Ohio Board of Nursing
Ohio RNs and LPNs need 24 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 1 state-mandated topic may apply, depending on the license and practice.
At a glance
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN), Licensed practical nurse (LPN) [1] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [1] |
| Hours per renewal | 24 contact hours [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [2] |
| Renewal deadline | RN licenses renew in odd-numbered years and LPN licenses in even-numbered years; the renewal application is due September 15 and an unrenewed license lapses on November 1 of the renewal year. [2] |
| State-mandated topics | Category A: Ohio nursing law and rules [2] |
| What CE counts | CE approved by an OBN approver or OBN-approved provider unit, by a board regulating the nurse in another jurisdiction, or by a nationally recognized accreditation system such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC); academic courses, independent study and interprofessional CE also count. Up to eight hours may come from volunteer care for indigent and uninsured people. [3] |
All RNs and LPNs, at least one of the 24 hours every renewal period, directly related to the statutes and rules on nursing practice in Ohio. It must be approved by an Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) approver or offered by an OBN-approved provider unit headquartered in Ohio.
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Ohio Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free courses that count toward the hours
The board accepts continuing education accredited by ANCC [3]. These current free courses state that accreditation. State-mandated topics can require a specific approved course, so check those separately.
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Questions
Ohio RNs and LPNs need 24 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 1 state-mandated topic may apply, depending on the license and practice. RN licenses renew in odd-numbered years and LPN licenses in even-numbered years; the renewal application is due September 15 and an unrenewed license lapses on November 1 of the renewal year.
Category A: Ohio nursing law and rules (1 hours): All RNs and LPNs, at least one of the 24 hours every renewal period, directly related to the statutes and rules on nursing practice in Ohio. It must be approved by an Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) approver or offered by an OBN-approved provider unit headquartered in Ohio.
CE approved by an OBN approver or OBN-approved provider unit, by a board regulating the nurse in another jurisdiction, or by a nationally recognized accreditation system such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC); academic courses, independent study and interprofessional CE also count. Up to eight hours may come from volunteer care for indigent and uninsured people. Free courses accredited by ANCC are listed on this page; a state-mandated topic may need a specific approved course.
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.
“A nurse applying to renew an active license to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse in Ohio must complete twenty-four contact hours of continuing education during the reporting period”
“A nurse applying to renew an active license to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse in Ohio must complete twenty-four contact hours of continuing education during the reporting period, unless an exception applies, and at least one of the required hours needs to be in category A continuing education.”
“must complete twenty-four contact hours of continuing education during the reporting period”
“a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse may satisfy up to eight hours by providing health care services as a volunteer”
“The licensee provides the health care services to an indigent and uninsured person”
“For the period immediately following licensure by examination, a nurse who holds an active license to practice nursing in Ohio is not required to complete any contact hours of continuing education for the first license renewal;”
“A nurse who has been licensed by endorsement in Ohio for one year or less must complete twelve contact hours of continuing education;”
“A licensed practical nurse or registered nurse may use a waiver to satisfy the continuing education requirement for one renewal period only if the nurse notifies the board in writing requesting the waiver.”
“A licensed practical nurse or registered nurse who earns more than the number of hours required by this chapter during a single renewal period cannot apply the extra hours to meet future renewal period continuing education requirements.”
“For renewal of a license that was issued for a two-year renewal period, twenty-four hours of continuing nursing education”
“An active license to practice nursing as a registered nurse is subject to renewal in odd-numbered years. An application for renewal of the license is due on the fifteenth day of September of the renewal year. A late application may be submitted before the license lapses. If a license is not renewed or classified as inactive, the license lapses on the first day of November of the renewal year.”
“An active license to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse is subject to renewal in even-numbered years.”
“Of the hours of continuing nursing education completed in any renewal period, at least one hour of the education must be directly related to the statutes and rules pertaining to the practice of nursing in this state.”
“In the case of an advanced practice registered nurse who is designated as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner, of the hours of continuing nursing education completed in any renewal period, at least twelve hours of the education must be in advanced pharmacology”
“A continuing education activity that has been approved by an OBN approver or provided by an approved provider unit;”
“A continuing education activity that has been approved by a board or agency regulating the licensee or certificate holder in another jurisdiction;”
“A successfully completed course provided by an accredited educational institution for which academic credit is awarded to the licensee or certificate holder;”
“An independent study continuing education activity, or an enduring continuing education activity”
“Interprofessional continuing education as defined in rule 4723-14-01 of the Administrative Code;”
“nurses must complete at least 24 contact hours of CE that includes at least one contact hour of Category A CE for each renewal.”
“To qualify as Category A, the CE must be approved by an Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) approver or offered by an OBN approved provider unit headquartered in the state of Ohio.”
“A CE activity approved or provided by a nationally recognized accreditation system of CE, for example, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)”
