West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WVBON) · RN

12 hours. Every two years. On a fixed renewal cycle.

Below is exactly what West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WVBON) requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from WVBERPN(~5 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 25, 2026

Mandatory topics

For RNs, 12 hours is the total CME requirement. West Virginia also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 12-hour total.

Opioid / controlled substances[1]
3 hrs
Custom
Newly-licensed RNs must complete 3 CE hours on safe prescribing and drug diversion within one year of initial licensure. Waivable if the nurse did not prescribe, administer, or dispense controlled substances within the first year (signed waiver document required). This is a new-licensee requirement, not a recurring renewal requirement.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Newly-licensed RNs need only '3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion' within one year of initial licensure.”
WVBON Education PageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your West Virginia cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
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 / controlled substances[1]
3 hrs
Custom

Newly licensed RNs must complete 3 CE hours on safe prescribing and drug diversion within one year of initial licensure (waivable if no controlled substances handled)

View sourceVerbatim from source
“New licensees who didn't handle controlled substances can request a waiver by submitting a signed document stating they 'did not prescribe, administer or dispense controlled substances within 1 year.'”
WVBON Education PageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, West Virginia 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
Organizations accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) are accepted CE providers. A contact hour = 50 consecutive minutes of instruction.SourceWVBON FAQ Page
Board-approved credit
The Board maintains a list of active WV RN Board approved registered CE providers through CE Broker. Acceptable CE includes nursing journals with programmed instruction, accredited college coursework, courses for nursing certification, and non-nursing healthcare CE if relevance to nursing practice is documented.SourceWVBON FAQ Page
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

Inactive/retired-status licenses are exempt from CE requirements

CE hours cannot be carried forward to the next reporting period — all 12 hours must be earned within the single reporting period

FAQ
What counts as CE for West Virginia RN renewal?
West Virginia accepts CE from ANCC-accredited organizations and from providers listed on the Board's active registered CE provider list through CE Broker. Acceptable activities include nursing journals with programmed instruction, accredited college coursework, courses for nursing certification renewal, and non-nursing healthcare CE if the nurse documents its relevance to their nursing practice. The Board does not restrict CE topics for the general RN renewal — nurses can choose content relevant to their specific practice setting.
Is West Virginia in the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC)?
Yes. West Virginia is an NLC compact member, and eligible West Virginia RNs hold a multistate license authorizing nursing practice in all NLC member states. CE and renewal obligations are governed by the nurse's home state. West Virginia nurses residing in West Virginia renew with WVBON under the 12-hour biennial CE requirement. The renewal cycle runs from July 1 through June 30 of even-numbered years. Information about West Virginia nursing licensure is available at https://wvrnboard.wv.gov.
Are there mandatory CE topics for West Virginia RN renewal?
No mandatory CE topics are required for the standard 12-hour biennial RN renewal. Newly licensed RNs have a one-time first-year requirement of 3 CE hours on safe prescribing and drug diversion (waivable if the nurse did not handle controlled substances in the first year), but this is a new-licensee obligation, not a recurring requirement for experienced nurses. General RN renewal in West Virginia does not impose mandatory topics such as pharmacology, domestic violence, abuse reporting, or opioid CE.
Where can I check my West Virginia RN license renewal date?
West Virginia RNs can access CE tracking and renewal information through CE Broker and through the WVBON website at https://wvrnboard.wv.gov. The WVBON FAQ page at https://wvrnboard.wv.gov/faq/Pages/default.aspx answers common renewal questions, and the education page at https://wvrnboard.wv.gov/education/Pages/default.aspx provides CE requirements. All West Virginia RN licenses follow the same July 1 to June 30 even-year renewal cycle.

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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. WVBON — Education / CE Requirements Page
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “Newly-licensed RNs need only '3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion' within one year of initial licensure.”WVBON Education Page
    “New licensees who didn't handle controlled substances can request a waiver by submitting a signed document stating they 'did not prescribe, administer or dispense controlled substances within 1 year.'”WVBON Education Page

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 West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WVBON), 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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