Montana Board of Nursing
Montana Nursing CE Requirements
Montana does not require continuing education hours for RNs to renew.
At a glance
Montana nursing license renewal
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN) [3] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | No [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [3] |
| Renewal deadline | Licenses renew every other year by December 31: odd-numbered years for "odd" licensees and even-numbered years for "even" licensees. Late renewals incur additional fees. [3] |
Good to know
- The Montana Board of Nursing no longer requires continuing education contact hours for license renewal and no longer audits CE; this applied from the renewal of licenses expiring December 31, 2023. [1]
- The Board still requires licensees to maintain competence in their area of practice. [2]
- The Board offers free online contact-hour modules on topics such as the Board's role, delegation, the complaint process, the Nurse Licensure Compact, scope of practice for LPNs and RNs, and ethics. [1]
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Montana Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free continuing education
Free nursing CE
Montana does not require CE hours for renewal, but free courses remain useful for practice and certification. Each course lists its own accreditation.
Questions
Montana nursing CE, answered
How many CE hours do Montana nurses need?
Montana does not require continuing education hours for RNs to renew. Licenses renew every other year by December 31: odd-numbered years for "odd" licensees and even-numbered years for "even" licensees. Late renewals incur additional fees.
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.
- Montana Board of Nursing — Continuing Education ↗boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (10)
“no longer requires continuing education contact hours to be completed as a requirement for renewal of a nursing license”
“While the Montana Board of Nursing no longer requires continuing education contact hours to be completed as a requirement for renewal of a nursing license, the Board will continue to provide the free contact hours below.”
“While the Montana Board of Nursing no longer requires continuing education contact hours to be completed as a requirement for renewal of a nursing license”
“the Board will continue to provide the free contact hours below.”
“Montana Board of Nursing: Role of the Board (1.5 contact hours)”
“Montana Board of Nursing: Delegation (1.5 contact hours)”
“Montana Board of Nursing: What happens when a Complaint is Filed to the Board? (2.5 contact hours)”
“Montana Board of Nursing: Nurse Licensure Compact (1.5 contact hours)”
“Montana Board of Nursing: Scope of Practice for LPNs and RNs (2.0 contact hours)”
“Montana Board of Nursing: Ethics (2.0 contact hours)”
- Montana Board of Nursing — Frequently Asked Questions regarding the repeal of continuing education renewal requirements ↗boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov · PDF · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (4)
“Continuing education (CE) credits are no longer required and will no longer be audited effective immediately.”
“My nursing license was up for renewal this year (expiring 12/31/2023) – do I need to complete any continuing education credits for this year’s renewal?”
“Continuing education (CE) credits are no longer required and will no longer be audited effective immediately.”
“The board still requires licensees maintain competence in their area of practice”
- Montana Board of Nursing — RN ↗boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (3)
“If you are an "odd" licensee, your license must be renewed by December 31st of odd numbered years”
“Occurs every other year.”
“If you are an "odd" licensee, your license must be renewed by December 31st of odd numbered years, if you are an "even" licensee, your license must be renewed by December 31st of even numbered years. Renewal applications post marked or submitted online after this date are subject to additional fees.”