Nebraska does not impose a flat continuing-education mandate for RN and LPN renewal. Instead, you satisfy continued competency by meeting any ONE of several options, so many nurses renew without CE hours. If you prescribe controlled substances as an NP or CNM, additional opioid-related CE applies. Here's how to renew your Nebraska license on time, whichever pathway you use.
Nebraska RN License Renewal Requirements Overview
The Nebraska Board of Nursing renews RNs and LPNs on a continued-competency basis. Rather than a fixed number of CE hours, you choose one of six qualifying options each 2-year cycle. The former rule that 10 of 20 hours be peer-reviewed was removed from 172 NAC 101, and since the 2025 renewals all 20 hours must come from an approved provider (ANCC, Joint Accreditation, or any U.S. board of nursing). RNs and LPNs cannot use CME.
Nebraska 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 Is Required for Renewal?
For RNs and LPNs. Meet ONE of these options:
- Practice + CE: at least 500 hours of nursing practice in the past five years and 20 contact hours of approved CE
- Recent graduate (2–5 years): graduated from a nursing program more than two but less than five years ago and 20 contact hours of CE within the past two years
- Recent graduate (within 2 years): graduated within the last two years. No CE required
- Refresher course: completed a Board-approved refresher course of at least 75 contact hours within the last five years
- National certification: hold or maintain current certification in a nursing specialty from a nationally recognized certifying organization. Note: the regulation (172 NAC 101) allows renewing on current national certification without CE, but the 2026 paper RN renewal form does not list that box, so confirm with DHHS before relying on it
- Portfolio: develop and maintain a continuing-competency portfolio documenting your goals and professional activities
Renewal fee: $123 for RN and LPN.
For APRNs:
- Maintain current national certification in your specialty. Nebraska sets no separate APRN CE-hour total: the old “40 hours” figure circulated on vendor sites but is not the board's rule.
- Nurse practitioners: also need 2,080 hours of NP practice in the five years before renewal (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-2319), or NP-program graduation within that window.
- For APRN-NPs and APRN-CNMs who prescribe: 3 hours on prescribing opiates, including at least 30 minutes on the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). This is a time-limited mandate in effect for renewals 2020 through 2028.
- Renewal fee: $68 for the APRN credential (in addition to the $123 RN renewal fee).
Important Renewal Dates
- RN and APRN deadline: October 31 of even-numbered years (next: October 31, 2026)
- LPN deadline: October 31 of odd-numbered years (next: October 31, 2027)
- No grace period: DHHS must process your renewal by October 31 for you to work on November 1. An application mailed on time but processed later still renews, but the license is expired from November 1 until it is processed
- Penalties: Practicing with an expired license carries an administrative penalty of $10 per day, up to $1,000
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your Nebraska Nursing License
- Confirm which competency option you meet. Practice hours + 20 CE, recent graduate, refresher course, national certification (confirm with DHHS, see above), or portfolio. Pick the path that fits your situation before the October 31 deadline.
- Log in to the Nebraska DHHS licensing portal. Access your account to start the renewal process.
- Attest to continued competency. Confirm you meet your chosen option, plus any specialty requirements for controlled-substance prescribers.
- Update your information. Review and update your contact and employment details.
- Enroll in Nursys e-Notify. Every 2026 renewal form lists e-Notify enrollment as a renewal requirement. Accounts are free at nursys.com.
- Pay the $123 renewal fee. Payment can be made online by credit or debit card.
- Submit early. DHHS processes renewals in the order received and cannot do same-day processing. A renewal postmarked after October 31 means the license has expired and must be reinstated.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming you owe 20 CE hours. CE is just one of six options. If you graduated recently or completed a refresher course, you may owe zero CE. Certification also qualifies under the regulation, but confirm with DHHS first, since the 2026 RN form omits it.
- Relying on the repealed peer-review rule. The old “10 of 20 hours must be peer-reviewed” split no longer applies. If you use the CE option, 20 contact hours from an approved provider is enough.
- Missing the opioid prescribing requirement. If you prescribe controlled substances as an NP or CNM, you need 3 specific hours on opiate prescribing (including 30 minutes on PDMP). Generic CE won't satisfy this.
- Confusing RN and LPN renewal years. RN/APRN licenses renew in even-numbered years, while LPN licenses renew in odd-numbered years. Mark the correct deadline on your calendar.
- Practicing on an expired license. Nebraska has no grace period. DHHS assesses $10 per day, up to $1,000, for practicing after expiration, on top of any discipline.
Tips for a Smooth Renewal
- Pick your easiest qualifying option early. For most actively-practicing nurses, the practice-hours + 20 CE path is the simplest and the least likely to be questioned. Decide before deadline season.
- Keep 20 approved CE hours on file anyway. They back up any option you choose, and they are required if you ever need to reinstate, because certification and portfolio are not reinstatement options.
- Use NLC benefits. As a compact state, your Nebraska multistate license lets you practice in other NLC states without extra licenses, ideal for travel nursing or telehealth.
- Track your progress with RenewRN. RenewRN tracks your CE and certification status and sends reminders before your October 31 deadline.
