware nurses need?
Delaware RNs need 30 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 2 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice. RN licenses run for a two-year biennium ending in an odd-numbered year and expire on February 28, May 31 or September 30, depending on the nurse's renewal period.
Does Delaware require specific CE topics for nurses?
Substance abuse (3 hours): All RNs and LPNs, every biennium. The hours count toward the biennial total. Recognizing and responding to abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons, or mandatory reporting obligations (1 hours): All RNs and LPNs, every biennium: at least one hour on recognizing and responding to suspected or known abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons (such as children, elders or people with disabilities), or on reporting obligations including child abuse or neglect reporting.
Do free online CE courses count in Delaware?
Contact hours must be earned through a Board-approved method or from an approved provider: a nationally accredited provider of nursing-related CE; an organization approved as a provider by, or with programs approved by, a nationally accredited approver of nursing CE; a Board-approved school of nursing; a health care agency staff development department or accredited educational institution; a provider approved by another US board of nursing that is an NCSBN member; or an entity approved by the Delaware Board. Check that a free course meets this rule before relying on it.
Sources & verification
Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. We fetched each page on the date shown and confirmed the exact wording below appears on it.
- Delaware Division of Professional Regulation — Board of Nursing Continuing Education and Audit Information ↗dpr.delaware.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (9)
“Active Registered Nurse (RN) – you must complete 30 contact hours during your renewal period.”
“Active nursing professionals must complete approved continuing education (CE) during each full licensure renewal period.”
“March 1 to February 28 (expiration date) of the previous odd-numbered years (2017-2019, etc.)”
“June 1 to May 31 (expiration date) of the previous odd-numbered years (2017-2019, etc.)”
“October 1 to September 30 (expiration date) of the previous odd-numbered years (2017-2019, etc.)”
“Active nursing professionals are required to give evidence of practice or employment within the previous five years before the renewal.”
“1000 hours of nursing practice within the past five years before the renewal”
“400 hours of nursing practice within the past two years before the renewal”
“Nursing refresher course completed within the past two years:”
- Delaware Administrative Code — Title 24, 1900 Board of Nursing ↗regulations.delaware.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (15)
“During each biennium, each Registered Nurse must earn 30 contact hours and each Licensed Practical Nurse must earn 24 hours, to be credited to that biennium.”
“"Biennium" means the 2-year period of licensure beginning in an odd numbered year and ending in the next odd numbered year for the Registered Nurse”
“During each biennium, each Registered Nurse must earn 30 contact hours and each Licensed Practical Nurse must earn 24 hours, to be credited to that biennium. At least 3 of these contact hours must be in the area of substance abuse”
“at least one hour on the recognition of and response to suspected or known sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, trafficking, or domestic violence of vulnerable persons including, but not limited to, children, elders, or persons with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities, or on the reporting obligations under the rules and regulations promulgated by the Board of Nursing, reporting of known or suspected child abuse or neglect under § 903 of Title 16”
“All contact hours must be earned through an approved method or by approved provider.”
“A nationally accredited provider of nursing related continuing education”
“An organization or agency that is approved as a provider or has programs that are approved by a nationally accredited approver of nursing related continuing education”
“A Board of Nursing approved school of nursing”
“A staff development department within a licensed or State health care agency; or an accredited educational institution”
“An entity approved by the Delaware Board of Nursing, pursuant to subsections 9.4 and 9.5, if not meeting any other criteria.”
“An organization approved as a provider by a Board of Nursing of another U.S. jurisdiction or territory and which is a member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing”
“National certification or recertification equals 20 contact hours awarded during the biennium.”
“During each biennium, each Registered Nurse must earn 30 contact hours and each Licensed Practical Nurse must earn 24 hours, to be credited to that biennium. At least 3 of these contact hours must be in the area of substance abuse, and at least one hour on the recognition of and response to suspected or known sexual abuse”
“Those persons licensed by examination within a biennial renewal period are exempt from continuing education requirements for that biennium.”
“Mandatory education, such as CPR, infection control, fire, safety, patient privacy and confidentiality, and facility specific policies and practices, is not recognized as continuing education.”