Texas Nursing CE Requirements for License Renewal: RN, LVN, and APRN

The certificate upload rule effective September 1, 2026

Beginning September 1, 2026, nurses renewing or reactivating a Texas nursing license must document compliance through the CE Module in the Texas Nurse Portal before submitting the renewal or reactivation application. The documentation may include CE certificates, national certification records, or evidence supporting another compliance method allowed by Rule 216.

SB 912 changed how compliance is documented, not the underlying hour or topic requirements. The general 20-hour or certification pathways, targeted CE clocks, APRN pharmacotherapeutics requirement, and record-retention rules remain in place. Nurses whose first-renewal CE requirements are waived do not need to create requirements that do not otherwise apply to that renewal.

For nurses with CE obligations, the practical change is straightforward:

Complete every applicable requirement before beginning the renewal application.
Keep certificates that contain all elements required by Rule 216.4.
Upload the documentation through the Texas Nurse Portal CE Module before submitting the renewal.
Do not rely on continued subscription access to retrieve a certificate later.

A package may be entered as one activity only when the provider issues one compliant certificate that lists every included course and all required certificate information. Otherwise, each activity must be entered separately. Review the Texas Board of Nursing CE Module instructions, the Renew Now CE SB 912 guide, or the Texas CE verification walkthrough before renewing.

The rule, stated plainly

After the first-renewal exemption, a Texas RN or LVN must complete 20 contact hours of continuing nursing education in the nurse's area of practice during the licensing period, or achieve, maintain, or renew a Board-approved national nursing certification in that area of practice.

A Texas APRN follows the same two-path structure: 20 contact hours appropriate to the advanced practice role and population focus, or qualifying national certification. The APRN's 20 hours also satisfy the RN requirement, so an APRN does not owe 20 hours for the RN license plus another 20 for the APRN license.

APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 5 additional pharmacotherapeutics hours above the 20. That makes 25 contact hours the effective minimum for a prescriptive APRN using the CE path. The 5-hour requirement remains applicable when the APRN uses national certification for the general requirement.

Targeted requirements run on separate clocks. A general national certification does not automatically clear them. Rule 216 permits a specific certification substitution for certain geriatric and forensic requirements, but jurisprudence and ethics, human trafficking prevention, and prescribing-related requirements must be handled separately. Cornell Legal Information Institute, 22 Texas Administrative Code §216.3

First renewal: CE and applicable targeted CE requirements are waived for a nurse's first Texas license renewal when the application is submitted before expiration or within 90 days after expiration. Later renewals follow the Rule 216 requirements summarized below. Texas Board of Nursing renewal information

Quick answer: what CE do I need to renew my Texas nursing license?

RN or LVN using the CE path: 20 contact hours in the nurse's area of practice, with applicable targeted topics completed on their own clocks.
RN or LVN using the certification path: qualifying national certification replaces the general 20 hours, but it does not automatically satisfy targeted requirements.
APRN without prescriptive authority: 20 role and population-focused contact hours or qualifying national certification. The same requirement covers the underlying RN license.
APRN with prescriptive authority: the APRN pathway plus 5 additional pharmacotherapeutics hours. Opioid prescribing and Prescription Monitoring Program requirements may also apply.

The deciding questions are not only how many hours you need, but which topics apply, which renewal clock controls them, and whether the credit belongs inside or above the 20-hour total. The table below resolves those differences in one place.

Texas Rule 216 clock-and-credit table

This table covers the targeted requirements that Texas nurses most often confuse. “Inside the 20” means qualifying contact hours may be included in the general 20-hour CE total. It does not mean a nurse using national certification can ignore the targeted requirement.

