Connecticut has one of the lightest continuing education requirements for RNs in the country — just 2 contact hours once every 6 years on specific mental health topics. However, nursing licenses must be renewed annually, making it important to stay on top of your deadline. Here's your complete guide.
Connecticut RN License Renewal Requirements Overview
The Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing requires actively practicing RNs and LPNs to complete just 2 contact hours once every 6 years on screening for PTSD, suicide risk, depression and grief, plus suicide prevention training. APRNs, however, must complete 50 CE hours every 2 years.
Per the Board, Connecticut joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) effective October 1, 2025, allowing eligible nurses to hold a multistate license that authorizes practice across all NLC member states.
What Is Required for Renewal?
For RNs:
- 2 contact hours once every 6 years on screening for PTSD, suicide risk, depression, grief, and suicide prevention training (required for nurses renewing after January 1, 2022)
- Annual renewal — Connecticut is one of the few states that requires yearly license renewal
- Renewal fee: $110
For LPNs:
- Same 2-hour CE requirement once every 6 years as RNs
- Renewal fee: $70
For APRNs:
- 50 CE hours every 2 years (for APRNs licensed after October 1, 2014)
- At least 2 hours on mental health conditions common to veterans and military service members (included in the 50-hour total)
- Renewal fee: $130
Important Renewal Dates
Connecticut nursing licenses are tied to your birthday and renewed annually:
- Deadline: Last day of your birth month each year
- Renewal notice: You should receive a renewal notification approximately 60 days before expiration
- Grace period: 90 days following license expiration. You may continue to practice during this period while renewing. On the 91st day, the license becomes void and reinstatement is required ($180 for RN, $150 for LPN, $200 for APRN).
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your Connecticut Nursing License
- Log in to the Connecticut eLicense portal. Visit elicense.ct.gov to access your renewal application.
- Select your nursing license and click Renew. Choose RN, LPN, or APRN.
- Attest to CE compliance. Confirm that you have completed the required continuing education (2 hours for RN/LPN if it's your 6-year cycle, or 50 hours for APRN).
- Update your contact information if anything has changed since your last renewal.
- Pay the renewal fee. $110 for RN, $70 for LPN, or $130 for APRN.
- Submit before the last day of your birth month. Take advantage of the 90-day grace period only if absolutely necessary.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting it's annual renewal. Most states renew every 2 years. Connecticut requires annual renewal, which means you need to renew every single year by your birth month deadline.
- Losing track of the 6-year CE cycle. The 2-hour CE requirement is only due once every 6 years, making it easy to forget which year you need to complete it. Track your next due date carefully.
- Relying too heavily on the 90-day grace period. While Connecticut offers a generous grace period, it's best to renew on time. On day 91, your license becomes void and reinstatement fees are significantly higher.
- APRNs underestimating the 50-hour requirement. The APRN CE requirement is substantially more than RN/LPN. Make sure to plan ahead and include the required 2 hours on veterans' mental health.
Tips for a Smooth Renewal
- Set an annual reminder. Because Connecticut renews yearly, make it a habit to renew in the same month every year. Calendar reminders at 60 and 30 days before your birth month help.
- Complete your 6-year CE early. Don't wait until your CE is due to take the 2-hour course on mental health screening and suicide prevention. Get it done early and you'll have one less thing to worry about.
- Budget for the annual fee. At $110 per year for RNs, the annual cost adds up. Factor it into your professional development budget.
- Automate your tracking. RenewRN can send you annual reminders before your birthday-based deadline and track your 6-year CE cycle, so you always know when your next CE is due.
The 6-Year Mental Health Screening Cycle
Per the Board, Connecticut requires actively practicing RNs and LPNs to complete 2 contact hours once every 6 years on screening for PTSD, suicide risk, depression and grief, plus suicide prevention training. The requirement applies to nurses renewing after January 1, 2022.
Practical implications:
- The 2-hour course is required once every 6 years — not every annual renewal
- The course must specifically cover PTSD screening, suicide risk assessment, depression and grief screening, and suicide prevention — generic mental health CE may not satisfy the specific topic requirements
- For nurses tracking their cycle: count back 6 years from your last completion (or your initial licensure date if you've never completed it) to determine when it's next due
Because the cycle is 6 years long, it's easy to forget when the next completion is due. Save the completion certificate with the date prominently visible so future-you can verify the timeline.
