Hawaii Board of Nursing (HIBON) · RN

30 hours. Every two years. On a fixed renewal cycle.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from HBN(~8 min read

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

Mandatory topics

Hawaii has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 30-hour total.

Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Hawaii 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.

ConditionalGeneral CME[1]
15 hrs
Biennial

RNs who graduated or completed pre-licensure requirements more than 12 months but less than 2 years before their first renewal date

View sourceVerbatim from source
“If a licensee graduated or completed pre-licensure requirements from an accredited nursing program more than twelve months but less than two years prior to the renewal date, the registered nurse or practical nurse licensee shall be required to obtain fifteen contact hours of continuing education, one semester credit of post-licensure academic education related to nursing practice from an accredited nursing program, completion of a board-recognized nurse residency program, or other learning activity options from an approved provider recognized by the board prior to the first renewal period.”
HRS § 457-9.2(b)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Hawaii 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
30 contact hours of continuing education activities (HRS § 457-9.3(2)) is one of ten qualifying learning activity options — not the only pathway. National certification, academic credit, preceptoring, research, publication, presenting, and nurse residency programs are equally valid alternatives under HRS § 457-9.3.SourceHRS § 457-9.3
Board-approved credit
CE activities from board-recognized providers accepted. The Board also recognizes the non-CE learning activities listed in HRS § 457-9.3 as alternatives to CE contact hours.SourceHRS § 457-9.3
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

RNs who maintain current national certification approved by the Board in their practice role are fully exempt from the continuing competency requirement

RNs who also hold an active Hawaii APRN license AND maintain current national certification approved by the Board are fully exempt from the continuing competency requirement

New graduates are exempt at first renewal if they graduated within 12 months of the renewal date

FAQ
Do Hawaii RNs who hold national certification need to complete CE?
No, not as a standalone state requirement. HRS § 457-9.2(b)(2) exempts registered nurses and practical nurses who maintain current national certification approved by the Hawaii Board of Nursing in their practice role from the continuing competency requirement. If your national certification is active and board-approved, you satisfy the continuing competency requirement by virtue of holding that certification — you do not separately need to accumulate thirty CE contact hours or complete any other learning activity for state licensure renewal purposes. However, you will still need to comply with your certifying body's own renewal requirements (for example, ANCC requires RN-BC holders to recertify every five years), and Hawaii's renewal attestation process requires you to indicate how you satisfied continuing competency, which in this case would be through active national certification.
Is Hawaii in the NLC nursing compact?
No. Hawaii is not a member of the Nursing Licensure Compact as of 2026. All nurses who wish to practice as registered nurses in Hawaii must hold a Hawaii RN license issued by the Hawaii Board of Nursing. A multistate NLC license issued by a mainland compact state does not authorize RN practice in Hawaii. Conversely, a Hawaii RN who wants to practice in compact member states must obtain an additional license in those states or, if relocating, update their home state designation through the NLC process. Hawaii's non-membership means that the home-state CE rule — which governs CE obligations for multistate license holders in the compact — does not apply here.
When do Hawaii RN licenses expire?
Hawaii RN licenses expire on June 30 of each odd-numbered year. The renewal cycle is biennial, meaning licenses are renewed every two years on that fixed June 30 date. A licensee who fails to renew by the expiration date risks automatic lapse of the license. The two-year continuing competency lookback period runs from the prior renewal date through the June 30 expiration of the current cycle. Renewal notices are distributed in advance; nurses should ensure their contact information on file with the Hawaii DCCA is current. The board's license verification portal is available through the Hawaii DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing portal at pvl.ehawaii.gov.

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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. HRS § 457-9.2 — Continuing Competency Requirements; Exemptions
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-24
    Show verbatim text
    “If a licensee graduated or completed pre-licensure requirements from an accredited nursing program more than twelve months but less than two years prior to the renewal date, the registered nurse or practical nurse licensee shall be required to obtain fifteen contact hours of continuing education, one semester credit of post-licensure academic education related to nursing practice from an accredited nursing program, completion of a board-recognized nurse residency program, or other learning activity options from an approved provider recognized by the board prior to the first renewal period.”HRS § 457-9.2(b) · Effective 2017-07-01

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 Hawaii Board of Nursing (HIBON), 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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