North Carolina Nurse Practitioner CE Requirements
North Carolina Board of Nursing (NP approval to practice is regulated jointly with the North Carolina Medical Board)
Last reviewed July 2026 · verify current rules with the board before relying on them
Build your North Carolina renewal checklist →Renewal cycle
1 year- NP registration renews annually; CE is measured over a 2-year period.
Total CE hours
50 hours / 2 years- 50 contact hours every 2 years, beginning with the first renewal after initial approval to practice.
- At least 20 of the 50 hours must be within the NP's national certification area and approved by a national credentialing body or ACCME.
Pharmacology CE
None- No separately enumerated pharmacology-hour requirement (21 NCAC 36 .0807).
- Pharmacology content is expected within the 50 hours / 20 certification-related hours rather than as a distinct quota
- The only drug-specific quota is the controlled-substance hour below
Controlled-substance CE
1 hour / year- NPs who prescribe controlled substances must complete at least 1 contact hour per year (within the preceding 12 months, counted within the 50-hour total).
- Topics: controlled-substance prescribing practices, recognizing misuse/abuse, and chronic-pain prescribing
- Completing the federal 8-hour MATE Act training is deemed compliant for the 2-year CE period in which it was completed.
Good to know
- CE documentation must be retained for 5 years (21 NCAC 36 .0807).
- The MATE-training safe harbor is a relatively recent addition to the rule.
Official sources
This guide is informational and not legal or licensing advice. National certification (e.g. ANCC PMHNP-BC: 75 CE hours per 5 years including 25 pharmacotherapeutics hours) and the one-time 8-hour DEA MATE Act training may apply in addition to state requirements.
CE Requirements in Other States
Cover Your North Carolina Requirements
The PMHNP CE Program, by Psychopharmacology Institute, is continuing education built around psychopharmacology: 115 CME contact hours, including 75+ pharmacology hours — the category state boards and certifying bodies actually require of prescribers. Every publication is available as video, audio in your podcast app, and text summaries with key points.
Content is taught by academic faculty, focused on real-world prescribing, and free of commercial bias. 1 CME = 1 contact hour, fully AANP-approved.
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