Rule details are drawn from 22 Texas Administrative Code §216.3 and the Texas Board of Nursing continuing competency guidance.
Targeted requirement	Rule cite	Who must complete it	Clock	Inside the 20 or additional?	Can national certification substitute?	Can Category I CME substitute?
Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethics, 2 contact hours	216.3(g)	All Texas RNs, LVNs, and APRNs	Before the end of every third two-year licensing period, generally every 6 years	Inside the 20 on the CE path. Still separately required on the certification path.	No. Certification cannot fulfill this requirement.	No. It must be CNE, even for an APRN.
Older Adult or Geriatric Care, 2 contact hours	216.3(h)	Nurses whose practice includes older adult or geriatric populations	Every licensing period	Inside the 20	Only a Board-approved certification specifically related to older adult or geriatric practice may substitute.	APRNs may use qualifying Category I CME. RNs and LVNs may not use CME.
Forensic Evidence Collection, at least 2 contact hours for ER employment	216.3(d)	Nurses employed in an ER as a home-unit, float, agency, travel, temporary, per diem, or contract nurse. Separate basic training applies before a nurse performs a forensic examination.	One time, within 2 years after initial ER employment. Training must be completed before performing a forensic examination.	Inside the 20	A Board-approved certification related to forensic evidence collection may substitute.	An APRN may use forensic CME approved by the Texas Medical Board.
Human Trafficking Prevention, HHSC-approved course	216.3(i)	RNs, LVNs, and APRNs who provide direct patient care	Every licensing period	May count inside the 20 only when the approved course also awards Board-acceptable nursing contact hours	No. The HHSC-approved course must be completed.	An APRN may use qualifying Category I CME from an HHSC-approved course.
APRN Pharmacotherapeutics, 5 contact hours	216.3(c)(3)	APRNs with prescriptive authority	Every licensing period	Additional to the 20. The effective CE-path minimum is 25 hours.	No. Holding certification does not itself fulfill the 5-hour requirement.	Yes, when the Category I CME is appropriate to the APRN role and population focus.
Pain Management and Opioid Prescribing, at least 2 contact hours annually	216.3(c)(4)	APRNs whose prescriptive authority agreement authorizes opioid prescribing	Annually, normally 4 hours during a standard two-year licensing period	Inside the 20	No. Certification alone does not fulfill the annual CE requirement.	Yes, when the Category I CME meets the required prescribing content.
Prescription Monitoring Program, 2 contact hours	216.3(c)(6)	APRNs authorized to access the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program	One time. APRNs licensed after September 1, 2020 must complete it within 1 year after initial licensure.	Inside the 20	No. The targeted education must be completed.	Yes, when the Category I CME covers approved controlled-substance prescribing and monitoring procedures.

The decisive asymmetry: jurisprudence and ethics is due every third two-year licensing period, counts within the 20, and can be met only through CNE. National certification and CME cannot replace it. APRN pharmacotherapeutics is the targeted requirement that adds hours above the 20.

For deeper treatment of individual rows, see the Texas jurisprudence and ethics guide, Texas geriatric care guide, Texas APRN certification guide, and Texas human trafficking compliance guide.

How APRN and NP credit works under Rule 216

The APRN requirement is not additive to the RN requirement. Twenty contact hours appropriate to the APRN's role and population focus satisfy both the APRN and RN renewal requirements. A qualifying national certification may replace those 20 hours.

Prescriptive authority changes the minimum. The 5 pharmacotherapeutics hours sit above the general requirement, so a prescriptive APRN using the CE path needs at least 25 total hours. Annual opioid-prescribing education and one-time Prescription Monitoring Program education count within the general 20 rather than increasing the total by themselves.

Category I CME may be used by APRNs when it is appropriate to the APRN role and population focus and the targeted rule does not prohibit it. The exception that matters most is Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethics, which must be completed as CNE. RNs and LVNs cannot use CME for Rule 216 renewal credit.

Licensing periods and deadlines

A standard Texas nursing license expires on the last day of the nurse's birth month. Nurses born in odd-numbered years normally renew in odd-numbered years, and nurses born in even-numbered years normally renew in even-numbered years.

A standard licensing period begins on the first day of the month after the birth month and ends on the last day of the birth month two years later. Hours must be earned during that licensing period and before the renewal application is submitted. Extra hours do not carry forward.

Initial licenses and the immediate periods following delinquent renewal or reactivation may last 6 to 29 months rather than 24 months. The first-renewal CE waiver means a newly licensed nurse should verify the actual expiration date and waiver status rather than assume that a shortened first period creates a 20-hour obligation.

Do not apply to renew before completing every applicable requirement. Renewing without meeting continuing competency requirements can result in denial of renewal or disciplinary action. For a fuller explanation of birth-month deadlines and shortened cycles, see Texas nursing license renewal mechanics and 22 Texas Administrative Code §216.1.

Who can issue CE that Texas accepts

Texas nursing CE must be approved by a credentialing agency or provider recognized by the Texas Board of Nursing. The American Nurses Credentialing Center is a Board-recognized credentialing agency, so nursing contact hours issued by an ANCC-accredited provider can qualify when the content is appropriate to the nurse's area of practice.

