North Carolina Advanced Practice Registered Nurses CE Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals

North Carolina Nurses

In support of improving patient care, NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

The North Carolina Board of Nursing accepts courses from any provider who is ANCC accredited.

Continuing Education Requirement

The North Carolina Board of Nursing accepts NetCE courses.

RNs, LPNs and APRNs are required to maintain a current RN or LPN multistate license or NC single state license. NC license renewal requires one of the following every two years:

• National certification or re-certification by a national credentialing body recognized by the Board (APRNs may use this to fulfill the NC RN renewal requirement); or
• Thirty (30) contact hours of continuing education activities; or
• Completion of a Board approved refresher course; or
• Completion of a minimum of two semester hours of post-licensure academic education related to nursing practice; or
• Fifteen (15) contact hours of a continuing education activity and completion of a nursing project as principal or co-principal investigator to include statement of the problem, project objectives, methods and summary of findings; or
• Fifteen (15) contact hours of continuing education activities and authoring or coauthoring a published nursing-related article, paper, book or book chapter; or
• Fifteen (15) contact hours of continuing education activities and developing and conducting a nursing education presentation or presentations totaling a minimum of five contact hours for nurses or other health professionals to include a copy of program brochure or course syllabi, objectives, content and teaching methods, and date and location of presentation; or
• Fifteen (15) contact hours of continuing education activities and 640 hours of active practice within the previous two (2) years.

APRN-NP are required 50 contact hours every two years, 20 of which must be within area of national certification approved by a national credentialing body (ANCC or equivalent) or ACCME; or maintain national certification.

APRN-CNS are required to maintain national certification. If recognized continuously by the Board as a CNS without national certification prior to 4/1/2023:

• Submit at least 75 hours of continuing education, including 25 hours of pharmacotherapeutics for the previous 5-year period, and attest to 1000 hours of practice; or
• Submit at least 150 hours of continuing education, including 50 hours of pharmacotherapeutics for the previous 5-year period.

APRN-CNM are required to maintain national certification through the Certificate Maintenance Program of the American Midwifery Certifying Board, which includes meeting continuing education requirements or passage of examination.

APRN (NP and CNM) authorized to prescribe controlled substances are required one (1) hour annually on controlled substances prescribing practices, prescribing controlled substances for chronic pain management, recognizing signs of controlled substance abuse or misuse, or non-opioid treatment options as an alternative to controlled substances One-time DEA registrant MATE Act training fulfillment will meet this requirement for the renewal period in which it was completed.

Beginning with DEA initial registrations or renewals starting June 27, 2023, all DEA-registered practitioners (with the exception of DVM-only license holders) are required 8 hours on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, including the appropriate clinical use of all FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of a substance use disorder, one-time only.

APRN-CRNA are required to maintain NBCRNA certification/recertification.

View RN and LPN Special Offers
View APRN Special Offers
View Course List

All Accreditations and Approvals
License Renewal Instructions

For More Information

Please contact the North Carolina Board of Nursing at (919) 782-3211, or visit their website at https://www.ncbon.com/.

Additional information regarding your continuing education requirements may be found at:
https://www.ncbon.com/rn-lpn-continuing-compentence - RN and LPN.
https://www.ncbon.com/aprn-continuing-competence - APRN.
https://www.ncbon.com/licensure-listing-advanced-practice-registered-nurse-aprn-nurse-practitioner - APRN-NP.
https://www.ncbon.com/licensure-listing-advanced-practice-registered-nurse-aprn-certified-nurse-midwife - APRN-CNM.
https://www.ncbon.com/licensure-listing-advanced-practice-registered-nurse-aprn-certified-registered-nurse-anesthetist - APRN-CRNA.
https://www.ncbon.com/licensure-listing-advanced-practice-registered-nurse-aprn-clinical-nurse-specialist - APRN-CNS.
http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2021%20-%20occupational%20licensing%20boards%20and%20commissions/chapter%2036%20-%20nursing/21%20ncac%2036%20.0807.html - APRN-NP Rule 21 NCAC 36.0807 eff 7/1/2024 (includes prescriptive authority).
http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2021%20-%20occupational%20licensing%20boards%20and%20commissions/chapter%2033%20-%20midwifery%20joint%20committee/chapter%2033%20rules.html - APRN-CNM Rule 21 NCAC 33.0111 eff 10/1/2024 (includes prescriptive authority).
https://www.ncbon.com/news-publications-statistics-frequently-asked-questions-controlled-substance-reporting-system - FAQs for APRN with prescriptive authority.