Maryland requires 30 CE hours for all nursing license types, but offers flexible alternatives including 1,000 practice hours or a nursing degree within 5 years. Maryland also requires a one-time implicit bias and racism training attestation. Here's your complete guide.
Maryland RN License Renewal Requirements Overview
The Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON) requires Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and APRNs to complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every 2-year renewal cycle. Alternatively, nurses can meet the requirement through 1,000 practice hours within 5 years or a nursing degree from an approved program within 5 years.
Maryland is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, allowing nurses with a multistate license to practice across all compact states without obtaining additional licenses.
What CE Hours Are Required?
For All License Types (30 hours):
- 30 contact hours per 2-year renewal cycle from approved providers
- All CE must be relevant to nursing practice
- 1 semester hour of college coursework = 15 contact hours (must be nursing-related, grade C or higher)
Alternative Pathways:
- Practice hours: 1,000 hours of active nursing practice within the past 5 years
- Degree completion: A nursing degree from an approved program within the past 5 years
Implicit Bias & Racism Training:
- One-time requirement — attestation that you have completed implicit bias and racism training
- No specific CE hours are mandated for this, just the attestation
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your Maryland Nursing License
- Know your deadline. Maryland nursing licenses expire on the 28th of your birth month, every 2 years (odd or even years based on your birth year).
- Complete your CE requirements. Finish 30 contact hours from approved providers (or meet an alternative pathway).
- Log in to the MBON Online Renewal Portal. Visit the Maryland Board of Nursing online portal to start your renewal.
- Complete the implicit bias attestation if applicable to your renewal period.
- Attest to meeting CE requirements. Affirm that you have completed the required 30 hours or met an alternative pathway.
- Answer disclosure questions. Respond to all questions about professional conduct.
- Pay the renewal fee. Current fees: $136 for RNs, $110 for LPNs, $210 for APRNs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overlooking the implicit bias attestation. This is a one-time requirement, but failing to complete it during the applicable renewal period will block your renewal.
- Missing the 30-day grace period. Maryland offers only a 30-day late renewal window. After that, practicing on an expired license is prohibited and reinstatement becomes more complex.
- Not keeping CE records. Maryland may audit CE compliance. Per the Board, retain all CE certificates for at least 4 years.
- Claiming practice hours without documentation. If using the 1,000 practice hour alternative, ensure you have employment records to verify your hours if audited.
Tips for a Smooth Renewal
- Start CE early in your cycle. Spread your 30 hours across the 2-year period rather than cramming before the deadline.
- Consider college coursework. Per the Board, one semester hour of nursing-related college coursework (with a grade of C or higher) equals 15 contact hours — a substantial way to satisfy CE while advancing your education.
- Use practice hours strategically. If you're actively practicing nursing, the 1,000-hour alternative within 5 years may be easier to satisfy through ongoing employment than completing 30 hours of CE coursework.
- Track everything in one place. RenewRN tracks your CE hours, monitors your deadline, and sends reminders so you never miss a renewal.
Choosing Among Maryland's Three Renewal Pathways
Maryland gives you three recognized ways to satisfy continuing education for renewal — pick the one that fits your situation:
- 30 contact hours of CE from approved providers, completed during the 2-year renewal period
- 1,000 hours of active nursing practice within 5 years — verifiable through employment records
- Completion of a nursing degree from an approved program within 5 years
Most actively-practicing nurses find pathway 2 (the 1,000-hour practice alternative) the lowest-friction option — it leverages employment you're already doing. Nurses returning to practice after a clinical break often use pathway 1 (CE hours) since their recent practice may not meet the 1,000-hour threshold. Pathway 3 is most useful for nurses completing degree programs during the renewal cycle.
The pathway you choose at one renewal doesn't lock you in for future cycles. Each renewal is independent.
