Ohio Certified Nurse-Midwife license renewal and CE requirements
Ohio nurse-midwives must complete 48 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio Board of Nursing.
Ohio licenses the nurse-midwife as an advanced practice registered nurse with the certified nurse-midwife designation, held on top of a registered nurse license from the same board. Both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license are renewed in odd-numbered years, and the renewal application for each is due on September 15 of the renewal year. A late application may be submitted before the license lapses, and a license that is not renewed or classified as inactive lapses on November 1 of the renewal year. The reporting period for continuing education runs July 1 through June 30 in odd-numbered years for both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license.
Summary
Ohio nurse-midwives must complete 48 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio Board of Nursing. Ohio licenses the nurse-midwife as an advanced practice registered nurse with the certified nurse-midwife designation, held on top of a registered nurse license from the same board. Both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license are renewed in odd-numbered years, and the renewal application for each is due on September 15 of the renewal year. A late application may be submitted before the license lapses, and a license that is not renewed or classified as inactive lapses on November 1 of the renewal year. The reporting period for continuing education runs July 1 through June 30 in odd-numbered years for both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license. Ohio also mandates specific subjects. Advanced pharmacology: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle (advanced practice registered nurses designated as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner, so it reaches every nurse-midwife and is not limited to prescribers). Category A continuing education, directly related to the nursing statutes and rules of Ohio: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (the registered nurse license layer, so a nurse-midwife owes it through the registered nurse license rather than the advanced practice license). Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Ohio Certified Nurse-Midwife 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, 09/15 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 48 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Up to eight of the 24 advanced practice hours by providing health care services as a volunteer to an indigent and uninsured person under Revised Code 2305.234, one hour per 60 documented minutes; Up to eight of the 24 registered nurse hours by the same volunteer service provision; Continuing nursing education taken to obtain or maintain national certification, which may be applied to both the registered nurse and the advanced practice registered nurse requirement if it meets Chapter 4723-14 of the Administrative Code; Academic coursework documented by school transcript or grade report; First time presentation of a course for which contact hours were awarded |
Ohio stacks, and it stacks for nurse-midwives exactly as it does for nurse practitioners. Revised Code 4723.24(C)(1)(a) requires 24 contact hours for renewal of the registered nurse license and 4723.24(C)(2)(a) requires a further 24 contact hours for renewal of the advanced practice registered nurse license, and 4723.24(C)(2)(d) states in terms that the advanced practice continuing education is in addition to the registered nurse continuing education. That is 48 contact hours per two year cycle for a certified nurse-midwife. Administrative rule 4723-8-10(B)(1) restates the 24 advanced practice hours. The 12 hour advanced pharmacology component does apply to nurse-midwives: both Revised Code 4723.24(C)(2)(c) and rule 4723-8-10(B)(2) scope it to an advanced practice registered nurse designated as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner, which is the same scoping the Ohio nurse practitioner record carries and which excludes nurse anesthetists. Those 12 hours sit inside the 24 advanced practice hours, not on top of them. Revised Code 4723.24(C)(5) provides that continuing education a certified nurse-midwife completes to maintain national certification is applied toward both the registered nurse and the advanced practice renewal requirements if the education is board approved, so American Midwifery Certification Board Certificate Maintenance Program coursework can count toward the state totals when it meets Chapter 4723-14, but the AMCB program's own totals are not the state requirement and are not recorded here. No page or rule read states that current AMCB certification must be documented at renewal. Neither layer allows carryover: rule 4723-8-10(C) bars it for the advanced practice hours and rule 4723-14-03(I) bars it for the registered nurse hours. First renewal is exempt on both layers: rule 4723-8-10(B)(3) exempts the first advanced practice renewal after initial issuance of the advanced practice license, and rule 4723-14-03(A)(1) exempts the first renewal after licensure by examination for the registered nurse license. A nurse licensed by endorsement for one year or less owes 12 registered nurse hours rather than 24.
