Indiana Certified Nurse-Midwife license renewal and CE requirements
Indiana does not require continuing education for CNM license renewal, which happens every two years.
Indiana issues a distinct Nurse Midwife license, which is unusual among the Indiana advanced practice credentials. Under 848 IAC 3-1-1 a certified nurse midwife is a registered nurse who graduated from a nationally accredited school of midwifery, passed the national certifying examination, and is licensed by the board to practice as a nurse-midwife or holds an active Nurse Licensure Compact registered nurse license. The board issues it in two forms, the Nurse Midwife license (license numbers beginning 09 and ending A) which sits on an active Indiana registered nurse license, and the Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license (numbers beginning 09 and ending C) which sits on a multistate compact registered nurse license from the licensee's home state. The two carry the same privileges. A Nurse Midwife license expires on October 31 of every odd-numbered year regardless of issuance date, the same date as the Indiana registered nurse license. A Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license carries the same expiration date as the licensee's home state compact license, which makes the basis other for that variant. The renewal window opens 90 days before expiration and the renewal fee is $50. The prerequisite registered nurse or out of state compact registered nurse license must be renewed and active before the Nurse Midwife renewal can process. A license expired less than three years may be renewed online with a late fee. Neither the Nurse Midwife nor the Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license by itself grants prescriptive authority; a nurse-midwife who needs to prescribe also holds the separate APRN Prescriptive Authority or APRN, Compact RN license, which expires on the same October 31 odd-year date and costs $10 to renew.
Summary
Indiana does not require continuing education for CNM license renewal, which happens every two years. Indiana issues a distinct Nurse Midwife license, which is unusual among the Indiana advanced practice credentials. Under 848 IAC 3-1-1 a certified nurse midwife is a registered nurse who graduated from a nationally accredited school of midwifery, passed the national certifying examination, and is licensed by the board to practice as a nurse-midwife or holds an active Nurse Licensure Compact registered nurse license. The board issues it in two forms, the Nurse Midwife license (license numbers beginning 09 and ending A) which sits on an active Indiana registered nurse license, and the Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license (numbers beginning 09 and ending C) which sits on a multistate compact registered nurse license from the licensee's home state. The two carry the same privileges. A Nurse Midwife license expires on October 31 of every odd-numbered year regardless of issuance date, the same date as the Indiana registered nurse license. A Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license carries the same expiration date as the licensee's home state compact license, which makes the basis other for that variant. The renewal window opens 90 days before expiration and the renewal fee is $50. The prerequisite registered nurse or out of state compact registered nurse license must be renewed and active before the Nurse Midwife renewal can process. A license expired less than three years may be renewed online with a late fee. Neither the Nurse Midwife nor the Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license by itself grants prescriptive authority; a nurse-midwife who needs to prescribe also holds the separate APRN Prescriptive Authority or APRN, Compact RN license, which expires on the same October 31 odd-year date and costs $10 to renew. Indiana also mandates specific subjects. Pharmacology contact hours: 8 hours every renewal cycle (only a nurse-midwife who also holds the optional Indiana APRN Prescriptive Authority or APRN, Compact RN license. It does not reach a nurse-midwife practising on the Nurse Midwife license and registered nurse license alone.).
Indiana 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 | Same date for every licensee, 10/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | No |
Indiana attaches continuing education to prescribing, not to nursing or to midwifery. The board states plainly that there are no continuing education requirements for renewal of an LPN or RN license in Indiana, and no continuing education appears anywhere in the board's Nurse Midwife licensing and renewal instructions. A nurse-midwife who renews only the registered nurse license and the Nurse Midwife license therefore has no Indiana continuing education requirement. A nurse-midwife who also holds the optional APRN Prescriptive Authority license, which most practising nurse-midwives will need, takes on that license's requirement instead: at least 30 contact hours of continuing education per two year licensure period, of which at least 8 contact hours must be pharmacology, from a nationally approved sponsor of continuing education for advanced practice nurses (848 IAC 5-1-3). That layer is prorated on a first cycle. If prescriptive authority was granted less than 12 months before its expiration date, no continuing education is required. If it was granted at least 12 but less than 24 months before expiration, 15 contact hours are required including at least 4 pharmacology hours, all completed after the authority was granted and before it expires. Prescriptive authority also requires at least one current written collaborative practice agreement with an actively licensed Indiana practitioner on file; without one the APRN license is placed on Current, Not Practicing status. American Midwifery Certification Board certification is required for initial Nurse Midwife licensure, since the board asks for an AMCB certification letter sent directly to it, and for the prescriptive authority layer the board accepts proof of national certification in lieu of the 30 hours when it audits. AMCB Certificate Maintenance Program totals are not recorded here because Indiana sets no state hour count against them.
