Minnesota Board of Nursing
Minnesota Nursing CE Requirements
Minnesota RNs need 24 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years (or another option the board accepts).
At a glance
Minnesota nursing license renewal
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN) [2] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [4] |
| Hours per renewal | 24 contact hours [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [3] |
| Renewal deadline | After the first registration period, registration renews every 24 months and expires on the last day of the nurse's birth month, in an even- or odd-numbered year according to the nurse's year of birth. The application must be received by the expiration date. [3] |
| State-mandated topics | None stated by the board |
| What CE counts | Continuing education must be designed to enhance the nurse's ability to practice nursing, have written objectives, be completed during the participation period, be taught by a qualified instructor other than the nurse, last at least 15 minutes, and be approved by a health licensing board or association (or the provider must identify its objectives). A contact hour is 60 minutes; a quarter academic credit equals 10 contact hours and a semester credit equals 15. The nurse is responsible for determining whether an activity qualifies. [1] |
Other ways to meet the requirement
- A current nursing specialty certificate from a national professional nursing or medical organization (current when the CE report is submitted; initial certification or recertification; APRN or generalist practice) can fulfil the requirement. [1]
- Certain professional activities during the participation period also count: publishing an article in a peer-reviewed journal or book, delivering a professional paper, serving on a national panel, or serving as principal investigator or co-investigator for a nursing or health care research study. [1]
Good to know
- Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) need 12 contact hours per 24-month registration period. [2]
- If the registration period is shorter or longer than 24 months (the first period after licensure runs 6 to 29 months), the same ratio of one contact hour per month applies to RNs. [2]
- CE documents are not submitted at renewal unless requested; keep them for two years after using them for renewal. The Board randomly audits licensees. [2]
- A nurse who is short of hours may defer the missing hours to the next participation period (if no deferred hours are already owed), or let the registration expire and reregister. [4]
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Minnesota Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free continuing education
Free nursing CE
The Minnesota 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
Minnesota nursing CE, answered
How many CE hours do Minnesota nurses need?
Minnesota RNs need 24 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years (or another option the board accepts). After the first registration period, registration renews every 24 months and expires on the last day of the nurse's birth month, in an even- or odd-numbered year according to the nurse's year of birth. The application must be received by the expiration date.
Does Minnesota require specific CE topics for nurses?
The Minnesota Board of Nursing pages we checked do not list a state-mandated topic for this renewal.
Do free online CE courses count in Minnesota?
Continuing education must be designed to enhance the nurse's ability to practice nursing, have written objectives, be completed during the participation period, be taught by a qualified instructor other than the nurse, last at least 15 minutes, and be approved by a health licensing board or association (or the provider must identify its objectives). A contact hour is 60 minutes; a quarter academic credit equals 10 contact hours and a semester credit equals 15. The nurse is responsible for determining whether an activity qualifies. 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.
- Minnesota Board of Nursing — Continuing Education ↗mn.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (15)
“During a typical continuing education participation period (24 months) an RN must participate in 24 contact hours of continuing education”
“Be designed to enhance your ability to practice nursing.”
“Have written objectives that describe what you can expect to learn.”
“Be completed during your continuing education participation period.”
“Be taught by someone other than you. The instructor must be qualified by education or experience to teach the content.”
“Last a minimum of 0.25 contact hours or 15 minutes. A contact hour is equal to 60 minutes.”
“A quarter academic credit is equivalent to 10 contact hours; one semester academic credit is equivalent to 15 contact hours.”
“Be approved by a health licensing board or association or the provider of the continuing education must identify the objectives of the continuing education.”
“It is the licensee's responsibility to determine whether a current nursing certificate, a continuing education activity, or a professional activity meets the continuing education requirements.”
“Continuing education requirements may be fulfilled in one of three ways: obtain a current nursing specialty certificate”
“The certificate must be issued by a national professional nursing or medical organization and must be current at the time the continuing education report is submitted.”
“The certification may be for initial certification or for recertification. Certification may be for advanced practice registered nursing or for generalist professional nursing practice.”
“The following professional activities are accepted as continuing education activities: Publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal or book on nursing or health care related issues. Delivering a professional paper related to nursing or health care. Serving as a member of a national panel that addresses nursing or health care related issues Serving as the principal investigator or coinvestigator for a nursing or health care related research study”
“Complete this activity during your participation period.”
“The Board of Nursing randomly selects licensees for an audit of continuing education records.”
- Minnesota Board of Nursing — Frequently Asked Questions about Renewal ↗mn.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (8)
“If you are a RN, you must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education during a 24 month period of registration.”
“If you are a RN, you must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education during a 24 month period of registration. This is a ratio of one contact hour for each month of registration.”
“If you are a LPN, you must complete 12 contact hours of continuing education during a 24 month period of registration.”
“If your period of registration is less than or more than 24 months, the same ratio applies.”
“The licensure period can vary from 6 to 29 months depending upon your date of birth and the start date of your registration period.”
“If you are a RN, you must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education during a 24 month period of registration. This is a ratio of one contact hour for each month of registration.”
“You should not submit any continuing education documents unless you were instructed to do so.”
“You need to keep the documents for two years after using the continuing education for renewal.”
- Minnesota Administrative Rules — 6310.2600 Definitions ↗www.revisor.mn.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (2)
“Subsequent registration periods are 24-month periods.”
“The period ends the last day of the licensee's month of birth in an even- or odd-numbered year according to the licensee's year of birth.”
- Minnesota Administrative Rules — 6310.2800 Registration Renewal Requirements ↗www.revisor.mn.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (4)
“A registered nurse shall participate in the ratio of at least one contact hour of acceptable continuing education for each month of registration.”
“The registration renewal application, registration renewal fee, and continuing education report must be received in the board office by the licensee's registration expiration date.”
“The licensee may defer the number of contact hours that the licensee is lacking. The deferred hours shall be added to the contact hours required in the immediately succeeding continuing education participation period. Contact hours may be deferred if there are no current deferred contact hours required of the licensee.”
“The licensee may allow registration to expire and reregister.”