CE Marketplace / North Dakota CE Requirements

North Dakota Nursing CE Requirements

Q: How many CE hours do North Dakota nurses need?

North Dakota requires 12 contact hours per renewal period (one of several continued-competency options; also requires recent practice) on a biennial (every 2 years) cycle.

Everything North Dakota RNs need for license renewal — required contact hours, renewal cycle, mandatory topics, and the best continuing-education providers, in one place.

Required Hours

12 contact hours per renewal period (one of several continued-competency options; also requires recent practice)

Renewal Cycle

Biennial (every 2 years)

Tracking / Reporting

Self-attested; submit proof only if audited. Excess hours do not carry forward. Use a Board-recognized / nationally accredited provider.

Renewal Deadline

Licenses expire December 31 of the second year of the cycle. Renew online before the deadline.

Required & specialty topics

Complete ONE continued-competency option, e.g.: 12 contact hours of CE; OR 640 practice hours + 15 contact hours; OR national certification/recertification; OR a Board-approved refresher course; OR 2 semester hours of nursing-related academic coursework.
Separately, renewing nurses must meet/exceed 400 hours of nursing practice in the preceding 4 years (recent grads / refresher completers are excepted).
APRNs with prescriptive authority: 15 contact hours of pharmacotherapy related to scope of practice.

New & first-time renewals

A nurse initially licensed by examination does NOT need CE before the first renewal (academic coursework satisfies it).

Good to know

North Dakota is a Nurse Licensure Compact state.
One contact hour = 50–60 minutes; 1 CEU = 10 contact hours.

Official source

Requirements change. Always confirm the current rules directly with the North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBON) before you renew.

Visit the North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBON) →

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Verify before you rely on this. This page is a free planning guide, not legal or licensing advice. Nursing CE rules change and individual situations vary (specialty, license type, first renewal, endorsement). Confirm your exact requirements with the North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBON) before completing any course or renewal.

Last verified 2026-05-29 · Source: North Dakota Board of Nursing (ndbon.org) / NDAC 54-02-05. Some links on this page may be affiliate links; if you purchase through them, The RN Network may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.