Virginia Nurse Practitioner CE Requirements

Renewal cycle

2 years (biennial); NP license renews in the birth month of odd/even year matching license

Total CE hours

Per 18VAC90-30-105 (current text, amended eff. Nov. 8, 2023), an APRN initially licensed on or after May 8, 2002 MUST hold current professional certification in the specialty to renew — there is no CE alternative for them. Only APRNs licensed before May 8, 2002 (or CNSs registered with a retired certification) may choose between current certification OR at least 40 hours of CE in the specialty area per biennium. Framing it as a general '40 hours OR certification' option overstates who can use the 40-hour pathway.

Pharmacology CE

8 contact hours of pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics per 2-year renewal cycle, required of NPs who hold prescriptive authority (in addition to the general continued-competency requirement). No pharm-specific hours if the NP does not hold prescriptive authority.

Controlled-substance CE

No recurring state-mandated opioid/pain CE specific to NP license renewal was found on the Board's continued-competency pages; the federal one-time 8-hour DEA MATE Act training applies to DEA registrants. Evidence of the 8 pharmacology hours must be retained for 4 years and is subject to random audit.

Good to know

The 8-hour pharmacology requirement (18VAC90-40, prescriptive authority regulations) was confirmed directly on the Board's official Prescriptive Authority continued-competency page. Applies to PMHNPs with prescriptive authority the same as other NPs. The 40-hours-or-certification option is the general NP continued-competency rule; because national certification is a condition of Virginia NP licensure, recertification usually satisfies it.

Official sources