Planning
How to Get 20 Nursing CEUs Online
Earning 20 nursing CEUs online can be convenient and affordable when you confirm your board’s rules, choose applicable courses, and save completion records. This guide explains how to build a 20-hour plan, compare costs, and finish before your renewal deadline.
Updated 2026-11-10 · Nursing CE editorial team
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Quick answer
To get 20 nursing CEUs online, first confirm your nursing board’s current requirements, including accepted providers, required topics, deadlines, and reporting rules. Then choose self-paced courses that meet those requirements, complete the education, and retain each certificate according to board and facility policies. Requirements vary, so do not assume that completing any 20 hours will satisfy your renewal.
How can nurses earn 20 nursing CEUs online?
Start by checking the nursing board that issues your license. Confirm how many hours you need, which types of continuing education are accepted, whether any topics are mandatory, and whether the board uses a specific reporting system. Nurses with licenses in more than one jurisdiction should review each board separately.
Next, select online courses that fit your license type and renewal requirements. Self-paced education allows you to divide the work into manageable sessions rather than completing all 20 hours at once. After each course, download the certificate and verify that your name, completion date, course title, and awarded credit are correct.
The term “CEU” is often used informally to mean a continuing education hour, but boards may use terms such as contact hours or continuing education credits. Review your board’s definitions so that you understand how course credit will be counted.
What should you confirm with your nursing board first?
Do not rely only on a coworker’s renewal plan or requirements from a previous renewal cycle. Board rules can differ by license type and may change. Check the board’s official website or contact the board directly if any requirement is unclear.
Look for rules concerning accepted course providers, required clinical or professional topics, limits on online learning, renewal deadlines, documentation retention, and audits. Also determine whether courses must be completed within a particular renewal period and whether excess hours can carry forward.
Follow your facility’s education policies as well. Employer-required training may not automatically qualify for license renewal, and a course accepted for renewal may not replace mandatory workplace education.
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How should you plan a 20-hour CE schedule?
Work backward from your renewal deadline and leave time for unexpected schedule changes, technical problems, or questions about course eligibility. A simple approach is to complete a few hours each week and reserve the final week for reviewing certificates and reporting requirements.
Choose required topics first, then fill the remaining hours with courses relevant to your practice, goals, or patient population. Before starting, note the credit value of each course and create a running total so that you do not finish with fewer applicable hours than expected.
Avoid waiting until the day your license renewal is due. Course completion, certificate access, and board reporting are separate steps, and each must be finished according to the applicable rules.
How much do 20 nursing CEUs online cost?
Compare options by calculating the total price divided by the number of applicable hours you expect to complete. For example, our All-Access pass costs $29.99 per year. If you complete 20 accepted hours through the pass, the education cost is about $1.50 per hour.
The All-Access pass includes every course on this site, self-paced online access, and instant certificates after successful completion. It renews yearly, so cancel before the renewal date if you do not want another annual term.
Cost per hour should not be the only consideration. Confirm that the courses apply to your board’s requirements before enrolling, especially when you need mandatory topics or hold multiple licenses. This site also offers one free course, Improving Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration, which can help you evaluate the online learning format before purchasing access.
How do you choose courses that count toward renewal?
Build your course list around your board’s current rules rather than selecting courses based only on interest. Check whether you need specific subject areas and whether there are restrictions related to course format, provider type, or repeated content.
Read each course description and credit information before beginning. If you are uncertain whether a course will count, ask your board rather than assuming acceptance. Keep a copy of relevant course information with your certificate when practical.
Clinical education should supplement—not replace—your employer’s policies, current standards, or patient-specific guidance. Apply what you learn within your scope of practice and follow facility protocols.
What records should you keep after completing 20 hours?
Download each certificate promptly and store copies somewhere you can access after renewal. A secure digital folder organized by license and renewal period can make reporting or responding to an audit easier.
Compare the certificates with your course log and confirm that the applicable credits add up to the amount you need. Keep records for the period required by your board, even if a provider or reporting system also maintains completion information.
Finally, complete any required board reporting or attestation. A certificate shows course completion, but it does not by itself renew a nursing license. Submit your renewal and related documentation by the board’s deadline.