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

APRNs in Texas complete 20 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. That includes the APRN Pharmacotherapeutics 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 Texas?

The Texas APRN renewal fee is $54, which differs from the RN fee; budget for both if you renew both credentials. Fees change, so confirm the current amount on the Texas Board of Nursing portal.

Can APRNs prescribe independently in Texas?

Restricted-practice model. APRN prescribing runs through a Prescriptive Authority Agreement with a delegating physician; Texas publishes no general independent-practice pathway for APRNs.

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

None. Texas discontinued its separate DPS controlled-substances registration effective September 1, 2016 (SB 195); a federal DEA registration is the only controlled-substance registration Texas prescribers need. Prescribers use the state PMP, run by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.

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

Texas conditions APRN licensure on national certification; confirm your certification's standing with the board before renewal, since the BON decides individual cases.

Texas 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 Texas Board of Nursing · 2026-09-04

APRNs in Texas complete 20 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. The APRN renewal fee is $54. The board is one of up to four clocks: your national certification and any DEA registration renew separately.

What the Texas Board of Nursing requires of APRNs

Requirement	Hours	Status
General CE	20 hrs	Required
Jurisprudence & Ethics	2 hrs	Required
Human Trafficking Prevention	Course-based	Required
Older Adult & Geriatric Care	2 hrs	Conditional
Forensic Evidence Collection	2 hrs	Conditional
APRN Pharmacotherapeutics	5 hrs	Conditional
APRN Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management	4 hrs	Conditional
APRN Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)	2 hrs	Conditional
Nursing Practice	Course-based	Optional

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

Prescriptive authority in Texas

What we verified for Texas

Board-sourced

Practice authority: Restricted-practice model. APRN prescribing runs through a Prescriptive Authority Agreement with a delegating physician; Texas publishes no general independent-practice pathway for APRNs.
Collaboration / supervision: A Prescriptive Authority Agreement with a physician must be in place to prescribe; delegation is registered through the Texas Medical Board's online registration system. Keep the agreement current and the registration updated when anything changes.
State controlled-substance registration: None. Texas discontinued its separate DPS controlled-substances registration effective September 1, 2016 (SB 195); a federal DEA registration is the only controlled-substance registration Texas prescribers need. Prescribers use the state PMP, run by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.
Prescriber CE: 5 hours of pharmacotherapeutics CE per renewal for APRNs with prescriptive authority, in addition to the base 20 hours. If your prescriptive authority agreement authorizes opioids, add 2 hours ANNUALLY on safe and effective pain management under 22 TAC 216.3(c)(4) - note that is a yearly cadence, not per 2-year renewal. APRNs authorized to access the PMP also owe a one-time 2 hours on prescribing and monitoring controlled substances (see the requirements table).
National certification at renewal: Texas conditions APRN licensure on national certification; confirm your certification's standing with the board before renewal, since the BON decides individual cases.

Source: Texas Board of Nursing, APRN practice, last checked 2026-08-10. Rules change; confirm with the board before relying on this.

The other three clocks

Texas 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.

The four-clock guide: certification cycles, compact status, DEA and MATE

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Texas APRN renewal FAQ

How many CE hours do APRNs need to renew in Texas?: APRNs in Texas complete 20 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. That includes the APRN Pharmacotherapeutics 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 Texas?: The Texas APRN renewal fee is $54, which differs from the RN fee; budget for both if you renew both credentials. Fees change, so confirm the current amount on the Texas Board of Nursing portal.
Can APRNs prescribe independently in Texas?: Restricted-practice model. APRN prescribing runs through a Prescriptive Authority Agreement with a delegating physician; Texas publishes no general independent-practice pathway for APRNs.
Does Texas require a state controlled-substance registration on top of the DEA?: None. Texas discontinued its separate DPS controlled-substances registration effective September 1, 2016 (SB 195); a federal DEA registration is the only controlled-substance registration Texas prescribers need. Prescribers use the state PMP, run by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.
Is Texas in the APRN Compact?: No. Texas 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 Texas APRN license?: Texas conditions APRN licensure on national certification; confirm your certification's standing with the board before renewal, since the BON decides individual cases.

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

NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS · Verified against the Texas Board of Nursing · 2026-09-04

Requirement

Hours

Status

General CE

20 hrs

Required

Jurisprudence & Ethics

2 hrs

Required

Human Trafficking Prevention

Course-based

Required

Older Adult & Geriatric Care

2 hrs

Conditional

Forensic Evidence Collection

2 hrs

Conditional

APRN Pharmacotherapeutics

5 hrs

Conditional

APRN Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management

4 hrs

Conditional

APRN Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)

2 hrs

Conditional

Nursing Practice

Course-based

Optional