How many CE hours do nurses need in Texas?

Registered Nurses (RN) in Texas need 20 continuing education hours every 2 years for license renewal.

What are the mandatory CE topics in Texas?

Mandatory CE topics in Texas include: Jurisprudence & Ethics (every third renewal), Human Trafficking Prevention.

What is the renewal cycle for nursing licenses in Texas?

Nursing licenses in Texas must be renewed every 2 years. The Texas Board of Nursing oversees license renewals.

What is the RN renewal fee in Texas?

The RN renewal fee in Texas is $68. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the Texas Board of Nursing portal before submitting.

When are nursing licenses due for renewal in Texas?

Texas renewal deadline: End of birth month, every 2 years.

Is Texas part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)?

Yes. Texas is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, so an NLC multistate license allows practice in all compact states.

Does Texas require CE Broker for tracking continuing education?

No. Texas does not require CE Broker, though some nurses use it voluntarily to track CE across multiple states.

What license types does Texas regulate?

Texas regulates the following nursing license types: RN, LVN, APRN.

How many CE hours do LVNs need in Texas?

Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) in Texas need 20 continuing education hours every 2 years for license renewal. The LVN renewal fee is $45.

What does APRN renewal require in Texas?

APRNs in Texas complete 20 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. The APRN renewal fee is $54. Texas also publishes a conditional APRN Pharmacotherapeutics requirement of 5 hours; see the requirements table for who it covers. Your national certification renews separately with its certifying body on its own cycle.

What happens if you miss the license renewal deadline in Texas?

The RN late-renewal fee is $60 (under 90 days late) / $120 (over 90 days), plus the renewal fee. If your license has lapsed, do not practice until your renewal is processed; confirm your status with the Texas Board of Nursing.

Field guide · License renewal

Texas RN License Renewal Requirements

Name: Texas Nursing License Renewal
Creator: RenewRN

Verified 2026-09-04

Texas Board of Nursing · 2-year renewal cycle

Last reviewed against the board source September 4, 2026 · How RenewRN verifies its data

Built by Keegan, a travel RN

As of 2026, Texas RNs must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years to renew. The RN renewal fee is $68.

Recent changes to Texas rules

Aug 10, 2026 · Texas adds a nutrition and metabolic health CE requirement for renewals filed on or after January 1, 2027
Sep 1, 2026 · Texas nurses now upload CE to the Nurse Portal before renewing (SB 912, effective September 1, 2026)
Jun 3, 2026 · Texas requires the human-trafficking prevention course from an HHSC-approved provider

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Quick Facts

Renewal cycle	Every 2 years
Renewal deadline	End of birth month, every 2 years
Total CE hours (RN)	20 contact hours
Renewal fee (RN)	$68
Compact state (NLC)	Yes, NLC member · check your eligibility
License types	RN, LVN, APRN
Typical pay	See Texas nurse salaries

Texas requires all Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) to complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every 2-year renewal cycle. Mandatory topics include a jurisprudence and ethics course every 6 years and an HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course each renewal period. Two more are triggered by what you actually do rather than by your license type, and they are the ones nurses most often miss: if your practice includes older adult or geriatric patients you owe 2 hours on that population every renewal period, and if you work in an emergency room you owe a one-time 2 hours of forensic evidence collection training within 2 years of starting. Both count inside the 20 hours rather than on top of them. APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete an additional 5 hours in pharmacotherapeutics, and APRNs whose prescriptive authority agreement covers opioids owe 2 hours of opioid and pain-management CE every year. Texas is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, which means nurses with a multistate license can practice in other compact states without obtaining additional licenses. Under SB 912 (2025), the Board built its own free CE tracking system, and as of September 1, 2026 you must document your CE through the CE Module in the Texas Nurse Portal before you can submit your renewal. That is a change in kind: renewal used to be an attestation with proof only if you were randomly audited, and now the documentation goes in first. Keep every certificate as you earn it, in PDF, PNG or JPG.

Verified against the Texas Board of Nursing, last checked 2026-09-04. Found something off? Let me know.

Texas CE Audit Response Guide

Response deadline, retention rules, board address, and the rejections that get nurses dinged.

