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State Cert Guide

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What continuing education does a nurse need to renew in North Dakota?

A North Dakota nurse first licensed by examination needs no CE hours at the first renewal. Any other renewal needs 12 contact hours of CE from the previous two years.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
12 contact hours of CE within the preceding two yearsExtra hours earned in one period do not carry over to the next.
Verified. ndbon.org (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
No CE hours at the first renewal if first licensed by examinationThe Board treats the nursing program coursework as having met the requirement.
Same source and date as above
Rule
N.D. Admin. Code 54-02-05-08The rule says the hours must be approved or recognized by the Board.
Verified. ndlegis.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Practice hours
Four hundred hours of nursing practice in the preceding four yearsHours worked in another regulated profession cannot be used for this.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check whether the CE hours apply to you yet. A nurse who first got a license through examination needs none before that first renewal. Otherwise the Board asks for 12 contact hours within the preceding two years.

  2. Step 2. Pick a program from a provider the Board recognizes. Verifying the credit designation with the source of the program is your job, so do it before you pay.

  3. Step 3. Finish the 12 contact hours inside the two years before you renew. Hours beyond that number do not count toward the next period.

  4. Step 4. Keep your original certificates for not less than two renewal cycles. Send them to the Board only if it asks for them in an audit.

Before you pay

Basic Life Support and CPR classes do not count toward the hours. Check that the program comes from a provider the Board recognizes before you pay.

Questions

Which providers does the Board recognize?

Among the providers the Board recognizes are the Board itself, an accredited college or university, a health care regulatory board, and a professional organization that is nationally accredited to approve CE.

Does every renewal get audited?

All renewal applications are subject to random audit of CE hours.

Do I need a CE Broker account?

No. The Board says use of CE Broker is completely optional and that the Board does not monitor it.

What does an APRN with prescriptive authority need?

An APRN with prescriptive authority must complete 15 contact hours in pharmacotherapy related to scope of practice during the previous two years.

What to do next

Start with the North Dakota Board of Nursing page on CE. Ask the source of a program to confirm the credit before you pay for it.

ndbon.org

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