Ohio Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist license renewal and CE requirements
Ohio nurse anesthetists 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 anesthetist as an advanced practice registered nurse designated as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, styled A.P.R.N.-C.R.N.A. Both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license are subject to renewal in odd-numbered years. Under ORC 4723.24(A)(1) the renewal application 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. A nurse anesthetist therefore renews both licenses in the same odd year. The continuing education reporting period for both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license runs July 1 through June 30 in the odd-numbered years.
Summary
Ohio nurse anesthetists 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 anesthetist as an advanced practice registered nurse designated as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, styled A.P.R.N.-C.R.N.A. Both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license are subject to renewal in odd-numbered years. Under ORC 4723.24(A)(1) the renewal application 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. A nurse anesthetist therefore renews both licenses in the same odd year. The continuing education reporting period for both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license runs July 1 through June 30 in the odd-numbered years. Ohio also mandates specific subjects. Category A continuing education directly related to the statutes and rules pertaining to the practice of nursing in Ohio: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (the registered nurse license layer). Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Ohio Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 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 | Continuing education obtained by a certified registered nurse anesthetist to maintain certification by a national certifying organization, which ORC 4723.24(C)(5) and OAC 4723-8-10(A) apply toward both the registered nurse and the advanced practice registered nurse renewal requirements, provided it comes through a board approved program or course; Up to eight hours of the registered nurse requirement satisfied by providing health care services as a volunteer to an indigent and uninsured person, at one hour per sixty documented minutes (OAC 4723-14-03(L)); Up to eight hours of the advanced practice registered nurse requirement satisfied by providing advanced practice registered nursing services as a volunteer on the same terms (OAC 4723-8-10(B)(4)); One contact hour directly related to recognition and handling of human trafficking victims or victims of sexual assault may count toward the registered nurse hours (OAC 4723-14-03(J)) |
Ohio genuinely stacks the two requirements and the statute says so. ORC 4723.24(C)(1)(a) requires 24 hours of continuing nursing education in each two year period for the registered nurse license, and ORC 4723.24(C)(2)(a) requires 24 hours for the advanced practice registered nurse license. Division (C)(2)(d) states that the advanced practice hours are in addition to the registered nurse hours, so the total for a nurse anesthetist is 48 contact hours per two year period. At least one of the registered nurse hours must be category A continuing education directly related to Ohio nursing statutes and rules. Ohio's twelve hour advanced pharmacology requirement does not reach a nurse anesthetist; see the mandatory topics list and verification notes. Excess hours cannot be applied to a future renewal period at either layer, and the one time waiver available to registered nurses and licensed practical nurses under OAC 4723-14-03(G) does not apply to the advanced practice registered nurse hours. NBCRNA's own four year Continued Professional Certification credit totals are not adopted by Ohio as a state figure, so no national total is recorded here; Ohio instead credits qualifying national certification coursework toward both state layers.
Required CE topics for Ohio certified registered nurse anesthetists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category A continuing education directly related to the statutes and rules pertaining to the practice of nursing in OhioAt least one of the 24 registered nurse contact hours must be category A. To qualify as category A the activity must be approved by the board, an OBN approver or an accredited provider, or be offered by an approved provider unit. A nurse licensed by endorsement in Ohio for one year or less completes 12 contact hours instead of 24, and an applicant for licensure by endorsement from another jurisdiction must complete two contact hours of category A. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | the registered nurse license layer | ORC 4723.24(C)(1)(c); OAC 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 | Under ORC 4723.24(C)(4) an educational activity counts only if it is obtained through a program or course approved by the board or by a person the board has authorized to approve continuing nursing education programs and courses. Providers must issue a certificate showing the authorized OBN approver number, accreditation information, space for the attendee's name, the program title and date, the provider's name and address, the number of contact hours, and where applicable a statement of category A hours. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Ohio CRNA need to renew?
- Ohio nurse anesthetists must complete 48 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio Board of Nursing. Ohio genuinely stacks the two requirements and the statute says so. ORC 4723.24(C)(1)(a) requires 24 hours of continuing nursing education in each two year period for the registered nurse license, and ORC 4723.24(C)(2)(a) requires 24 hours for the advanced practice registered nurse license. Division (C)(2)(d) states that the advanced practice hours are in addition to the registered nurse hours, so the total for a nurse anesthetist is 48 contact hours per two year period. At least one of the registered nurse hours must be category A continuing education directly related to Ohio nursing statutes and rules. Ohio's twelve hour advanced pharmacology requirement does not reach a nurse anesthetist; see the mandatory topics list and verification notes. Excess hours cannot be applied to a future renewal period at either layer, and the one time waiver available to registered nurses and licensed practical nurses under OAC 4723-14-03(G) does not apply to the advanced practice registered nurse hours. NBCRNA's own four year Continued Professional Certification credit totals are not adopted by Ohio as a state figure, so no national total is recorded here; Ohio instead credits qualifying national certification coursework toward both state layers.
