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CRNA continuing education requirements by state
Every state sets its own continuing education rule for nurse anesthetists, on its own clock and with its own required topics. This table covers all 51 jurisdictions, each taken from the board of nursing's own rules, with a link to the full detail on each state page.
The short answer
- 31 of 51 jurisdictions set an opioid, controlled-substance or pain-management topic for nurse anesthetists.
- 17 name a pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics requirement.
- In 24 states, current NBCRNA certification is accepted in place of state CE; in 17 it counts partly.
- 16 rows are marked Confirm with the board because we could not pin every detail to the board's own text.
- Each state's clock is separate. A course can count in several states only if it meets each state's topic and provider rules.
All 51 jurisdictions
| Jurisdiction | NBCRNA counts? | State rule | Topic mandates | Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | 24 contact hours per biennial earning period, of which 6 must be pharmacology Renews every 2 years | Anesthesia pharmacology CE: 6 h Board-provided regulatory/scope-of-practice course (first renewal after initial RN licensure only): 4 h | Alabama Board of Nursing (ABN) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Alaska | Yes, in place of state CE | No fixed state CE hour count for the APRN/CRNA license Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Alaska Board of Nursing (Dept. of Commerce, Community & Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Arizona | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 4 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Arkansas | Yes, in place of state CE | 15 contact hours per 2-yr RN/APRN licensure period OR current national certification/recertification OR >=1 college credit nursing course Renews every 2 years | Pharmacotherapeutics CE (2 of 5 hrs on professional boundaries + Arkansas prescribing rules/laws): 5 h Prescribing education (professional boundaries + Arkansas prescribing rules/laws), one-time for new prescriptive authority: 3 h | Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN), Arkansas Department of Health Checked August 24, 2026 |
| California | No | 30 contact hours per 2-year RN renewal period Renews every 2 years | Implicit bias: 1 h | California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN): issues the Nurse Anesthetist (NA) certificate to a California-licensed RN (BPC 2830) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Colorado | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Colorado State Board of Nursing (DORA / Division of Professions and Occupations) Checked October 13, 2026 |
| Connecticut | No | 50 contact hours per 24-month period Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 5 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Infectious diseases (incl. AIDS/HIV): 1 h Risk management: 1 h Sexual assault: 1 h Domestic violence: 1 h Cultural competency: 1 h Mental health conditions common to veterans (PTSD, suicide risk, depression, grief): 2 h | Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH): APRN licensure (with Board of Examiners for Nursing) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Delaware | Partly | 30 contact hrs per RN biennium + maintain NBCRNA recertification for the APRN/CRNA license Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Substance abuse: 3 h Recognition of and response to suspected/known sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, trafficking, or domestic violence of vulnerable persons: 1 h | Delaware Board of Nursing (Division of Professional Regulation) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | No | 24 contact hours per 2-yr renewal, of which 15 hrs pharmacology Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 15 h LGBTQ cultural competency: 2 h DC Health public health priorities (10% of total, about 2.4 hours): 2.4 h | District of Columbia Board of Nursing (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) Confirm with the board |
| Florida | Partly | 24 contact hours per biennium plus the 3-hour controlled-substance prescribing course for APRNs Renews every 2 years | Safe and effective prescription of controlled substances (counts as the pharmacology requirement): 3 h Human Trafficking: 2 h Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 h Florida Laws and Rules (nursing): 2 h Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace: 2 h Domestic Violence: 2 h HIV/AIDS: 1 h | Florida Board of Nursing (Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) Confirm with the board |
| Georgia | Yes, in place of state CE | RN license: 30 contact hours per biennium OR maintenance of national certification Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Georgia Board of Nursing (APRN authorization as a CRNA under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 410-11-.04) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Hawaii | Yes, in place of state CE | Non-prescribing CRNA: no numeric hours, current NBCRNA certification satisfies the continuing-competency requirement Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 8 h Specialty-specific CE (prescriptive authority renewal): 22 h | Hawaii Board of Nursing (DCCA Professional & Vocational Licensing Division) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Idaho | Yes, in place of state CE | None: no numeric state CE Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Idaho Board of Nursing (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, DOPL) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Illinois | Partly | 80 hrs approved CE in the APRN's specialty per 2-yr cycle Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 20 h Opioid prescribing or substance abuse education (within the 20 pharmacotherapeutics hours): 10 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Sexual harassment prevention training: 1 h Implicit bias awareness training: 1 h Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: 1 h Cultural competency: 1 h Mandated reporter (child abuse/neglect) training | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Professional Regulation, with the Illinois Board of Nursing Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Indiana | Partly | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Indiana State Board of Nursing (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency): CRNAs practice on the Indiana RN license; no CRNA/APRN license is issued Confirm with the board |
