How many CE hours do nurses need in Washington?

Registered Nurses (RN) in Washington need 8 continuing education hours every year for license renewal.

What are the mandatory CE topics in Washington?

Mandatory CE topics in Washington include: Health Equity, Practice Hours.

What is the renewal cycle for nursing licenses in Washington?

Nursing licenses in Washington must be renewed every year. The Washington State Board of Nursing oversees license renewals.

What is the RN renewal fee in Washington?

The RN renewal fee in Washington is $138. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the Washington State Board of Nursing portal before submitting.

When are nursing licenses due for renewal in Washington?

Washington nursing licenses are due birthday annually (rn/lpn) or every 2 years (aprn).

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

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

Does Washington require CE Broker for tracking continuing education?

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

What license types does Washington regulate?

Washington regulates the following nursing license types: RN, APRN, LPN.

How many CE hours do LPNs need in Washington?

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) in Washington need 8 continuing education hours every year for license renewal. The LPN renewal fee is $93.

What does APRN renewal require in Washington?

APRNs in Washington complete 30 CE hours every year for board renewal. The APRN renewal fee is $130. Renewal deadlines in Washington differ by license type: Birthday annually (RN/LPN) or every 2 years (APRN). Your national certification renews separately with its certifying body on its own cycle.

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

Late renewal available up to 1 year from expiration with a $50 late fee; practicing on an expired license is prohibited The RN late-renewal fee is $50 late penalty added on top of the $138 on-time renewal ($188 total to renew up to 1 year after expiration; past 1 year the $258 reinstatement tier applies). If your license has lapsed, do not practice until your renewal is processed; confirm your status with the Washington State Board of Nursing.

Field guide · License renewal

Washington RN License Renewal Requirements

Name: Washington Nursing License Renewal
Creator: RenewRN

Verified 2026-06-04

Washington State Board of Nursing · 1-year renewal cycle

Verified against the Washington State Board of Nursing · Last reviewed June 4, 2026 · How RenewRN verifies its data

Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources

As of 2026, Washington RNs must complete 8 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew. The RN renewal fee is $138.

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Quick Facts

Renewal cycle	Every year
Renewal deadline	Birthday annually (RN/LPN) or every 2 years (APRN)
Total CE hours (RN)	8 contact hours
Renewal fee (RN)	$138
Compact state (NLC)	Yes, NLC member · check your eligibility
License types	RN, APRN, LPN
Typical pay	See Washington nurse salaries

Washington requires Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses to complete 8 contact hours of continuing education per year with an annual renewal cycle. It is the only annually renewing state among those we track. Mandatory topics include a one-time 6-hour suicide prevention course and 2 hours of health equity training each cycle. APRNs (called ARNPs in Washington) renew every 2 years with 30 CE hours in their specialty area; those with prescriptive authority complete an additional 15 pharmacology hours (45 total). Washington joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) in 2023. The Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission was renamed to the Washington State Board of Nursing in July 2023.

Verified against the Washington State Board of Nursing, last checked 2026-06-04. Found something off? Let me know.

Washington CE Audit Response Guide

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

Read the full Washington RN License Renewal Guide

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

How to Renew Your Washington Nursing License

1Log in to the Washington Department of Health online portal at doh.wa.gov
2Complete 8 CE hours (RN/LPN) including any mandatory topics due this cycle
3Ensure you have 96 practice hours within the 12 months prior to renewal
4Complete the renewal application and answer all required questions
5Pay the renewal fee ($138 for RN, $93 for LPN, $130 for ARNP) online
6Receive your renewed license confirmation

Visit the Washington State Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.

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How to Submit Your CE in Washington

You attest to your CE when you renew and keep your certificates; you only submit documents if the board audits you.

A Washington RN meets continuing-competency requirements and attests at renewal; certificates are not submitted at renewal. Board CE page: “Registered Nurse (RN) Continuing Competency Requirements: Complete 8 continuing education hours (2 of these hours must be health equity CE); Submit your demographic data through the online renewal portal.” RNs must also meet the active-practice requirement (96 hours of practice per year, WAC 246-840-220). The nurse keeps CE records and provides them only if audited (“audits may be conducted randomly or as part of the disciplinary process”). No certificates are uploaded at renewal; no CE Broker.