Required CE topics for Ohio certified nurse-midwifes
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced pharmacologyAt least 12 of the 24 advanced practice contact hours must be in advanced pharmacology and must have been provided by an accredited institution recognized by the board, including any provider referenced in rule 4723-9-01(E). The statute and the rule both name the certified nurse-midwife expressly, and neither conditions the requirement on holding prescriptive authority or a DEA registration. The canonical topic key list has no pharmacology entry, so a short snake_case key is used here. | 12 contact hours | Every renewal | Advanced practice registered nurses designated as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner, so it reaches every nurse-midwife and is not limited to prescribers | Ohio Revised Code 4723.24(C)(2)(c) and Ohio Administrative Code 4723-8-10(B)(2) |
| Category A continuing education, directly related to the nursing statutes and rules of OhioAt least one of the 24 registered nurse hours must be category A, defined in rule 4723-14-01(E) as an activity directly related to Chapter 4723 of the Revised Code and the rules of the board, approved by the board, an OBN approver, an accredited provider, or offered by an approved provider unit. A nurse applying for licensure by endorsement owes two category A hours before licensure, and a nurse reinstating a license lapsed two years or more owes two category A hours addressing scopes of practice, standards of safe practice and nursing delegation. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | The registered nurse license layer, so a nurse-midwife owes it through the registered nurse license rather than the advanced practice license | Ohio Revised Code 4723.24(C)(1)(c) and Ohio Administrative Code 4723-14-03(A) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 6 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Continuing education counts only if obtained through a program or course approved by the board or by a person the board has authorized to approve continuing nursing education, per Revised Code 4723.24(C)(4). Rule 4723-14-06 requires the provider certificate to carry the authorized OBN approver number or the name of the approval body, and the advanced pharmacology hours must come from an accredited institution recognized by the board. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Ohio CNM need to renew?
- Ohio nurse-midwives must complete 48 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio Board of Nursing. Ohio stacks, and it stacks for nurse-midwives exactly as it does for nurse practitioners. Revised Code 4723.24(C)(1)(a) requires 24 contact hours for renewal of the registered nurse license and 4723.24(C)(2)(a) requires a further 24 contact hours for renewal of the advanced practice registered nurse license, and 4723.24(C)(2)(d) states in terms that the advanced practice continuing education is in addition to the registered nurse continuing education. That is 48 contact hours per two year cycle for a certified nurse-midwife. Administrative rule 4723-8-10(B)(1) restates the 24 advanced practice hours. The 12 hour advanced pharmacology component does apply to nurse-midwives: both Revised Code 4723.24(C)(2)(c) and rule 4723-8-10(B)(2) scope it to an advanced practice registered nurse designated as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner, which is the same scoping the Ohio nurse practitioner record carries and which excludes nurse anesthetists. Those 12 hours sit inside the 24 advanced practice hours, not on top of them. Revised Code 4723.24(C)(5) provides that continuing education a certified nurse-midwife completes to maintain national certification is applied toward both the registered nurse and the advanced practice renewal requirements if the education is board approved, so American Midwifery Certification Board Certificate Maintenance Program coursework can count toward the state totals when it meets Chapter 4723-14, but the AMCB program's own totals are not the state requirement and are not recorded here. No page or rule read states that current AMCB certification must be documented at renewal. Neither layer allows carryover: rule 4723-8-10(C) bars it for the advanced practice hours and rule 4723-14-03(I) bars it for the registered nurse hours. First renewal is exempt on both layers: rule 4723-8-10(B)(3) exempts the first advanced practice renewal after initial issuance of the advanced practice license, and rule 4723-14-03(A)(1) exempts the first renewal after licensure by examination for the registered nurse license. A nurse licensed by endorsement for one year or less owes 12 registered nurse hours rather than 24.
- How often does a Ohio CNM license need to be renewed?
