State of District of Columbia

District of Columbia.

Non-compact

Updated 2026

Contact hours

For RN renewal, every 2 years

Mandatory topics

For RN renewal, topics

Online CE

For RN renewal, fully accepted

Yes

¶ District of Columbia requires registered nurses to complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years to maintain an active license. Newly licensed nurses are exempt from CE requirements for their first renewal period.

Nursing in District of Columbia.

The District of Columbia has approximately 25,000 licensed registered nurses serving a population of 700,000, though the workforce serves the much larger metropolitan region. DC is home to prominent academic medical centers including MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, George Washington University Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in nearby Bethesda.

The District of Columbia requires 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years for RN license renewal. DC mandates specific training in recognizing and reporting human trafficking and child abuse. The diverse patient population in the nation's capital requires nurses to maintain broad competencies in cultural awareness and specialized care.

Common practice settings

Academic Medical Centers

Georgetown and GW hospitals provide teaching opportunities and access to specialized care programs.

Federal Facilities

NIH, military hospitals, and federal agencies employ nurses in research and clinical roles with unique requirements.

Community Health Centers

Unity Health Care and other FQHCs serve DC's diverse population, including many uninsured residents.

Renewal tips

Complete mandatory human trafficking and child abuse reporting training.

Federal employers may have additional CE requirements beyond DC licensure.

Many DC employers provide CE opportunities that count toward renewal.

Consider courses addressing health disparities given DC's diverse population.

The requirements, by license

Every license type,side by side.

Hours, cycles, mandatory topics, exemptions. Switch between RN, LPN, APRN and the four advanced-practice specialties.

License

Registered nurse.

Contact hours

every 2 years

Renewal cycle

years

Online CE

Yes

fully accepted

First renewal

Exempt

CE waived

Mandatory topics

HIV/AIDS

Required for each renewal

LGBTQ/Cultural Awareness

Cultural competence training required each renewal

Exemptions

First renewal within 2 years of initial licensure

Notes

Must complete 2 hours HIV/AIDS education each renewal period.
Must complete 2 hours LGBTQ/cultural awareness each renewal.

In context. District of Columbia requires 24 contact hours every 2 years for RN license renewal. Compared with neighbors, Maryland has no general CE requirement, while Virginia has no general CE requirement. District of Columbia is not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so nurses need a separate license to practice here.

Continue.

Track your CEUs

Log courses, monitor progress toward District of Columbia requirements.

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Compare states

See how District of Columbia stacks up.

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CEU basics guide

New to CE? Start with the fundamentals.

Read guide →

Audit preparation

Be ready if District of Columbia audits your CE compliance.

Read guide →

Verify with the source