Pennsylvania Registered Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
Pennsylvania registered nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
RN licenses renew biennially. The Board assigns each registered nurse one of four expiration dates: April 30 or October 31, in even-numbered or odd-numbered years (49 Pa. Code § 21.29). Renew in the PALS portal before the expiration date printed on the license; the 30 CE hours must be completed within the biennial period that ends on that date.
Summary
Pennsylvania registered nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. RN licenses renew biennially. The Board assigns each registered nurse one of four expiration dates: April 30 or October 31, in even-numbered or odd-numbered years (49 Pa. Code § 21.29). Renew in the PALS portal before the expiration date printed on the license; the 30 CE hours must be completed within the biennial period that ends on that date. Pennsylvania also mandates specific subjects. Child abuse recognition and reporting (Act 31 of 2014): 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Organ and tissue donation and recovery process continuing education: a one-time requirement of 2 contact hours (registered nurses; due one time within 5 years of licensure renewal for nurses licensed before May 1, 2026, or within 5 years of initial licensure or reactivation on or after May 1, 2026). Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Pennsylvania 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 | Board-specific schedule |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Academic nursing courses from an accredited college or university (one semester course = 15 hours, one quarter course = 10 hours, one trimester course = 12 hours, 49 Pa. Code § 21.132); Group or individual research as principal or co-principal investigator approved by an institutional review board, credited as 15 hours (49 Pa. Code § 21.133(e)); School nurses certified as Education Specialists may submit evidence of current Department of Education certification in lieu of the 30 hours |
49 Pa. Code § 21.131(a): a registered nurse seeking renewal shall complete 30 hours of Board-approved continuing education during the biennial renewal period, at least 2 of which must be in child abuse recognition and reporting (§ 21.508(b)). Effective May 1, 2026, at least 2 of the 30 hours must be Board-approved organ and tissue donation and recovery process education, one time within 5 years of licensure renewal (nurses licensed before May 1, 2026) or within 5 years of initial licensure (§ 21.131(a.1)). One hour is at least 50 minutes (§ 21.132). An applicant for initial licensure is not required to meet the CE requirement on the first renewal immediately following licensure, except the child abuse training (§ 21.131(b)). Hours may not be carried over (§ 21.131(f)). The Board's FAQ states that advanced life support courses (ACLS, PALS, ATLS) count once per cycle; BLS, self-improvement, facility-specific and orientation content do not count. This rule is written for registered nurses only; the LPN requirement is different and is recorded in pa-lpn.
Required CE topics for Pennsylvania registered nurses
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child abuse recognition and reporting (Act 31 of 2014)Part of the 30 hours, not additional. The course must be approved by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs in consultation with the Department of Human Services, and the provider reports completion electronically; the Board will not renew without that report or an exemption. Also required at the first renewal even though the rest of the CE is waived. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 49 Pa. Code § 21.131(a); § 21.29(c)(3.1); § 21.508(b) |
| Organ and tissue donation and recovery process continuing educationEffective May 1, 2026. Counts within the 30 hours. Six-part Board-approved curriculum available from the Center for Organ Recovery and Education and Gift of Life Donor Program or other Board-approved providers. Keep the certificate for audit. | 2 contact hours | One time | Registered nurses; due one time within 5 years of licensure renewal for nurses licensed before May 1, 2026, or within 5 years of initial licensure or reactivation on or after May 1, 2026 | 49 Pa. Code § 21.131(a.1); § 21.133(a.1); 55 Pa.B. 7504 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 5 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Activities from Board-approved sources listed in 49 Pa. Code § 21.134 (accredited nursing programs, licensed or accredited hospitals and health facilities, accredited higher education, national nursing and health professional organizations, federal and state agencies, activities approved by another jurisdiction's board); other courses need Board pre-approval with a fee |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Pennsylvania RN need to renew?