Where it happens: Washington State Nursing Commission online renewal portal

nursing.wa.gov/licensing/renew-or-reactivate-license

If Washington audits your CE

Audits may be conducted randomly or as part of the disciplinary process; the nurse retains CE records and provides them if selected.

Announced change

As of Dec. 22, 2023 a 2-hour health-equity CE requirement applies (counting toward the 8 CE hours); all RNs/LPNs must complete it by their 2026 renewal, then every renewal period after.

Verified 2026-07-03 against nursing.wa.gov. Always confirm with the board before relying on it.

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CE Hours by License Type

Washington ranks #6 of 51 for RN renewal burden, one of the heaviest in the country.See the CE Burden Index

Type	CE hours	Renewal fee
RN	8 / yr	$138
APRN	30 / yr	$130
LPN	8 / yr	$93

CE deadline calculator Check if a course counts Compare all states

APRN renewal in Washington. 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 Washington APRN renewal guide

CE Requirements

Category	Hours	Required	Types	Description
General CE	8	Required	RNLPN	8 contact hours of continuing education per annual renewal cycle for RNs and LPNs
Suicide Prevention	6	Conditional	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	One-time 6-hour suicide prevention training (included in total). Required once for initial or first renewal after the requirement.
Health Equity	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	2 hours in health equity CE each renewal cycle (included in total hours). Covers cultural humility, implicit bias, and health disparities.
Practice Hours	0	Required	RNLPN	A minimum of 96 hours of active nursing practice within a 12-month period prior to renewal (i.e. per year), per WAC 246-840-220(2)(a) effective 1/30/2026, not 96 hours across 3 years.
APRN CE	30	Required	APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	30 contact hours per 2-year renewal cycle for APRNs in their specialty area
APRN Pharmacology	15	Conditional	APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	15 additional hours of pharmacology CE, required ONLY for APRNs with prescriptive authority (per WAC 246-840-451), on top of the 30-hour specialty requirement (45 total for prescribers). Non-prescribing ARNPs need only the 30 hours.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs): Washington 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 Washington CE. Verified, accredited and state-approved courses. No upsells. Browse free Washington nursing CE courses

Important Deadlines

Renewal Due: Birthday annually (RN/LPN) or every 2 years (APRN)
Grace Period: Late renewal available up to 1 year from expiration with a $50 late fee; practicing on an expired license is prohibited
CE Completion Window: All CE must be completed during the 1-year period immediately preceding the renewal date
Record Retention: The Washington State Board of Nursing sets no fixed retention period, so keep your CE certificates in case of audit

Missed your Washington renewal deadline?

Late renewal available up to 1 year from expiration with a $50 late fee; practicing on an expired license is prohibited

What to do if your Washington license lapsed

Important Notes

• Washington uses an annual renewal cycle for RNs and LPNs: 8 CE hours per year
• APRNs renew every 2 years with 30 CE hours in their specialty; APRNs with prescriptive authority complete an additional 15 pharmacology hours (45 total) per WAC 246-840-451
• One-time 6-hour suicide prevention training is required (can count toward total CE in the year completed)
• 2 hours of health equity CE are required each renewal cycle
• 96 hours of active nursing practice within the 12-month period prior to renewal (i.e. per year) are required in addition to CE, per WAC 246-840-220(2)(a) effective 1/30/2026
• Washington officially uses 'ARNP' for advanced practice nurses, shown as APRN throughout RenewRN for consistency
• CE Broker: NOT required and NOT board-encouraged (both flags false). WABON is listed as a backend CE Broker partner board, but the board's own continuing-competency and renewal pages never mention CE Broker; renewal is self-attestation and any audit runs through the state HELMS portal, not CE Broker. Verified 2026-06-16 against nursing.wa.gov. Don't set ceBrokerEncouraged true on partner-list membership alone.
• This information is for guidance only. Always verify requirements with the Washington State Board of Nursing.