Required CE topics for Indiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology contact hoursEight of the 30 contact hours required for prescriptive authority renewal must be pharmacology. On a prorated first cycle of 15 hours, at least 4 must be pharmacology. The key pharmacology is outside the canonical topic list and matches the other Indiana advanced practice records. | 8 hours | Every renewal | Only a nurse-midwife who also holds the optional Indiana APRN Prescriptive Authority or APRN, Compact RN license. It does not reach a nurse-midwife practising on the Nurse Midwife license and registered nurse license alone. | 848 IAC 5-1-3 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Nothing to document for a nurse-midwife renewing only the registered nurse and Nurse Midwife licenses, neither of which carries continuing education. For the optional APRN Prescriptive Authority license, continuing education must be approved by a nationally approved sponsor of continuing education for advanced practice nurses approved by the board. The board's accepted list is the United States Department of Education, the Council on Post-Secondary Education, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals and the Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations, federal, state and local government agencies, a college or teaching institution accredited by the US Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education, a national organization of licensed advanced practice registered nurses, a national, state, district or local organization operating as an affiliated entity under one of those, and a hospital internship or residency program approved by one of them. Licensees keep certificates of completion for up to three years from the date of renewal. The board audits up to 10 percent of licensees and runs an APRN prescriptive authority audit every two years under IC 25-23-1-19.8, covering both the continuing education and the collaborative practice agreements for the previous licensure period; a certificate must state the licensee's name, the sponsor, the program name, the date of attendance and the hours received. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Indiana CNM need to renew?
- Indiana does not require continuing education for CNM license renewal, which happens every two years. Indiana attaches continuing education to prescribing, not to nursing or to midwifery. The board states plainly that there are no continuing education requirements for renewal of an LPN or RN license in Indiana, and no continuing education appears anywhere in the board's Nurse Midwife licensing and renewal instructions. A nurse-midwife who renews only the registered nurse license and the Nurse Midwife license therefore has no Indiana continuing education requirement. A nurse-midwife who also holds the optional APRN Prescriptive Authority license, which most practising nurse-midwives will need, takes on that license's requirement instead: at least 30 contact hours of continuing education per two year licensure period, of which at least 8 contact hours must be pharmacology, from a nationally approved sponsor of continuing education for advanced practice nurses (848 IAC 5-1-3). That layer is prorated on a first cycle. If prescriptive authority was granted less than 12 months before its expiration date, no continuing education is required. If it was granted at least 12 but less than 24 months before expiration, 15 contact hours are required including at least 4 pharmacology hours, all completed after the authority was granted and before it expires. Prescriptive authority also requires at least one current written collaborative practice agreement with an actively licensed Indiana practitioner on file; without one the APRN license is placed on Current, Not Practicing status. American Midwifery Certification Board certification is required for initial Nurse Midwife licensure, since the board asks for an AMCB certification letter sent directly to it, and for the prescriptive authority layer the board accepts proof of national certification in lieu of the 30 hours when it audits. AMCB Certificate Maintenance Program totals are not recorded here because Indiana sets no state hour count against them.
- How often does a Indiana CNM license need to be renewed?
- Certified Nurse-Midwife licenses in Indiana renew every two years. Indiana issues a distinct Nurse Midwife license, which is unusual among the Indiana advanced practice credentials. Under 848 IAC 3-1-1 a certified nurse midwife is a registered nurse who graduated from a nationally accredited school of midwifery, passed the national certifying examination, and is licensed by the board to practice as a nurse-midwife or holds an active Nurse Licensure Compact registered nurse license. The board issues it in two forms, the Nurse Midwife license (license numbers beginning 09 and ending A) which sits on an active Indiana registered nurse license, and the Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license (numbers beginning 09 and ending C) which sits on a multistate compact registered nurse license from the licensee's home state. The two carry the same privileges. A Nurse Midwife license expires on October 31 of every odd-numbered year regardless of issuance date, the same date as the Indiana registered nurse license. A Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license carries the same expiration date as the licensee's home state compact license, which makes the basis other for that variant. The renewal window opens 90 days before expiration and the renewal fee is $50. The prerequisite registered nurse or out of state compact registered nurse license must be renewed and active before the Nurse Midwife renewal can process. A license expired less than three years may be renewed online with a late fee. Neither the Nurse Midwife nor the Nurse Midwife, Compact RN license by itself grants prescriptive authority; a nurse-midwife who needs to prescribe also holds the separate APRN Prescriptive Authority or APRN, Compact RN license, which expires on the same October 31 odd-year date and costs $10 to renew.
