New Mexico Licensed Practical Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
New Mexico licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Mexico Board of Nursing.
Renew by the end of your renewal (birth) month every two years; the renewal link opens in the NM BON portal 60 days before expiration. An initial license is valid until the last day of the birth month after the first anniversary of licensure, then renews on the full two-year cycle. If not renewed by the end of the renewal month the license lapses and must be reactivated before practicing.
Summary
New Mexico licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Mexico Board of Nursing. Renew by the end of your renewal (birth) month every two years; the renewal link opens in the NM BON portal 60 days before expiration. An initial license is valid until the last day of the birth month after the first anniversary of licensure, then renews on the full two-year cycle. If not renewed by the end of the renewal month the license lapses and must be reactivated before practicing.
New Mexico Licensed Practical 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 | Tied to the licensee's birth monthFirst renewal is prorated. |
| 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 | No |
16.12.2.9 Q(3) NMAC: 30 hours of approved CE must be accrued within the 24 months immediately preceding expiration of the license; CE may be prorated to the length of the renewal period (the initial license runs to the end of the birth month after the first anniversary, so the first period is shorter). The board's CE table lists the LPN at 30 contact hours per 24-month period under 16.12.2.9 Q. 16.12.1.7 C NMAC defines a contact hour as 60 clock minutes; 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours, one semester credit equals 15 contact hours, one quarter credit equals 10. Correspondence and home-study courses are acceptable if approved; the sources read state no cap. CE must be uploaded to CE Broker before the renewal application is submitted. The board's CE table lists the LPN path as CE courses only; the national certification alternative in 16.12.2.10 E NMAC is written for certification 'in the registered nursing specialty area' and the table shows it for RNs, not LPNs.
Required CE topics for New Mexico licensed practical nurses
The New Mexico 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 | Yes |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 1 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | CE must be approved by a recognized approval body: national or state recognized nursing organizations, other state boards of nursing, or New Mexico board-approved local monitoring systems; academic credit, CEUs from higher-education CE divisions, and offerings approved by other recognized health care or professional organizations may also be accepted (16.12.2.10 C NMAC) |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a New Mexico LPN/LVN need to renew?
- New Mexico licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Mexico Board of Nursing. 16.12.2.9 Q(3) NMAC: 30 hours of approved CE must be accrued within the 24 months immediately preceding expiration of the license; CE may be prorated to the length of the renewal period (the initial license runs to the end of the birth month after the first anniversary, so the first period is shorter). The board's CE table lists the LPN at 30 contact hours per 24-month period under 16.12.2.9 Q. 16.12.1.7 C NMAC defines a contact hour as 60 clock minutes; 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours, one semester credit equals 15 contact hours, one quarter credit equals 10. Correspondence and home-study courses are acceptable if approved; the sources read state no cap. CE must be uploaded to CE Broker before the renewal application is submitted. The board's CE table lists the LPN path as CE courses only; the national certification alternative in 16.12.2.10 E NMAC is written for certification 'in the registered nursing specialty area' and the table shows it for RNs, not LPNs.
- How often does a New Mexico LPN/LVN license need to be renewed?
- Licensed Practical Nurse licenses in New Mexico renew every two years. Renew by the end of your renewal (birth) month every two years; the renewal link opens in the NM BON portal 60 days before expiration. An initial license is valid until the last day of the birth month after the first anniversary of licensure, then renews on the full two-year cycle. If not renewed by the end of the renewal month the license lapses and must be reactivated before practicing.
- Does New Mexico require specific CE topics for licensed practical nurses?
- The New Mexico Board of Nursing does not list mandated subject areas for LPN/LVN renewal on the pages we verified; the 30 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do New Mexico licensed practical nurses have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Proof of completion must be submitted with the renewal, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 1 years. CE must be approved by a recognized approval body: national or state recognized nursing organizations, other state boards of nursing, or New Mexico board-approved local monitoring systems; academic credit, CEUs from higher-education CE divisions, and offerings approved by other recognized health care or professional organizations may also be accepted (16.12.2.10 C NMAC)
- Is the first New Mexico LPN/LVN renewal exempt from CE?
- No. New Mexico applies the continuing education requirement to the first renewal as well.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Education/CE Broker, New Mexico Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Registered Nurse / Licensed Practical Nurse (RN/LPN Renewal), New Mexico Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- 16.12.2 NMAC Nurse Licensure (16.12.2.9 Q Requirements for relicensure and reactivation; 16.12.2.10 Continuing Education)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- FAQs, New Mexico Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- New Mexico Board of Nursing home pageState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours and cycle confirmed in 16.12.2.9 Q NMAC and on the board's RN/LPN and CE pages. 16.12.2.10 B NMAC: licensees indicate compliance on the renewal application, keep certificates for at least one year after renewal, and are subject to board audit; since July 1, 2019 the board also requires CE to be uploaded to CE Broker before renewal, which is why proof_at_renewal is true. The rule does not address carryover. 16.12.2.9 says CE is not required for initial licensure by endorsement but must be met at the first renewal (prorated), so exempt_first_renewal is false. The rule mentions no mandated subject for RNs or LPNs; the five-hour non-cancer pain management requirement applies only to APRNs with DEA registration. New Mexico is a Nurse Licensure Compact state; the board notes a multistate license fee effective June 1, 2026. The board's RN page carries the combined 'RN/LPN Renewal' instructions and there is no separate LPN page on the site (bon.nm.gov/lpn returns 404).
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the New Mexico Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.