Florida Certified Nurse-Midwife license renewal and CE requirements
Florida nurse-midwives must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Nursing.
Florida licenses the nurse-midwife as an advanced practice registered nurse in the certified nurse midwife specialty under Fla. Stat. 464.012, and the license renews biennially. The board splits APRNs into three renewal groups with different expiration dates, currently listing Group 1 expiring at midnight Eastern on April 30, 2028, Group 2 on July 31, 2028 and Group 3 on April 30, 2027, so a licensee has to check which group the license sits in. Renewal is filed through the MQA Services Portal and continuing education is reported through CE Broker rather than sent to the board. A first license is usually not valid for a full two years, and the board states that a licensee who did not hold the license for the full biennium completes one hour of continuing education for each month held. A nurse-midwife who also holds the autonomous practice registration renews that designation alongside the license and must maintain current national certification with the relevant certifying agency to keep it.
Summary
Florida nurse-midwives must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Nursing. Florida licenses the nurse-midwife as an advanced practice registered nurse in the certified nurse midwife specialty under Fla. Stat. 464.012, and the license renews biennially. The board splits APRNs into three renewal groups with different expiration dates, currently listing Group 1 expiring at midnight Eastern on April 30, 2028, Group 2 on July 31, 2028 and Group 3 on April 30, 2027, so a licensee has to check which group the license sits in. Renewal is filed through the MQA Services Portal and continuing education is reported through CE Broker rather than sent to the board. A first license is usually not valid for a full two years, and the board states that a licensee who did not hold the license for the full biennium completes one hour of continuing education for each month held. A nurse-midwife who also holds the autonomous practice registration renews that designation alongside the license and must maintain current national certification with the relevant certifying agency to keep it. Florida also mandates specific subjects. Safe and effective prescription of controlled substances: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Human trafficking: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Prevention of medical errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Florida laws and rules: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Recognition of impairment in the workplace: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Domestic violence: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. HIV and AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only.
Florida Certified Nurse-Midwife 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 | Board-specific scheduleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| 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 | No |
| Other accepted activities | Certification by a health care specialty program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification, which exempts the nurse from the continuing education requirements except the 3 hour safe and effective prescription of controlled substances course and the 2 hour human trafficking course; Home study, accepted for every required course on the same footing as live instruction |
Florida sets one 24 hour biennial total for the advanced practice registered nurse license, and the nurse-midwife specialty does not add its own hour count. The board's table breaks the requirement into 16 general hours that must be approved by a state or national organization empowered to accredit nursing continuing education, plus the mandated subject hours recorded separately below. Two items sit outside the 24: the board states domestic violence is required every third biennium and those hours are in addition to the 24 hours required for renewal, and Rule 64B9-4.020(4) requires a registered Autonomous APRN, which a nurse-midwife may be, to complete 10 additional hours of approved graduate level courses. Fla. Stat. 464.0123 states the same figure, at least 10 hours of board approved continuing education in addition to the other continuing education requirements, for each biennial renewal of an autonomous practice registration. The statutory ceiling is higher than the board's current table: Fla. Stat. 464.013(3) authorizes the board to prescribe up to 30 hours biennially. The exemption in Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(a) is the piece that matters most to a nurse-midwife, and the board restates it word for word: a nurse who is certified by a health care specialty program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification is exempt from continuing education requirements. The board then adds that the exemption does not reach the 3 hour controlled substances course or the 2 hour human trafficking course. So for a certified nurse-midwife the practical position is that current specialty certification can carry most of the 24 hours, while the controlled substances and human trafficking courses are owed regardless. The American Midwifery Certification Board's own Certificate Maintenance Program totals are not recorded in hours_per_cycle because Florida credits the fact of accredited certification, not an outside hour count. All courses may be live or home study. Continuing education is reported into CE Broker and certificates are not submitted to the board.
