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State Cert Guide

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

Unless you are exempt or just licensed, Washington RNs and LPNs need eight hours of CE in the year before they renew. They also need 96 hours of active nursing practice in that year. At least two CE hours are on health equity. A nurse who endorses into Washington, or a new graduate, gets a full renewal cycle first. ARNPs have a separate list.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
Eight hours of CE and 96 hours of active nursing practiceBoth must fall within the 12 months before you renew.
Verified. lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Health equity hours
Two hours of health equity CE every year upon license renewalThose hours count toward the CE you need for license renewal.
Same source and date as above
Health equity course content
The training must include implicit bias trainingIt aims to identify strategies to reduce bias during assessment and diagnosis.
Same source and date as above
Suicide prevention training
One-time, six-hour suicide prevention training from a qualified programAn RN who holds an active CRNA license does not need it.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check the count. Within the 12 months before you renew, an RN or LPN completes eight hours of CE and 96 hours of active nursing practice. You attest to this on a form from the Department of Health. If you are enrolled in an advanced nursing program, or took its prerequisite classes, you are exempt for this review period. A new graduate gets the same full renewal cycle. If your birthday is within 90 days of the date your license was issued, you have 90 days plus a year to complete the hours.

  2. Step 2. Pick a health equity course. It must include implicit bias training, and its trainers need demonstrated knowledge and experience in the subject. If you are newly licensed, you have until your second renewal date for your first health equity hours.

  3. Step 3. Take the one-time, six-hour suicide training by the end of your first full year as a licensed nurse. Every RN and LPN takes it, except an RN who holds an active CRNA license. Pick a program on the Department of Health model list. Those hours count toward your CE hours.

  4. Step 4. Finish the course. It assesses how you apply the concepts, for example with an assessment at the end or a document that attests attendance.

Before you pay

We haven’t confirmed which providers offer a course that meets the rule. Before you pay, check that the course includes implicit bias training and assesses how you apply the concepts.

Questions

Can I carry extra health equity hours into my next renewal?

No. After the first required reporting period, the training must be completed within a 12-month period before license renewal. Additional hours cannot be rolled over to the following year.

When is my first health equity training due?

Washington’s rule says by the second full continuing education reporting period after your initial licensure or your 2026 renewal, whichever is later. Check your own deadline with the Board.

How does the Board tell me I am audited?

The Board notifies a nurse selected for a compliance audit at the address on record with the Department of Health.

What does an ARNP need?

An ARNP holds an active RN license and has 30 CE hours. With prescriptive authority, that adds 15 more hours relating to pharmacology. The Board’s list also asks for an active certification in each area of advanced practice.

What to do next

Start with the Washington Board of Nursing page on continuing competency. Check the list for your role there before you pick a course.

nursing.wa.gov

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