| Iowa | Yes, in place of state CE | 36 contact hours per 3-yr renewal period Renews every 3 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Child abuse identification & reporting (mandatory reporter training, DHHS course): 2 h Dependent adult abuse identification & reporting (mandatory reporter training, DHHS course): 2 h | Iowa Board of Nursing, Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Kansas | Partly | 30 contact hours of approved CNE 'related to nurse anesthesia' per 2-year license period Renews every 2 years | Anesthesia-specific CE: 30 h | Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN): licenses Registered Nurse Anesthetists under the Kansas Nurse Anesthetist Act (K.S.A. 65-1151 et seq.) and K.A.R. Art. 60-13; RNA authorization carries a fee-free APRN license (K.S.A. 65-1154) Confirm with the board |
| Kentucky | Partly | 14 contact hours per annual earning period OR current national certification in effect for the whole earning period, PLUS, for every APRN including CRNAs, 5 contact… Renews every year | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 5 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h 8-hour substance use disorder training (DEA): 8 h Pediatric abusive head trauma: 1.5 h Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect and exploitation: 3 h Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: 1 h Suicide prevention (1 hr general + 1 hr nurse toxic-stress/pathway-to-care content): 2 h | Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN) Confirm with the board |
| Louisiana | Yes, in place of state CE | No separate APRN hour count: APRN continued competence = maintain national recertification Renews every 2 years | Controlled dangerous substances (drug diversion, best-practice prescribing, addiction treatment): 3 h | Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) Confirm with the board |
| Maine | No | 50 contact hrs per 2-yr licensure period in nursing, medicine or allied health in the CRNA's practice area + maintain NBCRNA recertification Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 15 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | Maine State Board of Nursing Confirm with the board |
| Maryland | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Implicit bias and structural racism training (combined approved program): Course (no set hours) | Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | No | 15 contact hours per 2-yr RN renewal period: same as all nurses Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing Domestic and sexual violence training (St. 2014, c. 260, s. 9) Alzheimer's disease and dementia care training (diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments) Medical marijuana / cannabis certification education | Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Professions Licensure) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Michigan | Partly | 25 CE hours per 2-year RN cycle incl. 2 hrs pain & symptom management + 1 hr/yr implicit bias Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing Human trafficking identification training Implicit bias training: 2 h Pain & symptom management: 2 h | Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing): RN license plus nurse anesthetist specialty certification (R 338.10404 / R 338.10405) Confirm with the board |
| Minnesota | Yes, in place of state CE | 24 contact hours per 24-month RN registration period, satisfied by holding current NBCRNA certification Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Minnesota Board of Nursing Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Mississippi | Partly | None counted: NBCRNA certification satisfies general CE Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 5 h | Mississippi Board of Nursing (MSBN) Confirm with the board |
| Missouri | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Missouri State Board of Nursing (MSBN), Division of Professional Registration Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Montana | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Montana Board of Nursing (Department of Labor & Industry, Business Standards Division) Confirm with the board |
| Nebraska | Yes, in place of state CE | No CE hour count for the APRN-CRNA license: renewal requires current NBCRNA certification only Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit: Board of Nursing (the separate Board of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses was abolished and its functions transferred to the Board of Nursing effective July 1, 2026, LB 905 (2026); Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-703 as amended: 'Board means the Board of Nursing') Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Nevada | Partly | 45 contact hours 'related to practice as a nurse anesthetist' per biennial CRNA certificate renewal, which subsumes the 30-hour RN requirement Renews every 2 years | Anesthesia-specific CE: 45 h Bioterrorism / medical consequences of an act of terrorism involving a weapon of mass destruction: 4 h Cultural competency and diversity, equity and inclusion: 4 h HIV stigma, discrimination and unrecognized bias: 2 h Suicide prevention and awareness: 2 h SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment): 2 h Controlled-substance misuse/abuse, opioid prescribing, or addiction: 2 h | Nevada State Board of Nursing: certificate of registration as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (NRS 632.2395; NAC 632.495-632.550) Confirm with the board |
