North Dakota Nursing CE Requirements for RNs, LPNs, CNAs & HHAs
North Dakota RNs and LPNs must complete 12 contact hours of continuing education during the two years preceding license renewal. Nurses must also meet a recent-practice requirement of at least 400 hours of nursing practice during the previous four years, unless an applicable exception applies. This page also covers North Dakota CNA registry renewal and home health aide training and annual in-service requirements. This page also covers North Dakota CNA registry renewal and home health aide training and annual in-service requirements.
C-E-U.com offers online nursing continuing education that North Dakota RNs and LPNs may use toward the 12-contact-hour requirement when the selected courses meet Board standards. North Dakota recognizes continuing education from a health care regulatory board or nationally accredited professional organization, and C-E-U.com is a Florida Board of Nursing continuing education provider, Provider #50-47308.
North Dakota CE Requirements at a Glance
| RN | LPN | CNA | HHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total CE Hours | 12 contact hours | 12 contact hours | None required for registry renewal | None for renewal; 12 hours per year in-service (federal) |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 years | Every 2 years | Every 2 years | Renewed through the ND Nurse Aide Registry |
| Recent Practice Requirement | 400 hours within the previous 4 years | 400 hours within the previous 4 years | 8 paid hours of nursing-related work under RN/LPN supervision per 2-year period | Employment and in-service hours documented by the home health agency |
| First-Renewal Exception | Examination applicants generally satisfy CE through recent nursing education | Examination applicants generally satisfy CE through recent nursing education | Lapsed CNAs reactivate by retaking the knowledge and skills exams (TMU) | 75-hour training with 16 clinical hours plus competency evaluation required initially |
North Dakota RN and LPN Continuing Education
North Dakota RNs and LPNs must complete 12 contact hours of approved continuing education during each two-year renewal period. The Board also requires nurses to meet a recent-practice standard of at least 400 hours of nursing practice during the previous four years, unless an applicable exception applies.
North Dakota recognizes continuing education from health care regulatory boards and other approved organizations. C-E-U.com is a Florida Board of Nursing continuing education provider, Provider #50-47308, so qualifying nursing-related C-E-U.com courses may be used toward North Dakota’s 12-contact-hour requirement.
North Dakota RN/LPN Continuing Education — 12 Contact Hours
C-E-U.com offers self-paced online nursing courses that North Dakota RNs and LPNs may use toward the 12-contact-hour renewal requirement. C-E-U.com is a Florida Board of Nursing continuing education provider, Provider #50-47308, which fits North Dakota’s recognized-provider pathway. Nurses should select nursing-related courses and retain completion certificates for audit purposes.
North Dakota CNA Requirements
North Dakota CNAs are certified through the state Nurse Aide Registry, administered by North Dakota Health and Human Services. Certification renews every two years, and renewal is based on employment rather than continuing education: CNAs must document at least eight hours of paid nursing-related work under RN or LPN supervision during the two-year period. North Dakota does not require CE hours or a fee for CNA renewal.
A CNA who cannot document the required work hours must reactivate by retaking both the knowledge and skills portions of the state competency exam through the TMU system. Separately, CNAs working in Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities must receive at least 12 hours of in-service education each year under federal rules (42 CFR §483.95(g)) — an employment requirement tracked by the facility, not the registry.
North Dakota CNA In-Service and Skills Training
C-E-U.com offers self-paced online courses that North Dakota CNAs can use toward facility-required annual in-service education and employer training — including dementia and Alzheimer’s care, infection prevention, communication, documentation, resident safety, and professionalism. Certificates download immediately and include verification details your employer can confirm online.
Because North Dakota does not require continuing education for CNA registry renewal, these courses support employer and facility requirements rather than state renewal. Confirm with your employer or facility educator that a course meets its in-service plan before enrolling.
North Dakota Home Health Aide (HHA) Requirements
North Dakota home health aides are listed on the state Nurse Aide Registry alongside CNAs, and aides working for Medicare-certified home health agencies must meet the federal training standard: at least 75 hours of training, including a minimum of 16 hours of clinical (practical) training, plus a competency evaluation (42 CFR §484.80).
After certification, federal rules require home health aides to receive at least 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period, which may be furnished while the aide is providing care and must be supervised by a registered nurse. Agencies are responsible for documenting these hours.
North Dakota Home Health Aide In-Service Training
C-E-U.com offers online courses home health aides and their agencies can use toward the 12-hour annual in-service requirement — including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, infection prevention, safe transfers and mobility, communication, documentation, and home-care safety. Certificates download immediately with verification details agencies can confirm online.
Home health agencies remain responsible for RN supervision of in-service training and for competency documentation, so confirm with your agency that a course fits its in-service plan before enrolling.
North Dakota Nursing Continuing Education References and Resources
North Dakota Board of Nursing — Official source for North Dakota RN, LPN, and APRN licensure, renewal, continuing education, rules, and Board guidance.
