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Renewal requirements by state › North Carolina
North Carolina license renewal
North Carolina nursing CE renewal requirements
North Carolina RNs renew every two years and must show continued competence. Continuing education is one way to meet it: 30 contact hours.
North Carolina APRNs renew every two years and need 50 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 North Carolina’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 or another competence option
- APRN continuing education
- 50 contact hours
- Nurse Licensure Compact
- Yes, a member state
- 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.
APRNs (in addition to RN requirements)
| Topic | Hours | How often | Counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled substances: prescribing practices, chronic pain prescribing, recognizing abuse/misuse, or non-opioid alternativesNPs who prescribe controlled substances; 1 hour within the 12 months preceding prescribing. Federal MATE Act training satisfies it for the 2-year CE period in which completed. | 1 | Every year | Part of the total |
RN renewal in detail
- Self-assessment + learning plan + ONE option in the preceding cycle: national certification/recertification; OR 30 contact hours; OR Board-approved refresher; OR 2 semester hours post-licensure academic credit; OR 15 contact hours plus one of: nursing research project (PI/co-PI), published article/book/chapter, presentation(s) totaling 5+ contact hours, or 640 active practice hours in previous 2 years.
- A current national certification can satisfy the requirement.
- Practice hours: 640 within 24 months.
- When it expires: Last day of birth month.
APRN renewal in detail
- Current national certification deems the NP compliant; otherwise 50 contact hours every 2 years, min 20 within the NP's certification area approved by a national credentialing body/ACCME (or practice-relevant academic courses), remaining 30 at advanced-practice level.
- APRNs must hold a current national certification.
- A current national certification can satisfy the requirement.
- When it expires: NP approval to practice renews every 2 years, due in birth month (separate from RN license renewal).
Using HIVE Nurse for your hours
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 North Carolina’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
Some details for North Carolina are being re-confirmed with the board. Check the source before you renew.
Rules change. Your board’s website is the final word.