How many CE hours do nurses need in Florida?

Registered Nurses (RN) in Florida need 24 continuing education hours every 2 years for license renewal.

What are the mandatory CE topics in Florida?

Mandatory CE topics in Florida include: General CE, Prevention of Medical Errors, Laws and Rules, Human Trafficking, Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace, Domestic Violence, APRN Safe Prescribing of Controlled Substances.

What is the renewal cycle for nursing licenses in Florida?

Nursing licenses in Florida must be renewed every 2 years. The Florida Board of Nursing oversees license renewals.

What license types does Florida regulate?

Florida regulates the following nursing license types: RN, LPN, APRN, CNA.

Florida RN License Renewal Requirements

Florida Board of Nursing · 2-year renewal cycle · Last verified 2026-02-05

Quick Facts

Renewal Cycle	Every 2 years
Total CE Hours (RN)	24 contact hours
Renewal Fee (RN)	$75
Compact State (NLC)	Yes — NLC member
License Types	RN, LPN, APRN, CNA

Florida requires Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) to complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every 2-year renewal cycle. Several mandatory topics are required, including prevention of medical errors, Florida laws and rules, and human trafficking awareness. APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 3 additional hours on safe prescribing of controlled substances. Florida is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state, allowing nurses with a multistate license to practice across compact states.

This data is verified against the Florida Board of Nursing — last checked 2026-02-05. If anything looks off, let me know.

Read the full Florida RN License Renewal Guide

Step-by-step walkthrough, common mistakes, and tips for a smooth renewal

How to Renew Your Florida Nursing License

1Log in to the Florida Department of Health MQA portal at flhealthsource.gov
2Complete all 24 required CE hours (27 for APRNs) from approved providers
3Certify completion of all mandatory topic requirements
4Pay the renewal fee online
5Print your renewed license from the MQA portal

Visit the Florida Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.

CE Hours by License Type

hours / 2 years

Renewal fee: $75

LPN

hours / 2 years

Renewal fee: $75

APRN

hours / 2 years

Renewal fee: $75

CNA

hours / 2 years

Renewal fee: $55

CE Requirements

Category	Hours	Required	License Types	Description
General CE	24	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	Total continuing education contact hours required for biennial renewal
Prevention of Medical Errors	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour prevention of medical errors course required every biennium (included in 24-hour total)
Laws and Rules	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour Florida laws and rules course required every biennium (included in 24-hour total)
Human Trafficking	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour human trafficking awareness course required every biennium (included in 24-hour total)
Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour recognizing impairment course required every other biennium (every 4 years, included in 24-hour total)
Domestic Violence	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour domestic violence course required every third biennium (every 6 years). These hours are in addition to the 24-hour total.
HIV/AIDS	1	Optional	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	1-hour HIV/AIDS course required at first renewal only (one-time, included in 24-hour total)
APRN Safe Prescribing of Controlled Substances	3	Required	APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	3 hours on safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances required every biennium for APRNs with prescriptive authority (in addition to base 24 hours)

Important Deadlines

Renewal Due: Biennial renewal based on assigned group (3 groups with April 30 or July 31 expiration dates); check your group at flhealthsource.gov
Grace Period: License becomes delinquent after expiration; late renewal available within 1 year with additional fee
CE Completion Window: All CE must be completed during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal date
Record Retention: Keep CE certificates for at least 4 years in case of audit by the Florida Board of Nursing

Important Notes

• Florida uses the term LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) instead of LVN
• Most mandatory topic hours are included in the 24-hour total, except domestic violence which is additional
• Domestic violence (2 hrs) is required every third biennium (every 6 years) and is additional to the 24-hour total, making the total 26 hours in that cycle
• Recognizing impairment (2 hrs) is required every other biennium (every 4 years), not every renewal
• Human trafficking (2 hrs) is required every biennium, not one-time
• APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 3 additional hours on controlled substances (total 27 hours)
• CE must be completed during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal date
• This information is for guidance only. Always verify requirements with the Florida Board of Nursing.

CE Providers & Renewal

Approved CE Providers

ANCCFlorida Board of NursingCE Broker Approved

CBCE Broker reporting is required in Florida

Renew Online

Late Fees & Reinstatement

Late Renewal Fees

RN: $50
LPN: $25

Reinstatement Fees

RN: $250
LPN: $150

First-Time Licensee Exemption

First-time licensees are exempt from CE requirements for the first renewal cycle

CE Audit Information

Florida uses CE Broker for automated tracking. Random audits may occur during renewal.

Board Resources

Florida Board of Nursing

https://floridasnursing.gov

Sources

Last verified 2026-02-05·View official source →

Always confirm requirements directly with the Florida Board of Nursing before making decisions about your license renewal.

Track your Florida license — free

CE hours, mandatory topics, renewal reminders — everything you need to stay compliant in Florida. Setup takes 60 seconds.

Start Tracking — Free View All States

How to Renew Your Florida Nursing License

1Log in to the Florida Department of Health MQA portal at flhealthsource.gov

2Complete all 24 required CE hours (27 for APRNs) from approved providers

3Certify completion of all mandatory topic requirements

4Pay the renewal fee online

5Print your renewed license from the MQA portal

Visit the Florida Board of Nursing website for the official renewal portal.

CE Requirements

Category	Hours	Required	License Types	Description
General CE	24	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	Total continuing education contact hours required for biennial renewal
Prevention of Medical Errors	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour prevention of medical errors course required every biennium (included in 24-hour total)
Laws and Rules	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour Florida laws and rules course required every biennium (included in 24-hour total)
Human Trafficking	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour human trafficking awareness course required every biennium (included in 24-hour total)
Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour recognizing impairment course required every other biennium (every 4 years, included in 24-hour total)
Domestic Violence	2	Required	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	2-hour domestic violence course required every third biennium (every 6 years). These hours are in addition to the 24-hour total.
HIV/AIDS	1	Optional	RNLPNAPRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNPCNA	1-hour HIV/AIDS course required at first renewal only (one-time, included in 24-hour total)
APRN Safe Prescribing of Controlled Substances	3	Required	APRNFNPCRNACNMPMHNP	3 hours on safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances required every biennium for APRNs with prescriptive authority (in addition to base 24 hours)

Important Deadlines

Renewal Due: Biennial renewal based on assigned group (3 groups with April 30 or July 31 expiration dates); check your group at flhealthsource.gov
Grace Period: License becomes delinquent after expiration; late renewal available within 1 year with additional fee
CE Completion Window: All CE must be completed during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal date
Record Retention: Keep CE certificates for at least 4 years in case of audit by the Florida Board of Nursing

Important Notes

• Florida uses the term LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) instead of LVN

• Most mandatory topic hours are included in the 24-hour total, except domestic violence which is additional

• Domestic violence (2 hrs) is required every third biennium (every 6 years) and is additional to the 24-hour total, making the total 26 hours in that cycle

• Recognizing impairment (2 hrs) is required every other biennium (every 4 years), not every renewal

• Human trafficking (2 hrs) is required every biennium, not one-time

• APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 3 additional hours on controlled substances (total 27 hours)

• CE must be completed during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal date

• This information is for guidance only. Always verify requirements with the Florida Board of Nursing.