Arkansas APRN License Renewal: CE, Fees, and Prescriptive Rules

Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources

NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS · Verified against the Arkansas State Board of Nursing · 2026-07-13

APRNs in Arkansas complete 15 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. The APRN renewal fee is $165 (includes the $100 RN renewal; the APRN certification renewal alone is $65). The board is one of up to four clocks: your national certification and any DEA registration renew separately.

What the Arkansas State Board of Nursing requires of APRNs

Requirement	Hours	Status
Practice-Focused CE (Option 1)	15 hrs	Optional
National Certification (Option 2)	Course-based	Optional
College Course (Option 3)	Course-based	Optional
Pharmacotherapeutics CE (Prescriptive Authority)	5 hrs	Conditional

Full renewal context (deadlines, grace period, audits): Arkansas nursing license renewal guide.

Prescriptive authority in Arkansas

What we verified for Arkansas

Board-sourced

Practice authority: Reduced-practice model with a full-independence pathway: APRNs prescribe under a Collaborative Practice Agreement; 6,240 hours under a CPA qualifies an APRN to apply for Full Independent Practice through the FIPCC (Act 412 of 2021; extended to CNSs by Act 872 of 2023).
Collaboration / supervision: The CPA must stay current and on file with the board, include prescriptive protocols, and report termination within 7 days. Schedule II prescriptions require physician review within 7 days under the agreement.
State controlled-substance registration: No separate state controlled-substance registration; DEA registration governs.
Prescriber CE: 5 hours of pharmacology CE per biennial renewal for prescribers, 2 of which must address professional boundaries and the prescribing rules.
National certification at renewal: Yes. Current national certification is required for APRN renewal (with a practice-hours alternative if certification lapsed).

Source: Arkansas State Board of Nursing, advanced practice, last checked 2026-06-11. Rules change; confirm with the board before relying on this.

The other three clocks

Arkansas has not enacted the APRN Compact (which is not yet operational anywhere). The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN/VN licenses only, so multi-state APRN practice still means a separate APRN credential in each state. Your national certification (AANPCB, ANCC, NBCRNA, or AMCB) and any DEA registration renew on their own cycles, with their own CE math.

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Arkansas APRN renewal FAQ

How many CE hours do APRNs need to renew in Arkansas?: APRNs in Arkansas complete 15 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. That includes the Pharmacotherapeutics CE (Prescriptive Authority) requirement of 5 hours, which applies conditionally (see the requirements table). Your national certification keeps its own CE requirement on a separate clock.
What is the APRN renewal fee in Arkansas?: The Arkansas APRN renewal fee is $165 (includes the $100 RN renewal; the APRN certification renewal alone is $65), which differs from the RN fee; budget for both if you renew both credentials. Fees change, so confirm the current amount on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing portal.
Can APRNs prescribe independently in Arkansas?: Reduced-practice model with a full-independence pathway: APRNs prescribe under a Collaborative Practice Agreement; 6,240 hours under a CPA qualifies an APRN to apply for Full Independent Practice through the FIPCC (Act 412 of 2021; extended to CNSs by Act 872 of 2023).
Does Arkansas require a state controlled-substance registration on top of the DEA?: No separate state controlled-substance registration; DEA registration governs.
Is Arkansas in the APRN Compact?: No. Arkansas has not enacted the APRN Compact, and the compact itself is not yet operational anywhere. The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN/VN licenses only, so it does not extend APRN practice across state lines.
Does my national certification have to be current to renew my Arkansas APRN license?: Yes. Current national certification is required for APRN renewal (with a practice-hours alternative if certification lapsed).

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Arkansas APRN License Renewal: CE, Fees, and Prescriptive Rules

NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS · Verified against the Arkansas State Board of Nursing · 2026-07-13

What the Arkansas State Board of Nursing requires of APRNs

Requirement	Hours	Status
Practice-Focused CE (Option 1)	15 hrs	Optional
National Certification (Option 2)	Course-based	Optional
College Course (Option 3)	Course-based	Optional
Pharmacotherapeutics CE (Prescriptive Authority)	5 hrs	Conditional

Prescriptive authority in Arkansas

What we verified for Arkansas

Board-sourced

Practice authority: Reduced-practice model with a full-independence pathway: APRNs prescribe under a Collaborative Practice Agreement; 6,240 hours under a CPA qualifies an APRN to apply for Full Independent Practice through the FIPCC (Act 412 of 2021; extended to CNSs by Act 872 of 2023).
Collaboration / supervision: The CPA must stay current and on file with the board, include prescriptive protocols, and report termination within 7 days. Schedule II prescriptions require physician review within 7 days under the agreement.
State controlled-substance registration: No separate state controlled-substance registration; DEA registration governs.
Prescriber CE: 5 hours of pharmacology CE per biennial renewal for prescribers, 2 of which must address professional boundaries and the prescribing rules.
National certification at renewal: Yes. Current national certification is required for APRN renewal (with a practice-hours alternative if certification lapsed).

Source: Arkansas State Board of Nursing, advanced practice, last checked 2026-06-11. Rules change; confirm with the board before relying on this.

The other three clocks

Arkansas APRN renewal FAQ

How many CE hours do APRNs need to renew in Arkansas?

APRNs in Arkansas complete 15 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. That includes the Pharmacotherapeutics CE (Prescriptive Authority) requirement of 5 hours, which applies conditionally (see the requirements table). Your national certification keeps its own CE requirement on a separate clock.

What is the APRN renewal fee in Arkansas?

The Arkansas APRN renewal fee is $165 (includes the $100 RN renewal; the APRN certification renewal alone is $65), which differs from the RN fee; budget for both if you renew both credentials. Fees change, so confirm the current amount on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing portal.

Can APRNs prescribe independently in Arkansas?

Reduced-practice model with a full-independence pathway: APRNs prescribe under a Collaborative Practice Agreement; 6,240 hours under a CPA qualifies an APRN to apply for Full Independent Practice through the FIPCC (Act 412 of 2021; extended to CNSs by Act 872 of 2023).

Does Arkansas require a state controlled-substance registration on top of the DEA?

No separate state controlled-substance registration; DEA registration governs.

Is Arkansas in the APRN Compact?

No. Arkansas has not enacted the APRN Compact, and the compact itself is not yet operational anywhere. The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN/VN licenses only, so it does not extend APRN practice across state lines.

Does my national certification have to be current to renew my Arkansas APRN license?

Yes. Current national certification is required for APRN renewal (with a practice-hours alternative if certification lapsed).