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
Colorado Board of Nursing · 2-year renewal cycle
Verified against the Colorado Board of Nursing · Last reviewed · How RenewRN verifies its data
Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources
As of 2026, Colorado requires no continuing-education hours for RN renewal. The RN renewal fee is $108 every 2 years.
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| Renewal cycle | Every 2 years |
| Renewal deadline | September 30, every 2 years (RN/APRN); August 31 (LPN) |
| Total CE hours (RN) | No fixed CE-hour mandate |
| Renewal fee (RN) | $108 |
| Compact state (NLC) | Yes, NLC member · check your eligibility |
| License types | RN, APRN, LPN |
| Typical pay | See Colorado nurse salaries |
Colorado does not require continuing education hours for RN and LPN license renewal. Instead, nurses must attest to continued competency through qualifying activities such as CE courses, practice hours, or academic coursework. APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 2 hours on substance use prevention. Colorado is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, so nurses with a multistate license can practice across all compact states.
Verified against the Colorado Board of Nursing, last checked 2026-06-04. Found something off? Let me know.
Colorado CE Audit Response Guide
Response deadline, retention rules, board address, and the rejections that get nurses dinged.
Read the full Colorado RN License Renewal Guide
Step-by-step walkthrough, common mistakes, and tips for a smooth renewal
Visit the Colorado Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.
Turn these steps into a checklist you can track.
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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.
A Colorado RN does NOTHING with CE proof at renewal, because Colorado requires no CE hours to renew an RN license at all. The nurse logs in to DPO Online Services (apps2.colorado.gov/dora/licensing), selects the RN license, completes the online renewal application (answering disclosure questions, e.g. pending discipline in another state), and pays the fee, there is no CE certificate upload, no CE Broker reporting, and no CE field in the renewal. The only competency mechanics kick in OUTSIDE ordinary renewal: a nurse who has not worked on an active license in the last two years must demonstrate continued competency (via a Board-recognized refresher course) when applying for endorsement, reinstatement, or reactivation, that documentation goes in with that application, not with a routine renewal.
Where it happens: DPO Online Services (Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations Online Services system; the board also calls it the "DPO Online Service System")
apps2.colorado.gov/dora/licensingNo CE audit program exists for Colorado RN renewal, because there is no CE requirement to audit, the board's FAQ, homepage, and Applications pages contain no mention of any CE/competency audit, selection, notification, or response deadline for renewing RNs. (Third-party sites' "retain records 4 years for audit" claims could not be corroborated on any board page.) The only competency verification the board describes is document-based and up-front, not an audit: nurses who have not practiced in the last two years must show completion of a Board-recognized refresher course when applying for endorsement/reinstatement/reactivation.
Verified 2026-07-03 against dpo.colorado.gov · dpo.colorado.gov · dpo.colorado.gov. Always confirm with the board before relying on it.
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| Type | CE hours | Renewal fee |
|---|---|---|
| RN | 0 / 2 yrs | $108 |
| APRN | 0 / 2 yrs | $108 |
| LPN | 0 / 2 yrs | $108 |
APRN renewal in Colorado. Renewal deadlines here differ by license type; see Important Deadlines below. The board is only one clock: your national certification and any DEA registration renew on their own cycles. Full Colorado APRN renewal guide
| Category | Hours | Required | Types | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuing Competency | 0 | Required | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | Colorado does not require CE hours. Nurses must attest to continued competency during renewal through CE activities, practice hours, academic coursework, or other qualifying methods. |
| APRN Substance Use Prevention | 2 | Required | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | 2 hours on substance use prevention or best practices in opioid prescribing per renewal cycle for APRNs with prescriptive authority |
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs): Colorado 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 Colorado CE. Verified, accredited and state-approved courses. No upsells. Browse free Colorado nursing CE courses
Missed your Colorado renewal deadline?
60-day late renewal period with $15 late fee; practicing on an expired license is prohibited
What to do if your Colorado license lapsedApproved CE Providers
Reinstatement Fees
Already lapsed? The Colorado re-entry guide covers refresher rules, costs by lapse length, and the path back.
Applies to new RN licensure by examination. Verified against the Colorado Board of Nursing.
CE Audit Information
Colorado does not require continuing education for RN or LPN renewal, so there is no CE audit or record-retention requirement.
Colorado Board of Nursing
https://dpo.colorado.gov/NursingThese Colorado renewal figures are free to cite, quote, or republish with attribution and a link (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation:
RenewRN, “Colorado Nursing License Renewal Requirements” (June 2026), renewrn.net/states/colorado, verified against the Colorado Board of Nursing.
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