Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
Massachusetts Nursing CE Requirements
Massachusetts RNs and LPNs need 15 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 2 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice.
At a glance
Massachusetts nursing license renewal
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN), Licensed practical nurse (LPN) [2] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [1] |
| Hours per renewal | 15 contact hours [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [1] |
| Renewal deadline | RN licenses expire at 11:59 p.m. on the nurse's birthday in even-numbered years; LPN licenses expire at 11:59 p.m. on the nurse's birthday in odd-numbered years. The CE must be completed within the two years before renewal. [2] |
| State-mandated topics | Domestic and sexual violence (Chapter 260); Alzheimer's disease, dementia and cognitive impairment [3] |
| What CE counts | The Board keeps no list of approved CE programs; the nurse must choose programs that meet 244 CMR 5.00. Lectures, workshops, academic courses, planned supervised clinical experiences, home study courses and web-based programs are acceptable types, and programs approved by a professional review process or by other jurisdictions' boards of nursing will generally satisfy the requirement. CPR courses, ACLS/PALS re-certification and required workplace in-services do not count. [1] |
State-mandated topics
- Domestic and sexual violence (Chapter 260) [3]
All nurses: training on domestic and sexual violence is required by state law (M.G.L. c. 112, § 264) as a condition of licensure and renewal. The Department of Public Health provides the training for nurses and lists other approved trainings.
- Alzheimer's disease, dementia and cognitive impairment [2]
Once: a one-time course on the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Licensees renewing had to complete it by November 7, 2022. No course or number of hours is prescribed; such training received at any time through a nursing program, staff development, conferences, seminars or CE meets the requirement.
Good to know
- No CE is required for the first renewal after initial licensure. [1]
- A contact hour is 60 minutes; 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours and 1 semester college credit equals 15 contact hours. [1]
- Keep evidence of CE completion for your two most recent renewal periods (4 years); certificates are sent to the Board only if it requests them. [1]
- Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) must also maintain current certification through a Board-approved national certifying organization. [1]
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free continuing education
Free nursing CE
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in 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
Massachusetts nursing CE, answered
How many CE hours do Massachusetts nurses need?
Massachusetts RNs and LPNs need 15 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 2 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice. RN licenses expire at 11:59 p.m. on the nurse's birthday in even-numbered years; LPN licenses expire at 11:59 p.m. on the nurse's birthday in odd-numbered years. The CE must be completed within the two years before renewal.
Does Massachusetts require specific CE topics for nurses?
Domestic and sexual violence (Chapter 260): All nurses: training on domestic and sexual violence is required by state law (M.G.L. c. 112, § 264) as a condition of licensure and renewal. The Department of Public Health provides the training for nurses and lists other approved trainings. Alzheimer's disease, dementia and cognitive impairment: Once: a one-time course on the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Licensees renewing had to complete it by November 7, 2022. No course or number of hours is prescribed; such training received at any time through a nursing program, staff development, conferences, seminars or CE meets the requirement.
Do free online CE courses count in Massachusetts?
The Board keeps no list of approved CE programs; the nurse must choose programs that meet 244 CMR 5.00. Lectures, workshops, academic courses, planned supervised clinical experiences, home study courses and web-based programs are acceptable types, and programs approved by a professional review process or by other jurisdictions' boards of nursing will generally satisfy the requirement. CPR courses, ACLS/PALS re-certification and required workplace in-services do not count. 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.
- Mass.gov — Mandatory Continuing Education for nurses (Board of Registration in Nursing) ↗www.mass.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (18)
“requires all licensed nurses in Massachusetts to complete 15 contact hours (CH)”
“Continuing Education (CE) in Nursing is a requirement for license renewal every 2 years.”
“To renew your nursing license, The Board of Registration in Nursing requires all licensed nurses in Massachusetts to complete 15 contact hours (CH).”
“Continuing Education (CE) in Nursing is a requirement for license renewal every 2 years.”
“You must complete CHs within the 2 years before you are required to renew your license”
“The Board does not have a list of approved CE programs. It is your responsibility to select a CE program that meets the Board's regulatory requirements as defined in 244 CMR 5.00”
“Acceptable types of CE programs include: Lectures Workshops Academic courses Planned supervised clinical experiences Home study courses Web based programs”
“In general, programs approved by a professional review process or by other jurisdictions’ boards of nursing will satisfy the Massachusetts CE requirements.”
“CPR courses cannot be applied as CE”
“Initial certification of ACLS and PALS may be applied, but not re-certification”
“In-services are not accepted as CE for license renewal”
“You do not have to complete any CE requirements for your first renewal”
“A CH is equal to 60 minutes of attendance and participation in a program that meets the Board’s requirements for CE programs.”
“1 semester college credit = 15 CH”
“There are 10 contact hours (CH) in each CEU.”
“It is your responsibility to maintain evidence of CE completion for your most recent 2 consecutive renewal periods (4 years).”
“You do not need to send a certificate or evidence of CE program completion to the Board unless the Board requests them.”
“all Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) must maintain current certification through a Board approved national certifying organization in order to maintain current Board authorization to practice”
- Mass.gov — Renew your nursing license (Board of Registration in Nursing) ↗www.mass.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (6)
“To renew your registered nursing (RN), advanced practice registered nursing (APRN), or licensed practical nurse license, you must attest, under penalty of perjury, to comply with”
“Your RN license and APRN authorization expires at 11:59PM on your birthday in even numbered years. Your LPN licenses expires at 11:59PM on your birthday in odd numbered years.”
“applicants for initial licensure must complete a one-time course of training and education in the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments, including, but not limited to, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.”
“There is no prescribed course or number of education hours for this this training.”
“If you received any training or education in your academic nursing program, through professional staff development, conferences, seminars or continuing education in the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments including but not limited to, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at any time then you meet the requirements of the training.”
“Licensees applying to renew a license must complete the required course by November 7, 2022.”
- Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing — Update to required training for Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention (March 9, 2018 memo) ↗www.mass.gov · PDF · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (1)
“the law that requires training for health care providers on the issue of domestic and sexual violence as a condition of licensure (M.G.L. c. 112, § 264)”
- Massachusetts General Laws — Chapter 112, Section 264 ↗malegislature.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (1)
“the board of registration in nursing, the board of registration of physician assistants, the board of nursing home administrators, the board of registration of social workers, the board of registration of psychologists and the board of registration of allied mental health and human services professions shall develop and administer standards for licensure, registration or certification pursuant to this chapter, as applicable, and any renewal thereof, that require training and education on the issue of domestic violence and sexual violence”
- Mass.gov — Domestic and Sexual Violence Training (Chapter 260) ↗www.mass.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (2)
“this training is provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for professionals receiving licensure from the”
“Licensed Professionals can also complete the following approved training(s) to satisfy the Chapter 260 requirement”