Wisconsin Board of Nursing (Department of Safety and Professional Services)
Wisconsin Nursing CE Requirements
Wisconsin does not require continuing education hours for RNs and LPNs to renew.
At a glance
Wisconsin nursing license renewal
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN), Licensed practical nurse (LPN) [1] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | No [1] |
| Renewal deadline | DSPS lists the renew-by date for RN licenses as 02/29 of even-numbered years and for LPN licenses as 04/30 of odd-numbered years; renewal opens about four weeks before the license expires. [3] |
Good to know
- To renew, nurses complete a survey given by the Department of Workforce Development and report their primary state of residence. [1]
- APRNs must complete 16 contact hours per biennium in clinical pharmacology or therapeutics, including at least 2 contact hours in responsible prescribing of controlled substances. [4]
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Wisconsin Board of Nursing (Department of Safety and Professional Services) ↗ before you renew.
Free continuing education
Free nursing CE
Wisconsin does not require CE hours for renewal, but free courses remain useful for practice and certification. Each course lists its own accreditation.
Questions
Wisconsin nursing CE, answered
How many CE hours do Wisconsin nurses need?
Wisconsin does not require continuing education hours for RNs and LPNs to renew. DSPS lists the renew-by date for RN licenses as 02/29 of even-numbered years and for LPN licenses as 04/30 of odd-numbered years; renewal opens about four weeks before the license expires.
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.
- Wisconsin DSPS — Registered Nurse (RN) ↗dsps.wi.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (4)
“This page contains all information required for the Registered Nurse credential.”
“There is no continuing education required for this license type.”
“You will be able to renew your credential approximately 4 weeks prior to your license expiring.”
“To complete the renewal process, you will be asked to complete a survey that is given by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). Report Primary State of Residence.”
- Wisconsin DSPS — Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) ↗dsps.wi.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (3)
“This page contains all information required for the Licensed Practical Nurse credential.”
“There is no continuing education required for this license type.”
“To complete the renewal process, you will be asked to complete a survey that is given by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). Report Primary State of Residence.”
- Wisconsin DSPS — Credential Fees and Renewal Dates ↗dsps.wi.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (2)
“Registered NurseIndividual$73$7302/29/Even”
“Licensed Practical NurseIndividual$73$7304/30/Odd”
- Wisconsin DSPS — Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) ↗dsps.wi.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026
Quoted wording (1)
“Every advanced practice registered nurse shall complete 16 contact hours per biennium in clinical pharmacology or therapeutics relevant to the advanced practice registered nurse's area of practice, including at least 2 contact hours in responsible prescribing of controlled substances.”