Tennessee State Board of Nursing · NP

Tennessee CE Requirements for Nurse Practitioners

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from TSBN

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

Mandatory topics

No topic requirement applies to all NPs in Tennessee. 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.

ConditionalOpioid/Substance Use[1]
2 hrs
Biennial

APRNs holding a Certificate of Fitness (CF) — Tennessee's prescriptive authority credential — must complete the 2-hour controlled substance CE in addition to base RN competency items

View sourceVerbatim from source
“minimum of two (2) contact hours of continuing education designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The continuing education must include instruction in the Tennessee Department of Health’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and”
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1000-01-.18(2)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Tennessee State Board of Nursing accepts ANCC Contact Hour toward the CE requirement for NPs, along with other credit it approves.

Credit systemNotes
ANCC Contact Hour
ANCC certification (e.g., FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, PMHNP-BC) satisfies the national certification requirement. CE from ANCC-accredited providers counts toward controlled substance CE hours.SourceTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1000-01-.18(2)(b) and (c)
Board-approved credit
CE from nationally recognized certification bodies (ANCC, AANPCB, NBCRNA, etc.) and board-approved providers accepted. CE Broker is the official tracking system.SourceTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1000-01-.18
Documentation & audit

Documentation must be retained for 4 years. Licensees must produce evidence within 30 days of a board request.

Waivers & exemptions

APRNs who have not practiced for five years or more and do not intend to practice in the future are not required to comply with the competency rule.

FAQ
Do Tennessee NPs need separate CE beyond RN renewal?
Yes, but it is limited. Tennessee APRNs transition from the standard RN two-item competency requirement to the APRN-specific competency track under Rule 1000-01-.18(2)(b) or (c). APRNs without prescriptive authority must document current national certification plus one RN-list qualifying item. APRNs with a Certificate of Fitness must additionally complete 2 contact hours of CE specifically on controlled substance prescribing including the Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines. The underlying RN license's two-item standard is effectively superseded by the APRN competency requirements, which stack national certification on top of the RN framework.
Does Tennessee require pharmacology CE for NPs with prescriptive authority?
Yes, for Certificate of Fitness holders. Rule 1000-01-.18(2)(c)(3) requires CF holders to complete a minimum of 2 contact hours of CE designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices per renewal period. The CE must include instruction in the Tennessee Department of Health's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol. This 2-hour requirement is additive to the base APRN requirements (national certification plus one RN-list item) and applies every biennial renewal cycle.
Is Tennessee in the APRN Compact?
No. Tennessee is a member of the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC), which governs the underlying RN license layer, but Tennessee is not a member of the APRN Compact. The APRN Compact is a separate multi-state agreement for advanced practice nurses, and as of 2026 it has a smaller membership than the NLC. Tennessee NPs who wish to practice as APRNs in multiple states must hold individual APRN licenses or certifications in each state where they practice advanced practice nursing, in addition to their Tennessee APRN license.
Does Tennessee require NPs to maintain national certification for APRN renewal?
Yes. Under Rule 1000-01-.18(2)(b) and (c), current national certification in the APRN's specialty area is the foundational requirement for all APRN renewals in Tennessee. The Board recognizes certifications from ANCC, AANPCB, NBCRNA, and other recognized bodies appropriate to the specialty. An NP whose national certification has lapsed cannot satisfy the APRN renewal requirement until certification is reinstated. NPs should track their national certification renewal timelines independently, as certifying body schedules may not align with Tennessee's biennial renewal cycle.
Where can I check my Tennessee NP/APRN license renewal date?
Tennessee NPs can verify license status and expiration dates through the Tennessee Department of Health's Health Licensure Verification portal at https://apps.health.tn.gov/Licensure/. The Tennessee State Board of Nursing's main page at https://www.tn.gov/health/licensure/nurs.html provides board contact information and links to current rules. CE Broker also tracks Tennessee APRN licensee renewal status for enrolled practitioners.

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Other roles in Tennessee

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. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1000-01-.18 — Standards of Nursing Competence (April 2026 PDF)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-24
    Show verbatim text
    “minimum of two (2) contact hours of continuing education designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The continuing education must include instruction in the Tennessee Department of Health’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and”Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1000-01-.18(2) · Effective 2024-10-08

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 Tennessee State Board of Nursing, 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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