California Nursing License Renewal
California has no single statewide nursing deadline. Each RN and LVN license renews every two years on its own date, tied to the nurse's birthday, so an agency's nurses expire all through the year. Both licenses need 30 hours of continuing education per renewal.
Who licenses whom
| License | Board | CE per renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse (RN), Nurse Practitioner, other advanced practice | Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) | 30 hours |
| Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) | Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) | 30 hours |
California calls practical nurses "vocational nurses" (LVNs). There is no LPN license in California.
How the RN deadline works
- A first California RN license covers two birthdays and expires at the end of the month after the nurse's birthday. After that it renews every two years, as long as it's renewed on time.
- RNs need 30 contact hours from Board-recognized providers in the two years before renewal.
- Nurses renewing for the first time after passing the licensing exam are exempt from the 30 hours.
- Since January 1, 2023, newly licensed RNs must complete a one-hour implicit bias course within their first two years. There are no exemptions for this course.
- An RN can renew to inactive status without the CE hours, but can't practice until the license is active again.
Details from the Board of Registered Nursing renewal page.
LVNs
LVN licenses also renew every two years and need 30 hours of continuing education to stay active. A license renewed without the hours is placed on inactive status. The first renewal after initial licensure is exempt from the hours. LVNs keep CE certificates for four years in case of a Board audit.
What employers should watch
- Dates spread across the year. With birthday-based deadlines, someone on a 50-nurse team is renewing almost every month.
- Active, not just current. An inactive or delinquent license can't be used to practice, even if the nurse still holds it.
- No compact. California isn't part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so nurses from other states need a California license.
Common questions
When do California nursing licenses expire?
How many CE hours do California RNs need?
How many CE hours do California LVNs need?
Can out-of-state nurses work in California on a compact license?
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