- Certified Nurse-Midwife licenses in Ohio renew every two years. Ohio licenses the nurse-midwife as an advanced practice registered nurse with the certified nurse-midwife designation, held on top of a registered nurse license from the same board. Both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license are renewed in odd-numbered years, and the renewal application for each is due on September 15 of the renewal year. A late application may be submitted before the license lapses, and a license that is not renewed or classified as inactive lapses on November 1 of the renewal year. The reporting period for continuing education runs July 1 through June 30 in odd-numbered years for both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license.
- What specific CE topics are required for Ohio nurse-midwives?
- Advanced pharmacology: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle (advanced practice registered nurses designated as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner, so it reaches every nurse-midwife and is not limited to prescribers). Category A continuing education, directly related to the nursing statutes and rules of Ohio: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (the registered nurse license layer, so a nurse-midwife owes it through the registered nurse license rather than the advanced practice license). Citations: advanced pharmacology (Ohio Revised Code 4723.24(C)(2)(c) and Ohio Administrative Code 4723-8-10(B)(2)) and Category A continuing education, directly related to the nursing statutes and rules of Ohio (Ohio Revised Code 4723.24(C)(1)(c) and Ohio Administrative Code 4723-14-03(A)).
- Do Ohio nurse-midwives 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 6 years. Continuing education counts only if obtained through a program or course approved by the board or by a person the board has authorized to approve continuing nursing education, per Revised Code 4723.24(C)(4). Rule 4723-14-06 requires the provider certificate to carry the authorized OBN approver number or the name of the approval body, and the advanced pharmacology hours must come from an accredited institution recognized by the board.
- Is the first Ohio CNM renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Ohio does not require continuing education for a CNM's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Ohio Revised Code 4723.24, License or certificate renewal; notice of change of addressStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Ohio Administrative Code 4723-8-10, Continuing education requirements (Advanced Practice Nurse Certification and Practice)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Ohio Administrative Code 4723-8-03, Title protection (certified nurse-midwife designation)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Ohio Administrative Code 4723-14-03, Continuing education requirement for licensed practical and registered nursesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Ohio Administrative Code 4723-14-01, Definitions (category A, reporting period)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Ohio Administrative Code 4723-14-06, Proof of completion of continuing educationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Ohio Administrative Code 4723-14-07, Continuing education auditStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Ohio Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
Ohio follows the common pattern: the Board of Nursing licenses the nurse-midwife as an advanced practice registered nurse with the certified nurse-midwife designation. Rule 4723-8-03(A)(1) protects the titles certified nurse-midwife and A.P.R.N.-C.N.M. for a person holding a current advanced practice registered nurse license authorized to practice under Revised Code 4723.43(A), which is the nurse-midwife scope division, so the credential is nurse-midwife specific rather than a generic advanced practice license. Ohio does not license certified professional midwives or direct entry midwives under Chapter 4723, and nothing read here comes from a midwifery chapter that mixes credentials. The two questions this record was asked to settle both resolve yes. Nurse-midwives stack the same way nurse practitioners do, because Revised Code 4723.24(C)(2)(d) makes the advanced practice hours additive to the registered nurse hours for every advanced practice registered nurse without carve-out, giving 24 plus 24. And the advanced pharmacology component does apply, because both the statute at 4723.24(C)(2)(c) and the rule at 4723-8-10(B)(2) name the certified nurse-midwife in the list of designations that owe the 12 hours. Nothing in this record disagrees with the published Ohio nurse practitioner record, which also carries 48 hours, the 12 pharmacology hours and the one category A hour; the Ohio nurse anesthetist record carries 48 hours without the pharmacology component, which matches the same two sources because a nurse anesthetist is not in the 4723.24(C)(2)(c) list. The six year retention comes from rule 4723-14-06(A), the audit procedure and its 60 day response window from rule 4723-14-07, and the September 15 due date and November 1 lapse from Revised Code 4723.24(A)(1)(a) and (c). The board's own site carries no separate renewal page with figures, so the Revised Code section is cited as the renewal reference. One gap: nothing read states whether the board requires documentation of current American Midwifery Certification Board certification at renewal, so nothing is recorded on that point.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Ohio Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.