Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OKBON) · NP

Oklahoma CE Requirements for Nurse Practitioners

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from OKBON

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 25, 2026

These figures are compiled from official board materials — confirm current requirements with the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OKBON)

Mandatory topics

For NPs, 17 hours is the total CE requirement. No topic requirement applies to all NPs in Oklahoma. The conditional requirements below apply when the trigger described on each card is met.

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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.

ConditionalPharmacology[1]
15 hrs
Biennial

APRNs renewing prescriptive authority under a physician supervision agreement

View sourceVerbatim from source
“minimum of fifteen (15) contact hours, or one academic credit hour of education, or the equivalent, in pharmacotherapeutics”
Okla. Admin. Code § 485:10-16-6(2)(B) (supervised track)See source [1] in Primary Sources
ConditionalGeneral[2]
40 hrs
Biennial

APRNs renewing independent prescriptive authority (HB 2298, effective November 1, 2025)

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Advanced Practice Registered Nurse has successfully earned at least forty (40) hours of Category I continuing medical education hours within the two-year period immediately preceding the effective date of application for renewal of independent prescriptive authority”
59 O.S. § 567.4a(4)(c) as eff. 11/1/2025See source [2] in Primary Sources
ConditionalPain Management[1]
2 hrs
Biennial

APRNs holding a current federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration

View sourceVerbatim from source
“two (2) hours of education in pain management or two (2) hours of education in opioid use or addiction”
Okla. Admin. Code § 485:10-16-6(2)(C); appears in BOTH tracks on OBN Form RS-24 rev. 10/29/25, joined by 'AND' to each track's base hoursSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OKBON) accepts ANCC Contact Hour toward the CE requirement for NPs, along with other credit it approves.

Credit systemNotes
ANCC Contact Hour
Category A (up to 100% = 15 hours), Category B (up to 100%), Category C (up to 100%), Category D (up to 20% = max 3 hours), Category E (up to 20% = max 3 hours). All pharmacotherapeutics CE must be from programs approved by OKBON and beyond basic RN preparation.SourceOAC § 485:10-16-6
Board-approved credit
One academic credit hour = 15 contact hours (equivalent to the full 15-hour pharmacotherapeutics requirement). OKBON-approved programs for pharmacotherapeutics CE beyond basic RN preparation. Category D and E limited to 20% of the requirement (3 hours each).SourceOAC § 485:10-16-6
Documentation & audit

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

Waivers & exemptions

APRNs renewing within 24 months of their initial prescriptive authority approval are not required to submit the pharmacotherapeutics CE documentation for that renewal.

An APRN who demonstrates to the Board that they do not currently hold a valid federal DEA registration number is exempt from the 2-hour pain management/opioid use or addiction education requirement.

FAQ
Do Oklahoma NPs need separate CE from RNs?
Yes. Oklahoma NPs with prescriptive authority must complete their prescriptive-authority CE — 15 pharmacotherapeutics hours (supervised track) or 40 Category I hours (independent track), plus 2 pain/opioid hours for DEA registrants — per two-year renewal cycle under OAC § 485:10-16-6 and 59 O.S. § 567.4a, separate from and in addition to whatever continuing qualifications pathway is used for RN license renewal. If the RN renewal uses the CE pathway, that adds 24 CE hours on top of the prescriptive-authority CE. NPs who use a non-CE pathway (such as work hours or specialty certification) for RN renewal need only complete the prescriptive-authority CE for their track.
Does Oklahoma require pharmacology CE for NPs with prescriptive authority?
Yes. OAC § 485:10-16-6 requires 15 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics education per two-year period for APRNs renewing supervised prescriptive authority, plus 2 additional hours on pain management or opioid use/addiction for those holding a DEA registration. APRNs on the independent track (HB 2298) instead owe 40 Category I CME hours plus the same 2-hour item. All pharmacotherapeutics hours must come from OKBON-approved programs beyond basic RN preparation. Category D and E CE sources are capped at 3 hours each (20% of 15 hours). Academic credit of 1 semester hour is equivalent to the full 15-hour requirement.
Is Oklahoma in the APRN Compact?
No. Oklahoma is an NLC compact member for RN licensure but is not a member of the APRN Compact as of 2026. Oklahoma APRN licensure does not travel to other states under any compact agreement. NPs who practice in multiple states must obtain separate APRN authorization in each state, including Oklahoma. The NLC compact status affects only the underlying RN license layer.
What changed with Oklahoma prescriptive authority in 2025?
Effective November 1, 2025, Oklahoma's HB 2298 created a pathway for qualifying APRNs to obtain independent prescriptive authority, eliminating the physician supervision statement for those who qualify. Renewal CE now differs by track: supervised prescriptive authority keeps the 15 pharmacotherapeutics hours (plus 2 pain/opioid hours for DEA registrants), while independent prescriptive authority requires 40 Category I CME hours (plus the same 2-hour item). The administrative rule has not yet been amended for HB 2298; the statute (59 O.S. § 567.4a) and the Board's Form RS-24 already reflect the split.
Where can I check my Oklahoma NP/APRN license renewal date?
Oklahoma NPs can access their license renewal through the OKBON Nurse Portal Account at https://oklahoma.gov/nursing/applications.html. Because renewal occurs every two even-numbered years by end of birth month, NPs should calendar their renewal deadline in advance. For APRN prescriptive authority renewal forms and tracking tools, the OKBON practice page at https://oklahoma.gov/nursing/practice.html provides access to the Prescriptive Authority Continuing Education Tracking Form.

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Other roles in Oklahoma

CE requirements for Nurse Practitioners 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. https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/oklahoma/OAC-485-10-16-6
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “minimum of fifteen (15) contact hours, or one academic credit hour of education, or the equivalent, in pharmacotherapeutics”Okla. Admin. Code § 485:10-16-6(2)(B) (supervised track)
    “two (2) hours of education in pain management or two (2) hours of education in opioid use or addiction”Okla. Admin. Code § 485:10-16-6(2)(C); appears in BOTH tracks on OBN Form RS-24 rev. 10/29/25, joined by 'AND' to each track's base hours
  2. Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act effective November 1, 2025 (OBN publication; 59 O.S. § 567.4a)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-02
    Show verbatim text
    “Advanced Practice Registered Nurse has successfully earned at least forty (40) hours of Category I continuing medical education hours within the two-year period immediately preceding the effective date of application for renewal of independent prescriptive authority”59 O.S. § 567.4a(4)(c) as eff. 11/1/2025 · Effective 2025-11-01

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 Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OKBON), or any other state licensing board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Nurse practitioners 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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