Required CE topics for Florida certified nurse-midwifes
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe and effective prescription of controlled substancesThis is scoped to the role, not to prescribing. Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(b) reads that notwithstanding the exemption in paragraph (a), as part of the maximum 30 hours of continuing education hours required under this subsection, advanced practice registered nurses licensed under s. 464.012 must complete at least 3 hours of continuing education on the safe and effective prescription of controlled substances. The trigger is holding an APRN license under 464.012, which every Florida certified nurse-midwife does, and the statute says nothing about prescriptive authority or a DEA registration. The board's own table lists the course with no scope and states that the certification based continuing education exemption does not apply to it. applies_to is therefore deliberately null. The course must be offered by a statewide professional association of physicians in Florida accredited for AMA PRA Category 1 credit, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and may be offered in a distance learning format. | 3 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(b) |
| Human traffickingNotwithstanding the certification exemption, the board must require each person licensed or certified under chapter 464 to complete a 2 hour continuing education course on human trafficking as defined in s. 787.06(2). Effective October 1, 2017, with licenses expiring after January 1, 2019 required to complete it every renewal. The board states the course does not have to be a Florida Board of Nursing approved course but must meet the criteria in the statute. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(c) |
| Prevention of medical errorsMust be a board approved course; approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Not stated |
| Florida laws and rulesMust be a board approved course; approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Not stated |
| Recognition of impairment in the workplaceMust be a board approved course. The board states the 2 hour course is required every other renewal, so it lands once every two biennia rather than every cycle. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | Not stated |
| Domestic violenceMust be a board approved course. Required every third biennium, and the board states these hours are in addition to the 24 hours required for renewal rather than counted inside them. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | Not stated |
| HIV and AIDSMust be a board approved course. The board describes it as a one-time requirement prior to the first renewal. | 1 contact hour | First renewal only | All licensees | Not stated |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | The 16 general hours must be approved by a state or national organization empowered to accredit nursing continuing education. Medical errors, Florida laws and rules, recognition of impairment, domestic violence and HIV and AIDS courses must be board approved and are listed at cebroker.com. The human trafficking course need not be board approved but must meet the statutory criteria. The controlled substances course must come from one of four named accrediting organizations. Credits are reported to the Department of Health through CE Broker rather than submitted to the board. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Florida CNM need to renew?
- Florida nurse-midwives must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Nursing. Florida sets one 24 hour biennial total for the advanced practice registered nurse license, and the nurse-midwife specialty does not add its own hour count. The board's table breaks the requirement into 16 general hours that must be approved by a state or national organization empowered to accredit nursing continuing education, plus the mandated subject hours recorded separately below. Two items sit outside the 24: the board states domestic violence is required every third biennium and those hours are in addition to the 24 hours required for renewal, and Rule 64B9-4.020(4) requires a registered Autonomous APRN, which a nurse-midwife may be, to complete 10 additional hours of approved graduate level courses. Fla. Stat. 464.0123 states the same figure, at least 10 hours of board approved continuing education in addition to the other continuing education requirements, for each biennial renewal of an autonomous practice registration. The statutory ceiling is higher than the board's current table: Fla. Stat. 464.013(3) authorizes the board to prescribe up to 30 hours biennially. The exemption in Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(a) is the piece that matters most to a nurse-midwife, and the board restates it word for word: a nurse who is certified by a health care specialty program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification is exempt from continuing education requirements. The board then adds that the exemption does not reach the 3 hour controlled substances course or the 2 hour human trafficking course. So for a certified nurse-midwife the practical position is that current specialty certification can carry most of the 24 hours, while the controlled substances and human trafficking courses are owed regardless. The American Midwifery Certification Board's own Certificate Maintenance Program totals are not recorded in hours_per_cycle because Florida credits the fact of accredited certification, not an outside hour count. All courses may be live or home study. Continuing education is reported into CE Broker and certificates are not submitted to the board.
- How often does a Florida CNM license need to be renewed?
- Certified Nurse-Midwife licenses in Florida renew every two years. Florida licenses the nurse-midwife as an advanced practice registered nurse in the certified nurse midwife specialty under Fla. Stat. 464.012, and the license renews biennially. The board splits APRNs into three renewal groups with different expiration dates, currently listing Group 1 expiring at midnight Eastern on April 30, 2028, Group 2 on July 31, 2028 and Group 3 on April 30, 2027, so a licensee has to check which group the license sits in. Renewal is filed through the MQA Services Portal and continuing education is reported through CE Broker rather than sent to the board. A first license is usually not valid for a full two years, and the board states that a licensee who did not hold the license for the full biennium completes one hour of continuing education for each month held. A nurse-midwife who also holds the autonomous practice registration renews that designation alongside the license and must maintain current national certification with the relevant certifying agency to keep it.
