Oklahoma Registered Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
Oklahoma registered nurses must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.
RN licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month in even-numbered years following the date of issuance, and are renewed every two years (59 O.S. 567.7). Renewal is completed in the Nurse Portal with a verification that continuing qualifications for practice were met in the two years before expiration.
Summary
Oklahoma registered nurses must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. RN licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month in even-numbered years following the date of issuance, and are renewed every two years (59 O.S. 567.7). Renewal is completed in the Nurse Portal with a verification that continuing qualifications for practice were met in the two years before expiration.
Oklahoma Registered 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 | 24 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Employment in a position requiring the nursing license, at least 520 work hours in the two years before expiration (volunteer hours excluded); Current certification in a nursing specialty area issued by an accredited nursing certification program; Completion of a Board-approved refresher course within the two-year renewal period; At least six academic semester credit hours of nursing coursework at the licensee's current level of licensure or higher |
OBN Policy P-23, implementing OAC 485:10-7-3, states one continuing qualifications for practice requirement for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses, so it is the source for both the RN and LPN records. Effective January 1, 2014, the licensee must complete one of five options within the two years before the license expiration date; the CE path is at least 24 contact hours of continuing education applicable to nursing practice. The other four options are in alternatives_accepted. Options may not be combined (for example 260 work hours plus 12 contact hours is not accepted). One contact hour is 50 minutes and one academic semester credit hour equals 16 contact hours (OAC 485:10-1-2). No specific subject is mandated; the licensee must be able to show how each topic applies to nursing practice. The policy does not address a first-renewal exemption or carryover. This note applies to Registered Nurses.
Required CE topics for Oklahoma registered nurses
The Oklahoma 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 | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Contact hours must be obtained through an accredited approver of continuing education or an approved nursing education program in Oklahoma; the approver must be listed on the certificate (OBN Policy P-23) |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Oklahoma RN need to renew?
- Oklahoma registered nurses must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. OBN Policy P-23, implementing OAC 485:10-7-3, states one continuing qualifications for practice requirement for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses, so it is the source for both the RN and LPN records. Effective January 1, 2014, the licensee must complete one of five options within the two years before the license expiration date; the CE path is at least 24 contact hours of continuing education applicable to nursing practice. The other four options are in alternatives_accepted. Options may not be combined (for example 260 work hours plus 12 contact hours is not accepted). One contact hour is 50 minutes and one academic semester credit hour equals 16 contact hours (OAC 485:10-1-2). No specific subject is mandated; the licensee must be able to show how each topic applies to nursing practice. The policy does not address a first-renewal exemption or carryover. This note applies to Registered Nurses.
- How often does a Oklahoma RN license need to be renewed?
- Registered Nurse licenses in Oklahoma renew every two years. RN licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month in even-numbered years following the date of issuance, and are renewed every two years (59 O.S. 567.7). Renewal is completed in the Nurse Portal with a verification that continuing qualifications for practice were met in the two years before expiration.
- Does Oklahoma require specific CE topics for registered nurses?
- The Oklahoma Board of Nursing does not list mandated subject areas for RN renewal on the pages we verified; the 24 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Oklahoma registered nurses have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. Contact hours must be obtained through an accredited approver of continuing education or an approved nursing education program in Oklahoma; the approver must be listed on the certificate (OBN Policy P-23)
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Meeting Requirements for Continuing Qualifications for Practice for License Renewal Guidelines, OBN Policy/Guideline P-23 (revised 7/18/23)State board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Pending Application Information, Oklahoma Board of Nursing (license expiration by birth month, even and odd years)State board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Applications, Oklahoma Board of Nursing (renewal for current active licensees)State board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act, 59 O.S. 567.7 Renewal or reinstatement of license (Board-published PDF)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
The 24 contact hour option, the alternatives, audit, and provider expectations were confirmed in the Board's P-23 guideline PDF (which cites OAC 485:10-7-3); the birth-month expiration and even (RN) / odd (LPN) year split were confirmed on the Board's Pending Application Information page; the two-year renewal cycle was confirmed in 59 O.S. 567.7 as published in the Board's Nurse Practice Act PDF. The rule text of OAC 485:10-7-3 itself could not be fetched (Cornell LII refused the connection, Justia and okrules.elaws.us were unavailable), so the guideline is the operative source for the CE options. Documentation is submitted only if audited; the guideline says to maintain documentation throughout the two-year renewal period but does not state a retention period in years, so retention_years is null. The Board's dedicated renewal page URL returned 404; the Applications page carries the renewal links and is cited as renewal_url.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Oklahoma Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.