Delaware Board of Nursing · NP

Delaware CE Requirements for Nurse Practitioners

30 hours. Every two years. Tied to your license anniversary.

Updated April 2026Sourced from DBN

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 26, 2026

Mandatory topics

For NPs, 30 hours is the total CE requirement. Delaware also names specific topics that must be covered, and each one is listed below.

Opioid/Substance Use[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
At least 3 contact hours in substance abuse are required within the 30-hour biennial total. Same as RN requirement; applies to NP renewal.
View sourceVerbatim from source
At least 3 of these contact hours must be in the area of substance abuse.
24 Del. Admin. Code 1900 § 9.2.1.1; Del. Code tit. 24, § 1906(a)(18)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Abuse Reporting & Mandatory Reporter[1]
1 hr
Biennial
At least 1 contact hour on recognition of and response to suspected or known sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, trafficking, or domestic violence of vulnerable persons. Required for renewals on or after October 1, 2025. Counts toward the 30-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
must complete at least 1 hour of continuing education in each reporting period on the recognition of and response to suspected or known sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, trafficking, or domestic violence of vulnerable persons
Del. Code tit. 24, § 1906(a)(18) (statute; 'all nursing professionals', renewals on/after Oct 1, 2025, recurring each reporting period)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Delaware cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalControlled Substance Prescribing[2]
2 hrs
Biennial

Delaware nurse practitioners/APRNs holding a Delaware Controlled Substance Registration (CSR)

View sourceVerbatim from source
All practitioners must attest to completion of two hours of continuing education biennially in the areas of controlled substance prescribing practices, treatment of chronic pain, or other topics related to the prescribing of controlled substances.
DE CSAC Regs Section 3.1.3See source [2] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Delaware Board of Nursing accepts ANCC Contact Hour toward the CE requirement for NPs, along with other credit it approves.

Credit systemNotes
ANCC Contact Hour
ANCC-accredited CE from board-approved providers is accepted.Sourcehttps://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/nursing/continuing-education-and-audit-information/[1]
Board-approved credit
All CE must be from Delaware Board of Nursing-approved methods or providers.Sourcehttps://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/nursing/continuing-education-and-audit-information/[1]
Documentation & audit

NPs are responsible for retaining CE documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.

Waivers & exemptions

For initial RN/APRN renewal: nurses licensed during the first portion of the biennial window may have a reduced or zero CE requirement for the first renewal cycle.

FAQ
How many CE hours do Delaware nurse practitioners need?
Delaware NPs must complete 30 contact hours per biennial renewal period, including at least 3 hours in substance abuse and at least 1 hour on recognition/response to abuse/trafficking/domestic violence (effective October 1, 2025). This is the same CE requirement as for Delaware RNs.
Do Delaware NPs have independent prescriptive authority?
Yes. Delaware is a full-practice-authority (FPA) state for NPs. Delaware NPs may practice and prescribe independently without a mandatory physician collaborative practice agreement.
What are the practice hour requirements for Delaware APRN renewal?
Delaware APRNs must attest to 1,500 hours of specialty practice within the past 5 years, or 600 hours within the past 2 years, or graduation from the specialty program within the past 2 years. This is a separate requirement from CE.
Is Delaware a Nurse Licensure Compact state?
Yes. Delaware is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), and Delaware has enacted the APRN Compact. The APRN Compact is not yet operational, so the multistate license privilege currently applies to the RN component only and APRN practice authorization remains state-specific in practice.

Never miss a Delaware CE deadline.

Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your license anniversary renewal.

Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    At least 3 of these contact hours must be in the area of substance abuse.24 Del. Admin. Code 1900 § 9.2.1.1; Del. Code tit. 24, § 1906(a)(18)
    must complete at least 1 hour of continuing education in each reporting period on the recognition of and response to suspected or known sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, trafficking, or domestic violence of vulnerable personsDel. Code tit. 24, § 1906(a)(18) (statute; 'all nursing professionals', renewals on/after Oct 1, 2025, recurring each reporting period) · Effective 2025-10-01
  2. Primary sourceAccessed 2026-05-13
    Show verbatim text
    All practitioners must attest to completion of two hours of continuing education biennially in the areas of controlled substance prescribing practices, treatment of chronic pain, or other topics related to the prescribing of controlled substances.DE CSAC Regs Section 3.1.3