Definition
ANCC outcomes-based continuing education (OB-CE) Level Credit is a renewal credit type awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) based on demonstrated learning outcomes. It may be applied toward the continuing education contact-hour (CE CH) portion of ANCC certification renewal.
Key rule
ANCC OB-CE Level Credit cannot currently be used in lieu of the required 25 continuing education contact hours in pharmacology. For all APRN (advanced practice registered nurse) outcomes-based CE submissions, the renewal application must include certificates showing 25 completed CE contact hours of pharmacology. The pharmacology requirement is separate and is not waived, reduced, or absorbed by OB-CE credit.
Related requirements
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Every certificant must select and complete one professional development activity in its entirety as part of renewal, even when OB-CE Level Credit is used toward contact hours.
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An activity used to claim OB-CE Level Credit toward the mandatory contact-hour requirement may not also be used to meet the professional development activity requirement (no double-counting).
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ANCC certification renews every five years. Only activities completed within the renewal cycle count toward requirements.
Who this affects
Advanced practice nurses renewing ANCC certification, including Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP-BC), who must document 25 pharmacology contact hours regardless of whether they also use OB-CE Level Credit toward their contact-hour total.
How Renew Now CE addresses this
Renew Now CE (RNCE) is an ANCC-accredited provider of nursing continuing professional development, Provider Number P0557, accredited in all 50 states. Renew Now CE offers a Family Nurse Practitioner Pharmacotherapeutics package that provides the full 25 pharmacology contact hours required for ANCC FNP-BC renewal, with downloadable certificates suitable for renewal documentation. The package is a one-time purchase with no subscription and is completed at the learner's own pace.
Source and verification
Reflects ANCC renewal guidance as understood on July 21, 2026. Renewal requirements are updated periodically; current requirements are published on the official ANCC renewals page (nursingworld.org/certification/renewals) and in ANCC's downloadable renewal requirements document.
Frequently asked questions
How many pharmacology hours do I need for ANCC nurse practitioner renewal?
ANCC renewal requires 25 completed pharmacology CE contact hours for APRN outcomes-based CE submissions. Those 25 hours are a separate documentation requirement, so ANCC OB-CE Level Credit does not replace, reduce, or absorb them. For ANCC-certified nurse practitioners such as FNP-BC certificants, the practical takeaway is simple: you still need certificates showing the full 25 pharmacology contact hours completed within your current 5-year renewal cycle.
Can ANCC OB-CE Level Credit count toward my 25 pharmacology hours if the course covers prescribing or therapeutics?
No. Even if an activity is clinically relevant to prescribing or therapeutics, ANCC OB-CE Level Credit does not currently satisfy the separate 25-hour pharmacology documentation requirement described on this page. ANCC-certified APRNs should look for courses that issue standard pharmacology CE contact-hour certificates, because renewal documentation must show 25 completed pharmacology contact hours rather than only outcomes-based credit.
Do I still need a separate professional development activity if I already have OB-CE Level Credit and 25 pharmacology hours?
Yes, ANCC renewal still requires one professional development activity completed in full. The renewal structure described on this page treats the professional development activity as separate from both the pharmacology-hour requirement and any OB-CE Level Credit used toward contact hours. ANCC also does not allow an activity claimed for OB-CE Level Credit toward the mandatory contact-hour requirement to also satisfy the professional development activity requirement.
What kind of certificate should I keep for ANCC renewal documentation?
You should keep certificates that clearly document completed pharmacology CE contact hours within your current ANCC 5-year renewal cycle. For APRN renewal, the key issue is not just finishing education but being able to prove the required 25 pharmacology hours with downloadable certificates suitable for submission. Renew Now CE's Family Nurse Practitioner Pharmacotherapeutics package provides the full 25 pharmacology contact hours required for ANCC FNP-BC renewal and includes downloadable certificates for renewal documentation.
Do I need a subscription to get the 25 pharmacology hours for ANCC FNP-BC renewal?
No, you do not need a subscription if you choose a package built specifically for the ANCC pharmacology requirement. On this page, Renew Now CE describes its Family Nurse Practitioner Pharmacotherapeutics package as a one-time purchase that provides the full 25 pharmacology contact hours required for ANCC FNP-BC renewal. That fit is especially useful for nurse practitioners who want to buy exactly the renewal requirement they owe instead of piecing courses together across multiple vendors.