Alaska Licensed Practical Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
Alaska licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alaska Board of Nursing (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing).
Practical nurse licenses must be renewed biennially on or before September 30 of even-numbered years (12 AAC 44.315(a)); the current LPN cycle runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028. There is no grace period; a license not renewed lapses on the first day of the new licensing period.
Summary
Alaska licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alaska Board of Nursing (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing). Practical nurse licenses must be renewed biennially on or before September 30 of even-numbered years (12 AAC 44.315(a)); the current LPN cycle runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028. There is no grace period; a license not renewed lapses on the first day of the new licensing period.
Alaska Licensed Practical Nurse 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, 09/30 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Category 1 minimum | 20 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | 320 hours of nursing employment in the two years before renewal (12 AAC 44.630); 30 hours of uncompensated professional nursing activities such as work with a professional organization, authoring a publication, presenting a paper, or conducting research (12 AAC 44.620); Board-approved nursing refresher course (12 AAC 44.640); Six academic credits toward a nursing degree or certificate beyond the original license (12 AAC 44.640); Passing the NCLEX after the last renewal date (12 AAC 44.640) |
Alaska uses a continuing competency model (12 AAC 44.600). Before each biennial renewal a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse must document either an alternative method under 12 AAC 44.640 or completion of two of three methods: (A) 30 contact hours of continuing education (12 AAC 44.610), (B) 30 hours of uncompensated professional nursing activities (12 AAC 44.620), and (C) 320 hours of nursing employment (12 AAC 44.630), all earned in the two years before the licensing period. The 30 contact hours figure recorded here is the CE method; a nurse who completes the employment and professional-activities methods does not need CE hours. At least 20 of the 30 contact hours must come from a program under ANCC, ACCME, ACPE (P-designated), a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist certifying body, or a board-approved sponsor; no more than 10 hours may be in-service education from a licensed health care facility. CPR and BLS courses are not accepted; ACLS, PALS, and other advanced courses are. One contact hour is 50 minutes; one semester credit equals 15 contact hours and one quarter credit equals 10. The regulation states the requirement for a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse together, and the LPN renewal form lists the same three Category 1 activities (320 hours of compensated nursing employment, 30 contact hours of continuing education, at least 30 uncompensated professional nursing activity hours) for October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2026. Per the 2026 LPN renewal form, an LPN license issued on or after October 1, 2025 is not required to complete continuing competency activities for that renewal only.
Required CE topics for Alaska licensed practical nurses
The Alaska Board of Nursing (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) pages and rules we read do not mandate specific subject areas for this license type. Hours may be in any approved subject.
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | For at least 20 of the 30 contact hours: ANCC, ACCME, ACPE (P designation), a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist certifying body, or a sponsor approved by the board (12 AAC 44.610(a)(1)) |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Alaska LPN/LVN need to renew?
- Alaska licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alaska Board of Nursing (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing). Alaska uses a continuing competency model (12 AAC 44.600). Before each biennial renewal a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse must document either an alternative method under 12 AAC 44.640 or completion of two of three methods: (A) 30 contact hours of continuing education (12 AAC 44.610), (B) 30 hours of uncompensated professional nursing activities (12 AAC 44.620), and (C) 320 hours of nursing employment (12 AAC 44.630), all earned in the two years before the licensing period. The 30 contact hours figure recorded here is the CE method; a nurse who completes the employment and professional-activities methods does not need CE hours. At least 20 of the 30 contact hours must come from a program under ANCC, ACCME, ACPE (P-designated), a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist certifying body, or a board-approved sponsor; no more than 10 hours may be in-service education from a licensed health care facility. CPR and BLS courses are not accepted; ACLS, PALS, and other advanced courses are. One contact hour is 50 minutes; one semester credit equals 15 contact hours and one quarter credit equals 10. The regulation states the requirement for a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse together, and the LPN renewal form lists the same three Category 1 activities (320 hours of compensated nursing employment, 30 contact hours of continuing education, at least 30 uncompensated professional nursing activity hours) for October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2026. Per the 2026 LPN renewal form, an LPN license issued on or after October 1, 2025 is not required to complete continuing competency activities for that renewal only.
- How often does a Alaska LPN/LVN license need to be renewed?
- Licensed Practical Nurse licenses in Alaska renew every two years. Practical nurse licenses must be renewed biennially on or before September 30 of even-numbered years (12 AAC 44.315(a)); the current LPN cycle runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028. There is no grace period; a license not renewed lapses on the first day of the new licensing period.
- Does Alaska require specific CE topics for licensed practical nurses?
- The Alaska Board of Nursing (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) does not list mandated subject areas for LPN/LVN renewal on the pages we verified; the 30 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Alaska licensed practical nurses have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 4 years. For at least 20 of the 30 contact hours: ANCC, ACCME, ACPE (P designation), a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist certifying body, or a sponsor approved by the board (12 AAC 44.610(a)(1))
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Licensed Practical Nurse Renewal Application, October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028 (form 08-4120)State board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Registered Nurse License Renewal Application (form 08-4121), whose attached regulations 12 AAC 44.315 and 12 AAC 44.600 to 44.660 apply to practical nurse licenses as wellState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours and cycle confirmed from the board's official renewal application, which reproduces 12 AAC 44.315 and 12 AAC 44.600 through 44.660 in full. The board's HTML pages (Renewal Information, Continued Competency Information, and the board homepage) return HTTP 403 with a JavaScript wall to every automated client, so they were not read; the board homepage is recorded as board_url and will need a browser-verified link exception. Documents must be kept at least four years for random audits (12 AAC 02.960). New licensees: 12 AAC 44.650 requires a licensee first licensed in the first year of the period to meet continuing competency before the first renewal, while one licensed in the second year meets it before the second renewal, so exempt_first_renewal is left null and described here. No mandatory subject topics were found for RN or LPN; the opioid education mandate in Alaska law applies to DEA registrants (APRNs), not RNs or LPNs, and is not recorded. No em dashes used. The LPN facts were read from the LPN form itself (dates, categories, first-renewal exemption); the regulation text attached to the RN form is cited because it names practical nurse licenses expressly.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Alaska Board of Nursing (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.