Texas Board of Nursing
Texas RNs and LVNs need 20 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years (or another option the board accepts). 4 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice.
At a glance
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN), Licensed vocational nurse (LVN) [1] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [1] |
| Hours per renewal | 20 contact hours [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [1] |
| Renewal deadline | Licenses renew every two years and expire on the last day of the nurse's birth month; the CE must be earned within that two-year licensing period. [1] |
| State-mandated topics | Nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics; Human trafficking prevention; Older adult or geriatric care; Forensic evidence collection [1] |
| What CE counts | CNE contact hours in the nurse's area of practice, approved by a credentialing agency or provider the Board recognizes. The Board's list includes the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and programs from ANCC-accredited providers are acceptable. [1] |
All nurses, at least once every third two-year licensing period. Must be continuing nursing education; certification cannot be used. The hours count toward the 20.
Nurses who provide direct patient care, every licensing period. The course must be on the Texas HHSC approved list.
Nurses whose practice includes older adult or geriatric populations, every licensing period. The hours count toward the 20.
Nurses who work in an emergency room setting, once, within two years of starting ER employment.
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Texas Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free courses that count toward the hours
The board accepts continuing education accredited by ANCC [1]. 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
Texas RNs and LVNs need 20 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years (or another option the board accepts). 4 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice. Licenses renew every two years and expire on the last day of the nurse's birth month; the CE must be earned within that two-year licensing period.
Nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics (2 hours): All nurses, at least once every third two-year licensing period. Must be continuing nursing education; certification cannot be used. The hours count toward the 20. Human trafficking prevention: Nurses who provide direct patient care, every licensing period. The course must be on the Texas HHSC approved list. Older adult or geriatric care (2 hours): Nurses whose practice includes older adult or geriatric populations, every licensing period. The hours count toward the 20. Forensic evidence collection (2 hours): Nurses who work in an emergency room setting, once, within two years of starting ER employment.
CNE contact hours in the nurse's area of practice, approved by a credentialing agency or provider the Board recognizes. The Board's list includes the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and programs from ANCC-accredited providers are acceptable. 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.
“For licensure renewal, LVNs and RNs must complete 20 contact hours of continuing nursing education (CNE) in the nurse’s area of practice”
“All nurses who wish to maintain an active Texas license are required to demonstrate continuing competency for relicensure.”
“complete 20 contact hours of continuing nursing education (CNE) in the nurse’s area of practice within the licensing period”
“subsequent licensing periods will be 2 years in length”
“determined by the licensee's birth month and year (usually beginning on the first day of the month after the birth month and ending on the last day of the birth month)”
“All nurses must complete at least 2 contact hours of CNE relating to nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics before the end of every third two-year licensing period”
“Any nurse who provides direct patient care must complete a human trafficking prevention course that is approved by the Executive Director of Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)”
“Any nurse whose practice includes older adult or geriatric populations is required to complete at least 2 contact hours of CNE relating to older adult or geriatric populations before the end of every licensing period”
“This is a one-time requirement within two years of the initial date of the nurse’s employment in an ER setting.”
“can be used for licensure renewal so long as it is approved by a credentialing agency or provider recognized by the Board.”
“because the umbrella organization that accredited the program or provider is ANCC, which is a Texas BON-recognized credentialing agency and provider”
“achieving, maintaining, or renewing a Board-approved national nursing certification in the nurse’s area of practice within the licensing period in lieu of completing 20 contact hours”
“Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) have additional requirements.”
