Kentucky Registered Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
Kentucky registered nurses must complete 14 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
All Kentucky nursing licenses renew every year on a fixed schedule: the licensure period runs November 1 through October 31, and the renewal window is open September 15 through midnight (Eastern) October 31. Renewal is completed in the KBN Nurse Portal.
Summary
Kentucky registered nurses must complete 14 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Nursing. All Kentucky nursing licenses renew every year on a fixed schedule: the licensure period runs November 1 through October 31, and the renewal window is open September 15 through midnight (Eastern) October 31. Renewal is completed in the KBN Nurse Portal. Kentucky also mandates specific subjects. Pediatric abusive head trauma: a one-time requirement of 1.5 contact hours (all nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure). Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (all nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure). Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour (all nurses; current licensees must complete by October 31, 2027, newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure). Suicide prevention: a one-time requirement of 2 contact hours (all nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure).
Kentucky 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 | 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 | 7 contact hours plus a satisfactory nursing employment evaluation covering at least 6 months of the earning period; Current national nursing certification obtained, renewed, or in effect during the earning period; Post-licensure academic nursing course passed with a grade of C or better (1 semester credit = 15 contact hours; 1 quarter hour = 12 contact hours); Serving as a preceptor for at least one student or new employee for at least 120 hours; Publishing a nursing-related article in a peer-reviewed health-related journal; Presenting a nursing CE course through a KBN-approved provider (presenter earns twice the hours awarded to attendees); Completing a nursing research project as principal or co-investigator |
201 KAR 20:215 requires each licensee to validate continued competency every earning period (November 1 through October 31). The standard path is 14 contact hours from a provider approved under 201 KAR 20:220 (one contact hour = 50 minutes). The board's CE page states the same 14 contact hours and the alternative methods for RNs; the LPN page states the identical requirement for LPNs. The one-time mandatory topics below count toward the hours in the period they are taken. The regulation does not address carryover, online limits, or a first-renewal exemption on the pages read.
Required CE topics for Kentucky registered nurses
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatric abusive head traumaMinimum 1.5 contact hours, one time. Nurses who completed it before July 15, 2024 do not repeat it. | 1.5 contact hours | One time | All nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(a); KRS 314.073(6) |
| Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitationMinimum 3 contact hours, one time. | 3 contact hours | One time | All nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(b); KRS 194A.540(9)(d) |
| Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementiaMinimum 1 contact hour, one time. | 1 contact hour | One time | All nurses; current licensees must complete by October 31, 2027, newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure | 201 KAR 20:215 Section 5(5)(c); KRS 314.073(7) |
| Suicide preventionMinimum 2 contact hours, one time: one hour of general suicide prevention content and one hour addressing stressors specific to nurses, per the regulation summary. | 2 contact hours | One time | All nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure | 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 | Provider approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing under 201 KAR 20:220, another state board of nursing, or a national nursing organization, per the board's CE page |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Kentucky RN need to renew?
- Kentucky registered nurses must complete 14 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Kentucky Board of Nursing. 201 KAR 20:215 requires each licensee to validate continued competency every earning period (November 1 through October 31). The standard path is 14 contact hours from a provider approved under 201 KAR 20:220 (one contact hour = 50 minutes). The board's CE page states the same 14 contact hours and the alternative methods for RNs; the LPN page states the identical requirement for LPNs. The one-time mandatory topics below count toward the hours in the period they are taken. The regulation does not address carryover, online limits, or a first-renewal exemption on the pages read.
- How often does a Kentucky RN license need to be renewed?
- Registered Nurse licenses in Kentucky renew every year. All Kentucky nursing licenses renew every year on a fixed schedule: the licensure period runs November 1 through October 31, and the renewal window is open September 15 through midnight (Eastern) October 31. Renewal is completed in the KBN Nurse Portal.
- What specific CE topics are required for Kentucky registered nurses?
- Pediatric abusive head trauma: a one-time requirement of 1.5 contact hours (all nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure). Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (all nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure). Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour (all nurses; current licensees must complete by October 31, 2027, newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure). Suicide prevention: a one-time requirement of 2 contact hours (all nurses; newly licensed nurses have three years from licensure). Citations: 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 registered 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 5 years. Provider approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing under 201 KAR 20:220, another state board of nursing, or a national nursing organization, per the board's CE page
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- RN and LPN License Renewal, Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Continuing Education, Registered Nurse, Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- 201 KAR 20:215 Continuing competency requirementsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Kentucky Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours (14 contact hours) and cycle (annual, November 1 through October 31) confirmed on the board's RN CE page and in 201 KAR 20:215. Documentation is uploaded to CE Broker only if selected for the board's CE audit; records must be kept five years. The regulation does not state a first-renewal exemption, carryover, or online caps, so those fields are null. No HIV/AIDS, implicit bias, or human trafficking requirement appears in the current regulation. The pediatric abusive head trauma mandate is recorded under the child_abuse_reporting key as the closest canonical topic. APRN-only pharmacology and opioid mandates in the same regulation do not reach RNs and are omitted.
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.