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State Cert Guide

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How many CE hours does a nurse need to renew in North Carolina?

When North Carolina licensees renew or reinstate, they attest to one learning option. One option is 30 contact hours of CE. Another is 15 contact hours of CE plus 640 hours of active practice. There are others. You also do a self-assessment and a plan for continued learning.

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The rule, fact by fact

Who needs it
Attest to one learning option from the preceding renewal cycleYou do it when you apply to renew or reinstate, and you submit proof if the Board asks.
Verified. reports.oah.state.nc.us (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Course hours
30 contact hours of CE activities related to the nurse's practiceCE stands for continuing education.
Same source and date as above
CE plus practice hours
15 contact hours of CE plus 640 hours of active practice in the previous two yearsThe CE has to relate to your practice.
Same source and date as above
Rule
21 NCAC 36 .0232The rule’s title is Continuing Competence.
Same source and date as above
Records to keep
Keep supporting documentation for three yearsIt is your proof that you completed the option you chose.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check what the rule asks. When you renew or reinstate, you attest to one learning option you completed in the preceding renewal cycle. You also develop a plan for continued learning.

  2. Step 2. Pick your option. One is 30 contact hours of CE related to the nurse’s practice. Another is a national certification related to your practice role, from a body the Board recognizes. Others are a Board-approved refresher course, or at least two semester hours of post-licensure academic education related to nursing practice.

  3. Step 3. Do the work for your option. Some options pair 15 contact hours of CE with other work. One is 640 hours of active practice within the previous two years. Another is educational presentations you design, develop and conduct for nurses or other health professionals, totaling at least five contact hours.

  4. Step 4. Save your proof. CE proof includes your name, the title of the activity, the provider’s name, the number of contact hours and the date.

Before you pay

We haven’t confirmed a course price or a provider list. Before you pay, check that the course relates to the nurse’s practice, as the rule requires.

Questions

What proof counts for a national certification?

A copy of a certificate that states your name, the certifying body, the date of certification and its expiration date. It has to be attained during the licensure period, have been in effect during all of it, or be re-certified during it.

What happens if the Board audits me?

Any licensee can be audited when renewing or reinstating. The Board tells you at renewal, or when you ask to reinstate, that you were selected. Your proof has to reach the Board no later than the last day of the renewal month.

What if I cannot show I met the rule?

At renewal, your license is not renewed until you submit proof of compliance and the Board approves it. A licensee is not reinstated until all of the rule’s requirements are met.

What to do next

Read the full rule, 21 NCAC 36 .0232, before you pick an option.

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