- How often does a Ohio CRNA license need to be renewed?
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist licenses in Ohio renew every two years. Ohio licenses the nurse anesthetist as an advanced practice registered nurse designated as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, styled A.P.R.N.-C.R.N.A. Both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license are subject to renewal in odd-numbered years. Under ORC 4723.24(A)(1) the renewal application 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. A nurse anesthetist therefore renews both licenses in the same odd year. The continuing education reporting period for both the registered nurse license and the advanced practice registered nurse license runs July 1 through June 30 in the odd-numbered years.
- What specific CE topics are required for Ohio nurse anesthetists?
- Category A continuing education directly related to the statutes and rules pertaining to the practice of nursing in Ohio: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (the registered nurse license layer). Citations: Category A continuing education directly related to the statutes and rules pertaining to the practice of nursing in Ohio (ORC 4723.24(C)(1)(c); OAC 4723-14-03(A)).
- Do Ohio nurse anesthetists 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. Under ORC 4723.24(C)(4) an educational activity counts only if it is obtained through a program or course approved by the board or by a person the board has authorized to approve continuing nursing education programs and courses. Providers must issue a certificate showing the authorized OBN approver number, accreditation information, space for the attendee's name, the program title and date, the provider's name and address, the number of contact hours, and where applicable a statement of category A hours.
- Is the first Ohio CRNA renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Ohio does not require continuing education for a CRNA's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- ORC 4723.24, License or certificate renewal; notice of change of addressStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- OAC 4723-8-10, Continuing education requirements (Advanced Practice Nurse Certification and Practice)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- OAC 4723-14-03, Continuing education requirement for licensed practical and registered nursesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- OAC 4723-14-01, Definitions, including reporting period and category AStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- OAC 4723-14-06, Proof of completion of continuing educationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- OAC 4723-14-07, Continuing education auditStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- OAC 4723-8-03, Title protection, listing A.P.R.N.-C.R.N.A.Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
Ohio stacks the advanced practice hours on the registered nurse hours for a nurse anesthetist exactly as it does for a nurse practitioner, so the 48 contact hour total matches Ohio's nurse practitioner record. What does not match is the pharmacology layer, and this is a real carve out rather than an omission. ORC 4723.24(C)(2)(c) scopes the twelve hour advanced pharmacology requirement to an advanced practice registered nurse who is designated as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner. Certified registered nurse anesthetists are not named. OAC 4723-8-10(B)(2) repeats the same three designations and again omits the nurse anesthetist. A nurse anesthetist therefore owes 48 hours with no advanced pharmacology minimum inside them, while a nurse practitioner owes 48 hours of which twelve must be advanced pharmacology from an accredited institution recognized by the board. Ohio does name nurse anesthetists elsewhere in the same statute: ORC 4723.24(C)(5) lists the certified registered nurse anesthetist first among the roles whose national certification coursework is applied toward both the registered nurse and advanced practice renewal requirements, which confirms the omission in (C)(2)(c) is deliberate drafting rather than an oversight. The first renewal exemption applies at both layers: ORC 4723.24(C)(1) excepts the first renewal after licensure by examination, OAC 4723-14-03(A)(1) repeats it, and OAC 4723-8-10(B)(3) states that for the first renewal period immediately following initial issuance of the advanced practice registered nurse license the licensee is not required to complete any contact hours. Human trafficking education is permissive rather than mandatory in Ohio: OAC 4723-14-03(J) provides that one contact hour on recognition and handling of human trafficking or sexual assault victims may qualify as part of the required hours, so it is recorded as an accepted alternative and not as a mandated topic. Documentation is by attestation with proof on request; records are kept six years and the board may audit, giving the licensee sixty days to respond. A licensee found ineligible for failing the requirement must show up to 48 hours completed in the preceding 48 months to renew, reinstate or reactivate. No renewal page URL is recorded because the board's own renewal information is published through its eLicense portal rather than a standing HTML page.
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.