Kansas Registered Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
Kansas registered nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Kansas State Board of Nursing.
Licenses expire on the last day of the month in which the licensee's birthday occurs, every two years: licensees born in an odd-numbered year renew in odd-numbered years and those born in an even-numbered year renew in even-numbered years (K.A.R. 60-3-108). The renewal window opens 90 days before expiration in the KSBN portal. A new licensee who would otherwise have to renew within six months of licensure instead expires at the end of the month following the third birthday after licensure.
Summary
Kansas registered nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Kansas State Board of Nursing. Licenses expire on the last day of the month in which the licensee's birthday occurs, every two years: licensees born in an odd-numbered year renew in odd-numbered years and those born in an even-numbered year renew in even-numbered years (K.A.R. 60-3-108). The renewal window opens 90 days before expiration in the KSBN portal. A new licensee who would otherwise have to renew within six months of licensure instead expires at the end of the month following the third birthday after licensure. Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Kansas Registered 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 | Tied to the licensee's birth monthFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | College courses approved through an Individual Offering Approval (IOA) before renewal (1 college credit hour = 15 contact hours; science, psychology, sociology or statistics prerequisites); First-time preparation and presentation as an instructor of an approved offering (2 contact hours per hour presented, maximum 15); ACLS, PALS, ENPC, TNCC, NRP or Mandt courses using board-approved curricula (maximum 15 contact hours per licensing period for recertification courses); Service on a nursing organization board of directors or the state board of nursing (maximum 3 hours per year, 6 per period); Independent study and distance learning offerings from approved providers; Offerings by providers approved by other state boards of nursing or national nursing credentialing associations |
K.A.R. 60-9-106: at renewal a licensee may be required to submit proof of 30 contact hours of approved continuing nursing education completed during the most recent prior licensing period (the two years between the start of the period and submission of the renewal). One contact hour is 50 minutes of learning; fractions of 30 minutes or more count. Hours above 30 do not carry over. Exception (board CNE page): 30 contact hours are not required if the license expires within 30 months following the initial licensure examination, or for a license that expires within the first nine months after reinstatement or endorsement. Not accepted: identical offerings in one period, basic-preparation content, in-service, orientation and institution-specific courses, offerings under 30 minutes, general education college courses, and CME unless approved through an IOA. The board states the identical 30 contact hour requirement for LPNs and RNs (LPN and RN CNE renewal requirements).
Required CE topics for Kansas registered nurses
The Kansas State Board of Nursing 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 | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | CNE must come from a provider approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing (long-term LT number or single-offering SP number), a provider approved by another state board of nursing, or a national nursing credentialing association; anything else needs an approved Individual Offering Approval before renewal. Licensees attest at renewal and, if audited, submit certificates or transcripts showing offering name, provider or accrediting organization and number, date, contact hours, licensee name and license number (K.A.R. 60-9-106(a)). |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Kansas RN need to renew?
- Kansas registered nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Kansas State Board of Nursing. K.A.R. 60-9-106: at renewal a licensee may be required to submit proof of 30 contact hours of approved continuing nursing education completed during the most recent prior licensing period (the two years between the start of the period and submission of the renewal). One contact hour is 50 minutes of learning; fractions of 30 minutes or more count. Hours above 30 do not carry over. Exception (board CNE page): 30 contact hours are not required if the license expires within 30 months following the initial licensure examination, or for a license that expires within the first nine months after reinstatement or endorsement. Not accepted: identical offerings in one period, basic-preparation content, in-service, orientation and institution-specific courses, offerings under 30 minutes, general education college courses, and CME unless approved through an IOA. The board states the identical 30 contact hour requirement for LPNs and RNs (LPN and RN CNE renewal requirements).
- How often does a Kansas RN license need to be renewed?
- Registered Nurse licenses in Kansas renew every two years. Licenses expire on the last day of the month in which the licensee's birthday occurs, every two years: licensees born in an odd-numbered year renew in odd-numbered years and those born in an even-numbered year renew in even-numbered years (K.A.R. 60-3-108). The renewal window opens 90 days before expiration in the KSBN portal. A new licensee who would otherwise have to renew within six months of licensure instead expires at the end of the month following the third birthday after licensure.
- Does Kansas require specific CE topics for registered nurses?
- The Kansas State Board of Nursing does not list mandated subject areas for RN renewal on the pages we verified; the 30 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Kansas registered nurses have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. CNE must come from a provider approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing (long-term LT number or single-offering SP number), a provider approved by another state board of nursing, or a national nursing credentialing association; anything else needs an approved Individual Offering Approval before renewal. Licensees attest at renewal and, if audited, submit certificates or transcripts showing offering name, provider or accrediting organization and number, date, contact hours, licensee name and license number (K.A.R. 60-9-106(a)).
- Is the first Kansas RN renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Kansas does not require continuing education for a RN's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- CNE Requirement for Renewal of Kansas Licensure, Kansas State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Renewal Application, Kansas State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- KSBN Information Center (How do I know when my license expires?), Kansas State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Kansas Nurse Practice Act (K.A.R. 60-3-108 License expiration and renewal; K.A.R. 60-9-106 Continuing nursing education for license renewal)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Continuing Nursing Education, Kansas State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours (30 contact hours), biennial birth-month cycle split by odd/even birth year, no carryover, first-renewal exception, and audit documentation confirmed in K.A.R. 60-3-108 and 60-9-106 (board's Nurse Practice Act PDF) and on the board's CNE, renewal and information center pages. Kansas mandates no specific CE subjects for RNs or LPNs. Record retention period for licensees is not stated in the rule or pages read. The board FAQ page linked from the CNE page returned 404 and is not cited.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Kansas State Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.