NP · CRNA · CNM · CNS
North Carolina APRN continuing education requirements
50 hours OR current national certification
APRN, NP, CRNA and CNM requirements
Verified Sep 14, 2026
- Advanced practice CE
- 50 hours OR current national certification
- Renewal period
- 2 years
- Pharmacology
- 1 pharmacology contact hours. 1 hour controlled-substance CE for NPs who prescribe controlled substances
- Who it applies to
- APRNs prescribing controlled substances
- Controlled substances / opioids
- Yes
- Pain and opioid content
- Yes — chronic pain management
- Prescriptive authority
- Yes
- Who approves the course
- North Carolina Board of Nursing
- Accepted providers
- Board-recognized continuing education providers/organizations
What the board publishes
Verified Sep 14, 2026
- Renewal period
- RN/LPN: Generally every 2 years, with renewal due by the last day of the nurse's birth month. (NCBON)
- RN requirement
- Continuing competency pathways; 30 CE is one pathway
- LPN / LVN requirement
- Continuing competency pathways; 30 CE is one pathway
- Mandatory topics
- Must meet one of the Board's approved continuing-competence options; not simply “30 CE hours”
- Required courses
- RN/LPN: One approved option is 30 contact hours CE. Another is 15 CE hours + 640 active practice hours during the preceding 2 years. Other options include national certification, refresher course, academic education, nursing projects, publications, or CE presentations. (NCBON)
- Good to know
- North Carolina does not require a fixed 30 CE hours. RN/LPNs must complete the Board's Continuing Competence requirement and select one of eight approved learning options. Evidence is generally submitted only if selected for audit. (NCBON)
Finish your North Carolina advanced practice hours today
One year of unlimited courses, instant certificates, and pharmacology hours that count.
Start nowStill have a question?
Ask about requirements, a course, pricing or your license. Answers come from our own course list and state notes.
Ask about your license or a course
Answers come from Fast CE For Less's own course list and our notes on state requirements. Always check your board's own rules before you count hours.