- Pennsylvania registered nurses must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. 49 Pa. Code § 21.131(a): a registered nurse seeking renewal shall complete 30 hours of Board-approved continuing education during the biennial renewal period, at least 2 of which must be in child abuse recognition and reporting (§ 21.508(b)). Effective May 1, 2026, at least 2 of the 30 hours must be Board-approved organ and tissue donation and recovery process education, one time within 5 years of licensure renewal (nurses licensed before May 1, 2026) or within 5 years of initial licensure (§ 21.131(a.1)). One hour is at least 50 minutes (§ 21.132). An applicant for initial licensure is not required to meet the CE requirement on the first renewal immediately following licensure, except the child abuse training (§ 21.131(b)). Hours may not be carried over (§ 21.131(f)). The Board's FAQ states that advanced life support courses (ACLS, PALS, ATLS) count once per cycle; BLS, self-improvement, facility-specific and orientation content do not count. This rule is written for registered nurses only; the LPN requirement is different and is recorded in pa-lpn.
- How often does a Pennsylvania RN license need to be renewed?
- Registered Nurse licenses in Pennsylvania renew every two years. RN licenses renew biennially. The Board assigns each registered nurse one of four expiration dates: April 30 or October 31, in even-numbered or odd-numbered years (49 Pa. Code § 21.29). Renew in the PALS portal before the expiration date printed on the license; the 30 CE hours must be completed within the biennial period that ends on that date.
- What specific CE topics are required for Pennsylvania registered nurses?
- Child abuse recognition and reporting (Act 31 of 2014): 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Organ and tissue donation and recovery process continuing education: a one-time requirement of 2 contact hours (registered nurses; due one time within 5 years of licensure renewal for nurses licensed before May 1, 2026, or within 5 years of initial licensure or reactivation on or after May 1, 2026). Citations: child abuse recognition and reporting (Act 31 of 2014) (49 Pa. Code § 21.131(a); § 21.29(c)(3.1); § 21.508(b)) and organ and tissue donation and recovery process continuing education (49 Pa. Code § 21.131(a.1); § 21.133(a.1); 55 Pa.B. 7504).
- Do Pennsylvania registered 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 5 years. Activities from Board-approved sources listed in 49 Pa. Code § 21.134 (accredited nursing programs, licensed or accredited hospitals and health facilities, accredited higher education, national nursing and health professional organizations, federal and state agencies, activities approved by another jurisdiction's board); other courses need Board pre-approval with a fee
- Is the first Pennsylvania RN renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Pennsylvania does not require continuing education for a RN's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Nursing License Renewal Information, Pennsylvania State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code § 21.508 Child abuse recognition and reporting, mandatory training requirementStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 55 Pa.B. 7504 final-form rulemaking, Opioid Prescription and Education and Organ Donation Education (State Board of Nursing)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code § 21.131 Continuing education (registered nurses)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code § 21.29 Expiration and renewal of license (registered nurses)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code § 21.132 Continuing education hoursStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code § 21.133 Continuing education contentStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- FAQs on Mandatory Continuing Education for Registered Nurses (rev. 09/11/2019), Pennsylvania State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Organ and Tissue Donation and Recovery Process Continuing Education notice, Pennsylvania State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Opioid Education Required to Renew CRNP Prescriptive Authority Approvals noticeState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours, child abuse hours, organ donation requirement, first-renewal exception, no carryover, five-year retention, and audit confirmed in 49 Pa. Code §§ 21.131 to 21.133 (Pennsylvania Code site, current through July 4, 2026); expiration dates confirmed in § 21.29; the Board's renewal page and FAQ PDF confirm the 30 hours, the attestation (certificates are not submitted at renewal), and audit. The Board's renewal page lists opioid education among renewal CE items, but the linked notices and 55 Pa.B. 7504 make that requirement apply only to prescribers and dispensers (CRNPs with prescriptive authority), not to RNs, so it is not recorded as an RN topic. organ_tissue_donation is a non-canonical topic key added because none of the canonical keys fits. Exact expiration date varies by licensee (four possible dates), so basis is other and fixed_deadline_month_day is null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.