Kentucky Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist license renewal and CE requirements
Kentucky nurse anesthetists must complete 14 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
Kentucky does not issue a separate nurse anesthetist license. A CRNA holds an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse credential, and Kentucky nursing credentials renew every year on a fixed schedule. The licensure and continuing competency earning period runs November 1 through October 31, and the renewal window is open September 15 through midnight Eastern on October 31 in the KBN Nurse Portal. A credential not renewed by that moment lapses, and working on a lapsed credential is prohibited. The APRN and RN credentials are renewed together in a combined APRN and RN renewal.
Summary
Kentucky nurse anesthetists must complete 14 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Nursing. Kentucky does not issue a separate nurse anesthetist license. A CRNA holds an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse credential, and Kentucky nursing credentials renew every year on a fixed schedule. The licensure and continuing competency earning period runs November 1 through October 31, and the renewal window is open September 15 through midnight Eastern on October 31 in the KBN Nurse Portal. A credential not renewed by that moment lapses, and working on a lapsed credential is prohibited. The APRN and RN credentials are renewed together in a combined APRN and RN renewal. Kentucky also mandates specific subjects. Pharmacology: 5 contact hours every renewal cycle (every advanced practice registered nurse, including a certified registered nurse anesthetist; the rule and the board's APRN page both state it for all APRNs rather than only prescribers). Pain management or addiction disorders, inside the five pharmacology hours: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle (only a CRNA who is registered with the DEA and has a KASPER prescription drug monitoring account as defined by 201 KAR 20:057). Treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders: a one-time requirement of 8 contact hours (only a CRNA who has a DEA registration, due after June 27, 2023 and before the next scheduled DEA registration). Pediatric abusive head trauma: a one-time requirement of 1.5 contact hours (nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before December 2011). Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before May 1988). Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour (all nurses). Suicide prevention: a one-time requirement of 2 contact hours (nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before August 2025).
Kentucky Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 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 | Annual (12 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 10/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 14 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Current national certification or recertification related to the nurse's practice role, in place of the 14 contact hours, when it was attained during the earning period, was in effect for the entire earning period, or was recertified during the earning period. For a nurse anesthetist that is NBCRNA certification, and the board states plainly that an APRN's certification meets the 14 contact hour requirement for the RN license; A completed nursing related research project, publication of an article in a peer reviewed health related journal, or serving as preceptor for at least one nursing student or new employee for at least 120 hours; Seven contact hours plus a satisfactory nursing employment evaluation covering at least six months of the earning period; Designing and delivering a nursing continuing education presentation, credited at twice the contact hours offered to an attendee; Postlicensure academic coursework relevant to nursing practice: one semester or trimester hour equals 15 contact hours, one quarter hour equals 12 contact hours, with a grade of C or better or a pass |
This is the shared APRN rule and the figure matches the Kentucky nurse practitioner record. Under 201 KAR 20:215 Section 3 a licensee validates continued competency each earning period by one of four methods, the most common being 14 contact hours from a provider approved under 201 KAR 20:220. Whichever method is chosen, the licensee must also complete the continuing education required by Section 5, and for every APRN that means a minimum of 5 contact hours in pharmacology each earning period under KRS 314.073(9). When the 14 hour method is used the 5 pharmacology hours count inside the 14 rather than on top; an APRN who validates through national certification still owes the 5 pharmacology hours. A contact hour is 50 minutes. The earning period is November 1 through October 31 of the current licensure period, and a licensee may not repeat the same offering within a licensure period. Accepting NBCRNA recertification is an in lieu provision, not an adoption of NBCRNA's own credit totals: Kentucky's own number stays 14 contact hours in a 12 month period and the four year NBCRNA Continued Professional Certification cycle does not line up with it. Relevant to nurse anesthetists, the board lists the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists among the national nursing organizations whose approved providers it accepts, but it also states that BLS, CPR, ACLS and PALS certifications themselves cannot be counted as nursing continuing education, though a CE certificate from an approved provider listing contact hours for such a course may be applied. Also excluded: education completed before the license was issued, activities providing information related to the work setting, on the job training or orientation, in-service education, and equipment demonstrations. An individual review of a nonapproved activity may be requested within 30 days after the immediate past licensure period expires, with a $10 fee.
