Louisiana Certified Nurse-Midwife license renewal and CE requirements
Louisiana nurse-midwives must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.
Louisiana licenses the nurse-midwife as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. R.S. 37:913(1)(a) names the certified nurse midwife as the first of the four APRN types, defining a CNM as an APRN educated in the disciplines of nursing and midwifery, certified by a nationally recognized certifying body such as the American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council as approved by the board, and authorized to manage the nurse midwifery care of newborns and of women in the antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and gynecological periods. Renewal is biennial on a fixed calendar rather than on the licensee's birthday. The renewal season runs October 1 through December 31; a renewal completed after midnight Central time on December 31 is automatically charged a $50 late fee, and any Louisiana nursing license not successfully renewed online expires at midnight Central time on January 31. Online renewal is mandatory and is completed in the LSBN Nurse Portal. The APRN license and the underlying registered nurse license run on the same two year licensure period, and the compact status a nurse holds at the time of biennial renewal carries forward rather than converting automatically.
Summary
Louisiana nurse-midwives must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. Louisiana licenses the nurse-midwife as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. R.S. 37:913(1)(a) names the certified nurse midwife as the first of the four APRN types, defining a CNM as an APRN educated in the disciplines of nursing and midwifery, certified by a nationally recognized certifying body such as the American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council as approved by the board, and authorized to manage the nurse midwifery care of newborns and of women in the antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and gynecological periods. Renewal is biennial on a fixed calendar rather than on the licensee's birthday. The renewal season runs October 1 through December 31; a renewal completed after midnight Central time on December 31 is automatically charged a $50 late fee, and any Louisiana nursing license not successfully renewed online expires at midnight Central time on January 31. Online renewal is mandatory and is completed in the LSBN Nurse Portal. The APRN license and the underlying registered nurse license run on the same two year licensure period, and the compact status a nurse holds at the time of biennial renewal carries forward rather than converting automatically. Louisiana also mandates specific subjects. Pharmacotherapeutics in the advanced nursing role and population focus: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle (only a nurse-midwife who holds prescriptive authority. The rule and the board's FAQ both scope it to APRNs with prescriptive authority, so a nurse-midwife practising without it is not covered.). Controlled substance prescribing practices: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (only a nurse-midwife who holds or applies for authority to prescribe controlled substances. Read the rule carefully: for an APRN who already held both active prescriptive authority and an active controlled dangerous substance license before the section was promulgated, it was a one-time prerequisite to license renewal; after promulgation it is supplied on application for controlled substance privileges and then meets the requirement for subsequent renewals.). The first renewal is exempt.
Louisiana 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, 01/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | A minimum of 900 nursing practice hours during the two year licensure period, verified by the employer on a board form, in place of the 30 contact hours. Practice hours earned in another state count.; Current certification in a specialty area of nursing by a certifying body whose requirements the board has approved as equivalent to or exceeding the continuing education requirement. This is the route an AMCB certified nurse-midwife normally takes.; Initial Louisiana RN licensure by examination or endorsement during the previous calendar year; Academic courses at a post-secondary institution related to the knowledge or technical skills required for nursing practice, or leading to an advanced degree or an advanced nursing certification, in lieu of contact hours |
Louisiana does not set a separate advanced practice hour total. The base requirement is the registered nurse requirement, and the board states that an APRN who is nationally board certified meets the provisions for renewal of the Louisiana RN license by holding an approved certification, so for a certified nurse-midwife the 30 contact hours are ordinarily satisfied by maintaining American Midwifery Certification Board certification rather than by counting hours. Any registered nurse may instead satisfy renewal with a minimum of 900 verified practice hours over the two year period. What sits on top for a nurse-midwife is the prescriptive authority requirement, which is genuinely additional and is stated per year rather than per cycle: LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6 requires an APRN with prescriptive authority to obtain six contact hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics in their advanced nursing role and population foci each year, and the board states that because renewal is every two years an APRN selected for audit must produce 12 contact hours. So the relationship to the registered nurse requirement is replacement at the base plus an annual prescriber overlay, not stacking of two general totals. Continuing education taken to satisfy the controlled substance rule in LAC 46:XLVII.4516 is applied toward the pharmacotherapeutics requirement for the year in which it was completed. Pharmacotherapeutics hours may be non-lecture offerings or continuing medical education units provided the offering documents the advanced pharmacotherapeutic hours, and those hours must be delineated on the certificate. A nurse-midwife whose prescriptive authority lapsed for more than 12 months but less than four years must provide six pharmacotherapeutics hours for each 12 month period of non-prescribing to reinstate it. A nurse issued an initial Louisiana RN license during the current year is excepted from the continuing education requirement. AMCB certification is required to hold the APRN license and also substitutes for the state hours, so AMCB Certificate Maintenance Program totals are not recorded in hours_per_cycle.
