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

New York CE Requirements for Registered Nurses

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from NYSBN

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated July 4, 2026

These figures are compiled from official board materials — confirm current requirements with the New York State Board of Nursing / New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions

Mandatory topics

New York names specific topics that RNs must cover, and each one is listed below.

Infectious Disease[1]
Hrs vary
Custom
required every 4 years (not every registration cycle). First required at initial licensure, then every 4 years thereafter. Non-practicing NY licensees are exempt until they resume practice, at which point they have 90 days to complete.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“All **athletic trainers (effective December 22, 2025), dentists, dental hygienists, licensed practical nurses, optometrists, podiatrists, 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) in the course of professional practice, **every four years** according to Section 6505-b of the”
N.Y. Educ. Law § 6505-b (NYSED-mandated infection-control training, every 4 years).See source [1] in Primary Sources
Abuse Reporting & Mandatory Reporter[2]
Hrs vary
One-time
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.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Before NYSED will issue you a limited permit or license, you must complete NYSED approved child abuse reporting coursework or qualify for an exemption.”
N.Y. Soc. Serv. Law § 413 / 8 NYCRR Part 64See source [2] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit
Credit systemNotes
Infection-control training providers (SED/DOH-approved)
New York has no general CE-acceptance framework for RNs (there is no general CE-hour requirement to accept credits toward). The only accepted-provider rule that is primary-source-confirmed governs the mandatory infection control training specifically: the provider must be approved by either the State Education Department or the Department of Health. ANCC accreditation is not named as a qualifying pathway in any captured New York RN primary source.SourceN.Y. Educ. Law § 6505-b (infection control) — SED/DOH-approved-provider requirement, scoped to the infection-control mandatory training only.[3]
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
How many CE hours do New York RNs need for license renewal?
New York does not have a primary-source-confirmed general continuing education hour total for RN license renewal. Unlike most states (which require 15–30 contact hours per cycle), New York's authoritative regulatory text does not establish a numeric general CE-hour requirement that can be confirmed in the primary statute or rule. Instead, New York RNs must complete mandatory infection control training every four years and satisfy the Child Abuse Identification and Reporting curriculum requirement (including the updated version required by November 17, 2026). These mandatory training requirements — not a general CE-hour total — define the New York RN continuing education obligation.
What counts as CE for RN renewal in New York?
New York has no general CE-acceptance framework for RNs, because there is no general CE-hour requirement for one to attach to. What is primary-source-confirmed is narrower: for the mandatory infection control training, nurses must choose a provider approved by either the State Education Department or the Department of Health, who issues a Certificate of Completion on course 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. ANCC accreditation is not named as a qualifying pathway in New York's primary RN regulatory text.
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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Other roles in New York

CE requirements for Registered Nurses in other states

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
    “All **athletic trainers (effective December 22, 2025), dentists, dental hygienists, licensed practical nurses, optometrists, podiatrists, 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) in the course of professional practice, **every four years** according to Section 6505-b of the”N.Y. Educ. Law § 6505-b (NYSED-mandated infection-control training, every 4 years).
  2. NYSED OP — RN License Requirements
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “Before NYSED will issue you a limited permit or license, you must complete NYSED approved child abuse reporting coursework or qualify for an exemption.”N.Y. Soc. Serv. Law § 413 / 8 NYCRR Part 64
  3. https://www.op.nysed.gov/mandated-training/mandated-training-related-infection-control-0
    Source

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CE 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 licensing board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Registered nurses are solely responsible for verifying their own current CE requirements directly with their state licensing board before relying on any information presented here.

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