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
Kentucky Board of Nursing · 1-year renewal cycle
Verified against the Kentucky Board of Nursing · Last reviewed · How RenewRN verifies its data
Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources
As of 2026, Kentucky RNs renew every year by meeting one of several board-approved competency options; the CE option is 14 contact hours. The RN renewal fee is $65.
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| Renewal cycle | Every year |
| Renewal deadline | October 31 annually; renewal period opens September 15 |
| Total CE hours (RN) | No fixed mandate (14 hrs if you choose the CE option) |
| Renewal fee (RN) | $65 |
| Compact state (NLC) | Yes, NLC member · check your eligibility |
| License types | RN, APRN, LPN |
| Typical pay | See Kentucky nurse salaries |
Kentucky requires 14 contact hours of continuing education annually for all nurses, with a renewal period running from November 1 through October 31. Nurses may alternatively complete 7 CE hours plus a satisfactory nursing employment evaluation. APRNs must additionally complete 5 hours of pharmacology CE each year. Kentucky is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, allowing nurses with a multistate license to practice across all compact states at no additional cost.
Verified against the Kentucky Board of Nursing, last checked 2026-07-24. Found something off? Let me know.
Kentucky CE Audit Response Guide
Response deadline, retention rules, board address, and the rejections that get nurses dinged.
Read the full Kentucky RN License Renewal Guide
Step-by-step walkthrough, common mistakes, and tips for a smooth renewal
Visit the Kentucky Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.
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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 Kentucky RN completes the annual CE/competency requirement (license period Nov 1 - Oct 31) and ATTESTS at renewal; certificates are NOT submitted at renewal. The board CE page: “All nurses who renew their license are required to complete continuing education courses during the licensure/renewal period, from November 1 through October 31 each year.” The RN option is 14 approved contact hours, or 7 contact hours plus a satisfactory nursing employment evaluation. Proof stays with the nurse: “Maintain all continuing education records for at least 5 years... You will not need to send them to the Board unless selected for the CE Audit.” Uploading to the board is optional except under audit: “Nurses may upload their CE documents via the KBN Nurse Portal. This is optional and is not required for renewal; however, should a nurse be selected for the CE Audit, they will be required to upload all their CE documents at that time.”
Where it happens: KBN Nurse Portal (Kentucky Board of Nursing)
kbn.ky.govAfter each licensure renewal period, licensees are randomly selected for the CE audit; the board notifies the selected nurse, who must then upload all CE documents via the KBN Nurse Portal. Records must be retained 5 years. Board CE page: “You will not need to send them to the Board unless selected for the CE Audit.”
Verified 2026-07-03 against kbn.ky.gov. Always confirm with the board before relying on it.
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| Type | CE hours | Renewal fee |
|---|---|---|
| RN | 14 / yr (CE option) | $65 |
| APRN | 14 / yr (CE option) | $55 |
| LPN | 14 / yr (CE option) | $65 |
APRN renewal in Kentucky. 5 hours of APRN Pharmacology apply per renewal cycle (details in the requirements table below). The board is only one clock: your national certification and any DEA registration renew on their own cycles. Full Kentucky APRN renewal guide
| Category | Hours | Required | Types | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General CE | 14 | Required | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | 14 approved contact hours of CE per annual renewal period (November 1 through October 31) is ONE way to meet Kentucky's continuing-competency requirement, not a flat mandate. Alternatives include 7 contact hours plus a satisfactory nursing employment evaluation, current national certification, or a nursing research project/publication/preceptorship (each still combined with the board's mandatory CE topics). A nationally certified nurse can renew without the 14 general hours. |
| Alternative: 7 CE + Employment Evaluation | 7 | Optional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | 7 approved contact hours of CE plus a satisfactory nursing employment evaluation completed during the renewal period may be used in place of the full 14 contact hours |
| APRN Pharmacology | 5 | Required | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | APRNs must complete at least 5 contact hours in pharmacology annually (November 1 through October 31) |
| APRN Pain Management/Addiction (DEA holders) | 3 | Required | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | APRNs registered with the DEA must complete at least 3 of the 5 pharmacology hours in pain management or addiction disorders |
| Suicide Prevention (One-Time) | 2 | Conditional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | 2 contact hours of suicide prevention required one time for nurses who completed a nursing program outside of Kentucky or who completed a Kentucky program prior to August 2025 |
| Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (One-Time) | 1.5 | Conditional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | 1.5 contact hours on pediatric abusive head trauma, required ONE TIME within 3 years of licensure for nurses who completed a pre-licensure nursing program before December 2011 or outside Kentucky (included in the CE total for the year completed). Nurses who graduated a Kentucky program after December 2011 are exempt. It was part of the curriculum. |
| Domestic Violence (One-Time) | 3 | Conditional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | 3 contact hours in domestic violence required within 3 years of initial licensure for nurses who completed a nursing program outside of Kentucky or prior to May 1988 |
| Alzheimer's & Dementia (One-Time) | 1 | Conditional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | One-time 1 contact hour in Alzheimer's disease or other dementia (warning signs and symptoms, importance of early detection and diagnosis, and communication techniques). Nurses actively licensed as of July 15, 2024 must complete it by October 31, 2027; those licensed after July 15, 2024 within 3 years of initial licensure. Not repeated once completed. |
| Medicinal Cannabis Certification (APRN certifiers only) | 3 | Conditional | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | APRNs authorized to provide written certifications for medicinal cannabis use must complete 3 contact hours annually (November 1 - October 31) covering diagnosis and treatment of qualifying conditions, cannabis pharmacology and drug interactions, and cannabis use disorder (201 KAR 20:067). This applies only to APRNs who certify patients for medicinal cannabis, not to nurses generally. |
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs): Kentucky 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 Kentucky CE. Verified, accredited and state-approved courses. No upsells. Browse free Kentucky nursing CE courses
Missed your Kentucky renewal deadline?
Licenses not renewed by October 31 will lapse; nurses must not practice on a lapsed license
What to do if your Kentucky license lapsedApproved CE Providers
Reinstatement Fees
Already lapsed? The Kentucky re-entry guide covers refresher rules, costs by lapse length, and the path back.
Applies to new RN licensure by examination. Verified against the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
First-Time Licensee Exemption
New licensees are exempt from CE for the first renewal cycle
CE Audit Information
The Kentucky Board of Nursing randomly audits licensees; records are due within 20 days of a written request.
Kentucky Board of Nursing
https://kbn.ky.gov/Sources
These Kentucky renewal figures are free to cite, quote, or republish with attribution and a link (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation:
RenewRN, “Kentucky Nursing License Renewal Requirements” (July 2026), renewrn.net/states/kentucky, verified against the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
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