State of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania.
Updated 2026
Contact hours
For RN renewal, every 2 years
30
Mandatory topics
For RN renewal, topics
2
Online CE
For RN renewal, fully accepted
Yes
¶ Pennsylvania requires registered nurses to complete 30 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 Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania has approximately 215,000 licensed registered nurses serving a population of 13 million. Philadelphia is home to major academic centers including Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, and Temple University Hospital, while Pittsburgh has UPMC and Allegheny Health Network. Pennsylvania's strong nursing education infrastructure produces thousands of new graduates annually.
Pennsylvania requires 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years for RN license renewal. Pennsylvania mandates specific training including at least 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting, and 2 hours of patient safety and quality. The state accepts CE from nationally accredited providers.
Common practice settings
Philadelphia Academic Centers
Penn Medicine, Jefferson, and Temple offer nurses access to specialty practice and research.
Pittsburgh Health Systems
UPMC is one of the largest integrated health systems in the nation.
Rural PA
Central and northern Pennsylvania face nursing shortages and hospital closures.
Renewal tips
01
Complete 30 contact hours, including child abuse and patient safety training.
02
Use nationally accredited CE providers.
03
Keep certificates for at least 5 years.
04
Consider opioid-related CE given Pennsylvania's substance use challenges.
The Nurse Licensure Compact in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. This benefits nurses who may work in border areas near New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, or New York.
Read the compact license guide→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
RN
Registered nurse.
Contact hours
30
every 2 years
Renewal cycle
2
years
Online CE
Yes
fully accepted
First renewal
Exempt
CE waived
Mandatory topics
Child Abuse Recognition Required for patient contact RNs | 2h |
Opioid Education For prescribers with DEA number | 2h |
Exemptions
- First renewal within 2 years of initial licensure
Notes
- Child abuse education (2 hours) required for patient contact nurses each renewal.
License
LPN
LPN / LVN.
Contact hours
30
every 2 years
Renewal cycle
2
years
Online CE
Yes
fully accepted
First renewal
Exempt
CE waived
Mandatory topics
Child Abuse Recognition Required for patient contact LPNs | 2h |
Exemptions
- First renewal within 2 years of initial licensure
Notes
- Child abuse education (2 hours) required for patient contact nurses each renewal.
License
APRN
APRN, general.
Contact hours
30
every 2 years
Renewal cycle
2
years
Online CE
Yes
fully accepted
First renewal
Exempt
CE waived
Mandatory topics
Child Abuse Recognition Required for patient contact APRNs | 2h |
Opioid Education For prescribers with DEA number | 2h |
Pharmacology For prescriptive authority holders | 16h |
Exemptions
- First renewal within 2 years of initial certification
Notes
- Prescribers have additional pharmacology requirement.
Additional requirements
License
NP
Nurse practitioner.
Contact hours
30
every 2 years
Renewal cycle
2
years
Online CE
Yes
fully accepted
First renewal
Exempt
CE waived
Mandatory topics
Child Abuse Recognition Required for patient contact APRNs | 2h |
Opioid Education For prescribers with DEA number | 2h |
Pharmacology For prescriptive authority holders | 16h |
Exemptions
- First renewal within 2 years of initial certification
Notes
- Prescribers have additional pharmacology requirement.
- Child abuse education (2 hours) required each renewal.
Additional requirements
License
CNS
Clinical nurse specialist.
Contact hours
30
every 2 years
Renewal cycle
2
years
Online CE
Yes
fully accepted
First renewal
Exempt
CE waived
Mandatory topics
Child Abuse Recognition Required for patient contact APRNs | 2h |
Opioid Education For prescribers with DEA number | 2h |
Pharmacology For prescriptive authority holders | 16h |
Exemptions
- First renewal within 2 years of initial certification
Notes
- Prescribers have additional pharmacology requirement.
- Child abuse education (2 hours) required each renewal.
Additional requirements
License
CNM
Certified nurse-midwife.
Contact hours
30
every 2 years
Renewal cycle
2
years
Online CE
Yes
fully accepted
First renewal
Exempt
CE waived
Mandatory topics
Child Abuse Recognition Required for patient contact APRNs | 2h |
Opioid Education For prescribers with DEA number | 2h |
Pharmacology For prescriptive authority holders | 16h |
Exemptions
- First renewal within 2 years of initial certification
Notes
- Prescribers have additional pharmacology requirement.
- Child abuse education (2 hours) required each renewal.
Additional requirements
License
CRNA
Nurse anesthetist.
Contact hours
30
every 2 years
Renewal cycle
2
years
Online CE
Yes
fully accepted
First renewal
Exempt
CE waived
Mandatory topics
Child Abuse Recognition Required for patient contact APRNs | 2h |
Opioid Education For prescribers with DEA number | 2h |
Pharmacology For prescriptive authority holders | 16h |
Exemptions
- First renewal within 2 years of initial certification
Notes
- Prescribers have additional pharmacology requirement.
- Child abuse education (2 hours) required each renewal.
Additional requirements
In context. Pennsylvania requires 30 contact hours every 2 years for RN license renewal. Compared with neighbors, New York requires fewer (4 hours), while New Jersey has similar requirements (30 hours). As a Nurse Licensure Compact state, Pennsylvania allows nurses to practice across state lines with a multistate license.
Continue.
Track your CEUs
Log courses, monitor progress toward Pennsylvania requirements.
Open tracker →
Compare states
See how Pennsylvania stacks up.
Compare →
Compact license guide
What the NLC means for Pennsylvania nurses.
Read guide →
Audit preparation
Be ready if Pennsylvania audits your CE compliance.
Read guide →
Verify with the source
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
Verify before relying on this