Louisiana Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist license renewal and CE requirements
Louisiana nurse anesthetists 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 anesthetist as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse; R.S. 37:913(1)(b) names the certified registered nurse anesthetist as one of the four APRN types. Renewal is biennial on a fixed calendar. The renewal season runs October 1 through December 31; a renewal completed after midnight Central on December 31 carries a $50 late fee, and any Louisiana nursing license not successfully renewed online expires at midnight Central on January 31. Renewal is online only through the board's Nurse Portal.
Summary
Louisiana nurse anesthetists 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 anesthetist as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse; R.S. 37:913(1)(b) names the certified registered nurse anesthetist as one of the four APRN types. Renewal is biennial on a fixed calendar. The renewal season runs October 1 through December 31; a renewal completed after midnight Central on December 31 carries a $50 late fee, and any Louisiana nursing license not successfully renewed online expires at midnight Central on January 31. Renewal is online only through the board's Nurse Portal. Louisiana also mandates specific subjects. Pharmacotherapeutics in the APRN's advanced nursing role and population foci: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle (only a CRNA who holds prescriptive authority; the rule and the board's FAQ both scope it to APRNs with prescriptive authority, so a nurse anesthetist practicing without it is not covered). Controlled substance prescribing practices: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (only a CRNA who holds prescriptive authority and applies for or holds authority to prescribe controlled substances).
Louisiana 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 | 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 | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Current national certification in an advanced practice specialty recognized by the board. The board states that APRNs who are nationally board certified meet the provisions for renewal of their Louisiana RN license by holding an approved certification, so NBCRNA certification is the usual route through the base requirement for a nurse anesthetist; 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; Academic courses in a post-secondary nursing degree program, documented by official transcript |
The hour figure is the shared Louisiana nursing figure and matches the state's nurse practitioner record, but a nurse anesthetist carries one statutory condition no other APRN role does. The base is the registered nurse relicensure requirement, which the board states as at least 30 board approved contact hours during the two year licensure period or at least 900 employer verified practice hours during that period, and which a nationally certified APRN satisfies by holding the certification. Layered on top for prescribers only, LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6 requires an APRN with prescriptive authority to obtain six contact hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics each year in the APRN's advanced nursing role and population foci, which comes to 12 contact hours produced at audit across the two year renewal. A nurse anesthetist who does not hold prescriptive authority is not reached by that layer, which is the main way this record differs from the Louisiana nurse practitioner record. Separately and specific to nurse anesthetists, R.S. 37:930(A)(2) conditions the administration of anesthesia by a registered nurse on being a registered nurse anesthetist certified by a nationally recognized certifying agency and participating in a continuing education program of a nationally approved accreditation agency as from time to time required, which the statute recognizes as the Continuing Education Program for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. That is a practice condition tied to national certification, not a state hour count, and Louisiana does not adopt NBCRNA Continued Professional Certification credit totals as its own requirement; the four year NBCRNA cycle does not line up with the state's two year cycle. Anesthetics must also be administered under the direction and supervision of a Louisiana licensed physician or dentist.
Required CE topics for Louisiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacotherapeutics in the APRN's advanced nursing role and population fociThe rule states 6 contact hours each year; because renewal is every two years, an APRN selected for the audit must produce 12 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics for the cycle. Content must be relevant to advanced practice nursing and the use of pharmacological agents in preventing illness and restoring and maintaining health, and must come from a board approved national certifying organization or a provider approved by the board. Hours earned for the mandated controlled substance prescribing education are applied to this requirement for the year in which they were completed. Non-canonical topic key. | 12 contact hours | Every renewal | Only a CRNA who holds prescriptive authority; the rule and the board's FAQ both scope it to APRNs with prescriptive authority, so a nurse anesthetist practicing without it is not covered | LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6 |
| Controlled substance prescribing practicesThree board approved hours of continuing education on controlled substance prescribing practices, including instruction on drug diversion training, best practices for prescribing controlled substances, and appropriate treatment for addiction. These hours also count toward the pharmacotherapeutics requirement for the year completed. An APRN authorized to prescribe controlled substances must hold an active Louisiana controlled dangerous substance license and a DEA registration and work under a signed collaborative practice agreement that specifies controlled substance utilization. | 3 contact hours | One time | Only a CRNA who holds prescriptive authority and applies for or holds authority to prescribe controlled substances | LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.5 and LAC 46:XLVII.4516 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | 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 pharmacology hours must be delineated on the certificate. Renewal is by attestation: evidence is submitted only when the board requests it. Board rules require that no less than 3 percent of the total RNs and APRNs who renew each year be chosen at random for an audit of continuing education compliance, and there is no limit on how many times a licensee can be selected. An APRN selected for the pharmacology audit mails the board's CE Audit Verification Form for APRNs with Prescriptive Authority together with photocopies of the certificates of completion, which must carry the APRN's name and a clearly printed statement that the topic was accredited or recognized for pharmacology continuing education by one of the agencies the board accepts. The board states no licensee record retention period for nurses. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Louisiana CRNA need to renew?