The APRN 50-Hour CE Requirement and Mandatory Sub-Topics
Per the Board, APRNs licensed after October 1, 2014 must complete 50 contact hours every 2 years with several mandatory sub-topics included within the total:
- 5 hours pharmacotherapeutics
- 2 hours veterans mental health — mental health conditions common to veterans and military service members
- 1 hour each in: HIV/AIDS, risk management, sexual assault, domestic violence, cultural competency, and substance abuse (6 hours total of mandatory single-hour sub-topics)
All of these sub-topics count within the 50-hour total — they're not in addition to. After the mandatory sub-topics, APRNs have remaining elective hours for any nursing-relevant CE in their specialty area.
APRNs with DEA registration also need to complete the federal 8-hour MATE Act training on opioid and substance use disorder treatment — a federal requirement at DEA registration or renewal, separate from Connecticut state CE.
The 90-Day Grace Period — and the Reinstatement Cliff
Per the Board, Connecticut offers an unusual 90-day grace period after expiration. During this window, nurses may continue to practice while completing late renewal. This is one of the more generous grace periods among states we track.
However, day 91 is a hard cliff:
- On the 91st day after expiration, your license becomes void and reinstatement is required
- Per the Board, reinstatement fees are listed at $180 for RN, $150 for LPN, $200 for APRN — confirm current rates on the eLicense portal as published rates can vary across sources
- After day 91, you cannot legally practice while the reinstatement is being processed
The grace period is generous, but treating it as default rather than emergency-only is risky. Renew on time and keep the 90 days as a backup.
Annual Renewal — Why It's Different
Per the Board, Connecticut uses an annual renewal cycle for RNs/LPNs (and the APRN 50-hour CE is per 2 years). The annual cadence has practical consequences:
- You renew every single year by your birth-month deadline — unlike the biennial cycle most states use
- The renewal fee ($110 RN / $70 LPN / $130 APRN) is paid every year — meaningful cost over longer time horizons
- The 6-year mental health CE requirement runs independently of the annual renewal cycle — make sure you don't conflate the two
For APRNs, the renewal is annual but the 50-hour CE requirement is biennial — meaning you renew every year but only document the full 50 hours every other renewal.
How Connecticut Audits Work
Per the Board, Connecticut may conduct random CE audits. Retain CE certificates for at least 4 years. Documentation auditors verify:
- For RNs/LPNs: completion certificate for the 2-hour mental health screening and suicide prevention course (when in your 6-year cycle)
- For APRNs: course certificates for all 50 hours, with explicit documentation of each mandatory sub-topic (pharmacotherapeutics, veterans mental health, HIV/AIDS, risk management, sexual assault, domestic violence, cultural competency, substance abuse)
Failed audits can result in license discipline. Save certificates digitally with clear filenames covering the rolling 4-year retention window.
NLC Compact and Connecticut
Per the Board, Connecticut joined the Nurse Licensure Compact effective October 1, 2025. This was a significant change — until 2025, Connecticut was not a compact state.
Practical implications:
- Connecticut-resident nurses can now apply for a multistate license through the eLicense portal and practice in any of the other 41 NLC member states without separate applications
- A multistate Connecticut license still requires the annual birth-month renewal and applicable CE (2-hour 6-year cycle for RN/LPN; 50 hours every 2 years for APRN)
- Multistate license holders from other NLC states can now practice in Connecticut without a separate Connecticut license
Connecticut RN Renewal FAQ
Do I really need to renew every year? Yes. Per the Board, Connecticut RN/LPN renewal is annual — by the last day of your birth month each year.
Is the 2-hour mental health CE required every year? No. Per the Board, it's required once every 6 years. Track your last completion date so you know when the next is due.
Can I practice during the 90-day grace period? Per the Board, yes — nurses may continue to practice during the 90-day grace period while completing late renewal. On day 91, the license becomes void and reinstatement is required.
Can I take all my CE online? Yes. Connecticut doesn't require any in-person CE.
I'm a first-time renewer. Am I exempt? Per the Board, first-time licensees have a reduced CE requirement of 50% for the initial renewal.
Track Your Connecticut License with RenewRN
Annual renewal means annual deadlines. RenewRN sends reminders at 90, 60, 30, 7, and 1 day before your license expires every year, tracks your 6-year CE cycle, and keeps all your credentials organized in one dashboard.