West Virginia requires 12 contact hours of continuing education for RN license renewal every two years — one of the lower CE requirements in the country. The state partners with CE Broker for tracking compliance, making it easy to stay on top of your requirements. Here's your complete guide to renewing your West Virginia nursing license.
West Virginia RN License Renewal Requirements Overview
The West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WV RN Board) requires RNs to complete 12 contact hours of approved CE per two-year renewal cycle. West Virginia has separate boards for RNs/APRNs and LPNs.
West Virginia 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:
- 12 CE contact hours from a Board-approved provider during each two-year renewal cycle
- New licensees: 3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion within 1 year of initial licensure (included in the 12-hour total)
- Renewal fee: $90
For LPNs:
- 24 CE contact hours every two years, including required topic-specific hours
- Note: LPNs are regulated by a separate board (WV State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses) and renew annually
- Renewal fee: $40
For APRNs:
- 24 CE contact hours total: 12 hours in pharmacotherapeutics (advanced pharmacology) and 12 hours in clinical management practice (advanced assessment, diagnoses, outcome identification, and planning)
- RN renewal fee waived for active APRN license holders with a WV RN license
- Renewal fee: $35 for APRN
Important Renewal Dates
- Renewal cycle: Every 2 years (RN/APRN); annually (LPN)
- RN deadline: June 30 of even-numbered years
- APRN deadline: June 30 of odd-numbered years
- LPN deadline: June 30 annually
- Renewal window opens: Approximately May 1
- Grace period: No formal grace period. Licenses lapse if not renewed by June 30. Practicing on a lapsed license is prohibited.
Step-by-Step: How to Renew Your West Virginia Nursing License
- Complete your CE hours. Finish all 12 contact hours (RN) or 24 hours (APRN) from Board-approved providers before the renewal deadline.
- Verify your CE in CE Broker. West Virginia partners with CE Broker for official CE tracking. Confirm your completed courses are recorded at cebroker.com.
- Log in to the WV RN Board portal. Visit wvrnboard.wv.gov when the renewal window opens (approximately May 1).
- Verify your information. Update your personal details, address, and employment information.
- Answer disclosure questions. Respond to questions about professional conduct and disciplinary actions.
- Pay the renewal fee. Submit the $90 fee for RN, $35 for APRN, or $40 for LPN.
- Submit your renewal. Complete the application before June 30 to avoid a lapsed license.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing CE requirements by license type. RNs need 12 hours, LPNs need 24 hours, and APRNs need 24 hours (12 in pharmacotherapeutics + 12 in clinical management practice). Make sure you complete the correct number for your license type.
- Using non-approved CE providers. Only CE from WV RN Board-approved providers counts toward renewal. Check the approved provider list on CE Broker.
- Not checking CE Broker. West Virginia uses CE Broker as its official tracking system. Verify your hours are properly recorded before submitting your renewal.
- APRNs missing specialty CE requirements. APRNs must complete specific hours in pharmacotherapeutics and clinical management practice — general CE alone is not sufficient.
- Waiting until June to renew. The renewal window opens May 1 and closes June 30. Don't wait until the last minute.
Tips for a Smooth Renewal
- Use CE Broker proactively. Sign up for a free CE Broker account to track your CE completion throughout the renewal cycle, not just at deadline time.
- Spread your CE over the cycle. Complete a few hours each quarter instead of cramming all 12 hours into the last month before renewal.
- Take advantage of free courses. Over 3,000 courses from WV RN Board-approved providers are available through CE Broker, many at low cost or free.
- Track your CE hours, deadlines, and renewal status with RenewRN. Get automated reminders so you never miss a renewal deadline.
How CE Broker Affects Your West Virginia Renewal
Per the Board, West Virginia partners with CE Broker for tracking continuing education compliance. When you complete a CE course from an approved provider, the provider reports your hours to CE Broker, typically within 1–2 business days. The Board may pull compliance data from your CE Broker transcript directly.
Practical implications:
- Most accredited providers auto-report — your CE Broker transcript becomes the source of truth at renewal
- Free CE from professional associations or one-off trainings sometimes requires manual upload to CE Broker
- For APRNs: ensure your CE Broker transcript clearly indicates which courses were pharmacotherapeutics vs. clinical management practice — generic listings may need supplemental documentation
Best practice: log in to your CE Broker account a few weeks before June 30 to confirm every course is showing on your transcript. Anything missing requires manual upload.
