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Does an Idaho nurse need CE hours to renew a license?

Idaho's renewal statute and the Board of Nursing's rule chapter name no CE hours for renewing an RN or LPN license. The rule wants the form and fee dated by August 31 of the renewal year. From April 1, 2026, DOPL began moving to two-year licenses that end on your birthday. An advanced practice nurse also documents a peer review.

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The rule, fact by fact

Valid for
Renew every two yearsThe statute leaves the renewal dates to the Board.
Verified. legislature.idaho.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Rule
IDAPA 24.34.01It applies to the registrants and licensees of the Board.
Verified. files.dfm.idaho.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Renewal deadline
Renewal application and fee dated by August 31 of the renewal yearThe rule applies that date to LPN, RN and APRN renewals.
Same source and date as above
Advanced practice nurses
Advanced practice nurses document a peer reviewThe statute names certified nurse-midwives, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners.
Verified. legislature.idaho.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Valid for
From April 1, 2026, DOPL begins moving to 2-year licenses that expire on the birthdayThe rule chapter still names an August deadline.
Verified. dopl.idaho.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Find your renewal date. An Idaho license renews every two years on the dates the Board fixes. The rule chapter says a license not renewed before September 1 of the appropriate year is lapsed. From April 1, 2026, DOPL began moving to two-year licenses that expire on your birthday, so if yours expires on your birthday, renew before then.

  2. Step 2. Before you pay for a course, ask which rule section requires it. The rule chapter's sections cover legal authority, scope, definitions, titles, licensure, nursing education, practice standards, discipline and fees.

  3. Step 3. If you hold an advanced practice license, complete the peer review the statute asks for. An RN or LPN license has no such step in that section.

  4. Step 4. Send the Board your renewal form and fee. The rule asks that both be dated no later than August 31 of the renewal year.

Before you pay

A seller may tell you Idaho requires a set number of CE hours. Ask which rule section says so. We found no section on continued competence in the Board's rule chapter.

Questions

When does my Idaho nursing license expire?

The Board's table lists August 31 in odd-numbered years for RNs and APRNs, and in even-numbered years for practical nurses. It lists certified medication assistants as annual, and virtual telehealth nurse practitioners as biennial on the licensee's birthday.

Will my license start to expire on my birthday?

DOPL says new applicants get at least a two-year license that expires on their date of birth. In its FAQ on the change, it says you can still renew up to 60 days before your license expires on your birthday, unless otherwise stated.

Can I reinstate a lapsed license?

You may apply. The statute asks you to pay a fee of no more than $100, send a completed application with proof of competency to practice, and follow any board order. The Board says you do not retake the NCLEX. It adds that you send fingerprints and proof of where you worked, and you may have to meet continued competence rules.

What does an advanced practice nurse submit besides the peer review?

The rule's renewal conditions also ask for a current registered nurse license or privilege to practice in Idaho. They ask you to show current APRN certification from a national organization the Board recognizes. Nurse practitioners approved before July 1, 1998 who are not certified that way are exempt from a step the rule lists as Subsection 100.12.b.

What to do next

Start with the Idaho renewal statute and the Board's rule chapter. Check your renewal date on the Board's page before you pay anyone.

legislature.idaho.gov

Sources we read