How many CE hours does a Pennsylvania Registered Nurse need?

30 CE contact hours every 2 years, per the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. 30 contact hours every 2 years, including mandated child-abuse and (new) organ-donation training. Always confirm with the board.

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CE requirements › Pennsylvania RN

Pennsylvania Registered Nurse: CE & renewal requirements

30 CE contact hours every 2 years

Biennial. Pennsylvania is moving to a staggered schedule — check your exact expiration date in PALS rather than assuming the old uniform date.

Source: Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing · confirmed 2026-06. Requirements change — always verify with the board.

Required topics

2 hrs Child Abuse Recognition & Reporting (Act 31) — required even on first renewal
2 hrs Organ & Tissue Donation — new one-time requirement effective May 2026

First renewal & exemptions

First-renewal nurses are exempt from the general 30 hours EXCEPT the 2-hour child-abuse training, which is always required. (Opioid education applies only to CRNPs with prescriptive authority, not general RNs.)

If your license lapses

Practicing on a lapsed license is prohibited and disciplinable; late renewal carries fees. Not receiving a renewal notice does not excuse a late renewal.

How CE is tracked

Self-attest at online renewal (PALS). Keep CE proof for at least 5 years for audit.

Watch out: Two 2026 traps: the new staggered renewal dates mean many nurses guess wrong (pull your date from PALS), and the brand-new organ/tissue donation hour catches first-time renewers off guard.

Are you on track? Check free

Enter your license expiration and CE hours completed — see what you still owe, the pace to finish, and your reminder schedule. No signup.

Informational only, based on the numbers you enter — not legal or licensing advice, and not an official record. Confirm your exact requirement and current status with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.