DC Board of Nursing · NP

24 hours. Every two years. Tied to your birth month.

Below is exactly what DC Board of Nursing requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from DBN~3 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 25, 2026

Mandatory topics

For NPs, 24 hours is the total CME requirement. District of Columbia also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 24-hour total.

Pharmacology[1]
15 hrs
Biennial
DC APRNs must complete 15 contact hours in pharmacology as part of the 24-hour biennial CE requirement. These pharmacology hours count toward the 24-hour total, not in addition to it.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“APRN Contact Hours Required: 24 contact hours including 15 hours pharmacology, 2 hours LGBTQ, and 10% Director's Topics.”
DC BON; D.C. Code § 3-1205.10See source [1] in Primary Sources
Cultural competency[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
2 of the 24 contact hours must be on LGBTQ topics (cultural competency or specialized clinical training focused on LGBTQ patients). Same requirement as for RNs. Counts toward the 24-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“2 hours LGBTQ”
D.C. Code § 3-1205.10See source [1] in Primary Sources
General CME[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
10% of CE hours must be on public health priority topics identified by the DC Director of Health (approximately 2.4 hours of the 24-hour total, or reported as 3 hours in the secondary source). Director's Topics include opioid prescribing, abuse/trafficking reporting, HIV/AIDS, ethics, and related public health subjects.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“10% of continuing education is on relevant public health topics”
D.C. Code § 3-1205.10See source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your District of Columbia cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, District of Columbia Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
ANCC Contact Hour
DC Board of Nursing recognizes CE from ANCC-accredited providers. National certification maintenance CE may count toward the DC 24-hour total if from recognized providers.Sourcehttps://dchealth.dc.gov/service/education-resources-nurses[2]
Board-approved credit
CE from board-recognized organizations, accredited educational institutions, and AMA-certified CME.Sourcehttps://dchealth.dc.gov/service/education-resources-nurses[2]
Documentation & audit

Effective June 16, 2024, DC nursing licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month rather than a fixed date (D.C. Law 25-191).

Waivers & exemptions

APRNs who have not practiced in DC during the previous licensing cycle or who do not see patients in clinical settings may qualify for exemptions.

FAQ
Why does DC require 15 hours of pharmacology CE for NPs?
DC's 15-hour pharmacology requirement reflects the advanced prescribing responsibilities of APRNs and DC's policy that independently practicing NP prescribers maintain current pharmacotherapeutics competency. DC is a full-practice-authority state for NPs, and the pharmacology CE mandate ensures prescribers remain current with drug therapy advances.
Do DC NPs have independent prescriptive authority?
Yes. DC grants NPs full practice authority (FPA). DC NPs may practice and prescribe independently without a mandatory physician collaborative practice agreement.
Is the District of Columbia a Nurse Licensure Compact jurisdiction?
No. DC is not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. All nurses practicing in DC must hold a DC-issued license. There are no multistate compact privileges in DC.

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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. DC Board of Nursing — Official Website
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “APRN Contact Hours Required: 24 contact hours including 15 hours pharmacology, 2 hours LGBTQ, and 10% Director's Topics.”DC BON; D.C. Code § 3-1205.10
    “2 hours LGBTQ”D.C. Code § 3-1205.10
    “10% of continuing education is on relevant public health topics”D.C. Code § 3-1205.10
  2. DC Board of Nursing — Education Resources for Nurses
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “APRN Contact Hours Required: 24 contact hours including 15 hours pharmacology, 2 hours LGBTQ, and 10% Director's Topics.”DC BON Education Resources

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the DC Board of Nursing, or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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