The Implicit Bias and Racism Training Attestation
Per the Board, Maryland requires a one-time attestation that you have completed implicit bias and racism training. Two important details about how this works:
- It's an attestation, not a CE hour requirement — the Board doesn't mandate a specific number of hours for this training
- It's one-time — once you complete the training and attest during the applicable renewal period, you don't need to repeat it at future renewals
Failing to complete the attestation during the applicable renewal period blocks renewal. Keep documentation of your training completion in case the Board requests verification — the attestation itself is on the renewal form, but the training documentation may be requested if audited.
The College Coursework Conversion Rule
Maryland is one of the few states with an explicit college-credit conversion rule for CE. Per the Board:
- 1 semester hour of nursing-related college coursework = 15 contact hours of CE
- The course must be nursing-related (general electives don't qualify)
- You must earn a grade of C or higher
This conversion is most useful for nurses pursuing additional academic credentials — a few graduate-level courses can satisfy multiple renewal cycles of CE while advancing your degree. Document the courses with transcripts (not just enrollment confirmations) so the conversion can be verified at audit.
How Maryland Audits Work
Per the Board, retain all CE certificates and competence documentation for at least 4 years. The state board may conduct random CE audits. Documentation auditors verify depending on which pathway you used:
- CE pathway: course certificates for all 30 hours, with provider name, course title, hours, and completion date
- Practice-hours pathway: employment records or attestation covering 1,000 hours of nursing practice within the rolling 5-year window
- Degree pathway: transcripts or degree completion documentation from an approved nursing program
- Implicit bias and racism training: training completion documentation if requested
Failed audits can result in license discipline. Save certificates digitally with clear filenames covering the rolling 4-year retention window plus the current renewal year.
Late Renewal and Reinstatement in Maryland
Per the Board, Maryland offers a 30-day late renewal period after expiration. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited regardless of whether you're within the late-renewal window.
Reinstatement specifics:
- $50 late fee within the 30-day late window (on top of standard renewal fee)
- $150 reinstatement fee for RN/LPN after the late window closes (vs. $136 RN / $110 LPN standard renewal)
- All current CE requirements must be met
- You cannot work as a nurse while your license is expired — even briefly
NLC Compact and Maryland
Maryland is a Nurse Licensure Compact member state. If your primary state of residence is Maryland, you can apply for a multistate license through the MBON portal and practice in any of the other 41 NLC member states without separate applications.
Two practical notes:
- A multistate Maryland license still requires Maryland's 30 CE hours (or pathway alternative) every renewal — multistate status doesn't change CE obligations
- The 30-day late renewal window applies to multistate licenses too — a lapsed Maryland license ends practice privileges in all NLC states
APRN Renewal in Maryland
APRNs in Maryland have the same 30-hour CE requirement as RNs/LPNs — the state doesn't add a higher CE total for advanced practice. APRNs pay a higher renewal fee ($210 vs. $136 RN / $110 LPN) at renewal.
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 Maryland state CE.
Maryland RN Renewal FAQ
Can I switch between the CE pathway and the practice-hours pathway? Yes. Each renewal is independent. The pathway you choose at one renewal doesn't bind you for future cycles.
Once I complete implicit bias training, do I have to do it again? No. Per the Board, it's a one-time requirement. After you attest during the applicable renewal period, future renewals don't require it.
Can I take all 30 hours online? Yes. Maryland doesn't require any in-person CE.
What counts as “active nursing practice” for the 1,000-hour pathway? Direct nursing practice in any setting — clinical, educational, administrative, research — provided you're practicing under your nursing license. Hours must be verifiable through employment records.
I'm a first-time renewer. Am I exempt? Per the Board, first-time licensees must complete a minimum number of CE hours prorated from the date of initial licensure. Check the MBON portal for your specific prorated requirement.
Track Your Maryland CE Requirements with RenewRN
With 30 CE hours to track and Maryland's short 30-day grace period, staying organized is critical. RenewRN tracks your progress against state requirements, logs your completed courses, and sends reminders before your deadline.