North Dakota requires 12 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years for RN license renewal, one of the lower CE requirements in the country. As a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, a North Dakota multistate license lets you practice across all compact states.
North Dakota RN License Renewal Requirements Overview
The North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBON) requires all RNs, LPNs, and APRNs to complete 12 contact hours of continuing education within the 2 years preceding their renewal date. APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 15 hours of pharmacology CE, which can simultaneously count toward the 12 general CE hours.
North Dakota is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, so nurses with a multistate license can practice across all compact states without obtaining additional licenses.
What Is Required for Renewal?
For RNs and LPNs:
- 12 CE contact hours every 2-year renewal cycle
- CE activities must be approved by the NDBON or accredited organizations such as ANCC
- Renewal fee: $140 for RN, $130 for LPN
For APRNs (15 hours minimum):
- 15 pharmacology hours for APRNs with prescriptive authority (these can simultaneously satisfy the 12 general CE hours)
- Renewal fee: $220 for APRN
Important Renewal Dates
- Deadline: December 31, every 2 years
- Renewal opens: in the Nurse Portal ahead of the December 31 deadline (the Board does not publish a fixed opening date on its renewal pages)
- Late penalty: $50 per contact hour not completed, up to $600 total
- Late renewal fee: An additional $140 late fee for RNs
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your North Dakota Nursing License
- Log in to the NDBON Nurse Portal. Visit ndbon.org and access the nurse portal to begin your renewal.
- Select your license and choose Renew. Verify that all personal and contact information is current.
- Complete your 12 CE hours. Ensure all hours are from NDBON-approved or ANCC-accredited providers.
- Attest to CE completion. Confirm that you have completed the required continuing education hours.
- Answer disclosure questions. Respond to questions about professional conduct and criminal history.
- Pay the renewal fee. $140 for RN, $130 for LPN, or $220 for APRN.
- Retain your CE records. Keep certificates for at least 4 years in case of a random audit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not completing CE before December 31. The NDBON assesses a $50 penalty per contact hour not completed by the deadline, up to $600. Plan ahead and finish early.
- Using non-approved CE providers. Only courses from NDBON-approved or ANCC-accredited providers count toward your requirement. Verify provider accreditation before enrolling.
- Discarding CE certificates too soon. The NDBON conducts random audits and requires documentation going back 4 years. Keep digital and physical copies.
- APRNs overlooking pharmacology hours. The 15 pharmacology hours can overlap with the general 12 CE hours, so the effective minimum is 15 hours. Make sure all 15 are in pharmacology.
Tips for a Smooth Renewal
- Spread your CE throughout the cycle. With only 12 hours required over 2 years, distributing them across the cycle rather than scrambling near deadline reduces stress.
- Renew as soon as the portal opens. Don't wait until December, the portal can experience high traffic near the deadline.
- Take advantage of NLC benefits. As a compact state, your North Dakota multistate license lets you practice in other NLC states without extra licenses, ideal for travel nursing.
- Track your CE and deadlines with RenewRN. RenewRN tracks your CE hours and sends reminders so you never miss a deadline or fall behind on requirements.
The Per-Hour Penalty for Incomplete CE
Per the Board, North Dakota uses an unusual penalty structure for incomplete CE: $50 per contact hour not completed by December 31, up to $600 total. This is more granular than typical late fees that flat-rate the entire delay.
Practical implications:
- If you've completed 8 of your 12 required hours by December 31, you owe $50 × 4 missing hours = $200 in penalties on top of your renewal fee
- The $600 cap means missing all 12 hours triggers the maximum penalty
- The penalty is in addition to any late renewal fees that might apply
- Best practice: complete all 12 hours well before December 31, even partial completion incurs penalties
The APRN Pharmacology Overlap Rule
Per the Board, APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 15 contact hours in pharmacology. These hours can simultaneously count toward the 12 general CE hours, so the effective total is 15 hours, not 27.
Practical implications:
- For most prescriptive APRNs, all 15 pharmacology hours satisfy both the general 12-hour requirement and the 15-hour pharmacology requirement
- The math: complete 15 hours of pharmacology, and 12 of those 15 also count as your general CE. No additional general CE required
- The remaining 3 pharmacology hours are pharmacology-only beyond the 12-hour general requirement
- 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 North Dakota state CE
The Renewal Window and the December 31 Deadline
North Dakota renewals are due by December 31 of the renewal year and are filed through the Nurse Portal. Late renewal is possible only in January, and only if you did not practice after the license expired, at double the fee ($280 for an RN); after January 31 you must reactivate instead.
Practical implications:
- Submit as early as the portal allows to avoid deadline-week congestion
- The window doesn't extend beyond December 31 without the late fee
- Combined with the per-hour penalty for incomplete CE, the October-November sweet spot is your safest renewal window
How North Dakota Audits Work
Per the Board, the NDBON performs random audits and you should retain CE certificates for at least 4 years. Documentation auditors verify:
- Course certificates for all 12 hours, with provider name, course title, hours, and completion date
- Provider verification. Courses must be approved by the NDBON or accredited organizations such as ANCC
- For APRNs with prescriptive authority: documentation showing all 15 pharmacology hours, with explicit pharmacology content
- Keep your original CE certificates for at least two renewal cycles. NDBON runs CE audits through its own licensing system; you don't need CE Broker or any other third-party tracker, and the Board does not monitor CE Broker accounts
Failed audits can result in license discipline. Save certificates digitally with clear filenames covering the rolling 4-year retention window.
Late Renewal and Reinstatement in North Dakota
Per the Board, late renewal is available with an additional late fee. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited:
- A $140 late fee applies for late renewal
- $220 reinstatement fee for RN/LPN per the Board
- You cannot work as a nurse while your license is expired, even briefly
- The per-hour CE penalty ($50/hour up to $600) applies in addition to any late renewal fee
NLC Compact and North Dakota
Per the Board, North Dakota is a Nurse Licensure Compact member state. If your primary state of residence is North Dakota, you can apply for a multistate license through the NDBON portal and practice in the other NLC member states without separate applications.
Two practical notes:
- A multistate North Dakota license still requires the 12 CE hours every renewal cycle plus the per-hour penalty rules for incomplete CE
- The December 31 deadline applies to multistate licenses too
North Dakota RN Renewal FAQ
What happens if I complete 10 of my 12 required hours by December 31? Per the Board, you owe a $50 penalty per missing hour, so $50 × 2 = $100 in penalties on top of your renewal fee.
As an APRN with prescriptive authority, do I need 27 total hours (12 general + 15 pharmacology)? Per the Board, no. The 15 pharmacology hours can overlap with the 12 general CE hours, so the effective total is 15 hours (not 27).
Can I take all 12 hours online? Yes. North Dakota doesn't require any in-person CE.
Does my multistate license from another state work in North Dakota? Yes. North Dakota is an NLC member state, multistate license holders from other compact states can practice in North Dakota.
Track Your North Dakota License with RenewRN
With the NDBON's random audit system and per-hour penalties for incomplete CE, staying organized is critical. RenewRN tracks your CE progress, sends Pro email reminders at 90, 60, 30, 7, and 1 day before your license expires, and keeps your certificates organized for audit readiness.