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State Cert Guide

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What continuing education does an RN need to renew a license in Louisiana?

A Louisiana RN renews after completing 30 board-approved CE contact hours or 900 practice hours in the 2-year licensure period, unless another option or exception on the board's list applies. A nationally certified APRN meets the RN rule by holding an approved certification. One with prescriptive authority also needs six pharmacotherapeutics hours each year.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
30 board-approved CE contact hours or 900 practice hours in the 2-year periodThe Louisiana State Board of Nursing lists additional options and exceptions in its CE brochure.
Verified. www.lsbn.state.la.us (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Practice route
900 verified practice hours replace CE contact hoursThe employer has to be able to verify the hours.
Same source and date as above
Multistate license
A multistate license carries the same 2-year requirementA nurse with a multistate license follows the rules of the state that issued it.
Same source and date as above
APRN pharmacotherapeutics
APRNs with prescriptive authority need six pharmacotherapeutics hours a yearSelected APRNs show 12 hours at audit, because renewal comes every two years.
Same source and date as above
Audit
Missing CE proof is the most common reason RNs fail the auditThe CEs in question are those the ANCC accredits or a state board of nursing approves.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Finish your option before you submit the renewal application. The board runs its audit on or around March after renewal, and a nurse selected for it is notified by email. Proof goes to the board only when it asks.

  2. Step 2. Pick CE or practice. At least one of the two must be done in the 2-year licensure period.

  3. Step 3. Choose CE that is board-approved. The board names CEs that the ANCC accredits or a state board of nursing approves as the ones audited nurses most often fail to document.

  4. Step 4. Finish the option you picked. A nurse with 900 practice hours the employer can verify does not need CE contact hours.

  5. Step 5. Keep your proof, such as CE certificates or an employer's verification of hours, in case you are selected for the audit.

Before you pay

Before you pay for a course, check that its CE is board-approved. We haven't confirmed course prices or which providers hold that approval.

Questions

Do practice hours from another state count?

Yes. The board says practice hours completed in another state count toward its CE and nursing practice requirement, and they do not need to have been worked in Louisiana.

Can college courses replace CE contact hours?

Yes, for an RN renewing through the CE option. The courses must be at a post-secondary institution and relate to specific knowledge or technical skills for nursing practice, or lead to an advanced degree or a certification in advanced nursing.

How long should I keep my CE records?

At least five years. Keeping that documentation is each nurse's own job. On the renewal application, the nurse signs a statement certifying compliance and agreeing to supply supporting documents upon request.

What to do next

Start with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing CE page. Read it again before you renew.

www.lsbn.state.la.us

Sources we read