Virginia Nursing CE Requirements for RNs, LPNs, CNAs & HHAs
Virginia RNs and LPNs must demonstrate continued competency during each two-year renewal period. Rather than requiring every nurse to complete the same fixed amount of continuing education, Virginia allows several different renewal pathways. This page also covers Virginia CNA certification renewal and home health aide training and annual in-service requirements.
C-E-U.com can support Virginia nurses who choose a continuing education-based pathway. Qualifying nursing courses may be used toward the 30-contact-hour option or the combined practice-and-CE option when they meet Virginia’s continuing competency standards.
Virginia Nursing Continuing Competency Requirements at a Glance
| Registered Nurse (RN) | Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | CNA | HHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General CE Requirement | No fixed CE requirement if another pathway is used | No fixed CE requirement if another pathway is used | None; annual renewal by compensated-work attestation | None; 12 hours per year in-service (federal) |
| CE-Only Pathway | 30 contact hours | 30 contact hours | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Practice + CE Pathway | 640 practice hours + 15 contact hours | 640 practice hours + 15 contact hours | Compensated nursing-related work in prior 2 years (attestation) | 75-hour training with 16 practical hours required initially (federal) |
| Other Pathways | National certification, qualifying academic coursework, refresher course, or other Board-recognized activities | National certification, qualifying academic coursework, refresher course, or other Board-recognized activities | Reinstatement after 90-day lapse: verified work or retest | Agency competency evaluation and documented in-service |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 years | Every 2 years | Annually | 12-month in-service cycle |
| Governing Body | Virginia Board of Nursing | Virginia Board of Nursing | Virginia Board of Nursing | CMS / employing home health agency |
Virginia RN and LPN Continuing Competency Options
Virginia nurses may satisfy renewal through one of several pathways, including:
30 contact hours of continuing education relevant to nursing practice
15 contact hours of continuing education plus 640 hours of active practice as a nurse
Current national certification in a nursing specialty
Completion of a nursing-related academic course
Completion of a Board-approved refresher course
Other qualifying professional or educational activities recognized by the Board
Virginia RN and LPN Continuing Education — 30 Contact Hours
C-E-U.com offers self-paced online nursing continuing education that can support Virginia RNs and LPNs who choose the 30-hour continuing education pathway. Courses provide documented contact hours and completion certificates for the nurse’s records.
Practice Plus Continuing Education — 15 Contact Hours
Virginia nurses may also satisfy continued competency by combining at least 640 hours of active nursing practice with 15 contact hours of continuing education during the applicable renewal period.
Alternative Continuing Competency Pathways
Virginia also recognizes other methods of demonstrating continued competency, including national specialty certification, qualifying nursing coursework, refresher education, and other Board-recognized professional activities. Nurses only need to satisfy one approved pathway for renewal.
Virginia CNA Requirements
Virginia CNAs are certified through the Virginia Board of Nursing, and certification renews annually based on employment rather than continuing education: aides attest to performing nursing-related activities for compensation within the two years preceding the expiration date. Virginia does not require CE hours for CNA renewal. A certification lapsed more than 90 days requires reinstatement — verified compensated nursing work around the lapse, or passing the state nurse aide exam again.
CNAs employed 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)) — a facility requirement tracked by the employer, not the Board.
Virginia CNA In-Service and Skills Training
C-E-U.com offers self-paced online courses Virginia 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 Virginia does not require CE for CNA 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.
Virginia Home Health Aide (HHA) Requirements
Home health aides working for Medicare-certified home health agencies in Virginia must meet the federal training 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). Virginia does not add a separate state CE-hour requirement on top of the federal standard for agency-employed home health aides.
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.
Virginia 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.
Virginia Nursing Continuing Competency References and Resources
Virginia Board of Nursing — Official source for RN and LPN licensure, renewal, continued competency, laws, and Board guidance.
Virginia RN/LPN Continued Competency Requirements — Details the approved renewal pathways, including 30 contact hours of CE and the 15-hour plus 640-practice-hour option.
Virginia Continued Competency Overview — General Board information on continued competency and continuing education requirements.
Virginia Board of Nursing Laws and Regulations — Official access to Virginia nursing statutes and regulations, including regulations governing RN and LPN practice.
Virginia Administrative Code — Nursing Practice — Official text of 18VAC90-19, including continued competency requirements for renewal.
Virginia Code — Board of Nursing — Statutory framework governing nursing licensure and practice in Virginia.
Virginia Department of Health Professions License Lookup — Official Virginia license verification resource for healthcare professionals.
18VAC90-25-80 — Renewal or Reinstatement of CNA Certification — Virginia regulation covering annual CNA renewal, the compensated-work attestation, 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: Virginia Nursing Continuing Competency
Virginia nurses may satisfy continued competency by completing 30 contact hours of qualifying continuing education during the two-year renewal period.
No. Virginia allows several competency pathways, including 15 contact hours of CE plus 640 hours of active nursing practice, national certification, qualifying academic coursework, refresher education, and other approved activities.
Yes. Qualifying C-E-U.com nursing courses can support the 30-hour CE pathway or the 15-hour education component of the practice-plus-CE pathway.
Yes. The same general continued competency framework applies to both RNs and LPNs.
Yes. Qualifying online nursing continuing education can be used toward Virginia’s continuing competency requirements.
No. Virginia does not require routine RN or LPN continuing education reporting through CE Broker.
No. Virginia CNA certification renews annually based on employment, not CE hours: you attest to performing nursing-related activities for compensation within the two years preceding your expiration date. A certification lapsed more than 90 days requires reinstatement — verified compensated work around the lapse or passing the nurse aide exam again. CNAs 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 aides working for Medicare-certified agencies in Virginia must complete at least 75 hours of training, including a minimum of 16 hours of supervised practical training, and pass a competency evaluation (42 CFR §484.80). After certification, federal rules require at least 12 hours of RN-supervised in-service training during each 12-month period, documented by the agency. C-E-U.com’s online courses can support those annual hours — confirm topic selections with your agency.
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