Washington State Board of Nursing · CRNA

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

Below is exactly what Washington State Board of Nursing requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from WSBN~5 min read

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

Mandatory topics

For CRNAs, 30 hours is the total CME requirement. Washington also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 30-hour total.

Cultural Competency & Health Equity[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Health equity CE — 2 hours every renewal period (counts toward RN CE total, not the 30-hr ARNP total). All currently licensed RNs and LPNs have until their 2026 renewal to complete this requirement; new licensees must complete by their 2nd renewal.
View sourceVerbatim from source
2 hours of health equity CE every renewal period
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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.

ConditionalGeneral[1]
30 hrs
Biennial

WA ARNP-CRNAs must complete 30 contact hours of CE per renewal period, maintain active NBCRNA certification, and complete 96 practice hours per year on the underlying RN.

View sourceVerbatim from source
Has 30 continuing education hours
ConditionalPharmacology[1]
15 hrs
Biennial

ARNPs with prescriptive authority must complete an additional 15 hours of pharmacology CE per renewal period.

View sourceVerbatim from source
Has 15 additional continuing education hours relating to pharmacology if you have prescriptive authority
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Washington 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
NBCRNA Class A
NBCRNA Class A credits accepted toward WA ARNP CE.Sourcehttps://www.nbcrna.com/continued-certification[2]
NBCRNA_CLASS_B
NBCRNA Class B credits accepted toward WA ARNP CE.Sourcehttps://www.nbcrna.com/continued-certification[2]
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

ARNP-CRNAs (holders of an active certified registered nurse anesthetist license) are expressly exempt from the one-time, six-hour suicide assessment/treatment/management training that the rule otherwise requires of registered nurses.

A nurse who is enrolled in, or has completed prerequisite classes for, an advanced nursing education program is exempt from the continuing competency (CE/practice-hour) requirements during their current review period.

FAQ
How many state-level CE hours do Washington CRNAs need?
30 contact hours of CE per biennial renewal for the ARNP-CRNA credential, plus 15 additional hours of pharmacology CE if holding prescriptive authority. The underlying RN credential additionally requires 96 practice hours per year and 8 hours of CE (including 2 hours of health equity). The one-time 6-hour suicide prevention training does NOT apply to CRNAs — WAC 246-840-220(3)(a) expressly excepts "registered nurses holding an active certified registered nurse anesthetist license."
Does Washington require NBCRNA certification for CRNA licensure?
Yes. WA ARNP-CRNA recognition requires current NBCRNA national certification, with verification sent directly from NBCRNA to WABON.
Is Washington part of the APRN Compact?
No, WA has not enacted the APRN Compact, so the ARNP-CRNA credential remains single-state. WA IS, however, a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) for the underlying RN license, fully implemented January 31, 2024 — eligible Washington-resident CRNAs may hold a multistate license, and WA also accepts multistate RN licenses from other NLC states as the basis for the underlying RN portion of ARNP licensure.
Where can I check my Washington CRNA license renewal date?
Use the WA Board of Nursing license verification tool at https://nursing.wa.gov/licensing/verify-or-check-license-status or contact WABON at nursing@doh.wa.gov / 360-236-4703.

Never miss a Washington CME deadline.

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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. Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-30
    Show verbatim text
    2 hours of health equity CE every renewal periodWAC 246-840-222 · Effective 2023-12-22
    Has 30 continuing education hoursWAC 246-840
    Has 15 additional continuing education hours relating to pharmacology if you have prescriptive authorityWAC 246-840
  2. Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-30