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Do Oklahoma nurses need CE hours to renew a license?

Not always. Oklahoma RNs and LPNs renewing a license show continuing qualifications for practice from the two years before it expires, and CE hours are one of five ways. The Board lists 24 contact hours of CE, 520 work hours in a job that requires the license, a current nursing specialty certification, a Board-approved refresher course or nursing coursework.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
One of five options, among them 24 contact hours of CE or 520 work hoursThe Board's guideline groups them as ways to stay qualified for practice.
Verified. www.oklahoma.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
At renewal, licensees verify they met the requirement in the two years before expirationIf you are audited, you must submit supporting documents.
Same source and date as above
Agency
Oklahoma Board of NursingThe options come from the Board's own guideline for RNs and LPNs.
Same source and date as above
Rule
OAC §485:10-7-3The guideline names this rule as its regulatory authority.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. At renewal you verify that you met the continuing qualifications for practice. If you are audited, you then send the supporting proof.

  2. Step 2. Pick your option. It can be at least 24 contact hours of CE applicable to nursing practice, a job that requires your license with at least 520 work hours, a current specialty certification, a Board-approved refresher course or at least six academic semester credit hours of nursing coursework at your current level of licensure or higher.

  3. Step 3. If you count work hours, the job must require a nursing license and volunteer hours do not count. If you take CE, you must be able to show how each topic applies to nursing practice.

  4. Step 4. Keep the certificate of completion for each CE offering during the renewal period. If you are audited, you send a copy with the provider's description of the offering.

Before you pay

Check who approved the course before you pay. The Board's guideline counts contact hours from an accredited approver of continuing education or an approved nursing program in Oklahoma.

Questions

Can I mix work hours and CE?

No. The options may not be combined in the same period. The Board's own example is that 260 employment hours plus 12 contact hours is not enough proof.

Does my nursing job have to be clinical?

No. Positions requiring nursing licensure are not limited to clinical positions. The Board's examples of non-clinical positions that may require a nursing license include nurse administrators, case managers, nurse researchers and nurse educators.

How long is a contact hour?

One contact hour is 50 minutes under the Board's rules.

What to do next

Start with the Oklahoma Board of Nursing guideline on continuing qualifications for practice. It explains each option and what to keep.

www.oklahoma.gov

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