Nebraska Registered Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
Nebraska registered nurses must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Board of Nursing.
RN licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. Renew online through the Nebraska DHHS license portal when renewals open; a paper renewal must be postmarked by October 31.
Summary
Nebraska registered nurses must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Board of Nursing. RN licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. Renew online through the Nebraska DHHS license portal when renewals open; a paper renewal must be postmarked by October 31. The first renewal is exempt.
Nebraska 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 | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 10/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 20 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Graduation from a nursing program within the last two years (no CE required); Graduation from a nursing program more than two but less than five years ago plus 20 contact hours in the past two years (no 500 practice-hour requirement); Completion of an approved refresher course within the last five years; Current certification in a nursing specialty from a nationally recognized certifying organization; A portfolio with current continuing competency goals and evidence of professional activities meeting them; Current CPR or BLS certification may be claimed for up to 4 contact hours; ACLS, PALS, NRP, TNCC and similar may be claimed for the hours on the certificate or 4 hours if unstated; Academic coursework: one semester hour equals 15 contact hours, one quarter hour equals 10 |
The DHHS renewal page states one requirement for 'all LPN/RN nurses': the standard path is at least 500 hours of nursing practice in the past five years AND at least 20 contact hours of nursing continuing education from an approved provider within the past two years. All of the required contact hours may be completed by home study or internet courses. Waivers: a nurse who received the RN license within the past 24 months does not need CE; waivers also exist for military service and for practice-hour-qualified nurses in locations without CE. The same page and the RN renewal application list the alternative continuing competency categories.
Required CE topics for Nebraska registered nurses
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Board of Nursing 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 |
| Approved providers | An 'approved provider of nursing continuing education'; the DHHS page points to the Board of Nursing advisory opinion on continuing education for what qualifies |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Nebraska RN need to renew?
- Nebraska registered nurses must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Board of Nursing. The DHHS renewal page states one requirement for 'all LPN/RN nurses': the standard path is at least 500 hours of nursing practice in the past five years AND at least 20 contact hours of nursing continuing education from an approved provider within the past two years. All of the required contact hours may be completed by home study or internet courses. Waivers: a nurse who received the RN license within the past 24 months does not need CE; waivers also exist for military service and for practice-hour-qualified nurses in locations without CE. The same page and the RN renewal application list the alternative continuing competency categories.
- How often does a Nebraska RN license need to be renewed?
- Registered Nurse licenses in Nebraska renew every two years. RN licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. Renew online through the Nebraska DHHS license portal when renewals open; a paper renewal must be postmarked by October 31.
- Does Nebraska require specific CE topics for registered nurses?
- The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Board of Nursing does not list mandated subject areas for RN renewal on the pages we verified; the 20 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Nebraska registered nurses have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates. An 'approved provider of nursing continuing education'; the DHHS page points to the Board of Nursing advisory opinion on continuing education for what qualifies
- Is the first Nebraska RN renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Nebraska does not require continuing education for a RN's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Nurse Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education, Nebraska DHHSState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Nurse Licensing, Nebraska DHHSState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Renewal Application, Registered Nurse (RN), expires October 31, 2026State board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours and cycle confirmed on the DHHS renewal page and the 2026 RN renewal application, which lists the continuing competency options as checkboxes and states that CE certificates are not submitted (attestation). The regulation text (172 NAC 101) could not be fetched: the Nebraska rules portal is a JavaScript application and the Cornell mirror refused the connection, so audit practice and record retention are null. The renewal page says all hours may be home study, so no online cap is recorded. Nebraska is a Nurse Licensure Compact state and Nursys e-Notify enrollment is a renewal requirement.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.