Montana Nurse Practitioner license renewal and CE requirements
Montana does not require continuing education for NP license renewal, which happens every two years.
A nurse practitioner holds a Montana RN license with an APRN endorsement as a Certified Nurse Practitioner. The board's FAQ states that all RN, LPN and APRN licenses expire December 31 every two years. Renewal is filed through the state eBiz portal, and the APRN endorsement carries its own renewal fee per certification type.
Summary
Montana does not require continuing education for NP license renewal, which happens every two years. A nurse practitioner holds a Montana RN license with an APRN endorsement as a Certified Nurse Practitioner. The board's FAQ states that all RN, LPN and APRN licenses expire December 31 every two years. Renewal is filed through the state eBiz portal, and the APRN endorsement carries its own renewal fee per certification type.
Montana Nurse Practitioner 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, 12/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | No |
Montana has no layered CE structure for nurse practitioners because it has no nursing CE requirement at all. The board's home page announcement states that LPNs, RNs and APRNs licensed in Montana are no longer required to maintain 24 contact hours of continuing education as part of the license renewal process, effective November 18, 2023, when the board repealed its CE rules (MAR notice 24-159-93). The board's continuing education page repeats that it no longer requires contact hours for renewal and now offers free optional modules. Current national certification from a board-approved certifying organization is required to hold the APRN endorsement, so nurse practitioners still meet their certifying body's recertification requirements. Prescriptive authority is a separate application: an applicant who finished the graduate program more than five years earlier must show a three semester credit graduate course or 45 contact hours of continuing education in pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics, but this is a one time qualification for the credential, not a recurring renewal requirement.
Required CE topics for Montana nurse practitioners
The Montana Board of Nursing (Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards Division) 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 | Not stated |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Montana NP need to renew?
- Montana does not require continuing education for NP license renewal, which happens every two years. Montana has no layered CE structure for nurse practitioners because it has no nursing CE requirement at all. The board's home page announcement states that LPNs, RNs and APRNs licensed in Montana are no longer required to maintain 24 contact hours of continuing education as part of the license renewal process, effective November 18, 2023, when the board repealed its CE rules (MAR notice 24-159-93). The board's continuing education page repeats that it no longer requires contact hours for renewal and now offers free optional modules. Current national certification from a board-approved certifying organization is required to hold the APRN endorsement, so nurse practitioners still meet their certifying body's recertification requirements. Prescriptive authority is a separate application: an applicant who finished the graduate program more than five years earlier must show a three semester credit graduate course or 45 contact hours of continuing education in pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics, but this is a one time qualification for the credential, not a recurring renewal requirement.
- How often does a Montana NP license need to be renewed?
- Nurse Practitioner licenses in Montana renew every two years. A nurse practitioner holds a Montana RN license with an APRN endorsement as a Certified Nurse Practitioner. The board's FAQ states that all RN, LPN and APRN licenses expire December 31 every two years. Renewal is filed through the state eBiz portal, and the APRN endorsement carries its own renewal fee per certification type.
- Do Montana nurse practitioners have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Montana Board of Nursing home page, continuing education repeal announcementState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Education, Montana Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions, Montana Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- APRN license information, Montana Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Prescriptive Authority, Montana Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Both core values were read on board pages: the biennial December 31 expiration on the board FAQ and the APRN page, and the absence of any CE requirement on the board home page announcement and the continuing education page, which name APRNs explicitly alongside RNs and LPNs. Two board pages describe the renewal year slightly differently: the APRN page says odd numbered licensees renew by December 31 of odd numbered years and even numbered licensees by December 31 of even numbered years, while the prescriptive authority page says all Montana nursing licenses renew December 31 of even numbered years. Both agree on the two year cycle and the December 31 date, so the record states the cycle and the date and leaves the year assignment to the licensee's own record. No mandatory subject topics exist because the board mandates no CE. The eight hour one time DEA training on substance use disorders is a federal registration requirement, not a Montana Board of Nursing requirement, and is not recorded. The repeal rule text (MAR 24-159-93) is published only as a PDF and was not opened.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Montana Board of Nursing (Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards Division) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.