Read the full Texas RN License Renewal Guide

Step-by-step walkthrough, common mistakes, and tips for a smooth renewal

How to Renew Your Texas Nursing License

1Log in to the Texas Board of Nursing online renewal portal at bon.texas.gov
2Complete all required CE hours before your renewal deadline
3Document your CE in the CE Module in the Texas Nurse Portal BEFORE you submit the renewal application, uploading a certificate for each activity as PDF, PNG, JPG or JPEG (required for renewals filed on or after September 1, 2026)
4Pay the renewal fee online
5Receive your renewed license confirmation via email

Visit the Texas Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.

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How to Submit Your CE in Texas

You submit CE through the board's own portal as part of renewal.

Beginning September 1, 2026, a Texas RN documents CE compliance through the CE Module in the Texas Nurse Portal before submitting the renewal or reactivation application: the nurse uploads a certificate for each completed activity (PDF, PNG, JPG or JPEG) until the Board's continuing education tracking system verifies compliance with the two-year continuing-competency requirement. The underlying requirement itself is unchanged by SB 912: a nurse still meets it by ONE of two methods, completing 20 contact hours of continuing nursing education (CNE) in the nurse's current area of practice, OR achieving/maintaining a Board-approved national nursing certification in the current area of practice. The renewal application will not go through until CE compliance is verified in the Nurse Portal.

Where it happens: Texas Nurse Portal, CE Module (BON)

www.bon.texas.gov/CNE_Tracking_Information.asp.html

Because Texas makes you upload your CE at renewal, not just attest, you'll need every certificate on hand. Keep them organized in RenewRN so they're ready when it's time to renew, free CE tracking, no card required.

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If Texas audits your CE

Effective September 1, 2026, the Board verifies CE compliance directly through the CE Module in the Texas Nurse Portal before renewal is processed, rather than through a post-renewal audit request. (Renewals filed before September 1, 2026 used the prior attest-plus-random-audit process: audits selected 90 days before the nurse's renewal date, with written notice sent electronically, and audit documents submitted through the BON Lifelong Portal at portal.esslearning.com/bon; records were kept per Board Rule 216.7.)

Verified 2026-09-01 against bon.texas.gov · bon.texas.gov. Always confirm with the board before relying on it.

How every other state takes CE proof

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CE Hours by License Type

Texas ranks #16 of 51 for RN renewal burden, in the middle in the country.See the CE Burden Index

Type	CE hours	Renewal fee
RN	20 / 2 yrs	$68
LVN	20 / 2 yrs	$45
APRN	20 / 2 yrs	$54

CE deadline calculator Check if a course counts Compare all states

APRN renewal in Texas. A conditional APRN Pharmacotherapeutics 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 Texas APRN renewal guide

CE Requirements

Category	Hours	Required	Types	Description
General CE	20	Required	RNLVNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	20 contact hours of continuing nursing education (CNE) in the nurse's area of practice per 2-year licensing period, per Board Rule 216.3(a). ⚠ There is an ALTERNATIVE most nurses are not told about: under Rule 216.3(b) a nurse may instead demonstrate achieving, maintaining or renewing a Board-approved national nursing certification in her area of practice, and the Board states this is accepted "in lieu of completing 20 contact hours". So a nurse holding a current board-approved national certification does not owe the 20 hours. The 20-hour figure is still what the large majority of Texas nurses must complete, which is why it remains the headline requirement here.
Jurisprudence & Ethics	2	Required	RNLVNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	2 hours in nursing jurisprudence and ethics required every third renewal period (every 6 years), included in total 20 hours
Human Trafficking Prevention	0	Required	RNLVNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course required every renewal cycle for nurses providing direct patient care (included in total if course carries CNE credit)
Older Adult & Geriatric Care	2	Conditional	RNLVNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	2 hours relating to older adult or geriatric populations every renewal period, for any nurse whose practice includes those populations. Board-approved certification in a related practice area may be used instead. Included in the total 20 hours
Forensic Evidence Collection	2	Conditional	RNLVNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	2 hours of basic forensic evidence collection training, one-time. Required before performing a forensic examination on a sexual assault survivor, and required within 2 years of starting work in an emergency room setting, including a home ER unit, floating or scheduled ER shifts, and contract, temporary, per diem, agency or travel assignments. Included in the total 20 hours
APRN Pharmacotherapeutics	5	Conditional	APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	5 hours in pharmacotherapeutics required every renewal for APRNs with prescriptive authority, in addition to the base 20 hours. Category I CME may be used; certification may not. Applies only to APRNs who hold prescriptive authority. (Source: 22 TAC 216.3(c)(3) and 222.3; Texas BON continuing education page.)
APRN Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management	4	Conditional	APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	At least 2 hours annually on safe and effective pain management related to opioids and other controlled substances, for APRNs whose prescriptive authority agreement authorizes prescribing opioids. Must cover reasonable standards of care, identifying drug-seeking behavior in patients, and communicating with patients about these prescriptions. The Board words this as an ANNUAL requirement even though Texas licenses renew every 2 years, so plan on 2 hours in each year of the cycle (4 hours per licensing period, per the Board). Applies to renewals on or after January 1, 2021
APRN Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)	2	Conditional	APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	One-time 2 hours on approved procedures for prescribing and monitoring controlled substances, for APRNs authorized to receive information from the Texas PMP. APRNs licensed before September 1, 2020 were due by September 1, 2021; APRNs licensed on or after that date must complete it within one year of initial licensure
Nursing Practice	0	Optional	RNLVNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	Remaining hours in nursing-related topics relevant to your practice area