North Dakota Nursing Renewal — Explains renewal and reactivation requirements, including the 400-hour recent-practice standard and the Board’s current approach to CE audits.
North Dakota Nursing Renewal FAQs — Confirms the 12-contact-hour CE requirement, the two-year completion period, first-renewal exceptions, the 400-hour practice requirement, and related renewal questions.
North Dakota Continuing Education for Renewal — Provides guidance on acceptable continuing education, contact-hour equivalencies, college coursework, publications, and other qualifying activities.
North Dakota Continuing Education Approval Applications — Explains how organizations may apply directly to the North Dakota Board of Nursing for approval of continuing-education contact hours.
North Dakota Nurse Aide Registry — Official North Dakota Health and Human Services resource for Nurse Aides, Certified Nurse Aides, Home Health Aides, and Medication Assistants.
North Dakota Certified Nurse Aide Information — Provides information about CNA training programs, competency evaluation, registry requirements, and initial certification pathways.
North Dakota Health and Human Services Contact Directory — Includes contact information for the Nurse Aide Registry, CNA and Medication Aide programs, and other Health Facilities Unit services.
North Dakota Nurse Practice Act — Provides access to the North Dakota Nurse Practices Act governing nursing licensure, professional practice, and Board authority.
North Dakota Administrative Rules and Regulations — Provides access to the current North Dakota administrative rules governing nursing licensure, practice, and professional standards.
North Dakota Nurse Licensure Compact — Explains North Dakota’s participation in the Nurse Licensure Compact and provides access to current compact information.
North Dakota License Verification Services — Provides official North Dakota Board of Nursing license and registration verification information.
North Dakota Nurse Aide Registry (ND Health and Human Services) — Official source for North Dakota CNA and home health aide registry listing, renewal, reactivation, and the TMU testing system.
42 CFR §483.95 — Training Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities — Federal rule requiring at least 12 hours of annual in-service education for nurse aides working in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities.
42 CFR §484.80 — Home Health Aide Services — Federal rule setting the 75-hour home health aide training standard, competency evaluation, and 12-hour annual in-service requirement for Medicare-certified home health agencies.
Frequently Asked Questions: North Dakota Nursing CE
North Dakota RNs and LPNs must complete 12 contact hours of approved continuing education during each two-year renewal period.
Yes. Nurses generally must have completed at least 400 hours of nursing practice during the previous four years unless an applicable exception applies.
Yes. Qualifying online continuing education may be used when it is nursing-related and offered through a recognized provider pathway.
Yes. North Dakota recognizes continuing education from health care regulatory boards and other accepted approval bodies. C-E-U.com is a Florida Board of Nursing continuing education provider, Provider #50-47308, so qualifying nursing-related C-E-U.com courses may be used toward the 12-contact-hour requirement.
North Dakota does not impose a universal subject requirement for the general RN/LPN 12-hour renewal requirement. Nurses should choose education relevant to nursing practice and any separate employer, specialty, or credential requirements.
Nurses initially licensed by examination generally satisfy the first-renewal CE requirement through recent nursing education. Nurses licensed by endorsement should verify and complete the applicable CE requirement before renewal.
No. Continuing education and recent nursing practice are separate continuing-competence requirements. Completing 12 contact hours does not replace the practice requirement when both apply.
A nurse who does not meet the recent-practice requirement may need to qualify through another Board-recognized pathway, such as completion of an approved refresher program, depending on the nurse’s circumstances.
No. North Dakota does not require RNs or LPNs to report continuing education through CE Broker for routine renewal. Nurses should retain their own completion records.
North Dakota nurses should retain continuing education documentation for at least four years because the Board may request records during an audit.
No. Nurses generally attest that they have met the continuing education requirement. Supporting certificates should be retained and provided if the Board requests documentation.
Yes, when the employer accepts the subject matter and course format for that purpose. Nurses should confirm any employer-specific requirements before relying on a course for workplace compliance.
No. North Dakota CNA certification renews every two years based on employment, not CE hours: you must document at least eight hours of paid nursing-related work under RN or LPN supervision during the two-year period. There is no CE-hour requirement or renewal fee. A CNA who cannot document the work hours must retake the knowledge and skills competency exams through the TMU system to reactivate. Note that CNAs employed in Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities still receive at least 12 hours of in-service education each year under federal rules — a facility requirement that C-E-U.com courses can support.
Home health aides working for Medicare-certified agencies in North Dakota must complete at least 75 hours of training, including a minimum of 16 hours of clinical training, and pass a competency evaluation. Home health aides are listed on the North Dakota Nurse Aide Registry. After certification, federal rules (42 CFR §484.80) require at least 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period, supervised by a registered nurse. C-E-U.com’s online courses can support this annual in-service requirement — confirm topic selections with your agency, which remains responsible for supervision and documentation.
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