Required CE topics for Louisiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacotherapeutics in the advanced nursing role and population focusThe rule states six contact hours each year. Because Louisiana renewal is biennial, the board states that an APRN with prescriptive authority selected for audit must provide 12 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics, which is the figure recorded here. The program must be provided by a board approved national certifying organization or a provider approved by the board, and must include content relevant to advanced practice nursing and the use of pharmacological agents. The board publishes a CE Audit Verification Form for APRNs with Prescriptive Authority listing the agencies and organizations whose pharmacology credits it accepts. | 12 contact hours | Every renewal | Only a nurse-midwife who holds prescriptive authority. The rule and the board's FAQ both scope it to APRNs with prescriptive authority, so a nurse-midwife practising without it is not covered. | LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6 |
| Controlled substance prescribing practicesThree hours of board approved continuing education covering drug diversion training, best practices regarding the prescribing of controlled substances, and appropriate treatment for addiction. It may be satisfied by one three hour program, three one hour programs, or any combination totalling three hours, and it must be provided by a board approved national certifying body, a board approved accrediting organization, a provider approved by the board, or the board itself. These three hours also count toward the six pharmacotherapeutics hours for the year in which they were completed. | 3 contact hours | One time | Only a nurse-midwife who holds or applies for authority to prescribe controlled substances. Read the rule carefully: for an APRN who already held both active prescriptive authority and an active controlled dangerous substance license before the section was promulgated, it was a one-time prerequisite to license renewal; after promulgation it is supplied on application for controlled substance privileges and then meets the requirement for subsequent renewals. | LAC 46:XLVII.4516; LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.2.b |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Renewal is by attestation. Licensees attest during renewal that they completed the requirement during the two year period and submit evidence only when the board requests it. The board randomly selects no less than 3 percent of the registered nurses and APRNs who renew each year for an audit of compliance, which occurs on or around March following renewal, and it may additionally audit any questionable documentation. Documentation of the continuing education hours required for prescriptive authority is submitted at the board's request in that random audit at the time of the APRN's license renewal. Continuing education must be board approved; pharmacotherapeutics hours must come from a board approved national certifying organization or a provider approved by the board, and the certificate must delineate the advanced pharmacotherapeutic hours. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Louisiana CNM need to renew?
- Louisiana nurse-midwives must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. Louisiana does not set a separate advanced practice hour total. The base requirement is the registered nurse requirement, and the board states that an APRN who is nationally board certified meets the provisions for renewal of the Louisiana RN license by holding an approved certification, so for a certified nurse-midwife the 30 contact hours are ordinarily satisfied by maintaining American Midwifery Certification Board certification rather than by counting hours. Any registered nurse may instead satisfy renewal with a minimum of 900 verified practice hours over the two year period. What sits on top for a nurse-midwife is the prescriptive authority requirement, which is genuinely additional and is stated per year rather than per cycle: LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6 requires an APRN with prescriptive authority to obtain six contact hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics in their advanced nursing role and population foci each year, and the board states that because renewal is every two years an APRN selected for audit must produce 12 contact hours. So the relationship to the registered nurse requirement is replacement at the base plus an annual prescriber overlay, not stacking of two general totals. Continuing education taken to satisfy the controlled substance rule in LAC 46:XLVII.4516 is applied toward the pharmacotherapeutics requirement for the year in which it was completed. Pharmacotherapeutics hours may be non-lecture offerings or continuing medical education units provided the offering documents the advanced pharmacotherapeutic hours, and those hours must be delineated on the certificate. A nurse-midwife whose prescriptive authority lapsed for more than 12 months but less than four years must provide six pharmacotherapeutics hours for each 12 month period of non-prescribing to reinstate it. A nurse issued an initial Louisiana RN license during the current year is excepted from the continuing education requirement. AMCB certification is required to hold the APRN license and also substitutes for the state hours, so AMCB Certificate Maintenance Program totals are not recorded in hours_per_cycle.
- How often does a Louisiana CNM license need to be renewed?
- Certified Nurse-Midwife licenses in Louisiana renew every two years. Louisiana licenses the nurse-midwife as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. R.S. 37:913(1)(a) names the certified nurse midwife as the first of the four APRN types, defining a CNM as an APRN educated in the disciplines of nursing and midwifery, certified by a nationally recognized certifying body such as the American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council as approved by the board, and authorized to manage the nurse midwifery care of newborns and of women in the antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and gynecological periods. Renewal is biennial on a fixed calendar rather than on the licensee's birthday. The renewal season runs October 1 through December 31; a renewal completed after midnight Central time on December 31 is automatically charged a $50 late fee, and any Louisiana nursing license not successfully renewed online expires at midnight Central time on January 31. Online renewal is mandatory and is completed in the LSBN Nurse Portal. The APRN license and the underlying registered nurse license run on the same two year licensure period, and the compact status a nurse holds at the time of biennial renewal carries forward rather than converting automatically.