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs): Texas 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 Texas CE. Verified courses, accredited or state-approved, with free certificates. Browse free Texas nursing CE courses

Important Deadlines

Renewal Due: End of birth month, every 2 years
Grace Period: Not specified; confirm with your board
CE Completion Window: All CE must be completed during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal date
Record Retention: Keep CE certificates for at least 4 years in case of audit by the Texas Board of Nursing

Important Notes

• CE must be completed within the 2-year renewal period
• The 2 hours of jurisprudence and ethics are included in the total 20 hours and are required every third renewal period (every 6 years), not every renewal
• Nurses who hold both RN and LVN licenses need only 20 hours total
• APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete an additional 5 hours in pharmacotherapeutics per renewal
• Practice-triggered requirements are easy to miss because they read like specialty CE. If your practice includes older adult or geriatric patients, 22 TAC 216.3(h) requires 2 hours on that population every renewal period. This is not limited to long-term care, and it is included in the 20 hours rather than added to them
• Nurses who work in an emergency room, including float, contract, agency, per diem and travel assignments, must complete 2 hours of forensic evidence collection training within 2 years of starting that work. It is one-time, and it is also required before performing a forensic exam on a sexual assault survivor
• APRNs whose prescriptive authority agreement authorizes opioids owe 2 hours of opioid and pain-management CE ANNUALLY under 22 TAC 216.3(c)(4), which is a different cadence from the 2-year renewal cycle everything else runs on
• A separate 1-hour annual requirement on alternatives and multi-modal approaches to pain management, 22 TAC 216.3(c)(5), EXPIRED on August 31, 2023 and no longer applies. Some CE catalogs and summary sites still advertise it as current, so do not buy a course to satisfy it
• Human trafficking prevention training must be from an HHSC-approved course as of March 2025
• SB 912 (2025, Occ. Code Ch. 112) directed the Texas Board of Nursing to build a continuing-education tracking system and verify CE before renewal. As of September 1, 2026, that requirement is in effect: nurses renewing or reactivating a Texas license must document compliance through the CE Module in the Texas Nurse Portal BEFORE submitting the renewal or reactivation application, uploading documentation for each activity (PDF, PNG, JPG or JPEG). This is a hard gate at renewal, not a post-renewal random audit. Renewals filed before September 1, 2026 used the prior attest-plus-random-audit process. Gather certificates now, before you start your renewal
• Coming for renewals filed on or after January 1, 2027: SB 25 (2025) added Occupations Code 301.309, requiring CE in nutrition and metabolic health as part of the hours you already owe. The statute leaves the hour count and the content to Board rule, and the Board must adopt those rules by December 31, 2026, so the number is not published yet. A renewal filed before January 1, 2027 is governed by the law in effect when you file
• This information is for guidance only. Always verify requirements with the Texas Board of Nursing.

CE Providers & Renewal

Approved CE Providers

ANCCTexas Board of NursingTexas Nurses Association

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Late Fees & Reinstatement

Late Renewal Fees

RN: $60 (under 90 days late) / $120 (over 90 days), plus the renewal fee
LVN: $60 (under 90 days late) / $120 (over 90 days), plus the renewal fee

Already lapsed? The Texas re-entry guide covers refresher rules, costs by lapse length, and the path back.

Getting your first Texas RN license

Background check: Fingerprint-based criminal background check required. Effective 2004, all applicants for initial Texas RN licensure must submit fingerprints for a Criminal Background Check completed through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the FBI, sent directly to the Board.
Application fee: $75 (initial license by examination)
Temporary permit: Available. Under Board Rule 22 TAC §217.3, a new graduate applying for initial licensure by examination may be issued a non-renewable Graduate Nurse (GN) temporary authorization to practice, valid up to 75 days, pending NCLEX-RN results.