Required CE topics for Kentucky certified registered nurse anesthetists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PharmacologyContent must include drug specific information, safe prescribing practices, safe medication administration, prescribing methodologies, new administrative regulations or similar topics, with stated objectives. Casual mention of medications or medical treatments does not qualify. The board allows APRNs to use continuing medical education credits for pharmacology if the credits are pharmacology related and the provider is recognized by the APRN's national certifying organization. Non-canonical topic key. | 5 contact hours | Every renewal | Every advanced practice registered nurse, including a certified registered nurse anesthetist; the rule and the board's APRN page both state it for all APRNs rather than only prescribers | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(1)(a); KRS 314.073(9) |
| Pain management or addiction disorders, inside the five pharmacology hoursFor these APRNs at least 3 of the 5 pharmacology hours must be on either pain management or addiction disorders. It narrows the pharmacology hours rather than adding to them. A nurse anesthetist who holds no DEA registration and no KASPER account is not reached by this narrowing and still owes the plain 5 pharmacology hours. | 3 contact hours | Every renewal | Only a CRNA who is registered with the DEA and has a KASPER prescription drug monitoring account as defined by 201 KAR 20:057 | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(1)(b) |
| Treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disordersMust include the appropriate clinical use of all FDA approved drugs for treating a substance use disorder. An APRN who graduated from an advanced practice nursing school within five years before June 27, 2023 with at least eight hours of that content in the curriculum, or who has already earned eight hours of such training including past DATA-Waiver training, is deemed to have satisfied it. Groups approved by the DEA or SAMHSA may provide it in addition to board approved providers. | 8 contact hours | One time | Only a CRNA who has a DEA registration, due after June 27, 2023 and before the next scheduled DEA registration | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(2) and (3) |
| Pediatric abusive head traumaA one time requirement. A nurse who satisfied it on or before July 15, 2024 does not repeat it. An APRN who holds a privilege to practice as a registered nurse and obtains initial licensure after July 15, 2024 has three years from licensure to complete it. | 1.5 contact hours | One time | Nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before December 2011 | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(a); KRS 314.073(6) |
| Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitationA one time requirement, with the same July 15, 2024 grandfathering and the same three year window for nurses newly licensed after that date. | 3 contact hours | One time | Nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before May 1988 | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(b); KRS 194A.540(9)(d) |
| Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementiaA one time requirement covering warning signs and symptoms, the importance of early detection and diagnosis and communication techniques, assessment tools, and current treatments. Registered nurses, practical nurses and advanced practice registered nurses holding an active license on July 15, 2024 must satisfy it on or before October 31, 2027; nurses licensed after that date have three years from initial licensure. | 1 contact hour | One time | All nurses | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(c); KRS 314.073(7) |
| Suicide preventionOne hour on suicide prevention generally plus one hour covering chronic toxic stress and secondary traumatic stress among nurses, a confidential standardized pathway to care for nurses at risk, systems of care and best practices to reduce suicide rates, and the ethical and legal considerations of caring for suicidal patients and nurses. Kentucky applies this to nurse anesthetists like every other nurse; it does not carve them out the way some states do. | 2 contact hours | One time | Nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before August 2025 | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(d) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 5 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Continuing education must come from a provider approved by the board under 201 KAR 20:220, by another state board of nursing, or by one of the listed national nursing organizations, which include the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists alongside ANCC, AANP, AACN, ACNM, AWHONN, NPWH, NAPNAP, NAPNES, NALPN and NLN. DEA or SAMHSA approved groups may additionally provide the eight hour substance use disorder training. The licensee chooses a validation method, keeps the documentation, and produces it if the board directs. Completion certificates must carry the nurse's name, course title, date of completion, contact hours awarded, provider information, and who approved the provider to offer nursing CE. Records are retained at least five years following the current licensure period and, on request, furnished electronically through the board's continuing education tracking system in the nurse portal within 20 days. Uploading CE to the portal is optional at renewal and required only if the nurse is selected for the CE audit. Documentation must also be produced if the licensee is the subject of a disciplinary complaint. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Kentucky CRNA need to renew?
- Kentucky nurse anesthetists must complete 14 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Nursing. This is the shared APRN rule and the figure matches the Kentucky nurse practitioner record. Under 201 KAR 20:215 Section 3 a licensee validates continued competency each earning period by one of four methods, the most common being 14 contact hours from a provider approved under 201 KAR 20:220. Whichever method is chosen, the licensee must also complete the continuing education required by Section 5, and for every APRN that means a minimum of 5 contact hours in pharmacology each earning period under KRS 314.073(9). When the 14 hour method is used the 5 pharmacology hours count inside the 14 rather than on top; an APRN who validates through national certification still owes the 5 pharmacology hours. A contact hour is 50 minutes. The earning period is November 1 through October 31 of the current licensure period, and a licensee may not repeat the same offering within a licensure period. Accepting NBCRNA recertification is an in lieu provision, not an adoption of NBCRNA's own credit totals: Kentucky's own number stays 14 contact hours in a 12 month period and the four year NBCRNA Continued Professional Certification cycle does not line up with it. Relevant to nurse anesthetists, the board lists the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists among the national nursing organizations whose approved providers it accepts, but it also states that BLS, CPR, ACLS and PALS certifications themselves cannot be counted as nursing continuing education, though a CE certificate from an approved provider listing contact hours for such a course may be applied. Also excluded: education completed before the license was issued, activities providing information related to the work setting, on the job training or orientation, in-service education, and equipment demonstrations. An individual review of a nonapproved activity may be requested within 30 days after the immediate past licensure period expires, with a $10 fee.
