North Carolina Licensed Practical Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
North Carolina licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the North Carolina Board of Nursing.
Each registered nurse or licensed practical nurse renews biennially, no later than the last day of the licensee's birth month (21 NCAC 36 .0201). Renewal is submitted online with an attestation that the continuing competence requirement was met; evidence is submitted only if the Board requests it.
Summary
North Carolina licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the North Carolina Board of Nursing. Each registered nurse or licensed practical nurse renews biennially, no later than the last day of the licensee's birth month (21 NCAC 36 .0201). Renewal is submitted online with an attestation that the continuing competence requirement was met; evidence is submitted only if the Board requests it.
North Carolina 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 month |
| 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 | National certification or re-certification related to the nurse's practice role by a Board-recognized credentialing body; Board-approved refresher course; Minimum of two semester hours of post-licensure academic education related to nursing practice; 15 contact hours plus a nursing project as principal or co-principal investigator; 15 contact hours plus authoring or co-authoring a published nursing-related article, paper, book, or book chapter; 15 contact hours plus designing and conducting educational presentations totaling at least five contact hours for nurses or other health professionals; 15 contact hours plus 640 hours of active nursing practice within the previous two years |
21 NCAC 36 .0232 applies one continuing competence rule to every licensee, RN and LPN alike, so this is the source for both the RN and LPN records. At renewal the licensed practical nurse completes a self-assessment, a learning plan, and one of eight learning activity options; the CE-hours path is 30 contact hours of continuing education related to the nurse's practice during the preceding renewal cycle. The other seven options are listed in alternatives_accepted. The rule does not name mandatory subjects, does not address carryover, and does not exempt a first renewal. Active practice for option (8) may be paid or volunteer and must be validated by the employer or recipient agency.
Required CE topics for North Carolina licensed practical nurses
The North Carolina 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 | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a North Carolina LPN/LVN need to renew?
- North Carolina licensed practical nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the North Carolina Board of Nursing. 21 NCAC 36 .0232 applies one continuing competence rule to every licensee, RN and LPN alike, so this is the source for both the RN and LPN records. At renewal the licensed practical nurse completes a self-assessment, a learning plan, and one of eight learning activity options; the CE-hours path is 30 contact hours of continuing education related to the nurse's practice during the preceding renewal cycle. The other seven options are listed in alternatives_accepted. The rule does not name mandatory subjects, does not address carryover, and does not exempt a first renewal. Active practice for option (8) may be paid or volunteer and must be validated by the employer or recipient agency.
- How often does a North Carolina LPN/LVN license need to be renewed?
- Licensed Practical Nurse licenses in North Carolina renew every two years. Each registered nurse or licensed practical nurse renews biennially, no later than the last day of the licensee's birth month (21 NCAC 36 .0201). Renewal is submitted online with an attestation that the continuing competence requirement was met; evidence is submitted only if the Board requests it.
- Does North Carolina require specific CE topics for licensed practical nurses?
- The North Carolina 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 North Carolina licensed practical nurses have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 3 years.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- 21 NCAC 36 .0232 Continuing Competence (NC Office of Administrative Hearings)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 21 NCAC 36 .0201 Biennial Renewal (NC Office of Administrative Hearings)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
Cycle (biennial, last day of birth month) and continuing competence options were confirmed in the administrative rules 21 NCAC 36 .0201 and .0232, read as PDFs from the NC Office of Administrative Hearings rule reports site. The Board's own site (ncbon.com) is behind Cloudflare and returned a block page to every fetch, so no ncbon.com page is cited and renewal_url is null; board_url is the homepage named in rule .0201. Rule .0232(d) sets three-year retention of supporting documentation and .0232(e) subjects licensees to audit at renewal. No mandated CE subjects appear in the rule; mandatory_topics is empty. Approved-provider requirements were not stated in the rules read. The rule does not distinguish RN from LPN requirements.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the North Carolina Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.