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What continuing education does a nurse need to renew in New Hampshire?

A New Hampshire RN or LPN renewing a license needs 30 contact hours of CE from the 2 years before applying, unless an exception applies. The Board's checklists accept an NCLEX completed in those 2 years instead.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
30 CE hours within 2 years of the application date, or NCLEX in that windowThe checklist asks you to upload the proof online.
Verified. www.oplc.nh.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
RN and LPN applicants for endorsement, renewal or reinstatementEach needs at least 30 contact hours of workshops, conferences, lectures or in-service offerings.
Verified. www.oplc.nh.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Rule
N.H. Code Admin. R. Nur 403.01One rule heading covers three license levels.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check the rule for your license. It covers RN and LPN applicants. The Board's checklists also let an NCLEX completed in the 2 years before you apply stand in for the hours.

  2. Step 2. Pick an offering designed to enhance nursing knowledge, such as a workshop or a lecture.

  3. Step 3. Finish at least 30 contact hours in the 2 years before you apply.

  4. Step 4. Upload your proof online, where the Board's checklist lists it.

Before you pay

The rule asks for offerings designed to enhance nursing knowledge. Check that a course fits before you pay.

Questions

How many practice hours does a renewal need?

For RNs and LPNs, the Board's requirements page lists 400 hours active in practice in the 4 years before you apply. The RN checklist matches it. The LPN checklist gives a 2-year window for the 400 working hours, and we haven't confirmed which window the Board applies to LPNs. Both checklists accept an NCLEX completed within 2 years of applying instead.

What does an APRN need beyond the RN hours?

An APRN who renews needs at least 30 more contact hours of CE, in the 2 years before applying. At least 20 of the 30 are specific to the specialty practice area, and 5 are in pharmacology.

Can current national certification replace the hours?

Yes. The rule says current national certification may be used to fulfill the CE requirement for an RN or LPN license.

Does self-study count?

Individualized learning activities count on an hour-for-hour basis toward the CE requirements.

What to do next

Start with the New Hampshire Board of Nursing page. Check that a course fits before you pay for it.

www.oplc.nh.gov

Sources we read