- What specific CE topics are required for Louisiana nurse-midwives?
- Pharmacotherapeutics in the advanced nursing role and population focus: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle (only a nurse-midwife who holds prescriptive authority. The rule and the board's FAQ both scope it to APRNs with prescriptive authority, so a nurse-midwife practising without it is not covered.). Controlled substance prescribing practices: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (only a nurse-midwife who holds or applies for authority to prescribe controlled substances. Read the rule carefully: for an APRN who already held both active prescriptive authority and an active controlled dangerous substance license before the section was promulgated, it was a one-time prerequisite to license renewal; after promulgation it is supplied on application for controlled substance privileges and then meets the requirement for subsequent renewals.). Citations: pharmacotherapeutics in the advanced nursing role and population focus (LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6) and controlled substance prescribing practices (LAC 46:XLVII.4516; LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.2.b).
- Do Louisiana nurse-midwives 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. Renewal is by attestation. Licensees attest during renewal that they completed the requirement during the two year period and submit evidence only when the board requests it. The board randomly selects no less than 3 percent of the registered nurses and APRNs who renew each year for an audit of compliance, which occurs on or around March following renewal, and it may additionally audit any questionable documentation. Documentation of the continuing education hours required for prescriptive authority is submitted at the board's request in that random audit at the time of the APRN's license renewal. Continuing education must be board approved; pharmacotherapeutics hours must come from a board approved national certifying organization or a provider approved by the board, and the certificate must delineate the advanced pharmacotherapeutic hours.
- Is the first Louisiana CNM renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Louisiana does not require continuing education for a CNM's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Education FAQs, Louisiana State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Renewal FAQs, Louisiana State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- La. R.S. 37:913, definitions for the Louisiana Nurse Practice Act including the certified nurse midwifeStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- LAC 46:XLVII.4513, authorized practice and continued competency for prescriptive authority (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
- LAC 46:XLVII.4516, continuing education requirement for APRNs prescribing controlled substances (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
- Licensed Midwives, Louisiana State Board of Medical ExaminersState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Louisiana State Board of Nursing home pageState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
Louisiana names the certified nurse midwife first among the four APRN types in R.S. 37:913(1)(a), and licenses it as an APRN rather than as a standalone nurse-midwife credential. Louisiana is one of the clearer states for the credential trap because the non-nurse midwife is regulated by a different board entirely: the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners licenses the Licensed Midwife, defined by certification from the North American Registry of Midwives, with its own application, laws, rules, annual report and mortality report. Nothing from the medical examiners board was used for any figure here. Every value came from the Board of Nursing's own FAQs, from R.S. 37:913 on the Legislature's site, or from Chapter 45 of the nursing rules, which is headed Advanced Practice Registered Nurses within Part XLVII, Nurses: Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses. AMCB certification does double duty in Louisiana: it is the certification R.S. 37:913(1)(a) requires to be a CNM, and holding an approved national certification is the board's stated way an APRN meets the registered nurse renewal requirement, so it substitutes for the 30 contact hours rather than sitting alongside them. That is why the layering is best described as replacement at the base with a prescriber overlay on top, and why the 30 figure should be read as the ceiling a non-certified nurse would face rather than as hours most nurse-midwives actually count. One conflict with an existing record should be resolved upstream. The la-rn record carries fixed_deadline_month_day 12-31 while la-np and la-crna carry 01-31, on the same board and the same calendar. The board's renewal FAQ distinguishes the two dates cleanly: December 31 is the end of the renewal season and the date after which a $50 late fee attaches, and January 31 is the date on which an unrenewed license automatically expires. The expiration date is the one this field is for, so this record uses 01-31 and the la-rn value looks wrong. The two rule sections were read on the Cornell LII mirror and are cited as third party summaries because the Louisiana Administrative Code is published by the Division of Administration as document downloads; the 6 hour annual pharmacotherapeutics figure, the 12 hours at audit, the 3 percent audit rate and the certification substitution are all stated independently on the board's own FAQ pages, which is what carries the confidence. Two details of scope are worth a reader's attention. The three hour controlled substance course is not a recurring cycle requirement: the rule frames it as a one-time prerequisite for APRNs who already held prescriptive authority and a CDS license when the section was promulgated, and as an application requirement thereafter that then satisfies subsequent renewals, so it is recorded as one_time rather than every_cycle. And the pharmacotherapeutics requirement reaches only a nurse-midwife with prescriptive authority, which in Louisiana is a separate board approval with a collaborative practice agreement rather than something the APRN license confers automatically. Carryover, retention years, a live or interactive minimum and a self study cap are all null because no source read stated them; the board's CE brochure, which may address some of them, is published only as a PDF and was not downloaded.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.