- What specific CE topics are required for Florida nurse-midwives?
- Safe and effective prescription of controlled substances: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Human trafficking: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Prevention of medical errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Florida laws and rules: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Recognition of impairment in the workplace: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Domestic violence: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. HIV and AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only. Citations: safe and effective prescription of controlled substances (Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(b)) and human trafficking (Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(c)).
- Do Florida nurse-midwives have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates. The 16 general hours must be approved by a state or national organization empowered to accredit nursing continuing education. Medical errors, Florida laws and rules, recognition of impairment, domestic violence and HIV and AIDS courses must be board approved and are listed at cebroker.com. The human trafficking course need not be board approved but must meet the statutory criteria. The controlled substances course must come from one of four named accrediting organizations. Credits are reported to the Department of Health through CE Broker rather than submitted to the board.
- Is the first Florida CNM renewal exempt from CE?
- No. Florida applies the continuing education requirement to the first renewal as well.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Education, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Florida Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Renewal, Florida Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Fla. Stat. 464.012, Licensure of advanced practice registered nurses; fees; controlled substance prescribingStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Fla. Stat. 464.013, Renewal of license, certificate, or registrationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Fla. Stat. 464.0123, Autonomous practice by an advanced practice registered nurseStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Fla. Stat. 467.003, Definitions, Midwifery Practice ActStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
Florida has a distinct nurse-midwife credential. Fla. Stat. 464.012 lists certified nurse midwife as one of the advanced practice registered nurse specialties the Board of Nursing licenses, alongside certified nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist and psychiatric nurse, and requires graduation from a master's degree program for initial licensure as a certified nurse midwife. The board pattern is a board of nursing licensing the nurse-midwife as an APRN with a specialty designation. Florida draws the credential boundary in statute, which is the cleanest version of it in this batch: Fla. Stat. 467.003(7), in the Midwifery Practice Act, defines midwife as any person not less than 21 years of age, other than a licensed physician or certified nurse midwife, and 467.003(2) defines certified nurse midwife as a person licensed under chapter 464 who holds midwifery certification. So a chapter 467 licensed midwife is by definition not a certified nurse-midwife, and nothing from chapter 467 or the Council of Licensed Midwifery is recorded here. The Florida scoping question in the brief was read directly rather than copied from the nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist record, and it confirms the earlier correction. Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(b) attaches the 3 hour safe and effective prescription of controlled substances course to advanced practice registered nurses licensed under s. 464.012, with no mention of prescriptive authority or a DEA registration, and the board's own continuing education table lists the course with no scope and states that the certification based exemption does not reach it. applies_to on that topic is null on purpose. A second Florida specific finding is recorded that matters more for a nurse-midwife than for most roles: Fla. Stat. 464.013(3)(a), restated word for word on the board's page, exempts a nurse certified by a health care specialty program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification from the continuing education requirements, with the controlled substances and human trafficking courses carved back in. That is an accreditation test on the certifying program, not a named list, so this record states the test rather than asserting that any particular certifying board satisfies it. CNM continuing education neither stacks on nor runs parallel to a registered nurse requirement: Florida applies one 24 hour biennial total at the advanced practice level, with domestic violence added on top every third biennium and 10 extra graduate level hours for a registered Autonomous APRN. Every figure was read on an official host: the Board of Nursing's own continuing education and renewal pages, and the Florida Senate's own statute pages. The board's continuing education and renewal pages were read both through a plain fetch and in a browser tab so the table rows could be read exactly. Topic key impairment_in_the_workplace is not in the canonical list and matches the wording used in the existing fl-np and fl-crna records. These values agree with fl-np and fl-crna on the 24 hour total, the renewal groups and all seven mandated topics, including the unscoped 3 hour controlled substances course. The board did not state carryover, a record retention period or audit practice on the pages read, so those fields are null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Florida Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.