New York State Board of Nursing / New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions · RN

4 hours. Every three years. Tied to your birth month.

Below is exactly what New York State Board of Nursing / New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from NYSBN/NYSED—OP~6 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 26, 2026

Mandatory topics

For RNs, 4 hours is the total CME requirement. New York also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 4-hour total.

Infectious disease[1]
Hrs vary
Custom
required every 4 years (not every registration cycle). First required at initial licensure, then every 4 years thereafter. Separate from and in addition to the 4 general CE hours. Non-practicing NY licensees are exempt until they resume practice, at which point they have 90 days to complete.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Licensed practical nurses and registered nurses must complete course work or training appropriate to their practice regarding infection control and barrier precautions, including engineering and work controls to prevent the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis b virus (HBV) every four years.”
8 NYCRR Part 64 / N.Y. Educ. Law Art. 139See source [1] in Primary Sources
Abuse Reporting[2]
Hrs vary
Custom
one-time 2-hour course required. As of 2025, the curriculum was updated due to amendments to Social Services Law § 413; ALL nurses must complete the updated curriculum by November 17, 2026, even if they previously satisfied the prior version. Separate from and in addition to the 4 general CE hours.
View detailsEditorial summary
N.Y. Soc. Serv. Law § 413 / 8 NYCRR Part 64See source [2] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, New York 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
ANCC-accredited CE contact hours accepted toward the 4-hour triennial general CE requirement. New York uses the term 'contact hours' — one contact hour equals 60 minutes.Source8 NYCRR Part 64
Board-approved credit
CE from NYSED Office of the Professions-approved providers accepted. Mandatory training for infection control and child abuse must use providers approved specifically for those programs.Source8 NYCRR Part 64
Documentation & audit

Triennial (3-year) renewal cycle. RN registration certificate is valid for 3 years. The second registration period after initial licensure is shortened to align renewal with the licensee's birth month.

Waivers & exemptions

Non-practicing licensees exempt from infection control requirement until resuming practice

FAQ
What counts as CE for RN renewal in New York?
The Office of the Professions accepts contact hours from NYSED-approved continuing education providers toward the 4-hour triennial requirement. ANCC-accredited CE from national nursing organizations also qualifies. For the mandatory infection control training, nurses must complete a course from an OP-approved provider who issues a Certificate of Completion. For the Child Abuse Identification and Reporting course, nurses must use an approved training provider that offers the updated curriculum aligned with the 2025 amendments to Social Services Law § 413. Contact hours cannot be carried forward from one triennial period to the next.
Is New York in the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC)?
No. New York is not a member of the NLC. Every nurse practicing in New York must hold a valid, individually issued New York nursing license through the NYSED Office of the Professions. Compact multistate licenses issued by other states do not authorize practice in New York. Nurses based in other NLC states who work in New York — including travel nurses — must obtain and maintain a separate New York license.
What is the infection control training requirement for New York RNs, and when does it need to be completed?
New York requires all practicing RNs to complete coursework or training in infection control and barrier precautions, including HIV and HBV prevention, every four years. This requirement is entirely separate from the triennial registration cycle and operates on its own four-year schedule. Nurses who are not currently practicing in New York are exempt until they resume practice, at which point they have 90 days to complete the training. The approved provider issues a Certificate of Completion, which nurses should retain for their records.
Where can I check my New York RN license renewal date?
New York RNs can verify their license status and registration period through the NYSED Office of the Professions license verification tool and the OP's online registration renewal portal at https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/registered-professional-nursing/license-requirements. The OP also accepts renewal inquiries by phone at (518) 474-3817 ext. 410. Renewal can be completed online through the OP's licensing portal.

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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. NYSED OP — Mandatory Infection Control Training for RNs
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “Licensed practical nurses and registered nurses must complete course work or training appropriate to their practice regarding infection control and barrier precautions, including engineering and work controls to prevent the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis b virus (HBV) every four years.”8 NYCRR Part 64 / N.Y. Educ. Law Art. 139
  2. NYSED OP — RN License Requirements
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23

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 New York State Board of Nursing / New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions, 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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