Vermont Nursing CE Requirements for RNs, LPNs, LNAs & HHAs
Vermont RNs and LPNs must demonstrate continuing competency when renewing their licenses. Nurses may qualify through recent nursing practice, continuing education, or current national certification. This page also covers Vermont LNA license renewal and home health aide training and annual in-service requirements.
C-E-U.com can support Vermont nurses who choose the continuing education pathway. Vermont allows RNs and LPNs to satisfy renewal competency by completing 20 hours of qualifying continuing education during the two years immediately preceding renewal.
Vermont Nursing Continuing Competency Requirements at a Glance
| Registered Nurse (RN) | Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | LNA | HHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General CE Requirement | No fixed CE requirement if another competency pathway is used | No fixed CE requirement if another competency pathway is used | None; renewal by 400 paid work hours or 50 days per 2 years | None; 12 hours per year in-service (federal) |
| CE-Only Pathway | 20 contact hours in previous 2 years | 20 contact hours in previous 2 years | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Practice Pathway | 400 hours in previous 2 years or 960 hours in previous 5 years | 400 hours in previous 2 years or 960 hours in previous 5 years | 400 paid LNA hours or 50 days in previous 2 years | 75-hour training with 16 practical hours required initially (federal) |
| Certification Pathway | Current nationally recognized nursing certification | Current nationally recognized nursing certification | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 years | Every 2 years | Every 2 years | 12-month in-service cycle |
| Governing Body | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation | Vermont Board of Nursing | CMS / employing home health agency |
Vermont RN and LPN Continuing Education Options
RNs and LPNs may satisfy Vermont’s renewal competency requirement through one of the following:
400 hours of nursing practice during the previous 2 years
960 hours of nursing practice during the previous 5 years
20 hours of qualifying continuing education during the previous 2 years
Current nationally recognized nursing certification
Vermont RN and LPN Continuing Education — 20 Contact Hours
C-E-U.com offers self-paced online nursing continuing education that can support Vermont RNs and LPNs who choose the 20-hour CE pathway. Nurses should retain and upload completion documentation as required by Vermont’s Office of Professional Regulation during renewal. Vermont’s online renewal system requires licensees in professions with CE requirements to attest to completion and upload course-completion documentation.
Practice-Based Continuing Competency
Nurses who meet Vermont’s recent-practice standard do not need to use the 20-hour CE pathway. A nurse may qualify with at least 400 hours of practice in the preceding two years or 960 hours during the preceding five years.
National Certification Option
A current nationally recognized nursing certification may also satisfy Vermont’s RN/LPN continuing competency requirement, providing another alternative to practice hours or continuing education.
Vermont LNA Requirements
Vermont licenses nursing assistants (LNAs) through the Vermont Board of Nursing, and licenses renew every two years. Renewal is based on employment rather than continuing education: LNAs must document at least 400 hours (or 50 days) of paid LNA work in Vermont during the two-year period. Vermont does not require CE hours for LNA renewal, and an LNA who cannot meet the work requirement must complete a training program and retake the licensing exam to reinstate.
Separately, LNAs 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 Board.
Vermont LNA In-Service and Skills Training
C-E-U.com offers self-paced online courses Vermont LNAs 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 Vermont does not require CE for LNA renewal, these courses support employer and facility requirements — confirm with your employer or facility educator that a course fits its in-service plan before enrolling.
Vermont Home Health Aide (HHA) Requirements
Home health aide work in Vermont is generally performed by licensed nursing assistants working for home health and hospice agencies, so the LNA licensing and renewal rules above apply. Aides employed by Medicare-certified home health agencies must also meet the federal standard: at least 75 hours of training, including a minimum of 16 hours of supervised practical training, plus a competency evaluation (42 CFR §484.80).
After certification, federal rules require at least 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period, supervised by a registered nurse and documented by the employing agency.
Vermont 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.
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.
Vermont Nursing Continuing Education References and Resources
Vermont Office of Professional Regulation — Nursing — Official source for Vermont RN and LPN licensing, renewal, applications, and Board information.
Vermont Nursing Administrative Rules — Official rules governing nursing licensure, renewal, continuing competency, and practice requirements.
Vermont OPR Online Services — Online licensing services for applications, renewals, and account management.
Vermont OPR Online Services FAQs — Guidance on renewal, continuing education documentation, uploads, and other online licensing questions.
Vermont Statutes — Nursing — Vermont statutes governing nursing licensure and professional practice.
Vermont Find a Professional — License Lookup — Official Vermont OPR tool for verifying current or former licensees, including license number, type, status, issue date, and expiration date.
Vermont Office of Professional Regulation — Main state regulatory agency overseeing nursing and other licensed professions.
Vermont Board of Nursing — Applications and Renewals — Official source for Vermont LNA licensing, the 400-hour (or 50-day) employment renewal requirement, and reinstatement after a lapse.
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 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: Vermont Nursing Continuing Competency
Vermont nurses may satisfy continuing competency by completing 20 hours of qualifying continuing education during the two years before renewal.
No. Vermont also allows nurses to qualify through recent nursing practice or current national nursing certification.
Yes. Qualifying C-E-U.com nursing courses can be used toward Vermont’s 20-hour continuing education pathway.
Yes. Nurses may qualify with at least 400 hours of nursing practice in the previous two years or 960 hours in the previous five years.
Yes. Qualifying online nursing continuing education may be used toward Vermont’s CE pathway.
No. Vermont does not require routine CE reporting through CE Broker. Nurses should maintain and submit documentation through Vermont’s licensing system as required.
No. Vermont LNA licenses renew every two years based on employment, not CE hours: you must document at least 400 hours (or 50 days) of paid LNA work in Vermont during the two-year period. An LNA who cannot meet the work requirement must complete a training program and retake the licensing exam to reinstate. LNAs working 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 C-E-U.com courses can support.
Home health aide work in Vermont is generally performed by state-licensed nursing assistants (LNAs), so the LNA licensing and renewal rules apply. Aides at Medicare-certified home health agencies must also meet the federal standard — at least 75 hours of training including 16 supervised practical hours, a competency evaluation, and then 12 hours of RN-supervised in-service training during each 12-month period (42 CFR §484.80). C-E-U.com’s online courses can support those annual in-service hours; confirm topic selections with your agency.
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