The Continued-Competency Menu (Why CE Is Optional)
Nebraska's renewal model is built around continued competency, not a flat CE count. The regulation accepts several different ways to demonstrate it, so two nurses can renew the same year having done completely different things:
- A bedside RN with 500+ practice hours pairs those hours with 20 contact hours of approved CE.
- A certified nurse (for example, CCRN or a specialty boards holder) may renew on the strength of that certification under the regulation, though the 2026 paper RN form omits that box, so confirm with DHHS first.
- A nurse returning to practice can complete an approved refresher course instead of CE.
All CE, when used, can be completed via home study or internet courses. Nebraska doesn't require any in-person CE.
APRNs: Certification, Not a CE Total
APRNs renew by maintaining current national certification in their specialty. There is no separate APRN CE-hour total in Nebraska rule, the “40 hours” figure that appears on some commercial CE sites is not the board's requirement. The one specialty mandate is the opioid-prescribing CE below.
APRNs with DEA registration also 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 Nebraska state rules.
The Opioid-Prescribing CE (NPs and CNMs, 2020–2028)
Per the Board, APRN-NPs and APRN-CNMs who prescribe controlled substances must complete 3 hours on opioid prescribing, including at least 30 minutes specifically on the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). This is a time-limited mandate in effect for renewals from 2020 through 2028.
The PDMP is the database used to track controlled-substance prescriptions across providers. Nebraska's requirement ensures prescribers understand how to query the database before prescribing, generic opioid CE may not cover Nebraska's specific PDMP system.
The October 31 Deadline and No-Grace-Period Reality
Nebraska has no grace period, and the deadline that matters is when DHHS processes your renewal. An application mailed before October 31 but processed after it still renews, but the license is expired from November 1 until it is processed and you cannot work in that gap. A renewal postmarked after October 31 means the license has expired and must be reinstated. Per the DHHS renewal form, practicing after expiration carries an administrative penalty of $10 per day, up to $1,000.
Reinstatement is a mailed paper application with your CE certificates attached, and it uses a narrower competency list than renewal: 500 practice hours in five years plus 20 approved CE hours in the last 24 months, graduation within 24 months, graduation within five years plus 20 CE hours, or a 75-hour refresher within five years. Certification and portfolio are not reinstatement options.
- $158 reinstatement fee for RN/LPN (vs. $123 standard renewal), reduced to $65.75 only if the reinstated license would expire within six months. A license reinstated in November or December 2026 next expires in 2028, so it pays the full $158. APRN reinstatement is $103.
- $10 per day, up to $1,000 for practicing on an expired license
- You cannot work as a nurse while your license is expired, even briefly
The Two-Cycle Renewal Calendar
Per the Board, Nebraska uses different renewal years for different license types:
- RN and APRN licenses: October 31 of even-numbered years
- LPN licenses: October 31 of odd-numbered years
For nurses who hold both an RN and an LPN credential, this means two separate renewal cycles spaced 1 year apart. RN/APRN on the even cycle, LPN on the odd cycle. Each license has its own fee and competency requirement.
How Nebraska Audits Work
Per the Board, Nebraska may conduct random continued-competency audits. Keep documentation of whichever option you used. Nebraska sets no fixed retention period, so retain records until you are confident the audit window has closed. Auditors verify:
- For the practice + CE option: course certificates for your 20 contact hours, with provider name, course title, hours, and completion date
- For the certification option: proof of current national certification
- For the refresher or portfolio options: the corresponding completion or portfolio documentation
- For controlled-substance prescribers: a certificate showing the 3-hour opioid-prescribing course (with at least 30 minutes on PDMP) was completed
Failed audits can result in license discipline. Save documentation digitally with clear filenames.
NLC Compact and Nebraska
Nebraska is a Nurse Licensure Compact member state. If your primary state of residence is Nebraska, you can apply for a multistate license through the DHHS portal and practice in any of the other NLC member states without separate applications.
- A multistate Nebraska license still requires you to meet one of the continued-competency options every renewal cycle
- The October 31 deadline applies to multistate licenses too, a lapsed Nebraska license ends practice privileges in all NLC states
Nebraska RN Renewal FAQ
Do I have to take CE to renew in Nebraska? Not necessarily. CE is one of several continued-competency options. If you graduated within the last two years or completed a refresher, you can renew without CE. Certification also qualifies under 172 NAC 101, but confirm with DHHS because the 2026 RN form omits that box.
Is the peer-review rule still in effect? No. The former “10 of 20 hours must be peer-reviewed” split was removed from 172 NAC 101. If you use the CE option, 20 contact hours from an approved provider is enough.
As an APRN, how many CE hours do I need? Nebraska sets no APRN CE-hour total. You renew by maintaining national certification; NP/CNM prescribers additionally complete the 3-hour opioid-prescribing CE through 2028.
Can I take my CE online? Yes. Per the Board, all CE hours may be completed via home study or internet courses.
What does the APRN $68 renewal fee cover? Per the Board, the $68 APRN credential renewal fee is in addition to the $123 RN renewal fee. APRNs pay both.
Track Your Nebraska License with RenewRN
With a competency menu to navigate, and certification status to keep current, staying organized is key. RenewRN tracks your CE progress and certification, and sends Pro email reminders at 90, 60, 30, 7, and 1 day before your license expires.