Tennessee uses a unique continuing competence model that combines a small CE requirement with an additional competence activity. At just 5 CE hours per renewal cycle, Tennessee has one of the lowest hour requirements in the country — but the added competence component means renewal isn't as simple as just logging hours. Here's your complete guide.
Tennessee RN License Renewal Requirements Overview
The Tennessee Board of Nursing requires all Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses to complete 5 contact hours of continuing education plus one additional competence activity every 2-year renewal cycle.
Tennessee is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, so nurses with a multistate license can practice across all compact states.
What Is Required?
- 5 contact hours of CE per 2-year renewal cycle
- One additional competence activity — choose from:
- Additional CE hours beyond the required 5
- Completion of a professional project
- Published research or scholarly work
- Preceptorship for nursing students
- An academic course relevant to nursing
- National professional certification
- No mandatory topics for RN/LPN — all CE must be relevant to nursing practice
- APRN: 2 hours controlled substances — APRNs with prescriptive authority must include 2 hours on controlled substance prescribing
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your Tennessee Nursing License
- Know your deadline. Tennessee nursing licenses expire at the end of your birth month on a 2-year cycle.
- Complete 5 CE hours. Finish your continuing education from approved providers.
- Complete one additional competence activity. Choose the option that best fits your practice — many nurses simply take additional CE hours.
- Log in to the TN renewal portal. Visit tn.gov to complete your renewal.
- Pay the renewal fee. The current fee is $100 for all license types.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting the additional competence activity. The 5 CE hours alone aren't enough — you must also complete one qualifying competence activity. This is unique to Tennessee and easy to overlook.
- Missing the 60-day grace period. Tennessee offers a 60-day late renewal with additional fees. After that, reinstatement is required. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited.
- APRNs skipping the controlled substances requirement. If you have prescriptive authority, the 2-hour controlled substance course is mandatory and must be specifically about prescribing controlled substances.
- Not documenting your competence activity. Whether you choose a preceptorship, professional project, or extra CE, make sure you can prove completion if audited.
Tips for a Smooth Renewal
- Extra CE is the easiest competence option. If you don't have a natural fit for a professional project or preceptorship, simply taking a few more CE hours beyond the 5 satisfies the additional competence requirement.
- Use the low requirement strategically. With only 5 mandatory hours, Tennessee nurses have more flexibility to choose courses that genuinely advance their practice rather than just checking boxes.
- Keep records organized. RenewRN tracks both your CE hours and competence activities in one place, so you're always audit-ready.
- Leverage your NLC multistate license. As a compact state, Tennessee's multistate license lets you practice in other NLC states without additional applications.
Track Your Tennessee CE Requirements with RenewRN
Tennessee's unique competence model means tracking more than just CE hours. RenewRN monitors your requirements, tracks your competence activities, and sends birth month deadline reminders so you never miss a renewal.