Wisconsin Nurse Practitioner CE Requirements
Wisconsin Board of Nursing, Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
Last reviewed July 2026 · verify current rules with the board before relying on them
Build your Wisconsin renewal checklist →Renewal cycle
2 years- Licenses renew every 2 years, by September 30 of even-numbered years (next: September 30, 2026).
Total CE hours
16 hours- 16 contact hours per biennium for prescribers.
- Wisconsin has no general RN CE requirement, so the pharmacology CE is effectively the entire state CE requirement.
- National certification must be maintained.
Pharmacology CE
16 hours- 16 contact hours per biennium in clinical pharmacology or therapeutics relevant to your area of practice (Wis. Admin. Code ch. N 8).
- This is the state's signature pharmacology-heavy requirement and applies to APNP/APRN prescribers, including PMHNPs.
Controlled-substance CE
2 hours- At least 2 of the 16 pharmacology/therapeutics hours must address responsible prescribing of controlled substances.
- The federal one-time 8-hour DEA MATE Act training additionally applies if you hold a DEA registration.
Good to know
- Major upcoming change: 2025 Wisconsin Act 17 creates a distinct APRN license effective September 1, 2026 — existing APNP certificates convert automatically to APRN licenses on that date, with four recognized roles: NP, CRNA, CNS, and CNM.
- Watch for implementing rule changes to CE numbering, but the 16-hour clinical pharmacology/therapeutics requirement (including 2 hours on controlled-substance prescribing) is the current published standard for prescribers.
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 Wisconsin 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.
"The lack of commercial bias in this program gives me peace of mind." — program memberSee How the Program Works