Do you only need CE hours if you get audited?

The myth spreads because renewal usually runs on the honor system: you check a box saying you completed your hours, pay, and renew — no one checks in the moment. So some nurses conclude the CE is optional unless they're unlucky enough to be picked for an audit. You'll even see this advice repeated confidently online: 'just wait until you get audited.'

Here's why that's wrong and risky. The attestation you sign at renewal is a legal statement that you already completed the hours. If you attest without doing them and are later audited, you're not just short on CE — you made a false attestation, which boards treat far more seriously than a simple deficiency. Most boards also require the hours to have been earned during the renewal period, so scrambling to complete them after the audit letter doesn't cure the problem.

Audits are random and routine: boards pull a percentage of nurses each cycle and request documentation for the hours claimed. If you did your CE and kept the certificates, an audit is a non-event. If you gambled that you wouldn't be picked, it's the moment the gamble comes due.