Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Field guide · License renewal
Arkansas State Board of Nursing · 2-year renewal cycle
Verified against the Arkansas State Board of Nursing · Last reviewed · How RenewRN verifies its data
Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources
As of 2026, Arkansas RNs must complete 15 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years to renew. The RN renewal fee is $100.
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| Renewal cycle | Every 2 years |
| Renewal deadline | Last day of your birth month every two years |
| Total CE hours (RN) | 15 contact hours |
| Renewal fee (RN) | $100 |
| Compact state (NLC) | Yes, NLC member · check your eligibility |
| License types | RN, APRN, LPN |
| Typical pay | See Arkansas nurse salaries |
Arkansas requires nurses to satisfy continuing education through one of three options every two years: 15 contact hours of practice-focused CE, a current national nursing certification, or completion of a college-level nursing course. Licenses expire on the last day of the nurse's birth month, and the renewal window opens 60 days before expiration. Arkansas is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, allowing multistate license holders to practice across compact states. There is no grace period, and late renewals incur additional fees and CE requirements.
Verified against the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, last checked 2026-07-13. Found something off? Let me know.
Arkansas CE Audit Response Guide
Response deadline, retention rules, board address, and the rejections that get nurses dinged.
Read the full Arkansas RN License Renewal Guide
Step-by-step walkthrough, common mistakes, and tips for a smooth renewal
Visit the Arkansas State Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.
Turn these steps into a checklist you can track.
RenewRN Pro turns Arkansas's renewal steps into an interactive checklist you check off one by one, with your progress saved so nothing gets missed at the deadline.
Track your renewal steps with ProYou attest to your CE when you renew and keep your certificates; you only submit documents if the board audits you.
The RN logs in to the Arkansas Nurse Portal (renewal link appears 60 days before the license expires), completes the renewal application, and affirms (attests) that the CE requirement was met for the cycle, nurses are no longer required to list individual courses. The board's renewal page is explicit that certificates are NOT uploaded at renewal: "DO NOT UPLOAD your certificates unless you are notified that you have been selected for audit." The nurse pays the fee, submits, and keeps certificates on hand for a minimum of two consecutive renewal periods (four years) in case of a random audit. Optionally, the nurse can log completions in CE Broker for tracking, but that is not required and does not replace the renewal attestation.
Where it happens: Arkansas Nurse Portal
arsbn.boardsofnursing.org/arsbnSelection is random: ASBN Rules Ch. 2 Sec. VII(B)(1): "The Board shall perform random audits of licensees for compliance with the continuing education requirement." Notification is by a mailed letter to the licensee's last known address. Submission: per rule VII(B)(2) the licensee proves participation "by presenting photocopies of original certificates of completion to the Board"; the board's renewal page indicates audited nurses upload certificates (upload only "if you are notified that you have been selected for audit"). Deadline: rule VII(B)(3): "The licensee shall provide evidence of continuing education requirements within thirty (30) calendar days from the mailing date of the audit notification letter sent from the Board to the last known address of the licensee." If found non-compliant, the nurse gets 90 days to cure before per-hour late fees and a Letter of Reprimand (rule VII(I)(2)).
Verified 2026-07-03 against healthy.arkansas.gov · healthy.arkansas.gov · healthy.arkansas.gov · healthy.arkansas.gov. Always confirm with the board before relying on it.
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| Type | CE hours | Renewal fee |
|---|---|---|
| RN | 15 / 2 yrs | $100 |
| APRN | 15 / 2 yrs | $165 (includes the $100 RN renewal; the APRN certification renewal alone is $65) |
| LPN | 15 / 2 yrs | $90 |
APRN renewal in Arkansas. A conditional Pharmacotherapeutics CE (Prescriptive Authority) requirement of 5 hours applies; see the requirements table below for who it covers. The board is only one clock: your national certification and any DEA registration renew on their own cycles. Full Arkansas APRN renewal guide
| Category | Hours | Required | Types | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice-Focused CE (Option 1) | 15 | Optional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | 15 contact hours of appropriately accredited practice-focused continuing education activities completed within the 24 months preceding renewal. |
| National Certification (Option 2) | 0 | Optional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | Hold a current nationally recognized nursing certification or recertification as an alternative to CE hours. |
| College Course (Option 3) | 0 | Optional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | Complete a minimum of one college credit hour course in nursing with a grade of C or better during the licensure period. |
| Pharmacotherapeutics CE (Prescriptive Authority) | 5 | Conditional | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete an additional 5 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics CE in their area of certification within the 2 years before renewal, on top of the general renewal requirement. 2 of the 5 hours must cover maintaining professional boundaries and the prescribing rules, regulations, and laws that apply to APRNs in Arkansas. Required only for APRNs who hold prescriptive authority. (Source: ASBN APRN renewal requirements, healthy.arkansas.gov.) |
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs): Arkansas CNA renewal is handled by the state nurse-aide registry, not the Board of Nursing, and follows a work-hours / in-service model rather than the CE above. Check your state nurse-aide registry for CNA requirements.
Find free Arkansas CE. Verified, accredited and state-approved courses. No upsells. Browse free Arkansas nursing CE courses
Missed your Arkansas renewal deadline?
No grace period. Extensions of expiration dates are not permitted. A late fee and additional CE hours are required for post-expiration renewal. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited.
What to do if your Arkansas license lapsedApproved CE Providers
Reinstatement Fees
Already lapsed? The Arkansas re-entry guide covers refresher rules, costs by lapse length, and the path back.
Applies to new RN licensure by examination. Verified against the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
First-Time Licensee Exemption
First-time licensees are exempt for the first renewal cycle
CE Audit Information
The Arkansas State Board of Nursing conducts random CE audits; selected nurses are notified by mail to submit certificates.
Arkansas State Board of Nursing
https://healthy.arkansas.gov/boards-commissions/boards/nursing-arkansas-state-board/These Arkansas renewal figures are free to cite, quote, or republish with attribution and a link (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation:
RenewRN, “Arkansas Nursing License Renewal Requirements” (July 2026), renewrn.net/states/arkansas, verified against the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
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