Tennessee Registered Nurse: CE & renewal requirements

No fixed CE-hour count — Tennessee uses a continuing-competency model — meet two of a list of options (the CE option is 5 hours).

Biennial. Each cycle you must maintain evidence of TWO items from a Board list (one option is 5 CE hours, or 10 if not currently practicing).

Source: Tennessee Board of Nursing (Department of Health) · confirmed 2026-06. Requirements change — always verify with the board.

First renewal & exemptions

You can renew with zero CE by choosing two non-CE options (e.g., a refresher course plus an orientation program).

If your license lapses

Late renewal carries penalties; practicing on a lapsed license is prohibited, and a long lapse may require demonstrating current competence.

How CE is tracked

Self-retain your competency evidence for 4 years; it's produced on audit, not uploaded each renewal.

Watch out: The '5 contact hours' figure is only one of two required competency items — and it rises to 10 hours if you're not currently practicing.

Are you on track? Check free

Tennessee doesn't use a single CE-hour number here, so enter the hour-based requirement that applies to your situation (or just track your renewal date). 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 Tennessee Board of Nursing (Department of Health).