CE Providers & Renewal

Approved CE Providers

ANCCWashington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission

Renew Online

Late Fees & Reinstatement

Late Renewal Fees

RN: $50 late penalty added on top of the $138 on-time renewal ($188 total to renew up to 1 year after expiration; past 1 year the $258 reinstatement tier applies)
LPN: $50 late penalty added on top of the $93 on-time renewal ($143 total to renew up to 1 year after expiration; past 1 year the $213 reinstatement tier applies)

Reinstatement Fees

RN: $258
LPN: $213

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

Getting your first Washington RN license

Background check: Fingerprint-based criminal background check required. WABON conducts a criminal background check on all applications and requires an FBI fingerprint-based background check (completed via Live Scan or fingerprint cards, processed through the Washington State Patrol and FBI) for multistate license applicants and for single-state RN-by-exam applicants who have an out-of-state address.
Application fee: $138 (initial license by examination)
Temporary permit: Available. WABON may issue a Temporary Practice Permit (TPP) once all other licensing requirements have been met, valid while the applicant's FBI fingerprint background check is still pending.

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

Full guide: how to get your first Washington RN license

CE Audit Information

The Washington State Board of Nursing randomly audits up to 25% of nurses after renewal; selected nurses submit documentation within 60 days. Keep your records in case of audit. Washington sets no fixed retention period in rule.

Frequently asked questions about Washington nursing renewal

How many CE hours do nurses need in Washington?: Registered Nurses (RN) in Washington need 8 continuing education hours every year for license renewal.
What are the mandatory CE topics in Washington?: Mandatory CE topics in Washington include: Health Equity, Practice Hours.
What is the renewal cycle for nursing licenses in Washington?: Nursing licenses in Washington must be renewed every year. The Washington State Board of Nursing oversees license renewals.
What is the RN renewal fee in Washington?: The RN renewal fee in Washington is $138. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the Washington State Board of Nursing portal before submitting.
When are nursing licenses due for renewal in Washington?: Washington nursing licenses are due birthday annually (rn/lpn) or every 2 years (aprn).
Is Washington part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)?: Yes. Washington is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, so an NLC multistate license allows practice in all compact states.
Does Washington require CE Broker for tracking continuing education?: No. Washington does not require CE Broker, though some nurses use it voluntarily to track CE across multiple states.
What license types does Washington regulate?: Washington regulates the following nursing license types: RN, APRN, LPN.
How many CE hours do LPNs need in Washington?: Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) in Washington need 8 continuing education hours every year for license renewal. The LPN renewal fee is $93.
What does APRN renewal require in Washington?: APRNs in Washington complete 30 CE hours every year for board renewal. The APRN renewal fee is $130. Renewal deadlines in Washington differ by license type: Birthday annually (RN/LPN) or every 2 years (APRN). Your national certification renews separately with its certifying body on its own cycle.
What happens if you miss the license renewal deadline in Washington?: Late renewal available up to 1 year from expiration with a $50 late fee; practicing on an expired license is prohibited The RN late-renewal fee is $50 late penalty added on top of the $138 on-time renewal ($188 total to renew up to 1 year after expiration; past 1 year the $258 reinstatement tier applies). If your license has lapsed, do not practice until your renewal is processed; confirm your status with the Washington State Board of Nursing.

Sources & Board Resources

Washington State Board of Nursing

https://nursing.wa.gov

Sources

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Type

CE hours

Renewal fee

8 / yr

$138

APRN

30 / yr

$130

LPN

8 / yr

$93

Washington RN License Renewal Requirements

Quick Facts

How to Renew Your Washington Nursing License

How to Submit Your CE in Washington

If Washington audits your CE

Get the Washington RN renewal checklist

CE Hours by License Type

CE Requirements

Important Deadlines

Important Notes

CE Providers & Renewal

Late Fees & Reinstatement

Getting your first Washington RN license

Frequently asked questions about Washington nursing renewal

Sources & Board Resources

Cite or embed this page

Other Nurse Licensure Compact states

Don't miss your Washington renewal

More for Washington nurses

Washington RN License Renewal Requirements

Quick Facts

How to Renew Your Washington Nursing License

How to Submit Your CE in Washington

If Washington audits your CE

Get the Washington RN renewal checklist

CE Hours by License Type

CE Requirements

Important Deadlines

Important Notes

CE Providers & Renewal

Late Fees & Reinstatement

Getting your first Washington RN license

Frequently asked questions about Washington nursing renewal

Sources & Board Resources

Cite or embed this page

Other Nurse Licensure Compact states

Don't miss your Washington renewal

More for Washington nurses