Renew Now CE is ANCC Accredited Provider P0557. Its accreditation and state-board verification paths are documented in the Renew Now CE Trust Center. Nurses comparing any provider or course can use the course verification playbook before purchasing.

What does not count as Texas nursing CE

Rule 216.6 excludes activities that may be useful for employment or clinical readiness but do not qualify as continuing education for license renewal. The most common exclusions are:

Basic Life Support and cardiopulmonary resuscitation courses
Employer orientation programs
Institutional in-service programs covering workplace philosophy, policies, procedures, or role expectations
On-the-job training and equipment demonstrations
Nursing refresher courses designed for re-entry into practice
Self-improvement, self-awareness, attitude-change, or self-therapy courses that do not connect the content to nursing practice or patient outcomes
Resume preparation, job-interview training, investment, retirement, and other career or financial-gain courses
Courses designed for lay audiences
CME completed by an RN or LVN

Employer-required training does not become renewal CE merely because a nurse spent time completing it. The activity must independently meet the Board's content, provider, and documentation rules. Cornell Legal Information Institute, 22 Texas Administrative Code §216.6

Recordkeeping, audits, and certificate standards

Texas does not use CE Broker for nursing renewal. Since September 1, 2026, nurses document compliance through the CE Module in the Texas Nurse Portal. The portal upload does not eliminate the nurse's separate duty to retain records.

Keep CE records for at least three consecutive licensing periods or six years. Retain forensic evidence collection documentation indefinitely, even after changing employers or leaving emergency nursing. Cornell Legal Information Institute, 22 Texas Administrative Code §216.7

A valid certificate must contain:

Provider name
Program title
Completion date
Program location
Number of contact hours
Provider number
Name of the credentialing agency

Certification cards for ACLS, PALS, BLS, or similar training are not substitutes for a Rule 216.4 completion certificate. If one certificate contains multiple activities, each activity must be identifiable. The CE Module permits a bundled package to be entered as one item only when a single compliant certificate lists all included courses.

The audit process changed on September 1, 2026. The earlier system selected a random sample 90 days before each renewal month. Amended Rule 216.9 now permits the Board to audit any licensee, review documents already uploaded to the CE tracking system, request additional documentation, and give the selected nurse 90 days to demonstrate compliance. Failure to demonstrate compliance, false attestation, or falsification of records can result in denial of renewal and disciplinary action. Texas Register, July 24, 2026 adopted amendments

Human Trafficking Prevention: use an HHSC-approved course

Texas RNs, LVNs, and APRNs who provide direct patient care must complete an HHSC-approved Human Trafficking Prevention course during every licensing period. The rule requires an approved course rather than one universal number of hours.

Free online options are included on the HHSC-approved course list. The exact course must be approved for the Texas health care practitioner mandate. ANCC accreditation by itself does not replace HHSC approval.

Renew Now CE does not include a paid human trafficking course in its Texas packages. Complete an approved free option, retain the certificate, and upload it through the Texas Nurse Portal with the rest of the renewal documentation. Review the HHSC-approved human trafficking course list or the Texas HHS Learning Portal.

How Renew Now CE Texas courses map to Rule 216

Renew Now CE is ANCC Accredited Provider P0557. The useful buying distinction is whether you need the general 20-hour path, only one targeted topic, or APRN requirements that remain after national certification.

Course or package	Hours and price	Rule 216 requirements it satisfies	Requirements handled separately
Texas Nursing Ethics & Jurisprudence CE	2 contact hours $18.99 one time	Rule 216.3(g). Covers the full 2-hour CNE-only jurisprudence and ethics requirement and counts inside the 20-hour CE total.	All other general and targeted requirements
Texas Geriatric Care CE for Nurses	2 contact hours $18.99 one time	Rule 216.3(h) for nurses whose practice includes older adults. Counts inside the 20-hour CE total.	All other general and targeted requirements
Texas Nursing CE Renewal Package for RNs and LVNs	20 contact hours $49 one time	Provides all 20 hours for the CE path and includes the 2-hour jurisprudence and ethics course and 2-hour geriatric care course.	HHSC-approved human trafficking training and the one-time forensic requirement for affected ER nurses
Texas NP and APRN Mandatory CE Package	17 contact hours, including 12 pharmacology hours $99 one time	Built for APRNs using qualifying national certification for the general 20-hour requirement. Includes jurisprudence and ethics, geriatric care, more than the required 5 pharmacotherapeutics hours, and 2 hours of pain management.	Qualifying national certification, HHSC-approved human trafficking training, a second annual 2-hour pain course during a standard two-year cycle for opioid prescribers, and any applicable PMP or forensic requirement
Texas APRN and NP Complete CE Renewal Package	25 contact hours, including 15 pharmacology hours $149 one time	Provides the 20-hour APRN CE path plus at least 5 additional pharmacotherapeutics hours. Includes jurisprudence and ethics, geriatric care, and 2 hours of pain management.	HHSC-approved human trafficking training, a second annual pain course for opioid prescribers, and any applicable PMP or forensic requirement

