Alabama Nurse Practitioner license renewal and CE requirements
Alabama nurse practitioners must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Nursing.
A nurse practitioner in Alabama holds a registered nurse license plus Board of Nursing approval as a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP), and both renew together on a two year cycle. The renewal window opens at 8:00 a.m. on September 1 and closes at 4:30 p.m. on December 31; an Alabama single state RN license and its advanced practice approval renew in even numbered years, while a multistate license renews in odd numbered years. A license not renewed by 4:30 p.m. on December 31 lapses. The board states that advanced practice approval expires on whichever comes first, the RN license expiration date or the national specialty certification expiration date.
Summary
Alabama nurse practitioners must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Nursing. A nurse practitioner in Alabama holds a registered nurse license plus Board of Nursing approval as a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP), and both renew together on a two year cycle. The renewal window opens at 8:00 a.m. on September 1 and closes at 4:30 p.m. on December 31; an Alabama single state RN license and its advanced practice approval renew in even numbered years, while a multistate license renews in odd numbered years. A license not renewed by 4:30 p.m. on December 31 lapses. The board states that advanced practice approval expires on whichever comes first, the RN license expiration date or the national specialty certification expiration date. Alabama also mandates specific subjects. Pharmacology continuing education for advanced practice nurses: 6 contact hours every renewal cycle. Continuing education on the rules and statutes governing collaborative practice in Alabama: a one-time requirement (CRNPs entering collaborative practice on or after January 1, 2024). Controlled substance prescribing CME for holders of a Qualified Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (QACSC): 4 contact hours every renewal cycle (CRNPs who hold a QACSC issued by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners).
Alabama Nurse Practitioner renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 12/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
Alabama layers the advanced practice obligation on top of the registered nurse obligation rather than setting a separate advanced practice hour count. The Board of Nursing requires 24 contact hours of continuing education per license period for all nurses, and for advanced practice nurses six of those 24 hours must carry pharmacology credit. Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07 describes the pharmacology hours as six contact hours of pharmacology content specific to prescriptive practice in the approved area for collaborative practice, and states that graduate pharmacology academic credit earned during the nurse practitioner program before initial CRNP approval does not count toward renewal. The board's advanced practice FAQ states the six pharmacology hours apply to every advanced practice role (CRNP, CNM, CRNA, CNS), so this is the shared advanced practice rule and not a nurse practitioner specific one. The board's renewal page states that a nurse whose advanced practice designation is multistate needs only the six pharmacology hours rather than the full 24. The CRNP must also hold and maintain active national certification in the specialty from a certifying agency recognized by the board, and must have the certifying agency send verification directly to the board.
Required CE topics for Alabama nurse practitioners
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology continuing education for advanced practice nursesSix of the 24 contact hours required each biennial license period must carry pharmacology credit. The rule describes them as pharmacology content specific to prescriptive practice in the approved area for collaborative practice. | 6 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07 |
| Continuing education on the rules and statutes governing collaborative practice in AlabamaEffective January 1, 2024, the CRNP must document completion of board prescribed continuing education on the rules and statutes governing collaborative practice in Alabama, completed not more than 48 months before, or within 12 months of, the commencement of the collaborative practice. The rule does not state an hour count. | Not stated | One time | CRNPs entering collaborative practice on or after January 1, 2024 | Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07 |
| Controlled substance prescribing CME for holders of a Qualified Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (QACSC)This requirement attaches to the controlled substances certificate, which is a separate credential issued by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, not to the CRNP approval itself. The medical board's CME page states that a QACSC holder completes 12 credits within the first 12 months (an eight credit specified course plus four board approved credits) and then four AMA PRA Category 1 credits every two years through board approved courses. | 4 contact hours | Every renewal | CRNPs who hold a QACSC issued by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners | Not stated |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | Not stated |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Alabama NP need to renew?
- Alabama nurse practitioners must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Nursing. Alabama layers the advanced practice obligation on top of the registered nurse obligation rather than setting a separate advanced practice hour count. The Board of Nursing requires 24 contact hours of continuing education per license period for all nurses, and for advanced practice nurses six of those 24 hours must carry pharmacology credit. Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07 describes the pharmacology hours as six contact hours of pharmacology content specific to prescriptive practice in the approved area for collaborative practice, and states that graduate pharmacology academic credit earned during the nurse practitioner program before initial CRNP approval does not count toward renewal. The board's advanced practice FAQ states the six pharmacology hours apply to every advanced practice role (CRNP, CNM, CRNA, CNS), so this is the shared advanced practice rule and not a nurse practitioner specific one. The board's renewal page states that a nurse whose advanced practice designation is multistate needs only the six pharmacology hours rather than the full 24. The CRNP must also hold and maintain active national certification in the specialty from a certifying agency recognized by the board, and must have the certifying agency send verification directly to the board.
- How often does a Alabama NP license need to be renewed?
- Nurse Practitioner licenses in Alabama renew every two years. A nurse practitioner in Alabama holds a registered nurse license plus Board of Nursing approval as a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP), and both renew together on a two year cycle. The renewal window opens at 8:00 a.m. on September 1 and closes at 4:30 p.m. on December 31; an Alabama single state RN license and its advanced practice approval renew in even numbered years, while a multistate license renews in odd numbered years. A license not renewed by 4:30 p.m. on December 31 lapses. The board states that advanced practice approval expires on whichever comes first, the RN license expiration date or the national specialty certification expiration date.
- What specific CE topics are required for Alabama nurse practitioners?
- Pharmacology continuing education for advanced practice nurses: 6 contact hours every renewal cycle. Continuing education on the rules and statutes governing collaborative practice in Alabama: a one-time requirement (CRNPs entering collaborative practice on or after January 1, 2024). Controlled substance prescribing CME for holders of a Qualified Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (QACSC): 4 contact hours every renewal cycle (CRNPs who hold a QACSC issued by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners). Citations: pharmacology continuing education for advanced practice nurses (Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07) and continuing education on the rules and statutes governing collaborative practice in Alabama (Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07).
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Renewal, Alabama Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Advanced Practice FAQs, Alabama Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- CRNP Initial Requirements, Alabama Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07, Authorization for Practice as a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Medical Education Requirements for Licensees, Alabama Board of Medical ExaminersState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
The 24 contact hour total and the six pharmacology hours were read on the Board of Nursing renewal page and the board's advanced practice FAQ; the pharmacology wording and the collaborative practice education requirement were read in Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-5-.07. The Alabama Administrative Code API endpoint for chapter 610-X-5 serves the chapter as a PDF rather than HTML, so the rule text was read through the Cornell LII mirror and cited as a third party source. Topic keys pharmacology and collaborative_practice are not in the canonical list. The QACSC controlled substance CME is administered by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners and attaches to that certificate rather than to the CRNP approval, so it is scoped in applies_to. Alabama CRNP practice is jointly overseen: the Board of Nursing issues the CRNP certificate and the Board of Medical Examiners receives the commencement of collaborative practice form and fee. The board did not state carryover, first renewal proration, audit practice, record retention, or an approved provider rule on the pages read, so those fields are null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Alabama Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.