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California license renewal
California nursing CE renewal requirements
California RNs renew every two years and need 30 contact hours of continuing education each renewal.
California APRNs renew every two years and need 30 contact hours of continuing education each renewal, and some of those hours may need to be on the required topics below.
✓ Verified October 8, 2026 against California’s board of nursing, state rules and the Nurse Licensure Compact. Sources are listed below.
At a glance
- Renewal cycle
- Every two years
- RN continuing education
- 30 contact hours
- APRN continuing education
- 30 contact hours
- Nurse Licensure Compact
- No
- Reports to CE Broker
- No
Required topics
“Part of the total” hours count toward the overall requirement; “on top of the total” hours are extra.
RNs
| Topic | Hours | How often | Counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implicit bias (AB 1407)In the CE period following initial licensure, since 1 Jan 2023 | 1 | Once | Part of the total |
APRNs (in addition to RN requirements)
| Topic | Hours | How often | Counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerontology, dementia and elder careNPs whose patient population is more than 25% aged 65+ | 6 | Every renewal | Part of the total |
RN renewal in detail
- Flat 30 contact hours per 2-year cycle.
- Your first renewal after licensure has a reduced or prorated requirement.
- When it expires: Biennial; first license expires last day of the month following birth date, then every 2 years.
APRN renewal in detail
- No additional hour total beyond the RN 30; 6 of the 30 must be gerontology if >25% of patients are 65+.
- Your first renewal after licensure has a reduced or prorated requirement.
- When it expires: Renews with the RN license (last day of birth month, biennial); separate certificate fee.
Using HIVE Nurse for your hours
California counts CE only from providers approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing or nationally accredited providers. HIVE Nurse is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing, so its courses do not currently count toward a California renewal.
HIVE Nurse is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the Florida Board of Nursing (CE Provider #50-57054). Boards differ on whether they accept CE from a provider approved by another state’s board, so check California’s rules before you count a course.
The renewal checker builds your own list from these rules and can remind you before your license expires.
Sources
Rules change. Your board’s website is the final word.