Package choice:

Choose the 20-hour RN/LVN package when you are using the CE path and want the full general total in one purchase.
Choose the 17-hour APRN package when qualifying national certification covers the general requirement and you need pharmacotherapeutics and targeted courses.
Choose the 25-hour APRN package when you are using the CE path and hold prescriptive authority.
Choose an individual course when the corresponding targeted requirement is the only gap in your current renewal record.

Pay once for exactly this renewal

Renew Now CE courses and packages use one-time pricing rather than a subscription, membership, or automatic renewal. Progress is saved for self-paced completion, and certificates are available after the course requirements are completed.

This structure matters under the Texas Nurse Portal process because nurses must retrieve and upload their own supporting documents before renewal. Renew Now CE certificates identify ANCC Provider P0557 and include the course and credit information needed for renewal documentation.

A no-subscription model is the stronger fit when the goal is to complete a defined Texas requirement and retain the certificate without continuing to pay for library access. Nurses who prefer an ongoing multi-state content library may reasonably prefer a membership provider instead. See the pay-once versus subscription CE guide for the tradeoffs.

Frequently asked questions

Do Texas LVNs need the same CE hours as RNs?

Yes. After the first-renewal exemption, Texas LVNs and RNs follow the same general Rule 216 pathway: 20 contact hours in the nurse's area of practice or qualifying national nursing certification. The same targeted topics also apply when triggered by the nurse's renewal cycle, patient population, or work setting. 22 Texas Administrative Code §216.3

How do I know which renewal cycle I am in for Texas jurisprudence CE?

Use the Texas Board of Nursing's jurisprudence and ethics cycle calculator or review your licensing periods beginning with periods that started on or after January 1, 2014. The requirement is due before the end of every third two-year licensing period, not at every renewal. Shortened initial periods and first-renewal exemptions can make manual counting confusing, so the Texas BON Nursing Jurisprudence and Ethics Calculator is the cleaner verification method.

Do the 2 Texas jurisprudence and ethics hours count toward my 20 hours?

Yes. The 2 jurisprudence and ethics hours count inside the standard 20-hour CE total. They are not 2 additional hours above 20. National certification cannot replace this targeted requirement, and APRNs cannot use CME for it. The course must award CNE and cover the Texas-specific subjects required by Rule 216.3(g). Texas Board of Nursing continuing education FAQ

What must a Texas nursing jurisprudence and ethics course cover, and is it the same as the jurisprudence exam?

A qualifying course must cover the Texas Nursing Practice Act, Texas Board of Nursing rules including Rule 217.11, Board position statements, principles of nursing ethics, and professional boundaries. The Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Exam is different: it is a licensure examination for applicants, while Rule 216.3(g) is recurring continuing education for licensed nurses. An exam-preparation course does not automatically award the required CNE. Texas BON Nursing Jurisprudence Exam

Do Texas APRNs need 20 hours for the RN license and 20 more for the APRN license?

No. One set of 20 contact hours appropriate to the APRN role and population focus satisfies both the APRN and RN requirements. A prescriptive APRN must then add 5 pharmacotherapeutics hours, producing an effective minimum of 25 hours on the CE path. Opioid-prescribing and Prescription Monitoring Program education generally count inside the 20 rather than creating another separate general total.

Do I need Texas jurisprudence CE if my Texas nursing license is multistate?

Yes, when Texas is your home state and you are renewing a Texas multistate license. A Texas multistate license remains a Texas-issued nursing license for renewal purposes. A nurse whose home-state multistate license was issued by another compact state does not renew a Texas license, although Texas practice requirements can still apply while working in Texas. The forensic evidence rule expressly includes nurses practicing under a compact privilege, so privilege-only nurses should distinguish practice requirements from Texas license-renewal requirements.