- What specific CE topics are required for Indiana nurse-midwives?
- Pharmacology contact hours: 8 hours every renewal cycle (only a nurse-midwife who also holds the optional Indiana APRN Prescriptive Authority or APRN, Compact RN license. It does not reach a nurse-midwife practising on the Nurse Midwife license and registered nurse license alone.). Citations: pharmacology contact hours (848 IAC 5-1-3).
- Do Indiana nurse-midwives 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 3 years. Nothing to document for a nurse-midwife renewing only the registered nurse and Nurse Midwife licenses, neither of which carries continuing education. For the optional APRN Prescriptive Authority license, continuing education must be approved by a nationally approved sponsor of continuing education for advanced practice nurses approved by the board. The board's accepted list is the United States Department of Education, the Council on Post-Secondary Education, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals and the Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations, federal, state and local government agencies, a college or teaching institution accredited by the US Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education, a national organization of licensed advanced practice registered nurses, a national, state, district or local organization operating as an affiliated entity under one of those, and a hospital internship or residency program approved by one of them. Licensees keep certificates of completion for up to three years from the date of renewal. The board audits up to 10 percent of licensees and runs an APRN prescriptive authority audit every two years under IC 25-23-1-19.8, covering both the continuing education and the collaborative practice agreements for the previous licensure period; a certificate must state the licensee's name, the sponsor, the program name, the date of attendance and the hours received.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Nursing Licensing Information, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (Nurse Midwife and APRN Prescriptive Authority sections)State board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Nursing Home, Indiana Professional Licensing AgencyState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Midwifery Licensing Information, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (Certified Direct Entry Midwife)State board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- 848 IAC 5-1-3, continuing education for advanced practice registered nurses with prescriptive authority (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
Indiana does have a distinct nurse-midwife credential, and this is the point where it diverges sharply from the Indiana nurse anesthetist record. The board issues a Nurse Midwife license in its own right, defined by 848 IAC 3-1-1 and quoted on the board's own licensing page, with its own license number series, its own $50 renewal fee and its own application requiring an official transcript from a nationally accredited school of midwifery and an American Midwifery Certification Board certification letter sent directly to the board. By contrast the board states that a nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner who does not need prescriptive authority practises on the registered nurse license alone, because the Indiana APRN license is the authority to prescribe rather than a license to practise in a role. So a nurse-midwife in Indiana holds an RN license plus a Nurse Midwife license, and optionally a third license for prescriptive authority. Establishing that the rules read govern the nurse-midwife rather than another kind of midwife was clean here. Indiana separately licenses the Certified Direct Entry Midwife through its own Certified Direct Entry Midwifery Committee, not the Board of Nursing, requiring the North American Registry of Midwives Certified Professional Midwife credential and a MEAC accredited education, with licenses expiring March 31 of odd-numbered years. None of that was used for any value here; every figure came from the Board of Nursing's nursing licensing page or from the nursing administrative code. AMCB certification is required to obtain the Nurse Midwife license and, for the prescriptive authority layer only, is accepted in place of the 30 continuing education hours at audit. Continuing education does not stack on an RN requirement in Indiana because there is no RN requirement to stack on, and it does not run on a parallel clock; it exists only as a condition of the prescriptive authority license and expires with it on the same date. That is why continuing_education.required is false and hours_per_cycle is null, matching the in-crna record: recording 30 hours would overstate the obligation of a nurse-midwife who does not prescribe. One structural caveat belongs in a reader's hands. The Nurse Midwife, Compact RN variant does not expire on October 31 of odd-numbered years; it expires whenever the licensee's home state multistate registered nurse license expires, so the fixed_date basis recorded here describes the ordinary Indiana Nurse Midwife license and not that variant. The rule text of 848 IAC 5-1-3 was read on the Cornell LII mirror and is cited as a third party summary because Indiana publishes its administrative code only as PDF files, which were not downloaded; the same 30 and 8 hour figures, the proration, the provider list, the three year retention and the audit are all stated independently on the board's own page, which is what carries the confidence here. No mandated subject other than pharmacology is recorded, and no opioid topic: the board states that the requirement for two hours of opioid prescribing and opioid abuse education on controlled substance registration applications expired on July 1, 2025. Nothing read contradicts the existing in-rn, in-np or in-crna records; the difference in continuing_education.required between this record and in-np reflects the different credential a nurse-midwife holds, not a different reading of the rule.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Indiana State Board of Nursing (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.