| New Hampshire | Partly | 60 contact hours per 2-year cycle: 30 for RN continuing competence + 30 additional APRN hours Renews every 2 years | Anesthesia-specific CE: 20 h Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 5 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | New Hampshire Board of Nursing (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| New Jersey | Partly | 30 contact hours per biennium PLUS 'the continuing education requirements of the national certifying agency': both, not either Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 6 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h End-of-life / palliative care: 2 h Explicit and implicit bias in perinatal care: 1 h | New Jersey Board of Nursing (Division of Consumer Affairs) Confirm with the board |
| New Mexico | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing - management of non-cancer pain (Pain Relief Act CE): 5 h | New Mexico Board of Nursing Checked August 24, 2026 |
| New York | Partly | No state hour total Renews every 3 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing - pain management, palliative care and addiction (mandatory prescriber education): 3 h Infection control and barrier precautions (HIV/HBV) Child abuse identification and reporting (mandated reporter training; updated curriculum incl. implicit bias, ACEs, virtual settings, I/DD per Ch. 56 of 2021 and Ch. 25 of 2024): 2 h | New York State Education Department (NYSED), Office of the Professions: State Board for Nursing, as the licensor of the Registered Professional Nurse (RN). New York does NOT license, certify, or title CRNAs; NYSED recognizes only NPs and CNSs as advanced practice. CRNAs are recognized solely by the NYS Department of Health facility regulations (10 NYCRR 405.13 hospitals; 10 NYCRR 755.4 ambulatory surgery/diagnostic & treatment centers), which list a 'certified registered nurse anesthetist' (per the federal definition, 42 CFR 410.69(b)) as a qualified anesthesia practitioner working under physician supervision. Confirm with the board |
| North Carolina | Yes, in place of state CE | No CRNA-specific CE hour count Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON): CRNA recognition is by NCBON alone; unlike NP approval it does not involve the NC Medical Board Checked August 24, 2026 |
| North Dakota | Partly | RN license: 12 contact hours within the preceding 2 years Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 15 h | North Dakota Board of Nursing: APRN license in the role of certified registered nurse anesthetist (NDCC 43-12.1-02(1); NDAC 54-05-03.1) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Ohio | Partly | 24 contact hours for the APRN-CRNA license per 2-year renewal PLUS 24 contact hours for the concurrently held RN license incl. 1 hour Category A = 48 combined Renews every 2 years | Category A: Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Board rules (via concurrent RN license): 1 h RN license continuing competency CE (concurrent RN license): 24 h | Ohio Board of Nursing Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Partly | Base RN/APRN license: no fixed hours Renews every 2 years | Anesthesia pharmacology CE (advanced pharmacology relating to administration of anesthesia): 8 h | Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Oregon | Yes, in place of state CE | No CE hour count for the CRNA license itself: renewal = fee, application, active Oregon RN license, and 'primary source verification of CRNA certification or… Renews every 2 years | Oregon Pain Management Commission module: 1 h Cultural competency education: 2 h | Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | No | 30 hours of Board-approved CE per biennium, including 2 hours child abuse recognition/reporting Renews every 2 years | Child abuse recognition and reporting (Act 31 of 2014): 2 h Organ donation and tissue recovery education: 2 h | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing (Department of State, BPOA). Pennsylvania does NOT license CRNAs as APRNs (only CRNPs are certified as advanced practice nurses under 49 Pa. Code Ch. 21 Subch. C). Act 60 of 2021 (Professional Nursing Law § 8.8, 63 P.S. § 218.8) created a Board-issued 'certified registered nurse anesthetist' certification/designation; implementing regulations (16A-5145, IRRC #3444, proposed 49 Pa. Code §§ 21.1001 to 21.1040) were at final-form stage but not yet published as of the Board's 7/14/2026 agenda. Until they take effect, CRNAs practice on the RN license under 49 Pa. Code § 21.17 (Anesthesia). Confirm with the board |
| Rhode Island | No | 10 CE contact hours per 2-yr renewal cycle: the same requirement as RN/APRN Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 8 h Alzheimer's disease and dementia (cognitive impairment training): 1 h Substance abuse: 2 h | Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-34.2-2(a)) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| South Carolina | Yes, in place of state CE | No fixed hour total: APRN competency = 'an updated National Certification', i.e. current NBCRNA certification Renews every 2 years | Pharmacotherapeutics: 20 h Controlled substances (subset of the pharmacotherapeutics hours): 2 h Human trafficking awareness & prevention: 1 h | South Carolina Board of Nursing (SC LLR): APRN license, CRNA category (S.C. Code Ann. 40-33-20) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| South Dakota | Yes, in place of state CE | None: no state CE hours Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | South Dakota Board of Nursing (Department of