Virginia gives nurses a flexible renewal path: you meet continued competency by completing any ONE of nine options, from national certification to academic credit to contact hours. With no mandatory topic requirements for RN/LPN and NLC compact membership, Virginia is one of the more straightforward states for license renewal. Here's how to pick your competency option and renew on time.
Virginia RN License Renewal Requirements Overview
The Virginia Board of Nursing (under the Department of Health Professions) renews RNs and LPNs on a continued-competency basis (18VAC90-19-160). Rather than a fixed number of CE hours, you choose any ONE of nine qualifying options each 2-year cycle, and a nationally certified nurse can renew with zero contact hours. The two contact-hour options are 30 contact hours, or 15 contact hours plus 640 hours of active practice.
Virginia is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, so nurses with a multistate license can practice across all compact states.
The Nine Continued-Competency Options (Pick One)
Per 18VAC90-19-160, an RN or LPN satisfies renewal by completing at least ONE of these:
- Current national specialty certification
- 3+ credit hours of post-licensure academic nursing education
- A board-approved nursing refresher course
- A nursing-related evidence-based practice project or research study
- Authoring or co-authoring a publication during the cycle
- Teaching or developing a nursing course for college credit (or specialty certification)
- Teaching or developing nursing CE (up to 30 contact hours)
- 15 contact hours plus 640 hours of active practice
- 30 contact hours of workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses relevant to nursing
No mandatory topics: all learning activities must be relevant to nursing practice, but Virginia does not require specific topic courses for RNs and LPNs. You are also exempt from these requirements for your first renewal after initial licensure.
APRNs renew differently: those initially licensed on or after May 8, 2002 maintain current national certification (the 40-hour CE path applies only to earlier licensees). APRNs with prescriptive authority must additionally complete 8 hours of pharmacology CE each biennium. See below.
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your Virginia Nursing License
- Know your deadline. Virginia nursing licenses expire at the end of your birth month on a 2-year cycle.
- Complete CE requirements. Finish your 30 hours (or 15 hours + 640 practice hours) before the deadline.
- Log in to the DHP portal. Visit dhp.virginia.gov to start your renewal.
- Complete the renewal application. Answer all required questions and affirm completion of CE requirements.
- Pay the renewal fee. The current fee is $140 for RNs, $120 for LPNs, and $80 for APRNs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not documenting practice hours for the reduced option. If you choose the 15 CE + 640 practice hours path, you need to be able to verify those practice hours if audited.
- Missing the birth month deadline. While Virginia allows late renewal for up to 6 months with additional fees, practicing on an expired license is prohibited.
- APRNs missing pharmacology hours. The 8-hour pharmacology requirement is IN ADDITION to the base APRN renewal. It applies to APRNs with prescriptive authority and must be specifically pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics content.
- Using non-approved CE providers. Virginia accepts CE from ANCC-accredited providers and most nationally accredited programs. Verify your provider is approved before completing courses.
Tips for a Smooth Renewal
- Choose the path that works for you. If you're actively practicing nursing through your renewal cycle, the 15 CE + 640 practice path can satisfy the requirement with fewer coursework hours.
- Keep records for 5 years. Virginia conducts random audits, and you need to produce CE certificates on request. RenewRN helps you track and store your CE records.
- No mandatory topics means more flexibility. Without required topics, you can focus your CE on areas that genuinely interest you or advance your career.
- Take advantage of NLC benefits. Your Virginia multistate license lets you practice in other compact states without additional licenses.
Choosing Between 30 CE Hours and the 15+Practice Pathway
Virginia is one of the more flexible states for RN/LPN renewal because of the alternative pathway. Per the Board, you can satisfy continuing competence with either:
- Option 1: 30 contact hours of CE, all relevant to nursing practice
- Option 2: 15 contact hours of CE plus 640 hours of active nursing practice during the renewal period
How to think about which path fits:
- Full-time clinical nurses typically reach 640 practice hours easily during a 2-year cycle, making Option 2 attractive. Half the CE requirement, with practice hours from work you're already doing.
- Part-time, per-diem, or non-clinical nurses may not reach 640 verifiable practice hours, especially if their role is primarily administrative, educational, or research-based. Option 1 (30 hours of CE) is more straightforward in those cases.
- Travel nurses and contract employees need to be able to verify the 640 hours through assignments. Pay stubs, assignment confirmations, or employer attestations.
The pathway you choose at one renewal doesn't lock you in for future cycles. Each renewal is independent.