- How often does a Kentucky CRNA license need to be renewed?
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist licenses in Kentucky renew every year. Kentucky does not issue a separate nurse anesthetist license. A CRNA holds an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse credential, and Kentucky nursing credentials renew every year on a fixed schedule. The licensure and continuing competency earning period runs November 1 through October 31, and the renewal window is open September 15 through midnight Eastern on October 31 in the KBN Nurse Portal. A credential not renewed by that moment lapses, and working on a lapsed credential is prohibited. The APRN and RN credentials are renewed together in a combined APRN and RN renewal.
- What specific CE topics are required for Kentucky nurse anesthetists?
- Pharmacology: 5 contact hours every renewal cycle (every advanced practice registered nurse, including a certified registered nurse anesthetist; the rule and the board's APRN page both state it for all APRNs rather than only prescribers). Pain management or addiction disorders, inside the five pharmacology hours: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle (only a CRNA who is registered with the DEA and has a KASPER prescription drug monitoring account as defined by 201 KAR 20:057). Treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders: a one-time requirement of 8 contact hours (only a CRNA who has a DEA registration, due after June 27, 2023 and before the next scheduled DEA registration). Pediatric abusive head trauma: a one-time requirement of 1.5 contact hours (nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before December 2011). Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before May 1988). Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour (all nurses). Suicide prevention: a one-time requirement of 2 contact hours (nurses who completed a nursing program outside Kentucky, or a Kentucky program of nursing before August 2025). Citations: pharmacology (201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(1)(a); KRS 314.073(9)), pain management or addiction disorders, inside the five pharmacology hours (201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(1)(b)), treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders (201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(2) and (3)), pediatric abusive head trauma (201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(a); KRS 314.073(6)), domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation (201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(b); KRS 194A.540(9)(d)), Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia (201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(c); KRS 314.073(7)), and suicide prevention (201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(d)).
- Do Kentucky nurse anesthetists 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 5 years. Continuing education must come from a provider approved by the board under 201 KAR 20:220, by another state board of nursing, or by one of the listed national nursing organizations, which include the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists alongside ANCC, AANP, AACN, ACNM, AWHONN, NPWH, NAPNAP, NAPNES, NALPN and NLN. DEA or SAMHSA approved groups may additionally provide the eight hour substance use disorder training. The licensee chooses a validation method, keeps the documentation, and produces it if the board directs. Completion certificates must carry the nurse's name, course title, date of completion, contact hours awarded, provider information, and who approved the provider to offer nursing CE. Records are retained at least five years following the current licensure period and, on request, furnished electronically through the board's continuing education tracking system in the nurse portal within 20 days. Uploading CE to the portal is optional at renewal and required only if the nurse is selected for the CE audit. Documentation must also be produced if the licensee is the subject of a disciplinary complaint.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- 201 KAR 20:215 Continuing competency requirements, Kentucky Administrative RegulationsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- 201 KAR 20:057 Scope and standards of practice of advanced practice registered nurses (adopting the Scope of Nurse Anesthesia Practice and Standards for Nurse Anesthesia Practice)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- APRN Continuing Education Requirements, Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Education Requirements, Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Content Specific Continuing Education Courses, Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Renewal, Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Kentucky does not issue a distinct CRNA credential. A nurse anesthetist is licensed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, and 201 KAR 20:057 confirms it by adopting the Scope of Nurse Anesthesia Practice and the Standards for Nurse Anesthesia Practice among the scope and standards statements that govern APRNs. 201 KAR 20:215 is the shared APRN continuing competency rule with no nurse anesthetist variation, so the numbers match the Kentucky nurse practitioner record: 14 contact hours per annual earning period as one of four validation methods, with 5 pharmacology hours required of every APRN on top of whichever method is chosen. The important scoping point for a CRNA is which of the Section 5 items actually reach one. The 5 pharmacology hours do, because the rule and the board's APRN page write them for all APRNs rather than for prescribers. The 3 hour pain management or addiction narrowing and the 8 hour substance use disorder training do not reach a CRNA who holds no DEA registration and no KASPER account, so both carry an explicit conditional scope here rather than being inherited from the nurse practitioner record. The four one time subject requirements apply to nurses generally, and Kentucky states no nurse anesthetist exemption from any of them, including suicide prevention, which some states do carve CRNAs out of. Two topic keys sit outside the canonical list in spirit: pharmacology is non-canonical, and the pediatric abusive head trauma requirement is filed under child_abuse_reporting because that is the nearest canonical key. Hours, methods, the earning period, the pharmacology requirement, the one time subjects, the five year retention and the audit process were read in the regulation text on the Legislative Research Commission site and confirmed on the board's own pages. Kentucky states no carryover rule, no self study cap and no first renewal exemption, so those stay null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Kentucky Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.