North Dakota Board of Nursing
North Dakota Nursing CE Requirements
North Dakota RNs and LPNs need 12 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years (or another option the board accepts).
At a glance
North Dakota nursing license renewal
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN), Licensed practical nurse (LPN) [2] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [2] |
| Hours per renewal | 12 contact hours [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [4] |
| Renewal deadline | Licenses are valid for two calendar years and must be renewed before December 31 of the second year; the CE must be completed within the two years before the license expires. [4] |
| State-mandated topics | None stated by the board |
| What CE counts | CE approved by a Board-recognized provider: the North Dakota Board of Nursing, an accredited college or university, a health care regulatory board, or a professional organization nationally accredited to approve CE. Accredited college coursework and nursing presentations (up to six contact hours) can count; BLS/CPR classes, agency orientation or in-service programs and unapproved self-study do not. [1] |
Other ways to meet the requirement
- Evidence of publication during the renewal period (one nursing-practice article in a refereed journal, one book chapter, or a published research project) may be submitted for verification of the 12 contact hours. [1]
Good to know
- Renewal also requires at least 400 hours of nursing practice in the preceding four years; nurses who completed a refresher course in the preceding year or graduated from a nursing program in the last four years are exempt. [2]
- Nurses who obtained initial RN or LPN licensure by examination do not need CE before their first renewal; nurses licensed by endorsement do. [3]
- Excess contact hours cannot be carried over to a later renewal period. [2]
- APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 15 contact hours of pharmacotherapy education every two years; these hours also fulfil the RN renewal CE requirement. [2]
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the North Dakota Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free continuing education
Free nursing CE
The North Dakota 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
North Dakota nursing CE, answered
How many CE hours do North Dakota nurses need?
North Dakota RNs and LPNs need 12 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years (or another option the board accepts). Licenses are valid for two calendar years and must be renewed before December 31 of the second year; the CE must be completed within the two years before the license expires.
Does North Dakota require specific CE topics for nurses?
The North Dakota Board of Nursing pages we checked do not list a state-mandated topic for this renewal.
Do free online CE courses count in North Dakota?
CE approved by a Board-recognized provider: the North Dakota Board of Nursing, an accredited college or university, a health care regulatory board, or a professional organization nationally accredited to approve CE. Accredited college coursework and nursing presentations (up to six contact hours) can count; BLS/CPR classes, agency orientation or in-service programs and unapproved self-study do not. 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.
- North Dakota Board of Nursing — Continuing Education for Renewal ↗www.ndbon.org · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (7)
“In order to renew a license a licensee must demonstrate successful completion of 12 contact hours of continuing education (CE) within the preceding two years.”
“Board recognized providers of CE include: The North Dakota Board of Nursing. An accredited college or university. A health care regulatory board A professional organization that is nationally accredited to approve CE.”
“Successful completion of a course taken through an accredited college or university may be used to meet the CE requirement.”
“Evidence of participation as a presenter or lecturer for content related to nursing practice is allowable: Contact hours may not total more than six (6) contact hours.”
“Unacceptable subject matter or course contents that DO NOT MEET the CE requirement in North Dakota: Basic Life Support classes; CPR classes;”
“Agency specific orientation or in-service programs; Self-directed independent study activities that have not been approved for CE;”
“Evidence of publication during the renewal time frame may be submitted for verification of the 12 contact hours: One article related to nursing practice in a refereed journal, One book chapter, or Research project published”
- North Dakota Board of Nursing — Nursing Renewal FAQs ↗www.ndbon.org · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (10)
“LPNs and RNs are not required to obtain CE in specific areas.”
“Yes, all individuals renewing a nursing license must complete 12 contact hours of CE obtained within the preceding two (2) years.”
“Yes, all individuals renewing a nursing license must complete 12 contact hours of CE obtained within the preceding two (2) years.”
“The CE is to be completed within the 2 years prior to the expiration date on the license.”
“Yes, all individuals renewing a nursing license must meet or exceed 400 hours of nursing practice in the preceding four (4) years.”
“Nurses who have completed a refresher course within the preceding year or graduated from a nursing undergraduate or nursing graduate program in the last four (4) years with less than 400 hours of nursing practice will be able to renew their license without meeting this requirement.”
“License by Endorsement: If you recently received your first license in North Dakota and have moved from another state, you are considered to have received your license or certificate by “ENDORSEMENT”. Even though this may be your first renewal you MUST verify by attesting to the statement on the renewal form that you have completed the required 12 contact hours.”
“Contact hours do not carry over from one license renewal period to another.”
“An APRN with Prescriptive Authority must complete 15 contact hours of education during the previous two (2) years in pharmacotherapy related to the scope of practice.”
“These contact hours fulfill the registered nurse renewal CE requirement.”
- North Dakota Board of Nursing — Renew or Reactivate Your Nursing License ↗www.ndbon.org · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (1)
“An applicant that obtained initial RN or LPN licensure through examination will not need to complete additional contact hours of approved continuing education before the first renewal of a nursing license.”
- North Dakota Administrative Code — Chapter 54-02-05, Relicensure ↗www.ndlegis.gov · PDF · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (2)
“Nursing licenses will be valid for two calendar years and will be subject to renewal before December thirty-first of the second year.”
“Nursing licenses will be valid for two calendar years and will be subject to renewal before December thirty-first of the second year.”