Why Virginia Doesn't Require Mandatory Topics for RN/LPN
Per the Board of Nursing, Virginia does not require specific topic courses for RN or LPN renewal. All CE must be relevant to nursing practice, but you choose what to focus on. This contrasts with most states (like California, Florida, Illinois, Texas) that require specific hours in topics like implicit bias, human trafficking, or opioid prescribing.
What this means for your CE planning:
- You can focus your hours on areas relevant to your specialty, career goals, or weak points without worrying about whether a generic course satisfies a state-mandated topic
- ANCC-accredited courses are accepted; check the provider's materials to confirm Virginia recognition before enrolling
- If your employer or specialty certification body has its own CE topic requirements, those are independent of Virginia state requirements
How APRN Renewal Works
APRN renewal turns on certification, not a flat CE count. Per 18VAC90-30-105:
- Licensed on or after May 8, 2002: renew by holding current national (professional) certification in your specialty. No separate CE-hour total
- Licensed before May 8, 2002: may instead complete at least 40 hours of CE in your specialty approved by a certifying agency, or maintain current certification
- Prescriptive authority (any APRN who prescribes): 8 hours of pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics CE per biennium, IN ADDITION to the above (18VAC90-40-55)
The 8-hour pharmacology requirement applies to all prescribing APRN specialties; check that your courses are specifically labeled as pharmacology rather than general advanced practice content.
APRNs with DEA registration also need to complete the federal 8-hour MATE Act training on opioid and substance use disorder treatment. That's a federal requirement at DEA registration or renewal, separate from Virginia state CE.
How Virginia Audits Work
The Virginia Board of Nursing conducts random CE audits. Per the Board, nurses should retain CE records for at least 5 years. If audited, you'll receive a notice and have a defined response window.
What auditors verify, depending on your pathway:
- Option 1 audit: Course certificates for all 30 hours, with provider, course title, hours, and completion date
- Option 2 audit: Course certificates for 15 hours of CE PLUS verifiable documentation of 640 hours of nursing practice (employment records, supervisor attestation, or contract assignment documentation)
- APRN audit: Proof of current national certification (or, for pre-2002 licensees using the CE path, certificates for the 40 hours), plus explicit documentation of the 8 pharmacology hours if you hold prescriptive authority
Failed audits can result in license discipline. Save certificates digitally and keep employment verification handy if you used the practice-hours pathway.
Late Renewal and Reinstatement in Virginia
Per the Board, late renewal is available for up to 6 months after your expiration date with additional fees. During that window, you cannot legally practice on an expired license. Practicing without a current license is prohibited regardless of whether you're within the late-renewal window.
Standard reinstatement fee for RN is $225 / LPN $200 (vs. $140 standard renewal for RN, $120 for LPN). After the 6-month late window, reinstatement may involve additional steps and a longer processing period.
NLC Compact and Virginia
Virginia is a Nurse Licensure Compact member state. If your primary state of residence is Virginia, you can apply for a multistate license through the DHP portal and practice in any of the other 41 NLC member states without separate applications.
Two practical notes:
- A multistate Virginia license still requires Virginia's 30-hour (or 15+practice) CE every 2 years, multistate status doesn't change CE obligations
- If you move to a non-NLC state and your primary residence changes, your multistate privileges end at your next renewal
Virginia RN Renewal FAQ
Can I switch between Option 1 and Option 2 from one renewal to the next? Yes. Each renewal cycle is independent. The pathway you choose at one renewal doesn't bind you for future cycles.
What counts as “active nursing practice” for the 640 hours? Direct nursing practice in any setting, clinical, educational, administrative, research, provided you're practicing under your nursing license. The 640 hours must be verifiable through employment records.
How do APRNs renew? By maintaining current national certification (for anyone licensed on or after May 8, 2002); the 40-hour CE path is only an alternative for earlier licensees. Prescribers add 8 pharmacology hours each biennium.
Are there any mandatory topics? No. Virginia does not require specific topic courses for RN/LPN renewal. APRNs need 8 hours of pharmacology specifically, but otherwise have flexibility on the remaining 32 hours.
Can I take all my hours online? Yes. Virginia doesn't require any in-person CE.
Track Your Virginia CE Requirements with RenewRN
Whether you choose 30 hours of CE or the practice hours alternative, RenewRN tracks your progress, monitors your birth month deadline, and sends reminders so you never miss a renewal.