Wyoming Registered Nurse license renewal and CE requirements
Wyoming registered nurses must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wyoming State Board of Nursing.
Licenses renew biennially in every even numbered calendar year. The board posts renewal applications on or before October 1 of the renewal year, the renewal window closes December 31, and all licenses expire December 31 of the renewal year. A nurse who received an initial license earlier in the same year still has to renew. Practice on an expired license is prohibited.
Summary
Wyoming registered nurses must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wyoming State Board of Nursing. Licenses renew biennially in every even numbered calendar year. The board posts renewal applications on or before October 1 of the renewal year, the renewal window closes December 31, and all licenses expire December 31 of the renewal year. A nurse who received an initial license earlier in the same year still has to renew. Practice on an expired license is prohibited.
Wyoming 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 | Same date for every licensee, 12/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 40 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | 400 hours of active nursing practice in the past two years; Successfully passing the NCLEX in the past two years; Completing a refresher course or the equivalent accepted by the Board; Completing a nursing education program that confers a degree beyond the applicant's basic nursing education |
Chapter 2, Section 14(d) of the board rules lets an RN or an LPN/VN demonstrate continuing competency by completing any one of five activities in the past two years, so 40 hours of continuing education is one path rather than a flat requirement. The board's renewal page repeats the same five options for RN and LPN/VN and calls the hours CEUs, while the rule calls them hours of continuing education. Chapter 2, Section 3(x) defines the renewal cycle for meeting competency as January 1 of every odd year through December 31 of every even year. The three hours of continuing education on responsible prescribing of controlled substances or treatment of substance use disorders in Section 14(c) applies to APRNs, not to RN licensees.
Required CE topics for Wyoming registered nurses
The Wyoming State 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 | Yes |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Wyoming RN need to renew?
- Wyoming registered nurses must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wyoming State Board of Nursing. Chapter 2, Section 14(d) of the board rules lets an RN or an LPN/VN demonstrate continuing competency by completing any one of five activities in the past two years, so 40 hours of continuing education is one path rather than a flat requirement. The board's renewal page repeats the same five options for RN and LPN/VN and calls the hours CEUs, while the rule calls them hours of continuing education. Chapter 2, Section 3(x) defines the renewal cycle for meeting competency as January 1 of every odd year through December 31 of every even year. The three hours of continuing education on responsible prescribing of controlled substances or treatment of substance use disorders in Section 14(c) applies to APRNs, not to RN licensees.
- How often does a Wyoming RN license need to be renewed?
- Registered Nurse licenses in Wyoming renew every two years. Licenses renew biennially in every even numbered calendar year. The board posts renewal applications on or before October 1 of the renewal year, the renewal window closes December 31, and all licenses expire December 31 of the renewal year. A nurse who received an initial license earlier in the same year still has to renew. Practice on an expired license is prohibited.
- Does Wyoming require specific CE topics for registered nurses?
- The Wyoming State Board of Nursing does not list mandated subject areas for RN renewal on the pages we verified; the 40 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Wyoming registered nurses have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Proof of completion must be submitted with the renewal and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Wyoming State Board of Nursing Rules, Chapter 2, Licensure/Certification Requirements (Sections 3, 8, 9, 14, 16), posted by the boardStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Renewal, Wyoming State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Wyoming State Board of NursingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
The 40 hour figure, the five competency options, and the biennial even year cycle were read in the board's own Chapter 2 rules and confirmed on the board's renewal page. Section 14(d) writes one rule covering RN and LPN/VN licensees together, so the same sources support both records. The board hosts its rules on Google Drive; the file was downloaded through the drive direct download link. The board's renewal page says a renewal application must include evidence of meeting competencies and tells licensees to save a screenshot or certificate of completion to upload, so proof_at_renewal is true. Chapter 2, Section 16 gives the board audit authority and requires licensees to submit documentation of compliance on request, so audited is true, but the rules read here set no record retention period and do not name the bodies that must approve continuing education, so those fields are null. The rules set no mandatory subject for RN or LPN/VN licensees; the only subject mandate in Chapter 2 is the APRN controlled substances requirement in Section 14(c).
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Wyoming State Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.