12 hours. Every two years. On a fixed renewal cycle.
Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 25, 2026
For RNs, 12 hours is the total CE requirement. No topic requirement applies to all RNs in West Virginia. The conditional requirements below apply when the trigger described on each card is met.
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.
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)
“Newly-licensed RNs only need 3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion, completed within 1 year of receiving your initial license.”
West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WVBON) accepts ANCC Contact Hour toward the CE requirement for RNs, along with other credit it approves.
| Credit system | Notes |
|---|---|
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 |
RNs are responsible for retaining CE documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.
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
Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your renewal date.
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.
“Newly-licensed RNs only need 3 hours of CE on safe prescribing and drug diversion, completed within 1 year of receiving your initial license.”WVBON Education Page