- Louisiana nurse anesthetists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. The hour figure is the shared Louisiana nursing figure and matches the state's nurse practitioner record, but a nurse anesthetist carries one statutory condition no other APRN role does. The base is the registered nurse relicensure requirement, which the board states as at least 30 board approved contact hours during the two year licensure period or at least 900 employer verified practice hours during that period, and which a nationally certified APRN satisfies by holding the certification. Layered on top for prescribers only, LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6 requires an APRN with prescriptive authority to obtain six contact hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics each year in the APRN's advanced nursing role and population foci, which comes to 12 contact hours produced at audit across the two year renewal. A nurse anesthetist who does not hold prescriptive authority is not reached by that layer, which is the main way this record differs from the Louisiana nurse practitioner record. Separately and specific to nurse anesthetists, R.S. 37:930(A)(2) conditions the administration of anesthesia by a registered nurse on being a registered nurse anesthetist certified by a nationally recognized certifying agency and participating in a continuing education program of a nationally approved accreditation agency as from time to time required, which the statute recognizes as the Continuing Education Program for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. That is a practice condition tied to national certification, not a state hour count, and Louisiana does not adopt NBCRNA Continued Professional Certification credit totals as its own requirement; the four year NBCRNA cycle does not line up with the state's two year cycle. Anesthetics must also be administered under the direction and supervision of a Louisiana licensed physician or dentist.
- How often does a Louisiana CRNA license need to be renewed?
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist licenses in Louisiana renew every two years. Louisiana licenses the nurse anesthetist as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse; R.S. 37:913(1)(b) names the certified registered nurse anesthetist as one of the four APRN types. Renewal is biennial on a fixed calendar. The renewal season runs October 1 through December 31; a renewal completed after midnight Central on December 31 carries a $50 late fee, and any Louisiana nursing license not successfully renewed online expires at midnight Central on January 31. Renewal is online only through the board's Nurse Portal.
- What specific CE topics are required for Louisiana nurse anesthetists?
- Pharmacotherapeutics in the APRN's advanced nursing role and population foci: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle (only a CRNA who holds prescriptive authority; the rule and the board's FAQ both scope it to APRNs with prescriptive authority, so a nurse anesthetist practicing without it is not covered). Controlled substance prescribing practices: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours (only a CRNA who holds prescriptive authority and applies for or holds authority to prescribe controlled substances). Citations: pharmacotherapeutics in the APRN's advanced nursing role and population foci (LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.6) and controlled substance prescribing practices (LAC 46:XLVII.4513.D.5 and LAC 46:XLVII.4516).
- Do Louisiana nurse anesthetists 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. 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 pharmacology hours must be delineated on the certificate. Renewal is by attestation: evidence is submitted only when the board requests it. Board rules require that no less than 3 percent of the total RNs and APRNs who renew each year be chosen at random for an audit of continuing education compliance, and there is no limit on how many times a licensee can be selected. An APRN selected for the pharmacology audit mails the board's CE Audit Verification Form for APRNs with Prescriptive Authority together with photocopies of the certificates of completion, which must carry the APRN's name and a clearly printed statement that the topic was accredited or recognized for pharmacology continuing education by one of the agencies the board accepts. The board states no licensee record retention period for nurses.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Education FAQs, Louisiana State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Renewal FAQs, Louisiana State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- La. R.S. 37:913 Definitions (Certified registered nurse anesthetist as an advanced practice registered nurse)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- La. R.S. 37:930 Anesthetics; authority to administer; penaltyStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- LAC 46:XLVII.4513 Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, including D.5 controlled substance prescribing education and D.6 Continued Competency for Prescriptive Authority (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
- Louisiana State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Louisiana does not issue a distinct CRNA licence. R.S. 37:913(1)(b) defines the certified registered nurse anesthetist as an advanced practice registered nurse educated in nurse anesthesia and certified by a nationally recognized certifying body approved by the board, authorized to select and administer anesthetics or ancillary services, and R.S. 37:913(3)(a) writes advanced practice registered nursing for the CRNA, CNM, CNS and NP roles together. So the continuing education rules in LAC 46:XLVII Chapter 45 are the shared APRN rules. Two things separate this record from the Louisiana nurse practitioner record. First, the pharmacotherapeutics layer is scoped to APRNs with prescriptive authority by both the rule and the board's own FAQ, so it is recorded here with an explicit conditional scope rather than inherited. Second, R.S. 37:930(A)(2) imposes a nurse anesthetist specific condition that no other APRN role carries: a registered nurse may administer anesthetics only if certified by a nationally recognized certifying agency for nurse anesthetists and participating in a continuing education program of a nationally approved accreditation agency, which the statute recognizes as the Continuing Education Program for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. The base 30 contact hours or 900 practice hours, the national certification route for APRNs, the 6 pharmacotherapeutics hours per year and the 12 produced at audit, the biennial cycle, the October 1 to December 31 renewal season and the January 31 expiration, and the 3 percent random audit were all read on the board's own FAQ pages, which is the official host. The rule text for the pharmacotherapeutics and controlled substance requirements was read on the Cornell LII mirror because Louisiana publishes LAC Title 46 Part XLVII as a Word document on the Division of Administration site, which the no download rule excludes; Cornell is cited as a supporting source only, and every substantive figure in this record also appears on the board's own site. One topic key is outside the canonical list: pharmacology. hours_per_cycle records the 30 hour base rather than the 12 pharmacotherapeutics hours, because the board presents 30 as the relicensure figure. Licensee record retention and any first renewal exemption are not stated.
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.