Health) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Tennessee | Partly | No numeric state hours Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Tennessee Board of Nursing Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Texas | Yes, in place of state CE | 20 contact hrs CNE applicable to the CRNA's practice per 2-yr licensing period OR achieve/maintain/renew BON-recognized national certification in the APRN role Renews every 2 years | Human trafficking prevention (HHSC-approved course): 1 h Nursing jurisprudence and ethics: 2 h Older adult / geriatric populations: 2 h Forensic evidence collection: 2 h Pharmacotherapeutics: 5 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing (safe and effective pain management): 2 h Best practices / alternatives / multi-modal approaches to pain management: 1 h Nutrition & metabolic health: To be set by Board rule | Texas Board of Nursing (BON) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Utah | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3.5 h SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) training: 3.5 h Suicide prevention training (one of DOPL's approved online courses): 0.5 h | Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL): Board of Nursing Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Vermont | Yes, in place of state CE | No fixed CE hour total Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation (Vermont Secretary of State) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Virginia | Yes, in place of state CE | None as fixed hours: biennial renewal requires 'current professional certification in the area of specialty practice' Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Joint Boards of Nursing and Medicine (Committee of the Joint Boards): APRN license in the category of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Va. Code 54.1-2957(B); 18VAC90-30) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Washington | Partly | 30 contact hours per 2-year ARNP renewal in the CRNA designation + 15 pharmacotherapeutic hours per renewal if the CRNA holds prescriptive authority = 45 for prescribers Renews every 2 years | Anesthesia-specific CE: 30 h Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 15 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 4 h Health equity continuing education (incl. implicit bias): 2 h RN continuing competency: 96 active practice hours + 8 CE hours: 8 h | Washington State Board of Nursing (formerly Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission), Department of Health Checked August 24, 2026 |
| West Virginia | No | 24 contact hours per 2-yr APRN renewal cycle: 12 pharmacotherapeutics + 12 clinical management, applies to all APRNs incl. CRNAs Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 12 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h Clinical management of patients: 12 h | West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (WV RN Board / Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses) Checked August 24, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | No | From September 1, 2026: APRN license - all APRN licensees incl. CRNAs owe at least 16 contact hrs per renewal period in clinical pharmacology or therapeutics relevant to… Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics: 16 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Wisconsin Board of Nursing (Department of Safety and Professional Services, DSPS) Confirm with the board |
| Wyoming | Yes, in place of state CE | No state hour total Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBN) Confirm with the board |
Summaries only. Open a state for the full rule, citations and every exception. Latest check: October 19, 2026.
National certification is a separate clock
NBCRNA certification maintenance runs on its own 4-year cycle. In some states keeping it current is the whole state requirement; in others the board adds its own hours or topics on a 2-year clock.
Common questions
How many CE hours does a CRNA need to renew a state license?
It depends on the state. The table lists the total for each of the 51 jurisdictions, from no state total (the board relies on national certification) to the highest hour counts, plus any required topics.
Do CRNA opioid or controlled-substance CE rules differ by state?
Yes. 31 of 51 jurisdictions set an opioid, controlled-substance or pain-management topic for nurse anesthetists, with different hours and timing. Separately, every DEA registrant owes the one-time 8-hour MATE Act training.
Does national certification count toward state CE for a CRNA?
NBCRNA certification maintenance runs on its own 4-year cycle. In some states keeping it current is the whole state requirement; in others the board adds its own hours or topics on a 2-year clock.
How do I track CE for CRNA licenses in several states?
Keep one record per license with its own renewal date, total hours and topic mandates, and check each course against every state it should count in. The Interstate Medicine Ledger does this for nurse anesthetists across all 51 jurisdictions.
Track every state in one record
The Interstate Medicine Ledger keeps each license, DEA and state controlled-substance registration, national certification and CE certificate in one record, and counts each course against every state it applies to. $60 a year ($5 a month), 30 days free.
Related: NP CE by state · PA CME by state · CRNA CE by state · State controlled-substance registration · DEA registration renewal
Sources
- Each row: that state's board of nursing rules and statutes, linked in the Board column and cited in full on the state page.
- NBCRNA continued certification
- DEA Diversion Control Division (MATE Act training)
Educational information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the board before you renew. Interstate Medicine is not affiliated with any licensing or certifying board.