Florida Board of Nursing · NP

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

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from FBN~6 min read

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

Mandatory topics

For NPs, 26 hours is the total CME requirement. Florida also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 26-hour total.

General CME[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Prevention of Medical Errors — 2 contact hours per biennium. Must be Florida Board of Nursing-approved.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 hours (board approved)”
Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(a)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Legal / risk[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Florida Laws and Rules — 2 contact hours per biennium. Must be Florida Board of Nursing-approved.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Florida Laws & Rules: 2 hours (board approved)”
Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(c)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Human trafficking[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Human Trafficking — 2 contact hours every renewal on or after January 1, 2019. Does not need to be Florida Board of Nursing-approved but must meet Fla. Stat. § 464.013(c) criteria.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Human Trafficking: 2 hours (every renewal; does not require board approval)”
Fla. Stat. § 464.013(c)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Professional Boundaries[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace — 2 contact hours every other renewal (alternating cycles). Counts within the CE total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Recognition of Impairment in the Workplace: 2 hours (every other renewal)”
Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(d)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Pharmacology[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
Safe and Effective Prescription of Controlled Substances — 3 contact hours per biennium required for all APRNs (not just first renewal). Approved providers include AMA-accredited statewide physician associations, ANCC, AANA, and AANP. Distance learning permitted. This is required EVERY renewal and does NOT count toward an exemption.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Safe and Effective Prescription of Controlled Substances: 3 hours”
Fla. Stat. § 464.013(b)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Domestic violence[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Domestic Violence — 2 contact hours required every THIRD biennium, in ADDITION to the 26-hour total. This requirement does not apply every renewal.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Domestic Violence: 2 hours (every third biennium, in addition to 24 hours)”
Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(f)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Florida 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.

ConditionalInfectious disease[1]
1 hr
Biennial

APRNs completing their first renewal after initial Florida APRN licensure

View sourceVerbatim from source
“HIV/AIDS: 1 hour (one-time requirement before first renewal)”
Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(b)See source [1] in Primary Sources
ConditionalGeneral CME[1]
10 hrs
Biennial

APRNs practicing with autonomous (independent) practice authority

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Autonomous APRNs must complete 10 additional hours of approved courses at the graduate level (Nurse Practitioner or continuing medical education).”
Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Florida 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
16 general contact hours must be from state or nationally accredited nursing CE providers. ANCC-accredited providers qualify. Up to 50% of general CE may be CME for APRNs (per Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(4)).SourceFla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002[1]
Board-approved credit
10 NP-level CE hours must be from specialty boards listed in 64B9-4.002(2), FAC. The 3-hour controlled substances CE must come from AMA-accredited statewide physician associations, ANCC, AANA, or AANP. All completions reported to CEBroker.com.SourceFla. Stat. § 464.013(b) / Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002[1]
Documentation & audit

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

Waivers & exemptions

APRNs holding current specialty certification accredited by NCCA or ABSNC are exempt from general CE requirements. The exemption does NOT apply to the 3-hour Controlled Substances course or the 2-hour Human Trafficking course.

For APRNs licensed for only part of a biennium, the CE requirement is prorated to 1 contact hour per calendar month the license is held.

FAQ
Does Florida require controlled substances or pharmacology CE for NPs?
Yes. Under Fla. Stat. § 464.013(b), all Florida APRNs must complete three contact hours of CE on the safe and effective prescription of controlled substances at every biennial renewal. This requirement is not satisfied by any certification exemption and applies regardless of a nurse's specialty certification status. Approved providers include AMA-accredited statewide physician associations, ANCC, AANA, and AANP. Distance learning formats are permitted. This is among the most specific prescriptive CE requirements of any state.
Is Florida in the APRN Compact?
No. Florida is a member of the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) — which governs the underlying RN license — but is not a member of the APRN Compact. The APRN Compact is a separate compact with a smaller membership. Florida NPs who wish to practice as APRNs in other states must obtain APRN licensure or certification in each state individually. Conversely, NPs licensed in APRN Compact member states who wish to practice as APRNs in Florida must hold a Florida APRN credential.
Does Florida require national certification for APRN licensure renewal?
Yes. Florida requires NPs to hold current national certification from a recognized certifying body as a condition of APRN licensure. The certification must correspond to the NP's practice population and specialty. Recognized certifying organizations include ANCC, AANPCB (AANP), NCC, and PNCB, among others approved by the Board. Certification status is verified at each biennial renewal.
Where can I check my Florida APRN license renewal date and report CE?
Florida APRN license status and renewal information are available through the Florida Department of Health's MQA Online Services portal at https://mqa.doh.state.fl.us/MQAOnlineServices/. All CE completions, including the controlled substances CE, must be reported to CEBroker.com. The Florida Board of Nursing accesses CEBroker records directly at renewal and does not accept certificates submitted separately. NPs should verify all course completions are correctly attributed to their APRN credential on CEBroker before the renewal deadline.

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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. Florida Board of Nursing — APRN Continuing Education Requirements
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 hours (board approved)”Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(a)
    “Florida Laws & Rules: 2 hours (board approved)”Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(c)
    “Human Trafficking: 2 hours (every renewal; does not require board approval)”Fla. Stat. § 464.013(c) · Effective 2019-01-01
    “Recognition of Impairment in the Workplace: 2 hours (every other renewal)”Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(d)
    “Safe and Effective Prescription of Controlled Substances: 3 hours”Fla. Stat. § 464.013(b)
    “Domestic Violence: 2 hours (every third biennium, in addition to 24 hours)”Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(f)
    “HIV/AIDS: 1 hour (one-time requirement before first renewal)”Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002(2)(b)
    “Autonomous APRNs must complete 10 additional hours of approved courses at the graduate level (Nurse Practitioner or continuing medical education).”Fla. Admin. Code r. 64B9-5.002

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 Florida 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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