North Carolina license renewal and CE requirements
Renewal cycle, continuing education hours, and mandated topics for each healthcare license type in North Carolina, read from the state board and dated. 14 of 27 license types are verified so far.
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Requirements by license type
Units differ by profession: contact hours, CME credits, and CEUs are not interchangeable.
| License | Renewal | CE per cycle | Mandated topics | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Two-year | 30 contact hours | None listed | September 7, 2026 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Annual | 50 contact hours every two years | Continuing education on controlled substance prescribing practices, chronic pain management, recognition of abuse, or non-opioid alternatives | September 8, 2026 |
| Osteopathic Physician (DO) | Annual | 60 CME credits every three years | Controlled substance prescribing practices | September 7, 2026 |
| Physician (MD) | Annual | 60 CME credits every three years | Controlled substance prescribing practices | September 7, 2026 |
| Physician Assistant | Annual | 50 CME credits every two years | Controlled substance continuing medical education | September 8, 2026 |
| Registered Nurse | Two-year | 30 contact hours | None listed | September 7, 2026 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | Two-year | 30 contact hours | None listed | September 8, 2026 |
| Occupational Therapist | Annual | 15 contact hours | Ethics in the practice of occupational therapy | September 10, 2026 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | Annual | 15 contact hours | Ethics in the practice of occupational therapy | September 10, 2026 |
| Pharmacist | Annual | 15 contact hours | Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner practice relevant continuing education | September 10, 2026 |
| Physical Therapist | Annual | 30 contact hours every 25 months | Jurisprudence Exercise (online questions on the Physical Therapy Practice Act, Board rules, and Position Statements) | September 7, 2026 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | Annual | 20 contact hours every 25 months | Jurisprudence Exercise (online questions on the Physical Therapy Practice Act, Board rules, and Position Statements) | September 8, 2026 |
| Dental Hygienist | Annual | 6 clock hours | Continuing education on mental health | September 8, 2026 |
| Dentist | Annual | 15 clock hours | Controlled substance prescribing practices; Professionalism and ethics course; Continuing education on mental health | September 8, 2026 |
Coming soon for North Carolina
These license types are coming soon. We publish a combination only after reading the board's own rule, so nothing is estimated here.
- Certified Nurse-Midwife
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Respiratory Therapist
- Psychologist
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- Licensed Professional Counselor
- Radiologic Technologist
- Registered Dietitian
- Optometrist
- Chiropractor
- Podiatrist
- Paramedic
Read from state board pages, statutes, and administrative rules. Requirements change through legislative sessions, so confirm with the board before relying on them. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.