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
Virginia Board of Nursing · 2-year renewal cycle
Verified against the Virginia Board of Nursing · Last reviewed · How RenewRN verifies its data
Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources
As of 2026, Virginia RNs renew every 2 years by meeting one of several board-approved competency options; the CE option is 30 contact hours. The RN renewal fee is $140.
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| Renewal cycle | Every 2 years |
| Renewal deadline | End of birth month, every 2 years |
| Total CE hours (RN) | No fixed mandate (30 hrs if you choose the CE option) |
| Renewal fee (RN) | $140 |
| Compact state (NLC) | Yes, NLC member · check your eligibility |
| License types | RN, APRN, LPN |
| Typical pay | See Virginia nurse salaries |
Virginia does not impose a flat continuing-education mandate for RN and LPN renewal. Instead, nurses satisfy continued competency by completing any ONE of nine options (18VAC90-19-160): current national specialty certification; post-licensure academic credit; a board-approved refresher course; an evidence-based practice project or research study; authoring a publication; teaching or developing a nursing course or CE; 15 contact hours plus 640 hours of active practice; or 30 contact hours of workshops and courses. A nationally certified nurse can renew with zero contact hours, and licensees are exempt for their first renewal. APRNs initially licensed on or after May 8, 2002 renew by maintaining current national certification (the 40-hour CE path applies only to APRNs licensed before that date), and APRNs with prescriptive authority must additionally complete 8 hours of pharmacology CE each biennium. Virginia is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state.
Verified against the Virginia Board of Nursing, last checked 2026-06-04. Found something off? Let me know.
Virginia CE Audit Response Guide
Response deadline, retention rules, board address, and the rejections that get nurses dinged.
Read the full Virginia RN License Renewal Guide
Step-by-step walkthrough, common mistakes, and tips for a smooth renewal
Visit the Virginia Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.
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A Virginia RN, at renewal, attests to completing at least ONE continued-competency learning activity for the cycle; certificates are not submitted at renewal. Per 18VAC90-19-160(A): “To renew an active nursing license, a licensee shall complete at least one of the following learning activities or courses:” options include current national specialty certification, three credit hours of post-licensure academic education, “Fifteen contact hours... and 640 hours of active practice as a nurse,” or “Thirty contact hours of workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses relevant to the practice of nursing.” The first renewal after initial licensure is exempt (18VAC90-19-160(D)). Documentation is kept two years and provided within 30 days only if the Board audits.
Where it happens: Virginia DHP online renewal (Board of Nursing)
www.dhp.virginia.gov/PractitionerResources/RenewOnlineRandom audit; the nurse maintains original documentation two years following renewal and provides it within 30 days if the Board requests proof of compliance.
Verified 2026-07-03 against law.lis.virginia.gov. Always confirm with the board before relying on it.
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| Type | CE hours | Renewal fee |
|---|---|---|
| RN | 30 / 2 yrs (CE option) | $140 |
| APRN | 0 / 2 yrs | $80 |
| LPN | 30 / 2 yrs (CE option) | $120 |
APRN renewal in Virginia. A conditional Prescriptive Authority Pharmacology requirement of 8 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 Virginia APRN renewal guide
| Category | Hours | Required | Types | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continued Competency (one option required) | 30 | Required | RNLPN | Virginia RN/LPN renewal requires completing at least ONE of nine continued-competency options (18VAC90-19-160), not a flat CE mandate: (1) current national specialty certification; (2) 3+ credit hours of post-licensure academic nursing education; (3) a board-approved nursing refresher course; (4) a nursing-related evidence-based practice project or research study; (5) authoring/co-authoring a publication; (6) teaching or developing a nursing course for college credit; (7) teaching or developing nursing CE (up to 30 contact hours); (8) 15 contact hours PLUS 640 hours of active practice; or (9) 30 contact hours of workshops/courses. A nationally certified nurse can renew with zero contact hours. |
| APRN National Certification | 0 | Required | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | APRNs initially licensed on or after May 8, 2002 renew by holding current professional (national) certification in their specialty (18VAC90-30-105 B). No separate CE-hour total applies. |
| APRN CE Alternative (licensed before May 8, 2002) | 40 | Optional | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | APRNs initially licensed before May 8, 2002 may instead complete at least 40 hours of continuing education in their specialty approved by a certifying agency, or maintain current certification. |
| Prescriptive Authority Pharmacology | 8 | Conditional | APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | APRNs WITH prescriptive authority must obtain 8 hours of pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics CE per biennium, IN ADDITION to the base APRN renewal requirement (18VAC90-40-55 B). Applies only to prescribers. |
| Nursing Practice | 0 | Optional | RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP | All learning activities must be relevant to nursing practice. No specific mandatory CE topics are required for RN/LPN. |
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs): Virginia 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 Virginia CE. Verified, accredited and state-approved courses. No upsells. Browse free Virginia nursing CE courses
Missed your Virginia renewal deadline?
Late renewal available for up to 6 months with additional fees; practicing on an expired license is prohibited
What to do if your Virginia license lapsedApproved CE Providers
Late Renewal Fees
Reinstatement Fees
Already lapsed? The Virginia re-entry guide covers refresher rules, costs by lapse length, and the path back.
Applies to new RN licensure by examination. Verified against the Virginia Board of Nursing.
First-Time Licensee Exemption
Exempt from continued-competency requirements for the first renewal following initial licensure (18VAC90-19-160 D).
CE Audit Information
Virginia Board of Nursing conducts random CE audits.
These Virginia renewal figures are free to cite, quote, or republish with attribution and a link (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation:
RenewRN, “Virginia Nursing License Renewal Requirements” (June 2026), renewrn.net/states/virginia, verified against the Virginia Board of Nursing.
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