Applies to new RN licensure by examination. Verified against the Texas Board of Nursing.

Full guide: how to get your first Texas RN license

First-Time Licensee Exemption

Yes for your first renewal, but only if you renew on time. The Board waives continuing competency for the first renewal after initial licensure when the application is submitted before your licence expires or within 90 days after it expires. Your initial licence period runs 6 to 29 months depending on your birth month, so the first cycle is often short. One thing the waiver does not remove: the forensic evidence collection requirement under Board Rule 216.3(d) is a one-time obligation tied to your practice, not to the renewal cycle, so it still applies if you perform forensic exams on sexual assault survivors or work in an emergency room. Everything else about renewal, including the application and fee, still applies.

CE Audit Information

Texas Board of Nursing conducts random CE audits.

From The Board Files

Watch: She Checked the Box. The Nursing Board Audited Her Anyway.

A short, sourced case story from this state's disciplinary process, by our YouTube series The Board Files.

Frequently asked questions about Texas nursing renewal

How many CE hours do nurses need in Texas?: Registered Nurses (RN) in Texas need 20 continuing education hours every 2 years for license renewal.
What are the mandatory CE topics in Texas?: Mandatory CE topics in Texas include: Jurisprudence & Ethics (every third renewal), Human Trafficking Prevention.
What is the renewal cycle for nursing licenses in Texas?: Nursing licenses in Texas must be renewed every 2 years. The Texas Board of Nursing oversees license renewals.
What is the RN renewal fee in Texas?: The RN renewal fee in Texas is $68. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the Texas Board of Nursing portal before submitting.
When are nursing licenses due for renewal in Texas?: Texas renewal deadline: End of birth month, every 2 years.
Is Texas part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)?: Yes. Texas is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, so an NLC multistate license allows practice in all compact states.
Does Texas require CE Broker for tracking continuing education?: No. Texas does not require CE Broker, though some nurses use it voluntarily to track CE across multiple states.
What license types does Texas regulate?: Texas regulates the following nursing license types: RN, LVN, APRN.
How many CE hours do LVNs need in Texas?: Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) in Texas need 20 continuing education hours every 2 years for license renewal. The LVN renewal fee is $45.
What does APRN renewal require in Texas?: APRNs in Texas complete 20 CE hours every 2 years for board renewal. The APRN renewal fee is $54. Texas also publishes a conditional APRN Pharmacotherapeutics requirement of 5 hours; see the requirements table for who it covers. Your national certification renews separately with its certifying body on its own cycle.
What happens if you miss the license renewal deadline in Texas?: The RN late-renewal fee is $60 (under 90 days late) / $120 (over 90 days), plus the renewal fee. If your license has lapsed, do not practice until your renewal is processed; confirm your status with the Texas Board of Nursing.

Sources & Board Resources

Texas Board of Nursing

https://www.bon.texas.gov

Sources

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Type

CE hours

Renewal fee

20 / 2 yrs

$68

LVN

20 / 2 yrs

$45

APRN

20 / 2 yrs

$54

Texas RN License Renewal Requirements

Quick Facts

How to Renew Your Texas Nursing License

How to Submit Your CE in Texas

If Texas audits your CE

Get the Texas RN renewal checklist

CE Hours by License Type

CE Requirements

Important Deadlines

Important Notes

CE Providers & Renewal

Late Fees & Reinstatement

Getting your first Texas RN license

Watch: She Checked the Box. The Nursing Board Audited Her Anyway.

Frequently asked questions about Texas nursing renewal

Sources & Board Resources

Cite or embed this page

Other Nurse Licensure Compact states

Don't miss your Texas renewal

More for Texas nurses

Texas RN License Renewal Requirements

Quick Facts

How to Renew Your Texas Nursing License

How to Submit Your CE in Texas

If Texas audits your CE

Get the Texas RN renewal checklist

CE Hours by License Type

CE Requirements

Important Deadlines

Important Notes

CE Providers & Renewal

Late Fees & Reinstatement

Getting your first Texas RN license

Watch: She Checked the Box. The Nursing Board Audited Her Anyway.

Frequently asked questions about Texas nursing renewal

Sources & Board Resources

Cite or embed this page

Other Nurse Licensure Compact states

Don't miss your Texas renewal

More for Texas nurses