The APRN Specialty CE Requirements
Per the Board, APRNs in West Virginia have a specific 24-hour CE requirement structured into two equal categories:
- 12 hours in pharmacotherapeutics (advanced pharmacology) — must specifically cover advanced pharmacology content
- 12 hours in clinical management practice (advanced assessment, diagnoses, outcome identification, and planning) — must specifically cover these clinical areas
This is unusual among states — most require general APRN CE with a small specialty subset. West Virginia's structure means generic advanced practice CE may not satisfy either category.
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 West Virginia state CE.
The Newly-Licensed RN Requirement
Per the Board, newly licensed RNs must complete 3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion within 1 year of receiving their initial license. The 3 hours count within the 12-hour total.
Practical implications:
- The deadline is 1 year from initial licensure, not your first renewal cycle — track the 1-year clock from your license date
- The course must specifically cover safe prescribing and drug diversion — not general pharmacology
- Once completed, this is a one-time requirement; subsequent renewals only require the 12-hour standard CE
The Two-Board Structure
Per the Board, West Virginia has separate boards for RNs/APRNs and LPNs. The WV Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses oversees RNs and APRNs, while LPNs are regulated by a separate Board (WV State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses).
Practical implications:
- RN/APRN renewal goes through one portal; LPN renewal goes through a different portal
- For nurses who hold both an RN and LPN credential — for instance, an LPN who later became an RN — you have two separate renewal processes through two separate boards
- The fee waiver mechanism (RN renewal fee waived for active APRN license holders) only applies within the WV RN Board — it doesn't cross-cover the separate LPN Board
The Two-Year RN/APRN Calendar
Per the Board, RN and APRN licenses use offset cycles:
- RN licenses: June 30 of even-numbered years (2024, 2026, 2028...)
- APRN licenses: June 30 of odd-numbered years (2025, 2027, 2029...)
For nurses holding both an RN and APRN credential — which is all APRNs (since the APRN credential builds on RN licensure) — this means renewal happens every year, alternating between the two credentials. The fee waiver helps offset costs: active APRN holders don't pay the RN renewal fee.
How West Virginia Audits Work
Per the Board, West Virginia may conduct random CE audits. Retain CE certificates for at least 4 years. Documentation auditors verify:
- Course certificates for all 12 hours (RN) or 24 hours (APRN) from Board-approved providers
- For APRNs: separate documentation showing 12 hours in pharmacotherapeutics and 12 hours in clinical management practice
- For newly-licensed RNs: certificate showing the 3-hour safe prescribing and drug diversion course was completed within 1 year of initial licensure
- CE Broker transcripts can satisfy most documentation requirements
Failed audits can result in license discipline. Save certificates digitally with clear filenames covering the rolling 4-year retention window.
Late Renewal and Reinstatement
Per the Board, West Virginia has no formal grace period:
- $50 late fee per the lateRenewalFee field
- $150 reinstatement fee for RN per the Board (vs. $90 standard renewal)
- You cannot work as a nurse while your license is expired — even briefly
NLC Compact and West Virginia
West Virginia is a Nurse Licensure Compact member state. If your primary state of residence is West Virginia, you can apply for a multistate license through the WV RN Board portal and practice in any of the other 41 NLC member states without separate applications.
Two practical notes:
- A multistate WV license still requires the 12-hour CE (or 24 for APRNs with the specialty breakdown) every renewal cycle
- The June 30 deadline applies to multistate licenses too
West Virginia RN Renewal FAQ
As an APRN, do I need both 12 RN hours AND 24 APRN hours? Per the Board, APRNs need 24 hours total for APRN renewal (12 pharmacotherapeutics + 12 clinical management). The RN renewal fee is waived for active APRN holders, but the underlying RN license still needs to be active.
Are CE Broker hours visible to my employer? No. CE Broker transcripts are only visible to you and the Board. Your employer doesn't see them unless you share them directly.
Can I take all my CE online? Yes. West Virginia doesn't require any in-person CE.
What does “clinical management practice” CE cover? Per the Board, it covers advanced assessment, diagnoses, outcome identification, and planning — areas relevant to APRN clinical practice.
I'm a newly-licensed RN. What's the safe prescribing requirement? Per the Board, you must complete 3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion within 1 year of your initial licensure. The 3 hours count toward your 12-hour first-cycle total.
Track Your West Virginia License with RenewRN
With CE Broker integration and topic-specific requirements for APRNs, staying on top of West Virginia's renewal requirements takes planning. RenewRN helps you track your CE progress, manage deadlines, and sends reminders at 90, 60, 30, 7, and 1 day before your license expires.