NP · CRNA · CNM · CNS
North Carolina APRN continuing education requirements
50 hours OR current national certification
APRN, NP, CRNA and CNM requirements
Verified Sep 10, 2026
- Advanced practice CE
- 50 hours OR current national certification
- Renewal period
- 2 years
- Pharmacology
- 1 pharmacology contact hours. 1 hour controlled-substance CE for NPs who prescribe controlled substances
- Who it applies to
- APRNs prescribing controlled substances
- Controlled substances / opioids
- Yes
- Pain and opioid content
- Yes — chronic pain management
- Prescriptive authority
- Yes
- Who approves the course
- North Carolina Board of Nursing
- Accepted providers
- Board-recognized continuing education providers/organizations
What the board publishes
Verified Sep 10, 2026
- Renewal period
- RN/LPN: Generally every 2 years, with renewal due by the last day of the nurse's birth month. (NCBON)
- RN requirement
- Continuing competency pathways; 30 CE is one pathway
- LPN / LVN requirement
- Continuing competency pathways; 30 CE is one pathway
- Mandatory topics
- Must meet one of the Board's approved continuing-competence options; not simply “30 CE hours”
- Required courses
- RN/LPN: One approved option is 30 contact hours CE. Another is 15 CE hours + 640 active practice hours during the preceding 2 years. Other options include national certification, refresher course, academic education, nursing projects, publications, or CE presentations. (NCBON)
- Good to know
- North Carolina does not require a fixed 30 CE hours. RN/LPNs must complete the Board's Continuing Competence requirement and select one of eight approved learning options. Evidence is generally submitted only if selected for audit. (NCBON)
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